Q. HBC, Inc., during its subsidiaries, operates approximately 600 retail stores in Canada. The stores sell a range of merchandise, including men's, women's and children's apparel, accessories, cosmetics, home furnishings and house wares. Senior management has decided that HBC desires to tailor merchandise more too local tastes, that the colours, sizes, brands and styles of clothing and other merchandise should be based on the sales patterns in each individual HBC store. For instance, stores in Newfoundland might stock clothing in smaller sizes or brighter colours than those in Regina or the HBC in Vancouver's Oak Bridge Centre might comprise a greater variety of makeup shades to attract trendier shoppers.
a) Explain how could information systems help HBC's management implement this new strategy?
b) Illustrate what pieces of information should these systems collect to help management make merchandising decisions that support this strategy?