A merchant's guide to preparing for an upcoming Quarterly Business Review (or Joint Business Plan) with supplier. Ask these 10 questions prior to the QBR to identify opportunities, mitigate risk, and align on priorities of action to move the category / brand forward. Mech/ Merchandise /Revenue/Gross Profit/Margin/Dollars/Data/Ecommerce/Omnichannel/Retail

1. SUPPLIER
QUESTIONS TO
PREP FOR QBR
Joan Braatz
Vice President Merchandising
10 Questions to Ask Before the QBR 1

2. What is Quarterly
Business Review?
• Provide Transparency to Shared Goals with Supplier
• Present Category/Product Updates from Supplier
• State Solutions to Mitigate or Optimize Business Trend
• Report Resource Allocations
• Communicate Actions for Next 90 Days
• Gain Leadership Alignment
Memo: In some organizations this meeting may be
referred to as a Joint Business Plan (JBP)
10 Questions to ask Before the QBR 2

3. SHARE
MERCHANDISE
DATA REPORTS
• Current Performance
• +90 Day Forecast
• Category Comparison
10 Questions to Ask Before the QBR
3

4. Diagnostic
Questions to
Ask Supplier
Quarterly Business Review
10 Questions to Ask Before the QBR

5. Questions for Supplier Prep
5
10 Questions to Ask Before the QBR
Are There Exclusive
Opportunities?

6. Questions for Supplier Prep
6
10 Questions to Ask Before the QBR
Where Can We Gain
Market Share?

7. Questions for Supplier Prep
7
10 Questions to Ask Before the QBR
How Can We Tie to
Loyalty Program?

8. Questions for Supplier Prep
8
10 Questions to Ask Before the QBR
What is the Safety
Stock on Key Sku’s?

9. Questions for Supplier Prep
10 Questions to Ask Before the QBR
9
Is There Supply
Chain Disruption?

10. Questions for Supplier Prep
10
10 Questions to Ask Before the QBR
How Does Vendor
Forecast Tie to
Merchant?

11. Questions for Supplier Prep
10 Questions to Ask Before the QBR
11
How Can We
Maximize Sales
Trend?

12. Questions for Supplier Prep
10 Questions to Ask Before the QBR
12
How Is The
Competitor
Performing?

13. Questions for Supplier Prep
10 Questions to Ask Before the QBR
13
Is This a Shift in
Consumer Behavior?

14. Questions for Supplier Prep
10 Questions to Ask Before the QBR
14
Should We Action
Contingency
Plan(s)?

15. Gain Vendor
Alignment Prior to
QBR
• Share All Financial Reports
• Highlight Risk and/or Opportunity
• Communicate “ask” for Supplier
• Establish Contingencies to
Optimize
• Gain Competitor Insights
15
10 Questions to Ask Before the QBR

16. Reach Me
Joan Braatz
Vice President Merchandising
Retail | B2C | B2B
10 Questions to Ask Before the QBR
16
braatzjoan@gmail.com
214-733-9677
https://www.linkedin.com/in
/joanbraatz/
https://joanbraatz.com/
THANK YOU