Assortment matrix table for a specific group of goods. Building an assortment matrix

Assortment matrix- document. It appears AFTER the work on the selection in the assortment of classes, groups, categories, subcategories and other levels of the classifier is carried out. And after the assortment is balanced in width and depth. The assortment matrix is ​​not an end in itself, but the result of work on the formation of the assortment. This is similar to how a person is first born and given a name, and only then he is given a birth certificate.

Any company needs to build a matrix, regardless of the company's organizational structure.

Stages of building an assortment matrix

To build a competent assortment matrix, you need to do the following steps ( Detailed work on building the assortment is considered in the new book by S.V. Sysoeva. and Buzukova E.A. “Category management. Assortment Management Course ") :

1. Store format

   Determine the format of the store and its basic concept and positioning (what and how we will sell). Format requirements (store area, self-service store or trade through a counter, minimarket, supermarket, discounter or boutique, etc.). What are the specifics of the region or city (city with developed infrastructure, industrial, port city or regional center, regional capital or outskirts). What are the features of the location (residential area, in the city center, near a busy highway, near a market, etc.).

   EXAMPLE two stores that have one specificity - trade in household goods, but positioned differently:

   Assortment minimum

   Assortment minimum- a list of commodity items that must be constantly present in a particular store (or in all stores of the chain) at any time, regardless of the season. This is the core of the assortment, its foundation. It is valid for all stores in the chain. Products included in the assortment minimum must be constantly monitored by category managers. A shortage of these goods is unacceptable.

   EXAMPLE. Fragment of the assortment matrix of a supermarket chain. The chain also includes one hypermarket and several “near the house” stores.

   

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In the literature, there is no consensus 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 an assortment matrix (AM) - this is a document that is a tabular form, in which, according to a hierarchical principle (from category to inventory unit), the company's assortment is reflected and information with certain characteristics of the assortment in a specific time period.

The creation of an assortment matrix under the traditional work scheme is carried out by employees of the purchasing, sales, marketing departments, but if the enterprise has a system of category management, then this is done by category managers.

In practice, there are various approaches to the creation of such matrices; however, no deep theoretical studies on this issue have been found in the literature. Each company develops its own algorithms, which subsequently constitute its competitive advantage and trade secret.

The procedure for forming an assortment matrix

There is no single standard for 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 trade division and the product range 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 requests of end users, as well as taking into account the main factors affecting the process of forming the assortment: demand, pricing policy, production of goods and the capabilities of existing suppliers, strategic goals and objectives of the company, level of competition, product life cycle, achievements NTP, material and technical base of the enterprise, regulatory and technological documents, etc.

Table 1. Abbreviated version of the assortment matrix of the trade division

Range

Item name

Internal classification code

Feature 1

Characteristic N

unit of measurement

Manufacturer / supplier

Country of Origin

Cost price

Selling price

Competitor price 1

Competitor's price N

Availability in the sales department

Condition (see table 4)

Role (see table 2)

Economic indicator 1 (eg: margin)

Economic indicator 1 (e.g. turnover)

Segment 1.1.1

Subsegment 1.1.1.1

Article 1

Article I

Segment 1.1.2

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

Rice. 1. Stages of assortment matrix formation

Defining the concept and format of the sales unit

This document is primary in the implementation of a number of tasks. In our case, on the basis of this document, it is necessary to determine those product categories that can potentially be part of AM, as well as the number of articles (product names). For example, the AM of the trading unit dealing with the sale of precious metals and the trading unit dealing with the sale of food products will clearly contain different product categories and have a different number of articles. In the same way, the AM of the hypermarket and convenience store format will be different (primarily in terms of the number of articles), even if the sales units operate in the same area.

Defining the target customer / target segment

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

Defining price ranges

As a rule, the assortment can be divided into three price bands: economy, mass market, premium. The difference between the intervals of the 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 sales 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 that positions itself as “constantly low prices”, this ratio can be 50/40/10.

Formation of the assortment classifier

The author's proposed system for constructing a classifier for an assortment matrix is ​​based on dividing the assortment into product categories according to the functional-consumer principle (the concept of category management), although, depending on the management objectives, classifications corresponding to other approaches to managing the product assortment can be applied.

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 the formation of the structure are "ease of management" (process routing, product properties, product layout, suppliers, terms of sale) and "consistency for the consumer."

Determination of the breadth and depth of the assortment by product category

Assortment breadth is the total number of similar and dissimilar products offered by a sales unit in a given period of time. The depth of the assortment is the number of types of goods, taking into account all the characteristics within a homogeneous or heterogeneous group.

Many studies have been devoted to determining the width and depth of the assortment, and therefore there should be no difficulties with the selection of 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.

Determination of the number of brands / suppliers represented

The principle of choosing brands.

• Brands should be split along price bands.
• The presence of similar brands should be minimized.
• The supplier brand should cover the assortment line as much as possible in its price range. The supplier can cover the line with several brands.

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

• Brands existing on the market: pluses - popularity; high customer awareness of the brand; cons - high competition.
• New brands: pluses - exclusivity; high profitability with proper positioning; cons - the need for promotion costs.

Defining the role of product categories / SKUs

Role - a certain state of a product relative to other positions in the assortment, characterized by the level and nature of demand for it, price, fame, 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 assortment and pricing in accordance with customer expectations. Products with different roles require specific marketing approaches, methods and programs.

Determination of articles that will be included in AM

Perhaps the longest stage, because it is necessary, on the basis of the principles established at the previous stages, to form an assortment, in some cases consisting of tens of thousands of articles. In the system of category management, as already noted, category managers are engaged in this. As a result, each manager composes the AM of his category, which together will form the AM of the sales division (of the entire company).

The result of this step is a matrix with filled values ​​at the intersection of rows and columns. Table 1 shows far from all the main columns (indicators) that should be present in AM. The purpose of this table is to illustrate the approximate structure of AM.

Assigning the necessary values ​​to the articles

This stage implies filling, as far as possible, of the AM columns that remained empty after the previous step. I urge you to pay special attention to the "state" column.

The state of the goods is selected from the directory of the states (life cycle) of the goods. The reference book of states, as well as its necessity, the company determines for itself.

Assortment analysis and evaluation

At this point, it is assumed that there will be formed 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, renewability, assortment stability, completeness), will allow for analysis economic indicators, etc.

It is recommended that the update be carried out every six months (for example, the beginning of the season, the end of the season, etc.). The update consists in the withdrawal from AM of a certain number of articles that do not correspond to the standards and principles established in the trade division, and the subsequent input of a number of articles. Working with matrix data is working with large amounts of data (especially if it is a multi-assortment enterprise), and therefore requires the availability of appropriate software and trained specialists.

Range is in any company, regardless of its structure and trade specifics. The assortment needs to be managed, not allowed to drift. Otherwise, this huge mass of goods will begin to manage us, taking away our resources - working capital, retail and warehouse space and employees' time. Products should be introduced into the assortment only with a clear understanding of their place in the category and the task that they should carry out.

Before we arrange the assortment and start filling it, it is necessary to draw up an assortment matrix.

Assortment matrix- this is a complete list of all commodity items approved for sale in a particular store for a certain period of time, taking into account the requirements of your company's assortment policy and the specifics of the format and location of the store.

Assortment minimum- a list of commodity items that must be constantly present in a particular store (or in all stores of the chain) at any time, regardless of the season. This is the core of the assortment, its foundation. It is valid for all stores in the chain. Products included in the assortment minimum must be constantly monitored by category managers. A shortage of these goods is unacceptable.

To draw up an assortment matrix, you must:

1. Determine the format of the store and its basic concept and positioning (what and how we will sell). Format requirements (store area, self-service store or trade through a counter, mini-market, supermarket, discounter or boutique, etc.). What are the specifics of the region or city (city with developed infrastructure, industrial, port city or regional center, regional capital or outskirts). What are the features of the location ("sleeping" area, in the city center, near a busy highway, near a market, etc.).

2. To study consumer demand, segment buyers (to whom we will sell it, who is our main consumer: age, income level, marital status, education, how they spend their holidays, what they buy most often, why do they shop in our store, what they want to get, what services expects from us or competitors). The target segment is the one that you should focus your marketing efforts on. This is the group of shoppers who purchase the most or the most and bring the store the most profit. The essence of segmentation is precisely to select the most interesting and profitable customer groups for us and create an offer for them that best meets the needs of these groups.

3. To study the range of competitors (which of the competitors is present, what advantages it has, what level of prices the competitors have, what services they offer, who from other networks is still going to "come").

4. Decide on the goods to be sold in the store and the price level for these goods. At this stage, it is appropriate to start selecting suppliers who can meet our expectations in terms of prices, product quality and regularity of deliveries.

On the basis of consumer demand, distinguish categories, groups and classes of goods. Draw up a commodity classifier by highlighting these three levels. This is not difficult to do, since we use fairly general features that unite many products (what is made of, who is intended for, how and where we will use it).

• The first level is the class of goods. The larger the store format, the more division levels. In some cases, the first (highest) level of the classifier may be a class of goods - for example, “food products” and “non-food products” or “clothes” and “footwear”, that is, something that is united by a common functional purpose in the buyer's mind. For example, “food” is what is eaten, and “non-food” is what is not eaten, “clothing” is what is worn on the body, “shoes” is what is worn on the feet. But in shops of a smaller format or where all goods are homogeneous (for example, the store sells only clothes, and for a certain buyer, say for young people), the allocation of a class is not necessary.
• The second level is the commodity group. This is a collection of goods united by some common features: type of goods, production method, etc. (for example, "dairy products", "bakery products", "women's clothing", "men's shoes", "furniture", "lamps", "home accessories"). As a rule, in a store of any format, this level is present and is often the highest level, below which the product category already goes.
• The third level is the product category. This is a collection of goods that the buyer perceives as similar to each other, or goods that are united by joint use. Simply put, a product category is what a customer goes to a store for. For milk, kefir and yoghurts (not for dairy products). For a T-shirt, T-shirt and sweater (not for knitwear). For shoes, boots and sandals (and not for shoes). Behind a vacuum cleaner, washing machine and heater (not behind household appliances). Behind the sofa to the living room, desk and bookcase (not behind furniture).

5. To deepen the commodity classifier by examining each category and highlighting subcategories in it (at one or more levels) and headings in each subcategory.

6. Analyze the balance of the assortment by the number of categories and the ratio of commodity items.

Having analyzed the ratio of the roles of all the categories that are in the store, we can see how our assortment is balanced in width.

• unique - store image and memorability, impulse purchases.
• priority - profitability and attracting a flow of buyers.
• basic - high turnover and customer flow.
• periodic (seasonal) - updating the assortment, attracting and retaining a buyer.
• convenient - ensuring a constant customer flow, the complexity of the purchase, convenience for the buyer.

Depending on what goals the category achieves, it will be filled with certain goods - expensive or cheap, new products or goods for bulk purchases. The products of the category should be selected so that they can help the entire category to achieve the planned goals (Table 1).

Table 1. Correlation of store goals, roles of categories and products within a category.

Shop goals	Categories for which these goals are set in the first place	Products within a category that achieve these goals
Attract buyers, ensure a flow of buyers	Priority. Basic. Less often - periodic.	Popular, well-known, relevant, advertised novelties
Create turnover	Basic. Comfortable. Less often - priority	Inexpensive, massive, topical in the season
Make a profit	Priority. Not always unique. Less often - periodic	Dear, status, novelties, special
Retain buyers	Periodic. Not always unique. Not always basic	Special, seasonal, inexpensive
Increase purchase volume and average check	Comfortable. Basic	Complex or voluminous
Influence the impulse, awaken the desire to make a purchase	Priority. Unique. Less often - comfortable	New items, layout
Maintain the store image	Priority. Unique	Dear and high-status, staff work

General conclusion: after the final decision that there are certain categories, commodity items in our assortment, a matrix should be drawn up. The result of such work, in fact, will be an assortment matrix containing information about the product and suppliers. This is followed by tactical work on the analysis of sales and stocks and keeping the matrix up to date. After analyzing the goods within the category, it becomes clear that the introduction and withdrawal of a new commodity item in the assortment should be deliberate. It is impossible to introduce products into the assortment without a clear understanding of their place in the category and the task that they should carry out. Each product has its own rates of turnover, warehouse stock, frequency of deliveries, etc.

23.01.2014

ABC analysis of sales is one of the stages in the formation of an assortment matrix in a store. If you are faced with the task of creating an assortment that meets the needs of your customer, then the effectiveness of ABC analysis cannot be overestimated. The very technique of constructing a sales analysis is quite simple and is based on the Pareto law, which states that " 20% of the efforts give 80% of the result, and the remaining 80% of the efforts - only 20% of the result This general rule serves as the basis for classifying resources (in this case, goods) according to their importance to the retailer.

The result of the ABC analysis of sales will be an understanding of the logic of customer behavior and, as a result, an understanding of what product offer should be made to achieve the best financial results. Let's take a closer look at how the ABC analysis of sales is used to form an assortment matrix.

Methodology for ABC analysis of sales (on the example of the configuration "1C: Enterprise 8.3" "DALION: TREND").

The main task of the ABC analysis of sales in the formation of the assortment matrix of a retail store is to get an answer to the question: " How to make the offer meet the expectations of buyers who have entered the store and are at the stage of making a purchase? " Of course, ABC analysis is a separate tool that works in conjunction with other methods aimed at studying buying behavior (surveys, focus groups, etc.). In this regard, the formulation of hypotheses and interpretation of the results cannot be "taken out" from the context, the environment in which the store exists.

ABC classification in the analysis of sales is formed according to 2 main indicators: profit and turnover. Modern analysis tools allow you to build an ABC report based on two parameters at once (Fig. 1).

The ABC analysis process can be divided into several stages. The first stage of classification is an integrated analysis of assortment groups, for which an assortment tree will be formed in the future (Fig. 2). The second stage is the analysis of product categories within the assortment groups. The main task at this stage is to determine the key consumer properties by which the customer chooses a product in your store. In the example of a commodity matrix presented below (Fig. 2), for the assortment category "kefir", 2 properties are key: "fat content" and "volume".

Note 1: in the commodity accounting system " DALION: TREND "you can set any number of consumer properties for each card and item group through the" Group processing of goods "service.

Thus, ABC analysis of sales in the context of various consumer properties allows us to determine which of them are decisive when choosing a product. The properties themselves are identified by an expert method through the sequential construction of two-dimensional ABC reports in the context of these properties. In fig. 3 and 4 show two ABC reports for the assortment category "juices": in fig. 3 - report in the context of the "brand" property, in fig. 4 - in the context of the property "taste".

The defining feature will be that property or several properties that have the greatest impact on sales, and, thus, clearly reflect the leading and outsider products in the reports. So, for example, in fig. 3 it can be seen that the "brand" property is not a key property for the "juices" category and does not form a clear ABC classification. The property "taste", on the contrary, reflects the obvious leaders: "berry" juices and juices with "apple" taste.

The result of the step-by-step analysis in terms of properties will be a clear understanding of which properties should be included in the assortment tree and which should not (Fig. 2). As a result, an assortment tree will be formed, and in the future, the product offer itself, corresponding to the expectations of your buyer.

Go to the description of the software functionality in the "DALION: TREND" configuration.