For many merchants, Joint Business Planning (JBP) has become an annual exercise in negotiating funding, debating forecasts, and reviewing last year’s results.
That’s unfortunate because the original purpose of JBP was much more valuable: helping retailers and suppliers work together to accelerate growth, improve profitability, and create a competitive advantage.
As retailers face increasing pressure to deliver profitable growth in 2027, the merchants who get the most value from JBP will be those who use it as a growth strategy—not a contract negotiation.
Start with the Right Partners
Not every supplier deserves a seat at your JBP table.
Many retailers focus their planning efforts on their largest vendors simply because they represent significant sales volume. While those relationships matter, size alone doesn’t guarantee future growth.
The most effective JBP partners share three characteristics:
- Strategic alignment with your category and company objectives
- A willingness to invest in growth initiatives
- The ability to execute and adapt quickly
In many cases, the biggest opportunity isn’t with the largest supplier. It may be with an emerging brand that can help you differentiate your assortment, attract new customers, or unlock a new growth opportunity.
The goal is simple: prioritize the suppliers that can help you grow the business, not just maintain it.
Shift the Conversation from Funding to Growth
Too many JBP meetings begin with a list of demands from both sides.
The best plans start somewhere else.
They begin with a candid discussion about:
- Growth goals
- Category opportunities
- Customer trends
- Planned investments
- Operational challenges
- Strategic priorities
When retailers and suppliers openly share their objectives, they create opportunities to identify growth initiatives neither party would have developed independently.
Instead of negotiating over a fixed pie, they focus on expanding it.
That’s where the real value of JBP is created.
Build a Living Plan, Not a Static Document
One of the biggest reasons JBPs fail is that they become shelfware.
Teams invest weeks building a plan, agree on objectives, and then don’t revisit it until the following year.
Meanwhile, customer demand changes, competitive conditions shift, promotions perform differently than expected, and supply chain realities evolve.
Successful merchants treat JBP as an ongoing management process.
That means:
- Monthly business reviews to evaluate performance
- Regular adjustments to forecasts and initiatives
- Quarterly executive reviews to remove barriers and accelerate progress
- Shared accountability for results
The most successful plans evolve throughout the year rather than remaining frozen in time.
Stop Arguing About the Numbers
One of the most common frustrations merchants face during JBP is the amount of time spent debating data.
- Different spreadsheets
- Different assumptions
- Different versions of the truth
Industry research shows that teams often spend the majority of their JBP time reconciling numbers instead of discussing growth opportunities. Merchants don’t need more spreadsheets—they need more productive conversations.
The most effective JBP programs establish a shared financial view so both parties can focus on:
- Identifying opportunities
- Prioritizing investments
- Evaluating performance
- Making faster decisions
When everyone is working from the same data, collaboration becomes significantly easier.
Technology Can Accelerate Better Planning
Modern JBP platforms are helping retailers and suppliers move beyond disconnected spreadsheets and annual planning exercises.
Solutions like Portager provide a shared workspace where both parties can:
- Build plans collaboratively
- Align around a common financial view
- Track progress throughout the year
- Update forecasts and assumptions as conditions change
- Identify issues before they impact results
The result is less time spent reconciling numbers and more time spent driving growth.
The Opportunity for 2027
The retailers that gain the most from Joint Business Planning in 2027 will be those that rethink both their process and their partnerships.
Focus on suppliers that are aligned with your strategy.
Build plans centered on growth rather than negotiation.
Manage those plans throughout the year.
And leverage technology that allows both parties to operate from the same set of facts.
When done right, Joint Business Planning becomes more than an annual meeting—it becomes a competitive advantage.
