Assortment matrix of the store

Before the transition of our economy to market relations, the retail retailer had no problems with determining the optimal assortment. There was one task - to fill the shelves with anything. Therefore, the understanding and application of the term "assortment matrix" came much later - through losses, utilization of overdue products, overflow of warehouse balances with non-passive positions. Survived and developed by those who realized in time that without a constant analysis of the activities and computerization of the process of trading for a long time in the market you will not last.

If you do not take into account the complexity of foreign terms, the assortment matrix of the store is a list of goods, the presence of which on the shelf and in the minimum irreducible balances in the warehouse is mandatory. Before it is compiled, the store's strategy, its target consumer, age, level of income are determined. If it is decided to position the store as a discounter with low prices, then it will not enter anyone's head to include elite whiskey in its matrix, just as the inexpensive stamped wheels for wheels are used as an accompanying salon of expensive foreign cars.

It is made up by groups of goods. Each SKU (assortment position) is included in the matrix on the basis of the analysis performed. The average period of unit turnover, the target segment of consumers who prefer this position, possible analogs, suppliers is determined.

It often happens that the same product is offered by competing suppliers. For a retailer, this situation is beneficial: the purchase is made from the supplier who offered the lowest price and favorable terms of delivery and payment. This encourages the second supplier to offer even more favorable terms.

What is the balance of the assortment for?

In the duties of a manager or other person who works with suppliers, there is a constant control over commodity balances. In addition to other benefits, the assortment matrix avoids abuses by sales personnel. It happens that the unscrupulous supplier, using the manager's personal interest in the purchase, sells the non-walking goods or the running product to the retail point, but in an amount exceeding the normal store demand.

If there is an approved assortment matrix, ordering the missing product (or obviously more than the minimum run-off) is a noticeable violation that neither the manager nor the supplier will go to.

Today, the market retailer in order to stay on the market, is forced to react quickly to all changes, so the assortment matrix is not a stiff dogma. Every worker of the enterprise must know it. For this, a periodic analysis of the store's turnover and the formation of an assortment matrix is done, this process being permanent and continuous.

If any SKU has ceased to be sold (the price has risen, quality has decreased, preferences of the basic category of buyers have changed), it is quickly replaced by a more popular analog. The monitoring of the external environment (the emergence of competitors, the construction of housing in the radius of the impact of the point, changes in the economic environment of the city), according to its results, matrix corrections are made.