Analysis of problems and development of directions for improving the inventory management system in regional retail

Regional retail is currently undergoing changes driven by the transformation of supply chains and consumer demand. Effective inventory management is now a strategic factor, ensuring business sustainability and stability. This article examines the challenges of changing inventory management systems in regional retail and identifies specific aspects of inventory management for regional retail. Emphasis is placed on the conflict between the objective of guaranteed availability and the financial aspect. For a more detailed examination of this topic, an analysis of inventory levels in retail organizations (in days) and inventory levels in retail organizations (in billions of rubles) for the period 2023-2025 was conducted. Two federal districts, the Siberian and Far Eastern, are used as examples. The study identifies limitations hindering the prospective development of inventory management systems. Several areas for improving the inventory management system are proposed.