assortimentsmanagers

Assortmentsmanagers, or assortment managers, are retail professionals responsible for planning and optimizing the breadth and depth of product assortments within a category or across multiple channels. The role centers on determining which products to carry, in what quantities, and how the assortment is structured to meet customer demand while supporting profitability and strategic goals.

Key duties include analyzing sales data, trends, and consumer insights; developing assortment strategies and range plans; determining SKU counts, product variety, and depth for each category; overseeing introductions of new products and phaseouts of underperformers; coordinating with buying, marketing, supply chain, and store operations; defining shelf-space allocation and planograms; negotiating terms with suppliers; and monitoring performance after launch to adjust the mix as needed.

In practice, assortmentsmanagers are common in retail sectors such as supermarkets, fashion, electronics, and e-commerce. They may operate at the category level (for example, footwear) or across channels and geographies. The role overlaps with category management and merchandising but is distinguished by its focus on the composition and structure of the product range rather than promotions or pricing alone.

Core skills include data analysis, demand forecasting, project management, supplier negotiation, and proficiency with merchandising and analytics systems (ERP, product information management, business intelligence tools). Success is typically measured by metrics such as sales, gross margin, sell-through, inventory turnover, and assortment productivity, reflecting how well the chosen mix meets customer needs while driving profitability.