It’s the first week in December, so you’re focused on the holidays. In fact, a lot of us can’t see past the holidays at all. Whether you’re exulting over your holiday sales, struggling to keep up with demand, or just trying to get through the busiest time of year without dropping any balls, you can easily get tunnel vision.

“Just let me get through Christmas,” we’re saying.

That’s not what your buyer is thinking.

Walmart buyers take the 30-60-90 approach. They look first at what’s coming up in the next month, making sure they have all the details under control. This isn’t time for planning; it’s time for tweaking.

Next, they look at the next 60 days, making sure they have predicted trends correctly and that things are going according to plan. Depending on the category, they might be planning promotions — or finalizing ad copy.

Finally, it’s time for 90 day thinking, and this is where the planning takes place.

Your buyer won’t bring it up with you, but if the buyer is working out 90 days, you should be working out 120 days. This is a great time to be thinking about spring.

If you’re used to flying by the seat of your pants, 30-60-90 thinking takes some getting used to, but it’s definitely worth it.