Q&A: RTIH talks retail challenges and opportunities with Nextail CEO and Co-Founder Carlos Miragall

RTIH gets the lowdown on Nextail, an AI driven merchandise planning and execution platform that empowers fashion retailers to sell more with less stock through hyper-local demand forecasting and agile automation.

RTIH: Tell us about Nextail

CM: Nextail’s mission for the last decade boils down to solving one of the industry’s age old challenges: aligning supply with demand.

Essentially, we help partnering retailers to boost profitability while reducing overstock and waste by ensuring that each and every SKU is destined for the point of sale where it is most likely to sell at full price, all season long.

Traditional approaches to inventory management are generally top-down, inflexible, and usually spreadsheet-based, leading to inefficiencies and excess stock. Nextail, on the other hand, applies state-of-the-art AI, machine learning and automation to manage massive amounts of retail data and delivers on-point mission critical inventory decisions.

And since Nextail is specifically designed for fashion by retail experts, it addresses the industry’s unique industry specific challenges, such as short product lifecycles, size curves and seasonal collections. Every feature, algorithm, and interface element has merchandisers and buyers in mind, so it’s not only quicker and easier to implement than industry agnostic systems, and also easier for users to adopt.

RTIH: What are the biggest challenges facing retailers right now and how can Nextail help?

CM: Retailers always face some degree of uncertainty and demand fluctuation, but the levels they are facing today are unprecedented. Everything from supply chain disruptions, to socio-political tensions, and even climate change events are increasing operational costs and squeezing customer spending and profitability like never before.

While there is no quick and easy way to solve these macro-level challenges, one thing is clear: Retailers must focus on making the very most of their inventory investments and maximising margins as best they can.

Nextail empowers fashion retailers with intelligent, data driven holdback strategies that allow them to keep inventory higher up in the supply chain while ensuring optimal stock at each point of sale, down to the style-colour-size level.

That means they have better flexibility to meet demand wherever it points throughout the season, and are less likely to have to resort to discounting later on - no matter how demand changes. This leads to better higher working capital, full price sell-through, fewer stockouts, and less excess inventory.

On the human side of things, there are also benefits. By automating data processing and decision-making, we also free up time for merchandising teams so that they can focus on strategy rather than on manual tasks. Not only does this create higher professional satisfaction, it also empowers teams to truly flex their “art” muscle - their creativity and expertise - while automating the “science” that is continuously growing in complexity. 

RTIH: You were one of the 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards winners. What does winning awards like this mean to Nextail?

CM: Winning the AI Innovation of the Year award alongside an iconic fashion retailer like Guess is an exciting recognition of our impact on fashion retail. It is also a testament to a relentless commitment to helping forward looking fashion retailers to evolve beyond outdated inventory management practices into agile, data driven operations that drive profitability and sustainability.

We’re proud to say that our partnership quickly helped Guess achieve a 5pp full-price sell-through increase, a 7% average weighted selling price increase, and 7.5% less coverage, and is proof of how AI can drive profitability and agility in even the most competitive markets.

This award builds upon our recognition the previous year when we were co-awarded Best Retailer - Retail Tech Supplier with Flying Tiger Copenhagen, reinforcing our reputation as a trusted and effective partner for retailers worldwide.

These awards have also inspired our teams internally - from data scientists, to engineers and our change and success managers to continue pushing boundaries and setting new standards for what retailers should expect from their technology partners.

RTIH: What emerging trend do you predict might fundamentally reshape the retail industry?

CM: Retail is evolving faster than ever - what used to take decades to change is now happening in just a few years. AI is set to revolutionise how retailers manage inventory, not just through customer facing tech but by transforming the behind the scenes decision-making that keeps businesses running. 

The real game-changer? AI-powered autonomous retail operations. This means AI handling complex inventory decisions across thousands of SKUs and locations, making stock move as dynamically as customer demand. But it’s not just about automation - it’s about giving retailers the agility to stay ahead in an unpredictable market. The real key isn’t just having advanced AI; it’s combining that technology with deep retail know-how to solve real-world challenges. 

RTIH: Why is RTS 2025 an important show for Nextail and what other events can people catch you at this year?

CM: Nextail attends Retail Technology Show year after year because of how it brings together industry leaders, decision-makers, and innovators at the forefront of retail transformation both in the UK and beyond.

It’s the perfect platform for us to showcase how Nextail AI powered solutions are helping fashion retailers navigate today’s greatest challenges while driving profitability.

Each year, we love connecting with forward thinking retailers on the ground who are looking to modernise their operations and engage with partners who share our vision for collectively shaping the future of fashion.

In addition to Retail Technology Show, you’ll be able to find us at other strategic retail events throughout the year, including Shoptalk Europe 2025, PI Apparel Europe and additional local events industry events where we’ll continue sharing our insights on inventory optimisation, demand forecasting, and the future of fashion retail. 

RTIH: What can visitors expect when visiting your stand at RTS 2025 or meeting with you at Shoptalk Europe?

CM: Visitors to our stand (D78) at Retail Technology Show or meet with us at Shoptalk Europe can expect to be greeted by our delegation of fashion retail experts who would be more than pleased to demonstrate the power of AI driven inventory management specifically designed for fashion retailers.

Our experts would love to discuss the concerns of today’s fashion retailers and answer any questions about how Nextail can support them and help them sell more with less stock, enhance profitability, and reduce environmental impact by minimising overstock and waste.

We’d also be happy to share real-world success stories, showing how leading fashion brands are leveraging Nextail to navigate uncertainty and drive sustainable growth.