Cannibalization Demand Forecaster™ (CANN)
Effectively predict the impact of demand on related items, as well as items within a category.
Churchill's Cannibalization Demand Forecaster™ (CANN)
Understand the True Impact of Merchandise Actions
Promotional actions of a single item or line can often have an impact — positive or negative — on the sales or margins of the total category. While much of today’s focus is on the planning, forecasting, analysis and optimization of lines or single items demand, the real story can only be told when we understand the impact of promotional actions on the demand of the entire category.
Therefore, Retailer planners must ask themselves:
- How will a change to one item impact the demand for related items?
- Will my promotion or markdown strategy achieve my goals for the Category?
- Is my Assortment in line with my demand? Too many lines? What if I add a new style?

Challenge
See the Bigger Picture in Demand Forecasting
What happens to forecasted demand when Brand A toothpaste is discounted or its price adjusted? How will Brand B and the store’s Private Label toothpaste sales respond? What is the overall impact on the oral care category?
Churchill’s Cannibalization Demand Forecaster™ (CANN) software addresses the effects of new product introductions, pricing and promotions on a category’s related items. CANN is a fully integrated solution within Churchill’s Demand Forecast Manager.
Solution
Anticipating Demand Shifts Across the Entire Category
To accelerate the deployment and maximize the effectiveness of the Cannibalization Demand Forecaster™ (CANN), Churchill Systems offers a structured, phased implementation approach. Each phase adds increasing levels of precision in forecasting, empowering retailers to better understand and respond to category-wide impacts.
Static Analytics
Foundational data analysis to understand baseline sales metrics.
Category Impact Analysis
Evaluate how changes in one product’s performance impact the sales of related items within the category.
Cross Elasticity Impact
Assess the broader interactions between products to measure the full effect of pricing, promotions, and new product introductions on category demand.
Your Solution for Accurate, Scalable Demand Forecasting
Churchill’s Cannibalization Demand Forecaster™ (CANN) provides comprehensive insights into how changes in demand for one product can influence others within the same category. This powerful solution offers benefits that enable retailers to make data-driven decisions across the entire category, optimize inventory, and effectively manage promotional activities.
Features
- Multi-item demand elasticity using algorithms and neural networks
- Three levels of deliverables for multi-item demand forecasting
- Extensive reporting
- Extreme scalability
- Broad integration capabilities
- On-site enterprise software licensing
Benefits
- Specific algorithms for slow-moving product
- Utilizes algorithms that best fit individual business objectives
- Allows for massive profiling capabilities in a timely manner
- Automatically adjusts min/max based on demand
- Supports store/item-specific forecasting for large retailers
- Integrates with customer’s existing planning software
Additional Resources
Which Retail Sectors Rely Most on AI Forecasting
Not every retailer faces the same forecasting challenges. Whether you manage seasonal trends, continuity items, or promotion-driven demand spikes, AI-based forecasting can help you plan more precisely and profitably. This blog breaks down three major forecasting models — Seasonal, Continuity, and Promotional — and shows how leading retailers across each sector are using AI to drive results.
3 Biggest AI Forecasting Mistakes Retailers Make
AI-based forecasting is no longer a futuristic tool — it’s a retail necessity. But too many businesses jump in without a clear strategy, cross-functional alignment, or the right partner. This article breaks down the top three mistakes retailers make when implementing AI forecasting — and what to do instead to actually drive results.
What is End-To-End Demand Forecasting
At its core, Demand Forecasting is about knowing what your customers will want, when, where, and how much they’ll buy. This blog explores how AI-based forecasting helps retailers make smarter, faster decisions across every stage of the product lifecycle. Learn how Demand Forecasting connects Merchandising, Supply Chain, and Pricing strategies — and why an end-to-end forecasting approach is key to staying competitive.