Assortments

An assortment, in retail and merchandising, refers to the set of products offered by a retailer or supplier. It describes what is available to customers within a store, catalog, or online storefront and can be analyzed at the level of the overall product mix or within individual categories. Key dimensions include breadth (the number of product categories) and depth (the range of choices within a category).

Assortment planning aligns product availability with consumer demand and business goals. It considers store format, location, seasonality, supplier constraints, and price positioning. Retailers use category management, data analytics, and historical sales to determine which items to include, how many variants to stock, and how to allocate shelf space or digital real estate. The goal is to maximize sales and profitability while preserving variety for customers.

Common types include core or staple assortments (essential items kept year-round), seasonal or fashion assortments (timely items with shorter life cycles), and supplementary or promotional assortments (limited selections). Private-label and national brands are often mixed, and planograms guide item placement to optimize visibility and cross-selling. In omnichannel retail, assortments are synchronized across channels to deliver a consistent customer experience.

Performance is evaluated with metrics such as sell-through rate, gross margin, average item sale, stock-keeping unit (SKU) count, and assortment productivity. Challenges include shifting consumer preferences, supplier lead times, category cannibalization, and the need to adapt to store formats and online demand. Effective assortment management balances variety with efficiency and responsiveness.