Following our initial appointment to overhaul the Schops outlet division, we were then tasked with the closure of 16 of these stores in an ambitious parallel programme.  Austrian clothing and accessories retailer Schops, was purchased by private equity specialists Arques Industries who wanted to restructure the business.  Our specialist team of consultants developed a closure and inventory clearance programme, including a 360⁰ logistics plan to redistribute stock effectively between stores.  As well as maximising local demand, this process ensured that stock was cleared from the 16 stores scheduled for closure.  Our involvement was carried out on a fee basis, to provide flexibility for Arques, enabling store clearance and closures to coincide with evolving property transactions.  To protect the brand equity of the main estate, our multi-dimensional marketing programme delivered tailored messages to specifically targeted demographic locations.  We also cleared surplus and obsolete inventory in a combination of stores using a team of experienced local consultants.  We then assisted with brand repositioning, re-merchandising stores to help launch the new outlet store strategy and providing coaching for employees across all departments, ensuring self-sufficiency in surplus inventory management going forward.  As a result, the private equity firm successfully achieved a smooth transition to its desired market position.