Lazy marketing is not only about studying the consumer and organizing a passive sales process. One of the key points of effective sales is the presence of a balanced assortment. The range of products and services must meet consumer expectations, so the company is interested in creating an interesting and effective product portfolio for consumers.

Every company thinks about the question of what to sell and in what quantities. The solution to this difficult dilemma will allow us to obtain the company's assortment concept.

The task of forming an assortment concept – formulate the basic principles, directions and mechanisms for assortment management, determine the target audience of buyers.

First, let’s define what a “product assortment” is.

Product range- this is the totality of all commercial products enterprises, including assortment groups and individual products (with and without a trademark).

The product range is characterized by several indicators.

1. Assortment width- quantity assortment groups in the entire range of commercial products.

2. Depth of assortment– the number of products in one assortment group.

3. Compatibility– the degree of complementarity and compatibility of various product groups.

4. Range height– average price of the assortment group.

5. Assortment mobility– the ability to change in accordance with the needs and demands of consumers.

6. Stability of the assortment– the ability to maintain an assortment matrix of the most popular and profitable assortment positions.

7. Relevance of the assortment– this is the constant demand by consumers for the assortment items presented by the company.

Stability, breadth and high mobility of the assortment are the main indicators of the competitiveness of a trading enterprise.

The basis of assortment policy is the enterprise strategy. For example, if your store is family-oriented, then its assortment must include children's toys and things for family recreation, despite the fact that they may not generate high income.

Development product range carried out when accounting the following factors:

> production, financial, personnel capabilities of the enterprise;

> market needs for these products (meeting consumer expectations, their purchasing power);

> opportunities for the emergence of new niches.

Many stores make typical mistake: they purchase products according to the principle: “let’s buy and see how it sells.” However, this approach leads to the fact that the store presents a product that is completely unnecessary for the consumer, which, in turn, takes up a large share of shelf space. Ultimately, the consumer develops a negative impression of the store, and you lose your customers.

To create an effective assortment it is necessary to draw up an assortment matrix and an assortment minimum of commercial products.

Assortment matrix is a list of goods sold in the store that is necessary and satisfies the needs of target consumers. It is planned for a long period of time and is combined with the strategic goals of the company.

Minimum assortment of commercial products– this is the minimum list of products sold in the store that meets the expectations and needs of target consumers. This document is a matrix of assortment items that must be constantly present in the store during a certain period of time. The minimum assortment is formed on the basis of the product groups available in the assortment and depends on changes in consumer demand and other factors.

The location of a store or commercial enterprise is of strategic importance for its development and formation of assortment. In assessing the location, the following important aspects can be highlighted:

> presence of main transport routes;

> availability residential complexes;

> structure of the population living in a given microdistrict.

The formation of the assortment matrix is ​​facilitated by consumers themselves, who ask for a particular product and wonder whether it will be in the store in the near future. By noting their requests, a “lazy” marketer can plan directions for expanding the assortment matrix.

The assortment matrix is ​​very similar to a cabinet with a large number of compartments and cells, each of which is intended for a specific product. Using the example of a clothing store, you can create an assortment matrix as follows. First, decide how much clothing the store should have for men, women, and children. Secondly, in each segment it is necessary to decide what types of clothing and in what quantities will need to be purchased, how the products will be presented in the store: by brand, by collection or mixed. Further, for example, children's casual summer clothing will be divided into capsules depending on the situational situation of consumption: swimsuit and panama hat; shorts, skirt and T-shirt, socks, sundress; jeans and a T-shirt, jacket, etc. The smallest cell includes a description of one product item, for example, a Panama hat for a girl. This cell is supplemented with information about the quantity of this item in different colors and designs.

Minimum assortment is a list of cells that must always be filled in a certain quantity. For example, the normal option is when the assortment includes four types of children's panama hats, and the minimum is two.

Thus, the basis for forming an assortment is the classification of goods into groups in accordance with the company’s development strategy and the expectations and needs of consumers.

The basis for assortment formation is the study of demand for assortment items, which can be carried out using the approximation method. To collect information, first of all, you can use your own resources and information from buyers, suppliers, reports and research results. Some data can be requested from product manufacturers, who can also provide an analytical overview of the market and trends.

As part of assortment analysis, it is advisable to apply the following methods for studying demand.

1. Operative method, based on accounting for daily sales of products by quantity, amount, and assortment structure. Based on this method, it is advisable to construct a graph reflecting the dynamics of demand for assortment items over time, for example, by day of the week.

2. “Log of unsatisfied demand,” which records consumer requests for goods that are not in the store’s assortment. Each position should be considered as a potential unit of the assortment portfolio.

3. Surveys of existing and potential buyers.

4. Observation of consumer behavior on the sales floor. It is advisable to take photographs trading floor at certain intervals, which will allow us to understand who buys products and at what time, what causes the activity or passivity of buyers, focus groups.

5. Communication with store visitors.

6. Imagine yourself in the buyer’s place and look at the sales floor and assortment “through his eyes.”

7. Analysis of the trajectory of customer flow and customer preferences regarding the place of purchase.

8. Make trial purchases in your own store and competitors’ stores.

A complete assortment analysis includes the use of several well-known and universal methods. Using them, the company can develop recommendations for the formation of a balanced assortment that increases the economic sustainability of the enterprise.

Initial stage assortment optimization is to determine the percentage of buyer groups. In order to determine who the target consumer is, it is necessary to monitor buyers at their place of residence. For example, buyers can be divided into categories:

> residents of nearby houses;

> motorists passing on the street;

> employees of nearby offices.

In turn, residents of nearby houses can be divided into housewives, working men, working women, pensioners, youth and children. Followed by determine the share (in percentage) of each category of buyers in the total number of buyers. The buyers represented in this diagram in greater numbers are the target consumers, therefore, their needs must be taken into account when forming the assortment.

For each of the above categories behavioral characteristics are determined:

> preferences regarding the time of purchase;

> preferences regarding the place of purchase;

> type of purchase;

> requirements for the product and the purchasing process (prestige, naturalness, convenient location of the product);

> expectations regarding navigation aids, service.

One of the most popular and effective methods assortment analysis is ABC analysis.

The idea of ​​ABC analysis is based on the Pareto principle: “a relatively small number of causes are responsible for the majority of possible results,” or on the well-known “20/80” rule.

The first stage of analysis is the breakdown of the assortment into groups according to the degree of influence on the overall result. As grouping principles, you can use the amount of revenue received from a specific product group, sales volume or other parameters. It is advisable to use sales volume when comparing goods of similar composition and price. If the goods are not homogeneous, then it is better to make a comparison by combining revenue.

The above operation will allow you to select group “A” (assortment items, the sum of shares with a cumulative total of which is 50% of the total amount of parameters), group “B” (assortment items, the sum of shares with a cumulative total of which is from 50 to 80% of the total amount parameters) and group “C” (the remaining assortment items, the sum of their shares is from 80 to 100% of the total sum of parameters).

Thus, during ABC analysis there is ranking of goods. It is determined that “A” category products must be strictly controlled, since they provide a large share of total sales and provide high profitability. Control over goods of category “B” can be ongoing, and for category “C” - periodic.

ABC analysis should not be a one-time thing, it should be carried out constantly, which will allow identifying assortment items that consumers constantly need and not exclude them from the assortment portfolio.

It often happens that a product classified as “C” does not account for a large share of sales, but it is sold with consistent frequency, perhaps in conjunction with some other products. If you exclude it from the assortment, the consumer will no longer be fully satisfied with the purchase of the main product, and this is wrong.

Also, a significant reduction in category “C” may lead to the fact that after a certain time the remaining goods are distributed according to the same rule, but the overall result of the enterprise’s activities may decrease by 50%.

BCG (Boston Consulting Group) Matrix. Analysis using the BCG matrix is ​​carried out on the basis of internal company information and allows you to draw useful conclusions.

The BCG matrix is ​​a matrix that reflects the position of product groups in total sales and taking into account the growth rate compared to the previous period.

The X-axis records the share of the assortment group in sales volume (calculated as the ratio of the product’s sales volume to the sales volume of the entire company for the corresponding period).

The Y-axis records the growth rate of product sales in relation to the previous period (calculated as the ratio of the sales volume of a given assortment item for the current period to its sales volume for the previous period). If the product is new and was not previously included in the assortment, then its growth rate should be taken as 100%.

The point of division of goods by growth rate is determined as the average growth rate of the company’s entire assortment for a certain period. The point of division of goods according to the size of the share in sales volume is determined by expert assessment after plotting all the company’s goods on the matrix.

The dot denoting a product has a size depending on its contribution to the company’s profit or marginal income on the volume of sales of this product.

Based on the construction of this matrix, four groups of goods are distinguished, in accordance with the definition of a specific product in the corresponding quadrant: “stars”, “cash cows”, “problem children”, “dogs”. A product strategy is developed for each group.

"Cash Cows"– These are products with a low growth rate and a high market share. They provide a stable and high income for the company and require little investment. As a rule, these are popular and in-demand products. In relation to them, it is advisable to use the “harvest” strategy, i.e., get the maximum return at minimal cost.

"Stars"– products that have a high growth rate and a high share in the company’s total profit. These are young market leaders who are at the stage of growing popularity, but require significant investment. In the future, with proper promotion of these products, they can become “cash cows”.

"Dogs" characterized by a low market share and low growth rates. Most often these are products that have a high cost compared to competitors. If these are not goods of accompanying demand, then it is advisable to gradually remove them from the range or minimize investments in them.

"Difficult Children" characterized by high growth rates but low market share. These are mystery products. It remains to be seen how they will perform in the future. Since the market has not yet been formed, demand is unstable and consumer expectations are unpredictable. To maintain this position, investments are required, which will allow them to be transferred to the “star” category. Otherwise, their growth will gradually slow down and they will become “dogs.”

Analysis using this matrix must also be carried out over time at least once a quarter. By assessing the trajectories of products along the matrix, it is possible to predict the future position of the product in the assortment and develop a program aimed at eliminating unfavorable trends.

Moreover, this type of analysis will allow you to balance the company’s assortment, determine the potential of the current assortment portfolio and develop strategies for working with it. Perfect option product portfolio - these are products that bring financial profit, and products that are at the stage of implementation and growth. Products belonging to the second category are developing at the expense of the first.

Analysis using the Dibb-Simkin method . This type analysis is carried out to classify goods and allows you to determine the directions of development of product groups and ways to optimize the product range. The information basis for the analysis is data on sales dynamics and product costs (including only variable costs, excluding fixed costs). Classification of goods will allow select several groups.

A– the most interesting group for the company, which is the standard for introducing new assortment items. It is advisable to expand this product group, as it brings big profit compared to others.

IN 1– an assortment group that has the potential to increase profitability. Usage marketing tools: increasing prices, searching for more profitable suppliers to reduce purchase prices will increase the enterprise’s profit from the sale of these products.

AT 2– this is a group whose high profitability, along with high sales volumes, will significantly increase the company’s profit. Efforts should be made to increase sales of this product group (using sales promotion activities, advertising, merchandising).

WITH– a group that includes goods that are less valuable for the company, since they have a low potential for increasing profitability. The enterprise should think about how to gradually replace this category with a more profitable one.

An important component of this type of analysis is taking into account several factors.

1. Time of presence of the product on the market. Taking into account the life cycle of a product and the level of consumer interest in it, one can change the idea of ​​the prospects for growth in its profitability. For example, if the product is new, then you should not make hasty decisions that it will not arrive for a while. Perhaps consumers have not yet had time to appreciate it, and therefore sales volumes do not correspond to plans. However, after some time the situation may change dramatically, and sales will rise sharply.

2. Information about the presence of this product among competitors. Analysis of competitors' assortment - important factor increasing the competitiveness of the enterprise. If a similar assortment item sells well in a nearby store, you should think about why it sells poorly in yours. Perhaps you should change the display or highlight the product with a bright price tag.

3. Market trends. For example, the popularization of a healthy lifestyle causes an increase in demand for sporting goods and organic food.

By carrying out such an analysis, the company can determine the prospects for the development of the assortment and ways to improve the efficiency of its management.

By assessing the ratio of sales volume in value terms and the contribution of the product to covering the costs of its promotion, products are divided into four groups. The financial contribution to covering costs is calculated as the difference between revenue from sales of goods and variable costs.

Product portfolio optimization involves managing marginal income and the share of net profit in the company's revenue. To search for options for optimizing the assortment, the following indicators are calculated: break-even point, marginal profit, sales volume.

Determining the break-even point it is necessary to calculate in order to imagine at what point and at what sales volume the enterprise will make a profit from sales of the assortment item. To calculate the break-even point, use the following formula:

Odr – total fixed expenses;

Pp – marginal profit per unit of production.

Tb(dv) – break-even point in physical terms;

Тb(np) – break-even point in physical terms;

Ots – selling price per unit of production.

Estimated marginal profit per unit:

Pp – marginal profit per unit of goods;

Ots – the selling price of the product;

Pz – variable costs per unit of production.

An increase in marginal profit can be achieved by increasing the price of a product or reducing the cost of production and promotion of products.

The sales volume that provides the planned profit can be calculated using the formula:

Op – sales volume;

Fz – fixed costs;

P – profit;

Pp – marginal profit.

Modern principles of assortment management within the framework of lazy marketing are the fundamental principles that should be followed when developing an assortment strategy.

The principles of assortment management must be combined with marketing strategy companies.

1. Compatibility. The assortment strategy must be in accordance with and contribute to the development of sales, pricing, communication and other development strategies of the company.

2. Focus on customers. The product presented in the store must meet the needs and expectations of customers, otherwise it will not sell.

3. Development. Customer needs are changing and growing. The assortment should change not only in accordance with new needs, but also ahead of their emergence.

4. Professionalism. Assortment management and assessment of its parameters should be carried out by a professional, i.e. a person who not only knows theoretical basis assortment management, but also has the skills to use them, and also has the ability to think analytically, carry out factor analysis and make informed decisions.

5. Efficiency. Assortment management should bear fruit - increase the company's profit. Each assortment position should contribute to increasing the marginal profit and profitability of the enterprise. It is for this purpose that this chapter examined the main indicators for assessing the state of the assortment.

The embodiment of management principles trade assortment is an assortment strategy.

Assortment strategy– this is a key moment in the formation and development of the product range. The effectiveness of the assortment strategy is the key to the efficiency of the entire enterprise.

It is possible to define two goals for the development and implementation of an assortment strategy: immediate and long-term.

Immediate goal – selling goods and increasing the turnover of the enterprise.

Long-term goal – development of sustainable consumer loyalty to the enterprise.

To achieve these goals, an enterprise needs to constantly work with its consumers, study their needs and predict the emergence of new ones. An important area of ​​the assortment strategy is attracting new and retaining regular consumers.

Attracting new customers, as a rule, occurs during the period of offensive strategy, when a trading company introduces new assortment items that will be in demand potential clients companies. However, the success of the implementation of this strategy is possible if there is information about these potential consumers and their needs and expectations. It is also important to inform the consumer that a product of interest has appeared in your store. For this you can use Flyers, posters, coupons.

The following can be distinguished types of offensive strategies:

> large-scale offensive – introduction of new product lines in most product categories;

> the desire to counter the advantages of a competitor or surpass them - the introduction of assortment items present in the assortment of a competitive company and, possibly, their addition;

> workaround maneuvers – maintaining the consistency of in-demand positions and simultaneously expanding the assortment in potentially in-demand categories;

> secret war - a small change in the assortment matrix, based on the results of research on consumer needs, but allowing to increase their satisfaction from visiting the store and strengthen loyalty;

> active preemptive strikes - responses to changes in the assortment by competitors, consisting of a corresponding change in the assortment matrix and its optimization.

The effectiveness of an offensive strategy is determined by how much the benefits from its implementation exceed the corresponding costs.

Defensive Strategies used to hold regular customers. The tools for their implementation are maintaining a constant assortment in demand by target customers, as well as monitoring the emergence of new needs and their timely satisfaction.

As part of the implementation of assortment strategies, some rules for the formation and development of the assortment should be taken into account.

The following can be formulated rules for the formation and development of the store’s assortment:

> the company’s product portfolio must take into account the needs of the target and secondary customer segments;

> the product range should take into account the basic and related needs of customers;

> pricing policy should take into account the assortment policy, prices for goods should be formed taking into account purchasing power and ensure the profitability of the enterprise.

Thus, management of the development of the company's trade range – an important strategic task, the solution of which requires the professionalism of employees, significant resource potential (availability of financial, warehouse, energy and other resources), partnerships with suppliers, creativity and much more. However effective assortment – this is the key to the active development of the enterprise and strengthening consumer loyalty.

The point of sale can be positioned as a store with the widest possible range or the lowest prices, a boutique with premium branded goods, etc.

Conducting demand research and consumer segmentation

To identify exactly your buyer and understand his interests, fears and purchase motivations, segmentation is carried out. To do this, all consumers are divided into different groups, united by certain characteristics. The choice of parameters for classification is determined taking into account the features, advantages and cost of the product, geographical coverage, format point of sale.

Consumer segmentation can be carried out by gender, age, income level, type of occupation, social status, place of residence, interests, behavioral and other factors. Segmentation can be carried out for a store or chain of stores, as well as for different product groups.

For example, customer segmentation is carried out for a network construction stores. To promote this direction, a group can be identified corporate clients (construction companies, construction teams providing repair and finishing services, etc.) and individual buyers (purchasing building materials for self-repair of their home).

Each of these groups can be divided into subgroups. Next, demand is studied by studying the number and volume of purchases made by different groups (such data can be obtained by studying competitors or analyzing your own sales for previous periods). If the study reveals a clear advantage of corporate clients in terms of volumes and quantity of purchases, then when forming the assortment matrix, emphasis should be placed on professional products and equipment.

Segmentation is carried out in several stages:

1. Definition of segmentation criteria. Choice of the most important parameters from the maximum list of possible characteristics that allow you to divide all consumers into homogeneous groups.
2. Using the selected segmentation characteristics, you need to identify loyal and disloyal customers. This division will allow us to analyze the high and low loyalty of the target audience in the context of social, demographic, behavioral and other factors.
3. Drawing up a portrait of the target consumer of your competitors. You can analyze the target consumers of those competitors whose products are cheaper than those whose prices are at the same level as yours and those whose prices are much higher.
4. Analysis of differences and selection of important segmentation criteria. It is necessary to study all the resulting groups and identify the characteristics by which they differ. The most important of them are the reason for the purchase, switching to another brand, or abandonment of the product. These behavioral and psychographic characteristics tend to be the most significant, while demographics and geography are considered more descriptive characteristics that enable planning.
5. Dividing potential buyers into segments and providing a detailed description of each of them. Each segment needs to be described by social, demographic and geographical characteristics, behavioral (places and frequency of purchases, important properties of goods, number of brands purchased, etc.) and psychographic factors (life values, priorities, motivation for purchasing, etc.).
6. Assessment of the potential of each segment (approximate number and volume of purchases made by different consumer groups).
7. Selection of target market segments. One or two target groups with the greatest potential are selected, and it is taking into account their characteristics that a further promotion strategy is formed in a particular store.

Sample product matrix for competitive analysis

A comparison of one’s own assortment with a competitor’s list of products is carried out to identify strong and weaknesses competitors and your company. This type of research begins with identifying the main competitors (3-4 large companies) offering similar or substitute products. Next, an analysis of the product range of various competitive companies is carried out, their list of services, advantages.

For comparison product policy main competitors, a product matrix is ​​compiled for each separate company, indicating product range groups, grouped by manufacturers, models, quality, prices and other characteristics.

The data obtained is used for optimization when creating your own assortment. For example, in the process competitive analysis It was found that most of them offer a very wide selection of product groups, but all of them are represented only by the most popular items. In this case, you can choose a tactic of maximum depth within a product group (increasing the choice of models, volume, color and other characteristics of a particular product).

Selection of the main product groups of the product network

An assortment or product matrix is ​​a complete list of goods presented at the point of sale. Product content must be formed before the store opens, taking into account its format, location, features and preferences target audience. Spontaneous formation of an assortment, focused on current demand or copied from competitors, without analyzing costs and each product group, can lead to losses and ruin.

In addition to the preliminary compilation of a product matrix before opening a retail outlet, it is also necessary to update such a list at least once every six months. Ideally, this task should be performed by a group of specialists: a category manager or supplier who knows suppliers and has information about what is sold and in what volume, as well as a marketer and commercial director.

Features and stages of compiling an assortment matrix:

The product matrix is ​​adjusted based on an analysis of sales for the previous period (the number of goods sold, total profit, and profitability by position are taken into account). A retail outlet's product database is formed indicating all key parameters - assigned internal code, name, brand, purchase and retail price, stock balance, etc.

The entire assortment can also be divided into price categories (usually, the division occurs into cheap, medium and expensive segments).

Deepening the product range

In order to satisfy the needs of the target audience to the maximum, a marketer (commercial director or other) retail network or a separate store should run permanent job to optimize product content.

By choosing a strategy to increase the number of products within one product group, you can achieve a competitive advantage by offering those products that competitors cannot offer. This is called deepening the range (differentiation).

This policy allows us to offer target consumers product variations that best suit their needs. An in-depth assortment is relevant for the sale of adult and children's clothing and shoes (various colors and sizes are offered), furniture, mobile phones and other consumer goods.

All activities related to managing the assortment of a chain of stores or a specific point of sale are aimed at several goals - increasing retail brand awareness and loyalty of the target audience, increasing sales volumes and business profitability. Long-term goals also include increasing competitiveness and increasing market share. To achieve your goals, you need to choose the right store format, formulate a sales concept, and create a product matrix taking into account demand and the competitive environment.

Write your question in the form below

Building a store’s assortment matrix is ​​the most important element of a store’s assortment policy. Why is an assortment matrix needed, in accordance with what is it formed, what methods exist for analyzing the product range, when does this assortment need to be expanded - these and other topics should be the subject of discussion by the owners of large shopping centers or small retail outlets.

Where does the creation of a store’s product matrix begin?

In some stores, the filling of the assortment of goods occurs haphazardly. For example, the owner trading business pays attention to the product that sells best and decides to increase its supply. Or, observing the increase in profits from competitors, he orders additional quantities of a product that “goes well” from his neighbors. And then he starts playing with prices. Often this happens bypassing research for “additional profit”. Costs rise, profits decline. The assortment matrix should be formed by analyzing many components.

The next step in creating an assortment of goods is an analysis of the consumer group, their requests and needs. This is also done so that through analysis different groups customers, focus on “your consumer” and, as a result, satisfy his needs for a particular product.”

Changes to the product matrix must take place at least twice a year. General requirements to the assortment must remain unchanged, but specific changes are necessary. Once every six months, it is necessary to analyze the existing assortment, monitor customer purchases, take into account sales trends and make changes to the product matrix.

Look at changes in the general market, pay attention to the range of competing companies, compare customer flows, update your pricing policy. You need to not only maintain the interest of regular customers, but also attract new ones.

How to create a product matrix?

We begin forming a product range by identifying product groups. Next, you should detail each position down to a specific product. At the same time, do not forget to take into account the needs of customers. Set a price based on the average price and taking into account the profit percentage for this product. Provide similar prices for different product groups.

Study the supplier market. Analyze and collect information about the quality of the products provided, partnership policies, and business rules.

The product matrix includes the following components:

- name of the product group (for example, bakery products)
- name of the product category (for example, hearth bread, Moscow bun)
- designation of the price category (premium, medium, economy)
- establishing the product code;
- definition of a trademark;
- designation of packaging, packing;
- name of the commodity item;
- information about the supplier;
- information about the employee responsible for this category;
- a note indicating whether this product is included in the minimum assortment.

For a large trading enterprise, the product matrix contains a large number of products. Medium and small sellers have a smaller matrix. How detailed your matrix will be depends on your desire and capabilities. Make it convenient for constant use.

When representing your brands in the region, take into account the specifics of the stores. Of course, it is very convenient when you work with one group of goods in your country. It’s easy to build logistics and order products from one supplier. Stores located in different locations may have a different product matrix. After all, the formation of the matrix depends on a specific circle of buyers and this component cannot be ignored.

How to analyze a store's assortment matrix?

When working on a minimum assortment composition, you need to evaluate the role of each product in a given food basket. The assortment matrix includes locomotive goods, substitute goods (substitutes), additional (related) goods and status goods.

Locomotive goods
These are the products that form the basis of the assortment matrix. The most “popular” products, sometimes with a minimal markup. They work more to attract customers than to make a profit. You may have several such locomotive groups. Keep in mind that here we are not talking about the most necessary, important goods, but about goods that have visual appeal.

Substitute goods
This group of goods includes products of two categories: more expensive and profitable, or cheaper, but high-margin. the main task make sure that the buyer pays attention to them instead of the locomotive goods. Therefore, these two groups are often placed side by side so that buyers can compare and choose products that are more profitable for you.

Related products
As a rule, these are accessories and additional goods that are purchased “in addition” to the main purchase. This group includes services provided upon purchase, for example, setting up equipment. The main goal is to increase the average check.

Status products
The inclusion of status goods in the assortment matrix has more of an image component - sales in this group are the smallest, as is profit. But they are the ones who create a feeling of wide choice among buyers.

Buyers can also be classified into three categories:
- Those who are looking for a store with low prices;
- Those who are most interested in the price/quality ratio;
- Those who are looking for a product that will satisfy their needs as much as possible, regardless of price. It is this group that status products are aimed at.

Use a program to create a store assortment matrix. Consider our recommendations. After analyzing demand reports and the state of the warehouse, you will understand how to adjust the store’s product line.

IN retail sales It is very important to correctly determine the composition of the goods being sold. The range of products offered is what the consumer sees when visiting a store. An effective assortment is a tool for attracting and retaining consumers.

An assortment is effective if it:

• Attracts the consumer, i.e. provides the necessary traffic.
• Complete enough so that the consumer finds all the necessary products and does not go to a competitor’s store.
• Cost effective: volume, price and marginal profit of product sales are sufficient to achieve goals trading company by revenue and profit.

The ideal range in terms of efficiency– such that the consumer constantly visits only this store (and not competitors’ outlets), completely buys up the goods for a certain period (inventory balances are minimal), while the prices for the goods are such that the company receives sufficient profit from its sale.

In reality, it is very difficult to meet all these conditions.– too many factors need to be taken into account, but it is necessary to strive for this, since an effective assortment is a key tool in a highly competitive struggle.

To solve this problem, a document is formed, which is called assortment matrix. This document reflects the result of compiling the assortment in the form of a table, which describes which product groups and SKUs should be presented in the assortment, at what price they should be sold and what volume of inventory should be at each point of sale.

Stages of compiling an assortment matrix

There is no generally accepted algorithm for compiling an assortment matrix; each trading company may have its own method. Nevertheless, the set of factors that must be taken into account is the same for everyone, and recommendations can be given for drawing up an assortment matrix.

Exemplary kit stages of compiling an assortment matrix:

1. Development/revision concepts for a specific point of sale.
2. Market segmentation and identification of target customers for a point of sale.
3. Determining Price Ranges for target clients.
4. Formation of an assortment classifier: division of the assortment into groups and SKUs.
5. Defining width and depth for each product group.
6. Defining a set of brands presented in each product group.
7. Distribution of roles By product groups and brands.
8. Formation of a list of goods in the assortment matrix(table rows).
9. Final filling assortment matrix (table columns).

On first At the concept development stage, it is determined which customers' needs a particular outlet should satisfy. Each store is characterized by certain parameters that the company cannot influence.

Some of these parameters that define the concept are:

• Area(center, outskirts, business, industrial or residential area);
• Sales area and the total area of ​​the premises;
• Floors and location of the outlet among other shops;
• Availability for buyers: paths of approach and access.
• A very important factor– the presence of competitors and their product range and price policy.

Taking into account all these parameters, the concept of a retail outlet is formed: supermarket, pavilion, specialty store, etc.

For example, a company that sells cell phones and cellular communication, can place:

• in big mall – a full-scale pavilion offering a full range of company services and products;
• in a small prestigious room residential area – store of elite models;
• in convenience stores and bus stops– small kiosks providing a limited range of services and a minimum set of inexpensive telephones.

The concept of all retail outlets will be different, and the assortment matrices will also be different, despite the fact that all retail outlets belong to the same trading company and can operate under a single sign.

On second stage, the customer segments that can visit these outlets are determined. Customers can be segmented according to a variety of criteria: income level, age, nature of demand, habits, etc. As a result, it will be determined target segment buyers for whom an appropriate assortment matrix will be formed.

On third At this stage, all products are divided into price segments and the ratio of these segments.

Now it's time for the goods.

On fourth At this stage, the entire range of products is divided into product groups, subgroups and segments, down to a separate SKU. SKU, or article (this term was used in Soviet times) is an identifier of a separate product item. The same product can be presented in different SKUs, for example, granulated sugar in 1 kg, 5 kg packaging and refined sugar are all different SKUs.

On fifth At this stage, it is determined how wide (number of product groups) and deep (how many SKUs should be in each group) the assortment should be. The main factors here are the concept of the outlet and the assortment policy of competitors.

On sixth stage, brands are determined in each category, again depending on the concept and information from competitors.

On seventh Each stage of each category is assigned a specific role.

The roles may be as follows:

• Target (image)– aimed at attracting and retaining the main share of buyers; This category is characterized by high marginal income.
• Main– a group of the most popular products that attracts the main and constant flow buyers: these are goods with low marginal income, but constant demand forms a large mass of common marginal income. Products in this group must be included in the outlet’s assortment.
• Seasonal (related)– as the name implies, this is a group with a pronounced seasonality, helping to attract new customers and stimulate demand through new products and special seasonal offers.
• Comfortable (optional)– a group of products that complement other groups and form customer loyalty through the convenience of purchasing all products in one place.

On eighth And ninth At this stage, the assortment matrix table is filled in.

Some important stages of compiling an assortment matrix are worth considering in more detail.

Segmentation of a product group based on the physical properties of the product

The type of final assortment matrix directly depends on the segmentation of product groups.

For example, a customer's need for thirst can be satisfied by different drinks that make up very broad group goods.

Group narrowing steps:

• Drinks can be alcoholic or non-alcoholic;
• Among non-alcoholic drinks, ready-made drinks can be distinguished and products for preparing beverages;
• Among the products for cooking, tea can be distinguished, coffee and other drinks.

Tea - this is a ready-made product group that completely satisfies specific need buyer. However, within this group it is possible to divide products into segments. The following segments can be distinguished:

• depending on the variety it may be black, green, red or a mixture of teas;
• depending on brewing method can be in bags or by weight;
• depending on the value of the variety and brand can be segmented by price.

As a result of segmenting product groups, a product classifier is formed, which is Starting point to create an assortment matrix after determining the width and depth of the assortment.

Using sales analysis to determine the number of product units (SKUs) within each segment

A separate segment can be represented by a different set of product units (SKU). Each outlet has a limit on the number of different SKU, which can be exhibited in the sales area, this limitation is determined by the area of ​​the sales area used trade equipment and type of display.

In these conditions, it is necessary to set such a set of SKUs, to range of products made it possible to achieve maximum profit per unit of retail space. Knowing the limit on the number of SKUs, it is necessary to solve the problem of representing SKUs in each segment.

The necessary information for this kind of decisions is provided by an analysis of actual sales for these products, taking into account the concept of the outlet and the actions of competitors. It is also necessary to take into account the role of the product group or its segment.

For example, sales analysis shows that among different types of tea, 70% of the profit comes from black tea, 30% from green tea.

Let's say, What trade racks allow you to display 200 SKUs. Then a simple calculation shows that in the product display there should be 140 SKUs from the black tea subcategory, 60 from the green tea subcategory.

This is a fairly rough calculation that demonstrates general approach to the distribution of SKUs across product segments, it can cause errors when determining SKUs in narrow segments.

When accurately planning SKUs, it is necessary to take into account the product category.

For example, for goods of the main category, it is unacceptable to underestimate SKU and exclude such goods with low profitability: if you exclude, for example, baby milk with low marginal profitability, then the buyer, not finding this product, may go to competitors, since this product is consumed daily and its absence in the assortment is unacceptable .

Also, the planned SKU level may be higher than calculated for seasonal products - these products provoke consumer traffic and an increase in demand in general.

About price segments, determining the share of goods of each price segment (economy, mass, premium) in the assortment matrix

Typically products are divided into three segments:

• economical– for buyers with low incomes and low requirements for the consumer qualities of the product;
• mass– designed for the bulk of consumer demand;
• premium– designed for a narrow segment of buyers with a high level of income.

Depending on the business industry, the number of segments may be more or less. For example, natural gas how a product may not be segmented at all and supplied to all consumers at the same price. Cars are often broken down into more price segments.

For each retail outlet, it is necessary to determine the price levels of each segment and the share of assortment in each segment.

For example, a company selling cell phones can set the following ratios to the economical/mass/premium price segments:

• for a large store – 30%/50%/20%,
• for luxury fashion store – 0%/20%/80%,
• for a small pavilion – 80%/20%/0%.

Thus, a new restriction is added to the previous distribution of SKUs by assortment, by price segments. The assortment matrix needs to be clarified using segment ratios.

Continuing the above example, let’s say that a supermarket has 200 SKUs for the product category “tea” and for this outlet the ratio is set to 30/50/20.

This means that the store should have:

• Black tea – 140 SKUs in total, including:
  • Economy segment brands – 140*30% = 52 SKU,
  • Bulk – 70 SKU,
  • Premium – 28
• Green – 60 SKUs, including:
  • Economy – 18 SKU,
  • Bulk – 30 SKU,
  • Premium – 12 SKU.

Now you can move on to filling each segment of the product category with trademarks (brands).

Selection of Trademarks (TM) to fill the assortment matrix

In the example above, it is calculated that the premium black tea segment of the store should be represented by 28 SKUs. This number of SKUs now needs to be filled with specific products from different manufacturers.

This should also be done based on sales analysis data, taking into account additional considerations:

• It's not just profitability that needs to be considered(share of profit) of the product, but also its popularity among buyers, otherwise there is a chance of filling the shelves with profitable but slow-moving goods;
• Too much trademarks from different manufacturers creates difficulties for their purchase, laying out and accounting, the number of stamps should be the minimum necessary.

This leads to the fact that sales analysis must also be supplemented with marketing research data - a survey of customers about brand preference, as well as information about the actions of competitors in these segments.

Information about which price segment a particular product belongs to can be understood in different ways: by surveying consumers, based on information from manufacturers and suppliers, or based on sales analysis (the ABC analysis method is used).

Filling the SKU assortment matrix from the above created segmentation

The final stage of forming an assortment matrix is ​​filling out the matrix table based on the created structure of categories and segments, as well as price lists of suppliers.

The assortment matrix will include information:

• By line– SKUs grouped by product groups and segments;
• By columns:
  • planned quantity SKU;
  • markup percentage for each position;
  • profit from each SKU;
  • share in total arrived.

Such a matrix is ​​compiled for each retail outlet. By summing up the data from assortment matrices by retail outlet, an overall assortment matrix of the company is compiled, which can be further analyzed for achieving the company's profitability goals.

General assortment matrix– basis for planning procurement and logistics work.

Conclusion

The article uses examples to examine the typical process of creating a company’s assortment matrix.

You can use another matrix generation algorithm, but in any case the following principles must be observed:

• Accounting concept retail outlet;
• Product segmentation according to consumer properties;
• Product segmentation by price level;
• Taking into account the type of category during distribution SKU

There is no consensus in the literature on the definition of the concept of “assortment matrix”. Taking into account the accumulated ideas and experience, I propose the following definition of the concept of assortment matrix (AM) - this is a document in tabular form, which, according to a hierarchical principle (from category to inventory accounting unit), reflects the company’s assortment and contains information with certain characteristics of the assortment in a specific period of time.

In the traditional scheme of work, the creation of an assortment matrix is ​​carried out by employees of the purchasing, sales, and marketing departments, but if the enterprise has an established category management system, then category managers do this.

In practice there are different approaches to the creation of such matrices, however deep theoretical research not found in the literature on this issue. Each company develops its own algorithms, which subsequently compose its competitive advantage and trade secrets.

The procedure for forming an assortment matrix

There is no single standard for either composition or structure for any of the matrices. The composition and structure of each depends on many factors, primarily on the tasks solved with its help, the format of the trading division and the product assortment management system.

The author does not claim to be complete in the structure of the assortment matrix (Table 1) and the algorithm for its formation. Each can be modified in accordance with the needs of end users, as well as taking into account the main factors influencing the process of assortment formation: demand, pricing policy, production of goods and the capabilities of existing suppliers, strategic goals and company objectives, level of competition, product life cycle, scientific and technical progress achievements, material and technical base of the enterprise, regulatory and technological documents, etc.

Table 1. A shortened version of the assortment matrix of the trading division

The AM formation procedure, in my opinion, is a sequential implementation of the following stages - see Fig. 1. Each stage performs its own specific functions, which will be discussed below.

Rice. 1. Stages of formation of the assortment matrix

Defining the concept and format of the sales division

This document is primary in the implementation of a number of tasks. In our case, based on this document, it is necessary to determine those product categories, which could potentially be included in AM, as well as the number of articles (product names). For example, the AM of a trading division engaged in the sale of precious metals and a trading division engaged in the sale of food products will clearly contain different product categories and have a different number of SKUs. In the same way, the AM of trading divisions of the “hypermarket” format and the “convenience store” format will be different (primarily in terms of the number of articles), even if the trading divisions operate in the same area.

Defining the target customer/target segment

This marketing research should make it clear who the assortment should be aimed at, who the potential buyer is, and make it clear the consumer’s decision-making algorithm when choosing a product. Based on this information, it is determined whether the assortment will be of domestic or foreign production, whether the assortment should include only the latest models of goods, products with what combination of price/quality indicators should dominate in AM, what auxiliary assortment of goods should be present, etc.

Determining price ranges

As a rule, the assortment can be divided into three price corridors: economy, mass market, premium. The difference between the intervals of price corridors should be significant. Again, there are no standards for such division for any category. However, when dividing the assortment, it is necessary to take into account not only the cost of the product itself, but also the cost of commissioning, additional services, and operation of the product.

The result of this stage should be a document that will indicate in which price ranges the trading division operates, as well as the ratio of these ranges for each product category. For example, for an elite boutique as a whole this ratio can be 0/20/80 (economy/mass/premium), for a hypermarket positioning itself as “constantly low prices", this ratio can be 50/40/10.

Formation of an assortment classifier

The system proposed by the author for constructing a classifier for an assortment matrix is ​​based on the division of the product assortment into product categories according to the functional and consumer principle (the concept of category management), although depending on the management goals, classifications corresponding to other approaches to managing the product assortment can be used.

In general, the structure of each category is formed in accordance with the nomenclature of properties and indicators that are essential for a given category of goods, both from the point of view of the seller and the buyer. The category structure is a map of the consumer's decision to purchase a product.

The most common criteria for forming a structure are “ease of management” (process routing, product properties, product layout, suppliers, sales conditions) and “consistency for the consumer.”

Determining the breadth and depth of assortment by product category

Assortment breadth is the total number of homogeneous and heterogeneous goods offered by a trading division in a certain period of time. The depth of the assortment is the number of types of goods, taking into account all the features within a homogeneous or heterogeneous group.

A lot of research has been devoted to determining the width and depth of the assortment, and therefore there should not be any difficulties in selecting an algorithm. The main thing is that there are no contradictions with the above aspects and there is a close connection with the next point.

Determining the number of brands/suppliers represented

The principle of choosing brands.

• Brands should be separated according to price corridors.
• The presence of analogue brands should be minimized.
• The supplier brand must cover its product line within its price range as completely as possible. The supplier may cover the line with several brands.

The ideal option is one brand in each of the selected price corridors. When choosing a brand, you should consider its history in the local market.

• Existing brands on the market: advantages - fame; high customer awareness of the brand; cons: high competition.
• New brands: advantages - exclusivity; high profitability with proper positioning; disadvantages - the need for promotion costs.

Determining the role of product categories/articles

Role is a certain state of a product relative to other items in the assortment, characterized by the level and nature of demand for it, price, fame, and the functions assigned to it by the seller. Assigning different roles to products is nothing more than creating a tool for forming (at the operational level) a policy for promoting the range and pricing in accordance with customer expectations. Products with different roles require special marketing approaches, methods and programs.

Determining the articles that will be included in AM

Perhaps the longest stage, because It is necessary, based on the principles established in the previous stages, to form an assortment consisting in some cases of tens of thousands of articles. In the category management system, as already noted, this is done by category managers. Each manager ultimately composes the AM of his category, which together will make up the AM of the trading division (the entire company).

The result of this step is a matrix with filled values ​​at the intersection of rows and columns. Table 1 does not show all the main columns (indicators) that should be present in the AM. The purpose of this table is to clearly demonstrate the approximate structure of AM.

Assigning required values ​​to articles

This stage involves filling, to the extent possible, the AM columns left empty after the previous step. Special attention I urge you to pay attention to the “status” column.

The state of the product is selected from the directory of states (life cycle) of the product. The company determines the directory of conditions, as well as its necessity, independently.

Analysis and assessment of assortment

At this point, it is assumed that there will be a generated AM and statistics for a certain period, which will allow assessing the effectiveness of the assortment in terms of its compliance with the principles of assortment formation (consistency, rationality, uniqueness, manufacturability, price principle, renewal, sustainability of the assortment, completeness), will allow for analysis economic indicators etc.

It is recommended to update once every six months (for example, the beginning of the season, the end of the season, etc.). The update consists of withdrawing from AM a certain amount items that do not comply with the standards and principles established in the sales department, and the subsequent introduction of a number of items. Working with matrix data means working with large amounts of data (especially if it is a multi-product enterprise), and therefore requires the availability of appropriate software and trained specialists.