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Iris
How did the Nike Running clearance do?
Iris · clearance post-mortem, Nike Running

Nike Running · closed Jul 26

  • 83% sell-through: beat the 80% plan
  • Margin landed $65k under plan (redemption ran rich)

Verdict: repeat, but tune. Hold the depth next time rather than going deeper; that's what ate the margin. Want me to note that for next season?

Set the depth cap for next season, and flag me if any other closeout starts trending the same way.
MarkSmart™

Meet Iris, Your AI Markdown Optimization Agent

Only With Impact Analytics
Iris, the AI markdown optimization agent inside MarkSmart, coordinates markdown depth, timing, and execution across the entire clearance lifecycle. Every recommendation includes the forecast, the expected margin impact, and the results of your previous clearance events, while every markdown remains within the approval workflows and business rules you define.

Markdown timing, discount depth, inventory position, and sell-through are evaluated together before any recommendation reaches a planner.
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THE AGENT AT WORK

Every Clearance Question, Answered with Iris

Ask the AI markdown agent about any clearance, discount level, or style on the plan. Iris evaluates the clearance against your goals, models the alternatives, explains the business impact, and stages the next action inside MarkSmart.

Exception Alerts

Which Clearance Carries the Greatest Risk?

Iris evaluates progress against the plan across every clearance still running, shows how far behind each one is, and identifies the one carrying the most risk, so planners know where to start.

  • Lists every clearance running behind its plan.
  • Shows how far each one is behind what the plan expected.
  • Identifies the clearance to fix first and the options for fixing it.
Iris
Which clearances are behind their sell-through target?
Iris · MarkSmart

Behind target · 3 strategies

  • Strategy 12 v5 (Jordan Retro): 62% vs 85%, 3 weeks left
  • Strategy 12 v6 (Nike Running): 74% vs 80%
  • Clearance-South (Kids Casual): 69% vs 80%

v5 is the most at risk given the short runway. Want the fix options for it?

Yes, show me how to get v5 back on track.

Scenario Planning

See What Each Discount Level Actually Costs

Iris compares discount levels using the same products, stores, and time period, showing what each one costs in margin next to the sales it returns, so planners can see when cutting deeper stops paying off.

  • Forecasts each discount level on the same products, stores, and time period.
  • Shows what every option costs in margin next to the sales it returns.
  • Identifies the point where cutting deeper adds cost without adding sales.
Iris
If I ease the min-markdown on v5 to 15%, do I hit 85%?
Iris · MarkSmart

Simulated on the same scope:

  • 15% → forecast 84% sell-through, +$18k markdown spend
  • 20% → forecast 88%, +$34k spend

The 15% option gets you to plan for the least spend. I'd stop there: going deeper buys little. Want me to line them up side by side?

This is advisory; you'd apply it in the workbench.
Yes, please do.

Clearance Analysis

Understand What a Finished Clearance Really Returned

Iris separates sales performance from margin performance, explains what drove the outcome, and recommends whether the clearance strategy should be repeated, adjusted, or retired next season.

  • Separates the sales result from the margin result.
  • Explains what moved the margin away from the plan.
  • Recommends whether to repeat, adjust, or stop it, and records the decision once you approve.
Iris
How did the Nike Running clearance do?
Iris · MarkSmart

Nike Running · closed Jul 26

  • 83% sell-through: beat the 80% plan
  • Margin landed $65k under plan (redemption ran rich)

Verdict: repeat, but tune. Hold the depth next time rather than going deeper; that's what ate the margin. Want me to note that for next season?

Yes, what will my next season look like?

Pattern Learning

Let Your Own Clearance History Set the Discount

Iris learns from previous clearances in each category, identifying the discount levels and timing that cleared inventory fastest at the lowest margin cost, so planners start the next one from your own results.

  • Recommends a discount level grounded in your category history.
  • Identifies categories where cutting deeper has stopped adding sales.
  • Builds a staged discount plan for planners to review and approve.
Iris
How deep should I go on the Pre-School clearance?
Iris · MarkSmart

For your Pre-School footwear, ~50% is the sweet spot: across your last 3 clearances, going past it added spend without lifting sell-through. Start there and step, rather than a deep first cut (Pre-School tends to over-clear). Want me to draft a cadence at 50%?

What would 60% look like, or should I strictly follow the 50% scope?

Which Clearance Carries the Greatest Risk?

Iris evaluates progress against the plan across every clearance still running, shows how far behind each one is, and identifies the one carrying the most risk, so planners know where to start.

  • Lists every clearance running behind its plan.
  • Shows how far each one is behind what the plan expected.
  • Identifies the clearance to fix first and the options for fixing it.
Iris
Which clearances are behind their sell-through target?
Iris · MarkSmart

Behind target · 3 strategies

  • Strategy 12 v5 (Jordan Retro): 62% vs 85%, 3 weeks left
  • Strategy 12 v6 (Nike Running): 74% vs 80%
  • Clearance-South (Kids Casual): 69% vs 80%

v5 is the most at risk given the short runway. Want the fix options for it?

Yes, show me how to get v5 back on track.

See What Each Discount Level Actually Costs

Iris compares discount levels using the same products, stores, and time period, showing what each one costs in margin next to the sales it returns, so planners can see when cutting deeper stops paying off.

  • Forecasts each discount level on the same products, stores, and time period.
  • Shows what every option costs in margin next to the sales it returns.
  • Identifies the point where cutting deeper adds cost without adding sales.
Iris
If I ease the min-markdown on v5 to 15%, do I hit 85%?
Iris · MarkSmart

Simulated on the same scope:

  • 15% → forecast 84% sell-through, +$18k markdown spend
  • 20% → forecast 88%, +$34k spend

The 15% option gets you to plan for the least spend. I'd stop there: going deeper buys little. Want me to line them up side by side?

This is advisory; you'd apply it in the workbench.
Yes, please do.

Understand What a Finished Clearance Really Returned

Iris separates sales performance from margin performance, explains what drove the outcome, and recommends whether the clearance strategy should be repeated, adjusted, or retired next season.

  • Separates the sales result from the margin result.
  • Explains what moved the margin away from the plan.
  • Recommends whether to repeat, adjust, or stop it, and records the decision once you approve.
Iris
How did the Nike Running clearance do?
Iris · MarkSmart

Nike Running · closed Jul 26

  • 83% sell-through: beat the 80% plan
  • Margin landed $65k under plan (redemption ran rich)

Verdict: repeat, but tune. Hold the depth next time rather than going deeper; that's what ate the margin. Want me to note that for next season?

Yes, what will my next season look like?

Let Your Own Clearance History Set the Discount

Iris learns from previous clearances in each category, identifying the discount levels and timing that cleared inventory fastest at the lowest margin cost, so planners start the next one from your own results.

  • Recommends a discount level grounded in your category history.
  • Identifies categories where cutting deeper has stopped adding sales.
  • Builds a staged discount plan for planners to review and approve.
Iris
How deep should I go on the Pre-School clearance?
Iris · MarkSmart

For your Pre-School footwear, ~50% is the sweet spot: across your last 3 clearances, going past it added spend without lifting sell-through. Start there and step, rather than a deep first cut (Pre-School tends to over-clear). Want me to draft a cadence at 50%?

What would 60% look like, or should I strictly follow the 50% scope?
Get Started

Every Markdown Comes With the Evidence Behind It

The AI markdown agent follows the same transparent process every time: identify the clearance at risk, forecast the discount options, explain what each one costs, and stage the recommended cut for approval.
01

Investigate

Iris continuously monitors sell-through, stock on hand, and weeks remaining across every live clearance, surfacing the ones heading for trouble while there is still time to act.
02

Recommend

MarkSmart evaluates each discount through its markdown engine, with every recommendation showing expected sell-through, margin impact, and relevant historical performance.
03

Approve

Proposed markdowns remain staged within your existing approval workflow. Routine cuts can run automatically only within the depth and margin guardrails your administrators define.
01

Investigate

Iris continuously monitors sell-through, stock on hand, and weeks remaining across every live clearance, surfacing the ones heading for trouble while there is still time to act.
02

Recommend

MarkSmart evaluates each discount through its markdown engine, with every recommendation showing expected sell-through, margin impact, and relevant historical performance.
03

Approve

Proposed markdowns remain staged within your existing approval workflow. Routine cuts can run automatically only within the depth and margin guardrails your administrators define.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an AI markdown optimization agent?

Iris, an AI markdown optimization agent, works inside MarkSmart. It coordinates markdown depth, timing, and execution across the clearance lifecycle, and stages every cut inside your approval workflow before it reaches a store.

How does AI markdown optimization work?

Iris monitors stock on hand, sell-through, and weeks remaining across every live clearance. It forecasts each discount level on the same scope, shows what each one costs in margin, and stages the recommended cut for your approval.

Does the markdown agent take markdowns on its own?

Not by default. Every proposed markdown stays staged in your existing approval workflow. Routine cuts auto-apply only within the depth and margin guardrails your administrators define. Anything outside those limits goes to a person.

How is an AI markdown agent different from markdown optimization software?

Software returns a discount. An agent explains it. Iris ranks clearances by margin at risk, shows where cutting deeper stops paying off, and learns from your own clearance history to set the next depth.

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