Reinventing Retail Tech—How 7thonline is Optimizing Merchandising with AI

7thonline
May 30
2 min read

7thonline Founder and CEO, Max Ma sits down with The PowerTalk Show and Navin Shetty to talk about transforming how global brands manage inventory, forecast demand and drive profitability.

“Retailers are still stuck on Excel. And Excel is the source of most inventory problems.” – Max Ma

While working in IT at a retail company, Max noticed systemic inefficiencies—millions in unproductive inventory, siloed decision-making and a heavy reliance on Excel. This sparked the idea for a smarter solution. Fast forward 26 years, and 7thonline is now trusted by brands like Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Canada Goose and more.

The Problem: Excel is Still in Charge

Despite massive advancements in retail technology, Max highlights a reality few discuss: 70-80% of retailers still rely on Excel to make million-dollar inventory decisions. “It creates silos, errors, and a total lack of control,” Max says. “Our goal was to replace Excel—without intimidating the user.”

7thonline mimics the Excel interface while running a powerful AI-driven engine beneath the surface. The result? Fast adoption, deeper data insights and smarter forecasting.

The Solution: Smarter Planning Through AI-Based Retail Tech

Max and his team began integrating AI into their system over 20 years ago—long before AI became a buzzword.

“AI isn't new. Our team has worked with it for 30 years. The difference now is people are finally paying attention.” – Max Ma

One standout feature? Test Buy Forecasting, which helps brands identify top-selling products within the first two weeks of launch. That agility alone has helped clients:

Increase gross margins by 30-35%
Reduce pre-season buys by half
Allocate budgets dynamically based on real-time demand

Real Results: Case Studies That Matter

7thonline isn’t just theory—it’s delivering real-world results. One client saved $1 per garment by placing production just one week earlier. With millions of units sold annually, that adds up fast.

In another case, a brand used 7thonline’s AI forecasting for a single product category of 30 styles. In just four weeks, they generated $320,000 in additional sales—a number that speaks louder than any sales pitch.

The Future: AI-Powered Trend Mining

The next big thing? Max is excited about new LLM (large language model) features that act like an intelligent co-planner for merchandisers. The platform will soon be able to:

Analyze macro trends from the internet and social media
Identify new product opportunities
Suggest seasonal forecasting based on current market shifts

AI will not replace people—but it will amplify their decisions. That’s where the future lies. Watch now to hear how Max Ma and 7thonline are not just forecasting demand—but creating it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEGnLYQSLbY

7thonline is replacing Excel and saving retailers millions