In this interview with Jürgen Fleischmann, the manager of TIMEZONE, discusses the biggest challenges faced by TIMEZONE during his tenure, the state of the fashion industry after the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of collaboration between brands and retailers, and TIMEZONE's approach to digitization.
Pay attention while Jürgen highlights the need for adaptability and growth in the ever-changing fashion industry and how working with Chainbalance's Smart Merchandise Management Solution has helped TIMEZONE automate processes, analyze data, and improve their capabilities and services towards their business partners.
Resilience, reinvention & retail innovation with Chainbalance
Jürgen Fleischmann, CEO of TIMEZONE, reflects on the transformation journey of the brand since he took the reins in 2020, a time defined by global disruption and accelerated change. Hosted by Britta Dünschede, Marketing Manager at Chainbalance, the interview highlights TIMEZONE’s agile response to industry turbulence, the shifting nature of retail partnerships, and the brand’s strategic embrace of Smart Merchandise Management.
Adapting to constant disruption
Fleischmann points to the volatility of the past few years, lockdowns, store closures, supply chain bottlenecks, inflation, as catalysts that forced the entire industry to rethink its operating models. “The greatest challenge was constantly adjusting to ever-changing conditions,” he shares. But rather than see disruption as a setback, TIMEZONE used it as an opportunity to reinvent. “These changes pushed us to ask, again and again, how can we do better?”
Post-pandemic, Fleischmann notes, the fashion industry feels even more uncertain. Yet, this uncertainty has encouraged deeper collaboration and strategic reevaluation of longstanding models. “Retailers and brands are starting to ask how they can operate more closely, not just in selling, but in planning, logistics, and shared responsibility.”
From Pre-Order to partnership
The traditional wholesale model, long dominated by pre-orders, is shifting. Fleischmann observes that retailers now favor seasonal replenishment flexibility over frequent product novelty. “They value the ability to reorder proven sellers,” he explains. “It reduces markdowns and improves sell-through—making the business more secure.”
TIMEZONE’s answer? A hybrid model that balances Never Out of Stock (NOS) items with seasonal assortment agility, ensuring retailers can react quickly without compromising on freshness. “We’re making seasonal products reorderable. That’s the strategy that’s paying off for both sides."
"Re-order is the new pre-order. Our retailers now prefer lower pre-orders and require more support during the season. Previously, we used a time-consuming, semi-manual process to support our customers'. That's why we sought a solution to automate these processes and ultimately decided for a pilot project with Chainbalance."
Digitization as a growth enabler
Digital transformation has been a cornerstone of TIMEZONE’s progress. From equipping teams for remote work during the pandemic to adopting advanced tools for digital line presentations and B2B sales, Fleischmann highlights how digital agility became a business imperative. One major focus: streamlining operational processes through automation.
This led TIMEZONE to adopt Chainbalance’s Smart Merchandise Management solution. Fleischmann describes the turning point: “We had been managing store assortments with a semi-manual process. I didn’t even dare to take on new clients because I couldn’t predict the workload. Chainbalance changed that. Now, we can automate key steps, analyze data faster, and make impactful decisions every morning that affect the shelves by noon.”
Building Trust Through Technology
More than just efficiency, the tool enables TIMEZONE to offer value-added retail services to its partners—services that independent retailers increasingly demand. “Retailers want brands to take more ownership of in-store inventory management. Thanks to Chainbalance, we can now do that.”
The result? Stronger partnerships based on trust, speed, and shared success. “When retailers see that the system works, it builds confidence,” says Fleischmann. “And trust is the foundation of our business.”
Learn more about TIMEZONE’s success with Chainbalance Smart Replenishment and read the case study.