Location: Coral Gables, FL — Miracle Mile and Merrick Park area
Period: October–November 2025
Method: Direct observation, informal conversations, inventory analysis
Sample: 18 boutiques and specialty retailers
The top performers didn't talk about inventory in terms of quantity. They talked about velocity. How fast does it move? What's the days-on-floor before markdown?
One boutique owner showed us her dashboard: every item tracked by days since arrival. Anything over 45 days gets moved to a prime position or marked for promotion. "Dead inventory is dead money," she said.
"The struggling stores measured success by gross margin. The thriving stores measured success by inventory turns."
// High margin on a slow-moving item means nothing. Moderate margin on a fast-moving item builds businesses.
Every successful retailer had a weekly ritual. Same time, same format, same discipline:
What sold? What didn't? Any surprises? Compare to same week last year.
Replenish winners. Cut losers. No emotional attachment to poor performers.
Move slow items to new positions. Create urgency. Keep the floor feeling fresh.
The gap between top and average performers wasn't taste or location. It was data usage.
The tools they used weren't expensive. The discipline to use them consistently was the differentiator.
Let's look at your inventory systems together.