After helping retailers across Europe become more data-driven, Laurent Mainil saw the same pattern repeat: markdown pricing was still handled manually, slowly, and emotionally, leaving millions in lost margin. In this interview, ahead of his participation in the Transformation Conference, he explains why smart pricing is the industry’s biggest opportunity, and why fashion’s next leap forward starts with structured data and top-down leadership.
What inspired you to start Markmi?
— When COVID hit, retailers had to clear massive inventory without proper tools. Executives told us markdowns were one of their biggest cost lines — yet most teams were still managing them line by line in Excel.
What does Markmi do differently?
– We help fashion retailers set smarter markdowns. Our AI forecasts price elasticity and product lifecycle per region and channel, then simulates scenarios to find the best outcome — not just turnover, but margin too. What used to take four days now takes 30 minutes.
What results can brands expect?
– Retailers typically see margin gains of 3% to 7% and time savings of up to 95%. But more importantly, they get visibility. Suddenly you can see the trade-offs between margin, turnover, and sell-through — and stop flying blind.
Where do most teams go wrong?
– They discount too fast, too much, and too broadly. Often it’s emotion-based — merchandisers are attached to products they picked. Or it’s driven by incomplete data. We replace that with confidence from clear forecasts.
What makes AI truly useful in fashion?
– Forget the buzzwords. AI matters when it solves real business problems. Markdown pricing is a prime example — it’s complex, high-impact, and still managed with gut feeling. That’s where we bring structure and precision.
What’s stopping more retailers from becoming data-driven?
– Mindset. Tech works, but adoption doesn’t happen unless the CEO or CFO commits. Mid-level teams can’t drive pricing transformation on their own — leadership has to push through the discomfort when old habits are challenged.
How do you see AI adoption evolving?
– Most of the value so far has been in marketing. The next wave is operations: planning, pricing, inventory. These are unsexy, but that’s where the real money is. That’s what we focus on.
Why are you expanding into the Nordics?
– Nordic retailers face similar challenges to Benelux: short seasons, multiple markets, and high markdown pressure. But they’re also culturally open to innovation — it’s the perfect fit for us.
What’s your long-term vision?
– To be the go-to pricing assistant for fashion retail. Starting with markdowns, and eventually covering the full pricing stack — list price, promotions, lifecycle. Our aim is to replace guesswork with structured, confident decisions.
One piece of advice to retail leaders?
– Do the math. A 3–5% margin improvement might be more valuable than chasing more volume. If you want to be data-driven, start with your biggest inefficiencies — and build leadership alignment from there.
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