Daiso to Enhance Demand Forecasting and Store and DC Ordering with RELEX

Why It Matters

The partnership gives Daiso a scalable, AI‑driven supply chain that reduces waste and improves product availability, sharpening its competitive edge in the discount‑retail sector. It also signals broader adoption of advanced forecasting tools among large Japanese retailers.

Key Takeaways

• Daiso adopts RELEX AI for 4,625 stores
• Rule‑based ordering replaced by data‑driven forecasts
• Goal: reduce stockouts and excess inventory
• Enhances efficiency for store staff and DCs
• Supports Daiso’s future global expansion

Pulse Analysis

Daiso’s massive footprint—over 5,600 stores in Japan and abroad and roughly 47,000 SKUs—has long relied on manual, rule‑based ordering. That approach, while familiar to store staff, often produced mismatched inventory levels: popular items vanished from shelves while declining products accumulated in warehouses. The resulting stockouts and excess stock not only eroded sales but also inflated labor costs as employees wrestled with frequent adjustments. In a market where price sensitivity and product variety are paramount, such inefficiencies can quickly undermine brand loyalty.

Enter RELEX Solutions, an AI‑native platform that unifies demand forecasting, inventory planning, and replenishment across both stores and distribution centers. By ingesting point‑of‑sale data, seasonal trends, and SKU‑level performance, the system generates granular demand signals that feed directly into automated ordering workflows. Early pilots indicate a measurable dip in out‑of‑stock incidents and a reduction in over‑stocked SKUs, translating into lower waste and smoother store operations. Moreover, the platform’s scalability means Daiso can extend the same predictive logic to future overseas locations without reinventing its supply‑chain architecture.

The Daiso‑RELEX collaboration reflects a broader shift in Japanese retail toward data‑driven supply‑chain management. As consumers demand faster, more reliable access to low‑price goods, retailers are turning to AI to balance cost control with service quality. Successful implementation can also bolster sustainability goals by trimming unnecessary inventory and associated carbon footprints. For competitors, Daiso’s move sets a benchmark, prompting a reassessment of legacy ordering practices and accelerating the industry’s digital transformation agenda.