The range of goods is a set of their types, varieties and varieties, combined or combined according to a certain attribute. The main grouping characteristics of goods are raw, industrial and consumer. Distinguish between manufacturing and trade assortment goods.

The production range is called the range of goods produced by industrial and agricultural enterprises, as well as other manufacturers. As a rule, enterprises producing goods produce a narrow range of goods, which allows them to introduce advanced production technology, improve the range of goods produced, and improve their quality. Therefore, the goods they produce need further sorting, taking into account the requirements of trade, in whose enterprises a wide range of goods, which is a combination of products produced by a variety of manufacturers. Such sub-sorting, or assortment transformation, is carried out mainly at wholesale trade enterprises, through which the bulk of goods of a complex assortment pass. Some of the food and non-food items sorted directly in stores and other retail outlets.

The trade assortment is a range of goods to be sold in retail trading network. It includes a range of goods produced by many enterprises, and is divided into two commodity sectors: food and non-food products. Each of the industries is divided into commodity groups, which include goods that are combined according to a number of criteria (homogeneity of raw materials and materials, consumer purposes, degree of complexity of the assortment).

The nomenclature, or product range, is the totality of products manufactured by an enterprise. It includes different kinds goods. The type of goods is divided into assortment groups (types) in accordance with functional features, quality, price. Each group consists of assortment items (varieties or brands), which form the lowest level of classification.

A wide range allows you to diversify products; focus on different requirements consumers and encourage shopping in one place. At the same time, it requires the investment of resources and knowledge in various product categories. A deep assortment can meet the needs of different customer segments for one product; maximize the use of space in outlets; prevent the emergence of competitors; offer a range of prices and encourage dealer support. However, it also adds to the costs of maintaining inventory, product modifications, and order fulfillment. In addition, certain difficulties may arise in differentiating between two similar assortment positions. A comparable assortment is usually easier to manage than a disparate one. It allows the company to specialize in marketing and production, create a strong image and ensure stable relationships in the distribution channels. However, excessive concentration can make an enterprise vulnerable to threats from external environment, fluctuations in sales, slowdown in growth potential due to the fact that all the emphasis is on a limited range of products.

Nomenclature literally means a list of names. Thus, the product range is a list of the names of the products manufactured by the enterprise. As for the commodity nomenclature, this is a list of groups of goods offered by a particular seller. The seller, on the other hand, can offer buyers the products of one or many manufacturers, involving the product range of each of them in full or in part. Nomenclature as economic category has an aggravated character. It can be, for example, men's, women's or children's shoes, bedroom or dining sets, televisions or tape recorders, caramel or chocolate. In essence, these are assortment groups, and the product range is a list of assortment groups of products or goods.

The product range literally means the selection of items, the totality of their names according to some criteria. From this point of view, the assortment can be simple or complex, narrow or wide. Such a classification provides for the allocation of groups of homogeneous products or goods on the basis of type, variety, brand, etc.

Assortment signs are formed commodity groups , within which objects have a certain similarity. And you can also distinguish between a range of products (soap is produced by an enterprise) and a range of goods (what is offered to consumers by a given seller).

• 1. Assortment groups by location of goods:
  • In a relationship industrial enterprises installed production range products, in relation to trade enterprises - a trade assortment of goods. The first of them reflects the specialization of the enterprise and serves as the basis for the conclusion of supply contracts. In the second case, there are grounds to judge the extent of the ability of a trading enterprise to meet the needs of the population and distinguish between specialized and universal trade enterprises.
  • Trade assortment- a list of goods formed by the organization taking into account demand, logistical store bases and specializations.
• 2. Assortment groups by breadth of coverage of goods:
  • Group assortment goods shows a list of enlarged product groups that make up the nomenclature of goods. So, in a grocery store, gastronomic and groceries, and in the sporting goods store - summer and winter sports equipment.
  • Species assortment goods reflects the presence in the group of goods of a number of types. For example, dairy products may contain kefir, cream, cottage cheese, etc. Men's shoes include such concepts as boots, boots, shoes, sandals.
  • Intraspecific assortment goods represents a variety of products, dividing the view into parts. So, cottage cheese can be of different degrees of fat content, samovars - of different capacities, shoes - of different styles, fabrics - of different colors, etc. An intraspecific assortment of goods can have a different depth of development and detail. In this sense, we can talk about the degree of complexity of the assortment. For example, medicines used for a certain human disease can be presented as topical or internal use, in the form of tablets or liquids, have different packaging, packaging, etc.
  • Simple- a set of goods presented not large quantity groups of species and names that satisfy a limited number of consumers.
  • Difficult- a set of goods is represented by a significant number of groups, types of varieties of items that satisfy a variety of needs.
  • deployed- a set of goods that includes a significant number of groups, subgroups, varieties of names, but differing in individual characteristics.
  • Related- a set of goods that performs auxiliary functions and does not belong to the main ones.
  • Mixed- a set of goods of different groups, characterized by a wide variety of functional purposes.
• 3. Types of assortments according to the degree of consumer satisfaction:
  • Rational assortment- a set of goods that most fully satisfies the really justified needs, which provide the maximum quality of life at this stage.
  • Optimal- a set of goods that satisfies real needs with the most useful effect for consumers at minimal cost.
• 4. varieties of assortment according to the nature of needs:
  • Real- a valid set of goods located in the seller's store.
  • predictable- a set of goods that can satisfy the expected needs.
  • Training- a set of goods to study and achieve learning goals.

In stores, a relatively narrow production range is transformed into a wide trading range, which includes goods of various specialized manufacturing enterprises. The release of products in a market economy, from the point of view of marketing, should be aimed at meeting the diverse needs of the population, taking into account local, national and climatic conditions, therefore, the primary attention in stores should be paid to the formation product range, as a process developing over time to establish such a range of goods that would satisfy the commodity structure of the population's demand.

Range- this is a fairly large set of, united by some common feature (raw materials, purpose, manufacturer, etc.), differing from each other in other ways. There are industrial and commercial, simple and complex, combined and mixed, expanded and enlarged assortment of goods.

Industrial range is a set of goods produced by a separate or separate company.

Trade assortment- a set of goods sold in the trading network. - this is a set of all ( and ) engaged in the sale of goods. The trade assortment includes a set of goods produced by both domestic and foreign manufacturers. It is more diverse than the industrial range.

The assortment of goods presented at a trading enterprise determines its type (department store, supermarket) and form trade service. In addition, in stores of the same type, but different sales area, the assortment will differ in the number of groups and types of goods. In this case, trading enterprises will be subdivided into universal and specialized, stores with a combined and mixed assortment.

Given the complexity, a simple and complex assortment of goods is distinguished.

Those types of goods that are classified according to no more than three criteria will be simple assortment of goods(vegetables, table salt, laundry soap, etc.).

Those types of goods that are classified into varieties according to more than three characteristics, in the aggregate will be complex assortment of goods(shoes, clothes, etc.).

Enlarged assortment is determined by the ratio of individual product groups. A group of goods should be combined according to a number of criteria: method of production, purpose, design features, etc. Expanded assortment determined by the types of goods presented.

Combined range- This is a set of several groups of goods for different purposes, which are connected by a common demand and satisfy individual needs. For example, the store "Men's clothing" sells a combined assortment.

Mixed assortment- a set of non-food and food products of various groups. The mixed assortment is presented, as a rule, the largest number groups and types of goods.

Main characteristics of the product range

The main indicators of the assortment are structure, completeness, depth, stability, novelty.

Assortment structure

Assortment structure- this is the percentage ratio of certain sets of products to their total number.

Assortment structure indicators are often expressed as a percentage. For example, the percentage of shirts, suits and other products determines the specific structure of the assortment in the Men's Clothing store.

Range breadth

Range breadth is determined by the number of product groups and is estimated by the latitude coefficient:

K sh \u003d G f / G n

• where Г f is the number of product groups at the time of determination, units; Гн is the total number of product groups, units.

Completeness of the range

Completeness of the range- this is the correspondence of the actual availability of types of goods to the developed assortment list, the existing demand.

The completeness of the assortment is expressed through the coefficient of completeness K p of the assortment, which is determined by the formula:

K p \u003d V f / V n

• where B f - the actual number of types of goods at the time of the survey (check), units; B n - the number of species provided for by the assortment list, supply contract, standards, etc., units.

Assortment depth

Assortment depth is determined by the number of varieties of goods for each item. The assortment depth coefficient is estimated by the formula:

K g \u003d R f / R n

• where R f - the actual number of varieties of goods at the time of verification, units; R n - the number of varieties provided for by the assortment list, the terms of the contract, price lists, etc., units.

Range stability

Sustainability(stability) characterizes the constant availability of goods of the corresponding type (variety) on sale. The stability coefficient K y is determined by the formula:

K y \u003d 1 - (P "f1 + P" f2 + ... + P "fn / P n× n)

• where P" f1, P" f2,..., P" fn - the actual number of varieties (types) of goods, from those provided by the assortment list and not available for sale at the time of individual checks, units; P n - the number of varieties (types) of goods provided by the assortment list, units; n is the number of checks.

The assortment stability coefficient is usually determined for a specific period (month, quarter, year). It has been established that the optimal assortment stability coefficient should be expressed by the following values: for department stores - 0.80; for specialized stores - 0.75.

The novelty of the range

Novelty characterizes the emergence of new varieties of goods for a certain period of time and is estimated by the coefficient of novelty To about:

K o \u003d R o / R f

• where R o - the number of new varieties of goods that appeared at the time of verification, units; Р f is the average number of varieties, units.

The coefficient of novelty characterizes the degree of renewal of the assortment, the emergence of new products.

The composition of homogeneous products by types, varieties and brands

List of types and varieties of products and goods distinguished by individual indicators

1. Types of assortment

2. Product range

3. Formation of the assortment

4. Assortment planning

5. Assortment structure

6. Product range

The decision on the breadth of the product range

The decision to increase the product range

The decision to saturate the product range

Product line decisions

Range - this is composition of homogeneous products by types, varieties and brands.

Range- this is a list of types and varieties of products and goods distinguished by individual indicators (features).

Range - this is the composition and ratio of various types of products, goods, services in industrial and commercial enterprises; a list of types and varieties of products and goods distinguished by individual indicators (features).

Types aassortmenta

A distinction is made between the range of services, the range of products and the trade range:

range of services - a set of services offered to consumers. According to the degree of detail, the range of services is divided into three main types: group, specific and intraspecific.

product range - the composition, the ratio of individual types of products in the products of an enterprise, industry, group of goods, taking into account their quality and grade.

In marketing, the characteristics of the assortment are: the width, depth, stability and height of the assortment.

assortment of goods - a group of goods related to each other either due to the similarity of the scope of their functioning (application), or within the same price range.

Assortment of goods - according to GOST R 51303-99 - a set of goods combined according to any one or set of characteristics.

It is customary to distinguish between group and expanded assortment (nomenclature). A group assortment is a list of various types of industrial and technical products and consumer goods; Under the expanded A. understand the composition of products and goods of the same type, distinguished by individual characteristics - brands, profiles, article, model, style, height, size, color, pattern, packaging, recipe, packaging, etc.

AT modern conditions market economy In Russia, the range of various goods has increased many times over, a significant part of which is represented by products of insufficient quality and does not meet modern world requirements.

Mistakes in choosing a product, ignorance of its properties, characteristics, conditions of storage, transportation, incorrect assessment of its quality can result in large losses and losses for the entrepreneur. Therefore, future entrepreneurs need basic ideas about the commodity science of various groups of goods.

Market success is now the main criterion for evaluating the activities of domestic enterprises, and their market opportunities are predetermined by a properly developed and consistently implemented commodity policy. It is on the basis of studying the market and the prospects for its development that the enterprise receives the initial information for solving issues related to the formation of the assortment, its management and improvement.

A strategic approach is needed to solve the problems of commodity policy at any economic level. This means that any decision in this area should be made not only from the point of view of current interests, but also taking into account how it "works" for the ultimate goals. Such an approach requires concentration of efforts on the main directions.

Product range

The set of goods offered by the manufacturer on the market is called the assortment.

The nomenclature, or product range, is the entire set of products manufactured by the enterprise. It includes various types of goods. The type of goods is divided into assortment groups (types) in accordance with functional features, quality, price. Each group consists of assortment items (varieties or brands), which form the lowest level of classification.

A wide range allows you to diversify products; target different consumer requirements and encourage one-stop shopping. At the same time, it requires the investment of resources and knowledge in various product categories. A deep assortment can meet the needs of different customer segments for one product; maximize the use of space in retail outlets; prevent the emergence of competitors; offer a range of prices and encourage dealer support.

However, it also adds to the costs of maintaining inventory, product modifications, and order fulfillment. In addition, certain difficulties may arise in differentiating between two similar assortment positions. A comparable assortment is usually easier to manage than a disparate one. It allows the company to specialize in marketing and production, create a strong image and ensure stable relationships in the distribution channels. However, excessive concentration can make the enterprise vulnerable to threats from the external environment, fluctuations in sales, slowing down growth potential due to the fact that all the emphasis is on a limited range of products.

Nomenclature literally means a list of names. Thus, the product range is a list of the names of the products manufactured by the enterprise. As for the commodity nomenclature, this is a list of groups of goods offered by a particular seller. The seller, on the other hand, can offer buyers the products of one or many manufacturers, involving the product range of each of them in full or in part. The nomenclature as an economic category has an enlarged character. It can be, for example, men's, women's or children's shoes, bedroom or dining sets, televisions or tape recorders, caramel or chocolate. In essence, these are assortment groups, and the product range is a list of assortment groups of products or goods.

The product range literally means the selection of items, the totality of their names according to some criteria. From this point of view, the assortment can be simple or complex, narrow or wide. Such a classification provides for the allocation of groups of homogeneous products or goods on the basis of type, variety, brand, etc. Assortment groups are formed, within which objects have a certain similarity. And you can also distinguish between a range of products (UFO is produced by an enterprise) and a range of goods (what is offered to consumers by a given seller).

The group assortment of goods shows a list of enlarged product groups that make up the nomenclature of goods. For example, a grocery store can sell groceries and groceries, and a sporting goods store can sell summer and winter sports equipment.

The specific assortment of goods reflects the presence in the group of goods of a number of types. For example, dairy products may contain kefir, cream, cottage cheese, etc. Men's shoes include such concepts as boots, boots, shoes, sandals.

The intraspecific assortment of goods represents the varieties of products, the division of the species into parts. So, cottage cheese can be of different degrees of fat content, samovars - of different capacities, shoes - of different styles, fabrics - of different colors, etc. An intraspecific assortment of goods can have a different depth of development and detail. In this sense, we can talk about the degree of complexity of the assortment. For example, medicines used for a certain human disease can be presented as topical or internal use, in the form of tablets or liquids, have different packaging, packaging, etc.

In relation to industrial enterprises, a production range of products is established, in relation to trade enterprises - a trade assortment of goods. The first of them reflects the specialization of the enterprise and serves as the basis for the conclusion of supply contracts. In the second case, there are grounds to judge the scale of the ability of a trading enterprise to meet the needs of the population and distinguish between specialized and universal trading enterprises.

With good reason, the stated provisions on the range and range of products can be attributed to the performance of work and the provision of services, in respect of which groups, types, subtypes of products are also distinguished.

Planning the nomenclature and assortment of products can and should be based on the entrepreneur's knowledge of the needs of the market and its condition. Such knowledge is achieved as a result of an activity called marketing. A lot of definitions are used, dedicated to marketing in different time and by different authors. Together, all of them, despite the variety of formulations, come down to one judgment - market research, demand analysis, sales forecast, ensuring the most complete satisfaction of social needs. Satisfaction, in turn, is achieved by the development and production of new products corresponding to the existing demand, the establishment of communications for the sale of products, the creation of service services that accompany the process of using the product.

The product range includes certain types goods.

The type of goods is divided into assortment groups in accordance with functional features, quality and price. For example, book publications can be divided into the following assortment groups: scientific literature, popular science, industrial and instructive, educational, program and methodical, fiction, children's, official documentary, reference, socio-political literature.

Each assortment group consists of assortment items, which are the simplest unit of the structure. for example educational literature divided into textbooks and study guides.

A product assortment is characterized by breadth (number of product groups), depth (number of positions in each product group) and comparability (correlation between offered assortment groups in terms of consumer commonality, end use, distribution channels and prices).

Formation of the assortment

Formation of the assortment - the problem of selection specific goods, their individual series, determining the relationship between "old" and "new" goods, goods of single and serial production, "high-tech" and "ordinary" goods, embodied goods, licenses and know-how. When forming the assortment, there are problems of establishing pricing policy, product quality requirements, definition of guarantees and service levels, etc. It is also important to determine whether the manufacturer is going to play the role of a leader in the creation of fundamentally new types of products or is forced to follow other manufacturers.

The formation of the assortment is preceded by the development of an assortment concept by the enterprise. It is a directed construction of an optimal assortment structure, a product offer, while on the one hand, the consumer requirements of certain groups (market segments) are taken as a basis, and on the other hand, the need to provide the most effective use an enterprise of raw materials, technological, financial and other resources in order to produce products with low costs.

Assortment planning

Assortment policy - the definition of a set of product groups, the most preferable for successful work in the market and ensuring the economic efficiency of the enterprise as a whole.

Tasks assortment policy may be different. It:

satisfaction of consumer needs is one of the basic principles of marketing, which corresponds to the task of deep segmentation and differentiation of the market and provides a close relationship with consumers;

optimal use of technological knowledge and experience of the enterprise;

optimization financial results enterprises - the formation of the assortment is based on the expected profitability and profit margin, which is more common in the practice of enterprises, but can be justified in a difficult financial situation, lack of alternatives, etc.;

win new customers by expanding the scope of the existing production program. This approach is quite conservative, as it is designed for short-term results and involves lengthening the life cycle of obsolete publications by finding new markets;

adherence to the principles of flexibility by diversifying the areas of activity of the enterprise in the printing industry and including non-traditional industries in them;

observance of the principle of synergy, which implies the expansion of the areas of production and services of the enterprise, interconnected by a certain technology, a single qualification of personnel and other logical dependence.

A wide range of manufactured products strengthens the company's market position and expands sales.

Assortment policy determines the optimal ratio of a set of publications, different in life cycle stages, but at the same time on the market. Optimization of the range of publications that are simultaneously on the market, but differ in the degree of novelty, makes it possible to guarantee the printing industry enterprise relatively stable general terms and Conditions ensuring sales volumes, covering costs and achieving profits.

Assortment strategy can also be built in the following areas:

product differentiation is associated with the allocation by the enterprise of its publications as special, different from the publications of competitors, and the provision of separate “niches” of demand for them;

narrow commodity specialization is determined by the work of the enterprise in a rather narrow segment of the market and is associated with a limitation in the scope of sales of products for a number of reasons. Sometimes narrow specialization as a variant of product policy is perceived as a forced measure, since the enterprise does not have sufficient resources to carry out successful work on a wide range of product nomenclature or due to the specifics of the product itself, as well as the characteristics technological process. The reason may be the deep segmentation of the market of this publication. In some cases, the policy of narrow product specialization is optimal for the efficient operation of a small enterprise or when the enterprise periodically changes narrow specialization, using it to develop new markets or adapting to the changing nature of demand;

product diversification implies a significant expansion of the scope of the enterprise and the implementation of the production of a large number of, as a rule, unrelated publications. Such a policy ensures significant sustainability and stability of the enterprise, as it serves as a guarantor against the risk of a decrease in demand and crisis phenomena in the production of one publication;

commodity vertical integration aims to expand the activities of the enterprise by mastering (or joining itself) production or services along one technological chain. It makes it possible to save on production and distribution costs due to the use of cheaper raw materials and basic components of the main products, advanced technology and experience of integrated industries, access to new sales network and new markets, etc.

When determining the optimal assortment policy and product range, two principles are taken into account:

the principle of synergy means that the range of goods and services produced must be internally linked and individual goods and services must complement each other. This principle provides broad economies of scale of the enterprise through the mutual support of various product groups or areas. economic activity. However, in the case of market fluctuations, such a system for constructing an assortment policy is highly vulnerable;

the principle of strategic flexibility is based on the conglomerate construction of strategic business zones and product ranges that depend on different technologies, balance risky and sustainable product groups, etc., so that unexpected events in one area cannot have a severe impact on the development of another area and on general the results of the overall activity of the enterprise.

The main factors that determine the range of products of the enterprise, the need to expand and diversify its product range include:

R&D in the industry in question;

changes occurring in the product range of competing enterprises;

changes in demand for the company's products on the market, which requires the development of a product policy that would allow it to resist the narrowing of the market and skillfully use the expansion of market opportunities;

the desire and preference of buyers to purchase a large number of product names of one enterprise;

optimal sales of the distribution network of several types of products at the same time;

development of trade on special orders of individual consumers, providing for the individual manufacture of products of specified properties and characteristics;

the desire to avoid the presence of unused or unloaded capacities due to the production of other, additional types of products;

the desire to use by-products for the production of new products and improve the overall efficiency of the enterprise.

The commodity policy of the enterprise requires a change if there is excess production capacity for a long period; the main profit is given by two or three types of products; there are not enough types of products that correspond to market opportunities and the volume of demand; The company's sales and profits are constantly declining.

Of great importance is the choice of the range of products, which would allow the enterprise of the printing industry to increase sales revenue and, accordingly, profit.

The essence of product assortment planning is defined as the planning of all activities aimed at selecting products for future production and bringing the technical, functional and aesthetic properties of these products into the most complete compliance with the requirements. potential consumers.

The main elements (or phases) of product mix planning are:

1) identification of current and potential (unmet) needs of buyers; analysis of the ways of using the relevant products, as well as the behavior of buyers (consumers) in this market segment;

2) assessment of competing products-analogues from the same angle of view;

3) analysis of consumer assessments of the quality of manufactured products, i.e. determining the degree of their compliance with the needs of buyers (consumers) in terms of the ability to satisfy a specific need in a functional and aesthetic sense;

4) determining what products should be added to the developed product range and what products should be excluded from it due to insufficient profitability, obsolescence, reduced competitiveness, etc. This also includes the decision of the question of whether production should be diversified at the expense of areas that go beyond the existing specialization;

5) consideration of proposals for the development of new products, the improvement of mastered products, as well as new methods and areas of application of manufactured goods;

6) development of specifications for new or improved products in accordance with the requirements of buyers;

7) study with the help of specialists in scientific and technical products and development of the prospects for the production of new or improved products, including issues of prices, cost and profitability;

8) product testing with the involvement of potential consumers to identify its compliance with consumer demand for the entire range of key indicators: quality, appearance, strength, ease of use, non-failure operation; packaging, price, use value;

9) development of special recommendations for product manufacturers regarding its quality, standard size, name, price, packaging, Maintenance etc. in accordance with the results of testing, trial sales, etc.;

10) preparation of recommendations for the marketing of products, including: determining the timing and schedule for introducing a new or improved product to the market, the scale and initial form of its implementation (for example, only trial sales in specially selected cities, the development of certain regional markets or access directly to the national market), plans for the sale of products, development of a program for conducting advertising campaigns and other sales promotion activities.

It is important to keep in mind that product range planning is a continuous process that continues throughout the life cycle of a product, from the inception of an idea to its withdrawal from sale.

Assortment planning technology has the initial conditions:

The formation of the assortment is preceded by the development of an assortment concept by the enterprise. It is a targeted construction of an optimal assortment structure, a product offer, based on the consumer requirements of certain groups and the need to ensure the most efficient use of raw materials, technological and other resources by the enterprise in order to produce products at low costs.

The assortment concept is expressed as a system of indicators characterizing, if possible, optimal development production range of this type of goods. These include: a variety of types and varieties of goods, the frequency of updating the assortment, the level of price ratio for goods of this type, etc. The purpose of the assortment concept is to orient the enterprise towards the production of goods that correspond to the structure and diversity of customer demand.

Target orientation and the art of planning are manifested in the embodiment of the real and potential capabilities of the enterprise in a certain combination of products that satisfy the needs of the buyer and allow you to make a profit.

A typical cycle of assortment planning and implementation includes a preliminary assessment of the concept, followed by the development of specifications based on customer requirements, the creation of samples, verification of their mass production capabilities, and a market test.

Assortment structure

The product assortment of a retail enterprise differs in its structure from the assortment wholesale company, precisely because it can combine different groups of goods (food, electronics, furniture, household chemicals, watches, etc.), while wholesalers have, to one degree or another, specialization.

By breadth, the range is divided into:

wide assortment (1-100 thousand items);

limited range (< 1000 наименований);

narrow range (< 200 наименований);

specialized assortment.

When making decisions on the assortment, it is necessary to take into account the degree of proximity between goods of various product groups, the capabilities of the enterprise (financial, personnel, warehouse, etc.), customer requirements, and the presence of competitors.

From a financial point of view, the formation of the assortment takes place taking into account the turnover of goods, the size of the turnover and the profit received.

The expansion of the range is carried out for several reasons, including:

for some products of the main assortment, it is necessary to have complementary products (complement products);

the activity of a wholesale company with this assortment is unprofitable (small turnover);

other marketing tasks are solved: new products are promoted, the company switches to larger retail segments, etc.

Based on the above classification of the types of product range, as well as the characteristics of the product itself and the tasks that were set by the store owners, the following types of retail enterprises can be distinguished.

Specialty stores offering a narrow but rich assortment that can satisfy the specific needs of the buyer. The structure of the assortment can be directed to a wide offer different options one type of product (shops selling bicycles, tennis equipment, jeans, etc.), and to meet the needs of a narrow segment of consumers (a store for newborns, a clothing store for tall people, etc.).

Department stores offer a wide range, primarily of non-food items. Located in prestigious places of the city, department stores attract a large number of buyers. In general, department stores are characterized by an average level of service with medium and high prices for goods.

To increase turnover, department stores develop trade food products and also rent out part of their retail space leased to independent retailers.

Universal grocery stores (bentams, supermarkets, supermarkets, hypermarkets) differ in the breadth of assortment and area trading floor.

The current Russian legislation does not define the rules for dividing stores into certain types, so a department store may have its own name (market, minimarket, supermarket, etc.).

Achieving correspondence between the structural-assortment offer of goods by the enterprise and the demand for them is associated with the definition and forecasting of the structure of the assortment. Assortment structure forecast for long term, which would take into account such important features of the product for the consumer as aesthetic characteristics, exact dimensions, specific price, is unlikely. It is not a matter of detailing the assortment according to consumer properties (for example, by color range, product sizes, price ratio), but, for example, in the optimal variety of the assortment according to certain characteristics (types of TVs, sets of kitchen utensils, appropriate price gradations, etc. .) with the expectation of specific groups (segments) of consumers.

Only the trend in the development of the assortment is predicted (or, more precisely, the assortment structure of demand and product supply). Thus, it is possible to determine what variety of TVs will meet the requirements of various consumer groups, but it is unrealistic to predict the need for specific models (with a set of specific features) in the future. These forecasts, taking into account the influence of the factor of interchangeability of goods, must be considered in conjunction. The forecast of the trend in the development of the assortment should show such a trajectory of the development of the process, which will ensure the achievement of the planned compliance of the product offer of the enterprise with the changing assortment structure of demand in the market in the future.

So, the essence of the problem of assortment formation lies in the planning of almost all types of activities aimed at selecting products for future production and sale on the market and at bringing the characteristics of these products in line with consumer requirements. Formation based on the planning of the product range is a continuous process that continues throughout the entire life cycle of the product, from the moment the idea of ​​​​creating it was born and ending with the withdrawal from the product program.

Assortment management involves the coordination of interrelated activities - scientific, technical and design, integrated market research, marketing, service, advertising, demand stimulation. The difficulty of solving this problem lies in the complexity of combining all these elements to achieve the ultimate goal - optimizing the assortment, taking into account the strategic market goals set by the enterprise. If this cannot be achieved, then it may turn out that the assortment will include products designed more for the convenience of the production departments of the enterprise than for the consumer. From the point of view of the concept of marketing, this directly contradicts what needs to be done. The tasks of planning and forming the assortment are, first of all, to prepare a "consumer" specification for the product, transfer it to the design (design) department, and then make sure that the prototype is tested, modified if necessary and brought to the level of customer requirements.

In other words, in the formation of the assortment, the decisive word should belong to the heads of the marketing service of the enterprise, who must decide when it is more appropriate to invest in product modification, and not incur additional increasing costs for advertising and selling an obsolete product or reduce the price of it. It is up to the company's marketing manager to decide whether it is time to introduce new products to replace or complement existing ones.

The formation of the assortment, as practice shows, can be carried out by various methods, depending on the scale of sales, the specifics of the products, the goals and objectives facing the manufacturer. However, they are united by the fact that assortment management is usually subordinate to the head of marketing. In certain cases, it is advisable to create a permanent body chaired by the general director (his deputy), which would include the heads of the leading services and departments of the enterprise as permanent members. His the main task- making fundamental decisions regarding the range, including: withdrawal of unprofitable types of products, its individual models, standard sizes; determining the need for research and development to create new and modify existing products; approval of plans and programs for the development of new or improvement of existing products; selection financial resources on approved programs and plans.

pressing question for the manufacturer - whether it is necessary to develop a standard product suitable for all selected markets, or adapt it to the specific requirements and characteristics of each individual segment, creating for this a certain number of modifications of the base product. Both cases have their pros and cons. Thus, although it is very tempting to create a standard product that is the same for all markets, it is practically not feasible. At the same time, the policy of differentiation does not justify itself economically where market conditions allow for partial or complete standardization (universalization) of the product.

The benefits of this kind of product standardization include: reducing the cost of production, distribution, marketing and service; unification of the elements of the marketing mix; acceleration of return on investment, etc. Incomplete use (in comparison with differentiation) of potential market opportunities, insufficiently flexible marketing response to changing market conditions in this case, innovation is held back.

Product modification allows you to more fully use the "absorbing" capabilities of markets, taking into account the specifics of their requirements in certain regions of the country and foreign countries, to fill those product niches where there is no competition or it is insignificant. However, the definition of such a direction in the assortment strategy is an expensive undertaking, associated with the need to modernize and expand production capacities, diversify and restructure the sales network and, of course, expand the marketing mix. Ultimately, the use of standardization, differentiation, or a combination of both depends on the specific conditions of the manufacturer's activities and is determined end result- level economic efficiency sales and its volume, achieved using these methods.

Another important element of the assortment and the overall product policy is the removal of inefficient goods from the program. Goods that are morally obsolete and economically inefficient, although possibly in some demand, can be withdrawn. The decision to withdraw or leave the product in the program of the enterprise is preceded by an assessment of the quality of the indicators of each product on the market. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the combined information from all markets where they are sold in order to establish the real sales volume and the level of profitability (profitability) in dynamics that each of its products provides the manufacturer.

Thus, the manufacturer must organize systematic monitoring of the behavior of the product on the market, for its life cycle. Only under this condition will complete and reliable information be obtained, allowing you to make the right decisions. To facilitate the solution of the problem, one should have a methodology for assessing the position of the goods on various markets where the enterprise operates, and the methodology should be relatively simple.

The final decision to withdraw a product from the program or to continue its sale can be simplified if, already at the product development stage, quantitative requirements are set for it: the level (standard) of payback, sales volume and / or profit (taking into account the full cost of resources). If the product ceases to meet these criteria, then the nature of the decision to withdraw it is predetermined.

A product that has exhausted its market opportunities and is not withdrawn from the production program in time brings great losses, requiring funds, efforts and time disproportionately to the results obtained. Therefore, if the manufacturer does not have a clear system of criteria for withdrawing goods from the production and marketing program and does not systematically analyze the manufactured and sold goods, then its assortment will inevitably be “overloaded” with inefficient products, with all the ensuing negative consequences for the manufacturer.

In the conditions of market relations, planning is one of the most important conditions for organizing effective work enterprises. Planning covers all the main areas of its production and economic activities - sales, finance, production, procurement, scientific and design development, which are closely interconnected. This activity is based on the identification and forecasting of demand, analysis and assessment of available resources and prospects for the development of economic conditions. Hence the need to link planning with marketing and control in order to constantly adjust production and sales figures following changes in market demand. Assortment planning is the first and fundamental step in strategic planning the company's presence in the market.

Commodity policy presupposes certain purposeful actions of the commodity producer or the existence of premeditated principles of behavior. It is designed to ensure the continuity of decisions and measures for the formation of the range and its management; maintaining the competitiveness of goods at the required level; finding optimal product niches (segments) for goods; development and implementation of a strategy for packaging, labeling, servicing goods. A well-thought-out product policy not only allows you to optimize the process of updating the product range, but also serves as a kind of indicator for the company's management of the general direction of actions that can correct current situations.

Product range

Product range - a group of products that are closely related, either because they function similarly, or because they are sold to the same groups of customers, or through the same types of outlets, or within the same range prices.

Thus, the General Motors Corporation produces a range of cars, and the Revlon Corporation produces a range of cosmetics.

Each product line requires its own marketing strategy. In most firms, work with each assortment group of goods is entrusted to a separate person. This manager will have to make a number of responsible decisions regarding the breadth of the product range and the goods that embody it.

The decision on the breadth of the product range

The product line manager must decide on the breadth of the product line. The assortment is too narrow if profits can be increased by adding new products, and too wide if profits can be increased by eliminating a number of products from it.

The breadth of the product range is partly determined by the goals that the company sets for itself. Firms trying to be seen as full-range suppliers and/or seeking to gain a large share of the market or expand it, the product range is usually wide. They are less concerned about the situation when one or another of the goods they produce does not make a profit. Firms that are primarily interested in the high profitability of their business usually have a narrowed range of profitable products.

Over time, the product range usually expands. A firm can expand its product range in two ways: by increasing it or by saturating it.

The decision to increase the product range

The product range of any firm is part of the overall product range offered by the industry as a whole. For example, in the automotive market, BMW cars occupy a place in a number of models of medium and high cost. Product expansion occurs when a firm goes beyond what it currently produces. This build-up can go either down or up, or in both directions at the same time.

Building down. Many firms are initially located in the upper echelon of the market and subsequently gradually expand their range to cover the lower echelons. Rolling down may be aimed at deterring competitors, attacking them, or penetrating into the fastest growing market segments.

One of the huge miscalculations of a number of American firms was their unwillingness to expand the range down to the lower echelons of their markets. General Motors was opposed to smaller cars, Xerox to smaller copiers, and Harley-Davidson to small motorcycles. In all these cases Japanese firms, who saw for themselves great opportunities that were opening up, acted quickly and successfully.

Building up. Firms operating in the lower echelons of the market may want to penetrate the higher ones. They may be attracted by the higher growth rates of the upper echelons of the market or their increased profitability. Or perhaps the company just wants to position itself as a manufacturer with an exhaustive range.

The decision to build up can be risky. Competitors in the overlying echelons not only “dug in” well in their positions, but can also go on the counterattack, starting to penetrate into the lower echelons of the market. Potential buyers may not believe that a novice firm is able to produce high quality goods. Finally, the firm's sales agents and distributors may simply lack the skills and knowledge to serve the upper echelons of the market.

Bilateral extension. A firm operating in the middle echelon of the market may decide to increase its product range both up and down at the same time. An example is the strategy of Texas Instruments in the market of pocket calculators. Before the company entered this market, its lower echelons in terms of price and quality were mainly captured by Bowmar, and the upper ones in terms of the same price and quality by Hewlett Packard Corporation.

Texas Instruments introduced its first calculators to the middle tier of the market as mid-price, mid-range quality products. Gradually, she began to increase her assortment in both directions. It offered better calculators at the same price, or even lower, than the Bowmar company, and eventually liquidated it as a competitor. At the same time, Texas Instruments developed high-quality calculators, sold them for less than Hewlett-Packard's calculators, and wrested the latter a good share of sales in the upper echelons of the market. This two-way build-up strategy helped Texas Instruments to take the lead in the pocket calculator market.

The decision to saturate the product range

The expansion of the product range can also occur by adding new products within its existing framework. There are several reasons why they resort to saturation of the assortment:

1) the desire to receive additional profits,

2) attempts to satisfy dealers who complain about gaps in the existing assortment,

3) the desire to use unused production capacity,

4) attempts to become a leading company with an exhaustive range

5) the desire to eliminate gaps in order to prevent competitors.

Saturation of the assortment leads to a decrease in overall profits, as products begin to undermine each other's sales, and consumers become confused. When releasing new products, the company should make sure that the new product is noticeably different from the already manufactured products.

Product line decisions

If the organization has several assortment groups of goods, they talk about the product nomenclature. We define a commodity nomenclature as follows:

Commodity nomenclature - a set of all assortment groups of goods and commodity units offered to buyers by a particular seller. The Avon product range includes three main product groups: cosmetics, jewelry, household goods. The assortment of each of them consists of several subgroups of goods. For example, a range of cosmetic products can be divided into the following product subgroups: lipstick, blush, powder, etc. The range as a whole and each subgroup consists of many individual products. In total, the Avon product range includes 1300 different products. A large department store handles about 10,000 items, a typical K-Mart mall handles 15,000, and General Electric Corporation produces about 250,000 different items.

A firm's product range can be described in terms of its breadth, richness, depth, and harmony. Under the breadth of the product range of Procter & Gamble Corporation, they mean total number assortment groups of goods produced by the company. On fig. 53 the breadth of the product range is represented by six assortment groups of goods. (In fact, the corporation also produces many other product lines, including dental elixirs, toilet paper, etc.)

Under the saturation of the product nomenclature of Procter & Gamble Corporation, they mean the total number of its individual products. Under the depth of the product range, corporations mean the options for offering each individual product within the assortment group. So, if the Cross toothpaste is offered in three different packages and with two flavors (regular and menthol), this means that the depth of its offer is six.

Under the harmony of the product range is meant the degree of proximity between the goods of different assortment groups in terms of their end use, requirements for the organization of production, distribution channels, or some other indicators. Procter & Gamble's product lines are harmonious because they are all consumer goods that pass through the same distribution channels. At the same time, they are less harmonious in terms of differences in the functions performed by goods for buyers.

These four product line dimensions help a firm determine its commodity policy. A firm can expand its operations in four ways. It can expand the product range by including new assortment groups of products. It can increase the saturation of already existing assortment groups of goods, approaching the position of a company with an exhaustive assortment. It can offer more options for each of the available products, i.e., deepen its product range. And finally, depending on whether it seeks to gain a strong reputation in any one area or operate in several areas at once, a company can purposefully achieve greater or, conversely, less harmony between products of various assortment groups.

Thus, we see that product policy is a multidimensional and complex area of ​​activity that requires decisions about specific features of the product nomenclature, product range, use of brand names, packaging and services. These decisions must be made not only on the basis of a full understanding of customer needs and the strategic approaches used by competitors, but also with ever-increasing attention to public opinion and legislative acts influencing the sphere of commodity production.

When making decisions about the production of goods, marketing managers must necessarily take into account all current laws and positions. Here are the main points to which you should pay special attention.

Adding new items and removing old ones. Implementation of decisions to replenish the nomenclature with new assortment groups of goods, especially by acquiring other firms that threaten to reduce the level of competition, may be prevented by the Kefauver-Celler Act of 1950. Decisions to phase out old goods must be made taking into account those legal obligations formalized in written or implied, which the company has with its suppliers, dealers or customers, in one way or another connected with the product being discontinued.

Protection of patent rights. When developing new products, the company must comply with the provisions of patent law. It is not allowed to create a product that is “unfairly similar” to an already existing product from another firm. An example of this is the lawsuit filed by Polaroid, which attempted to block the sale of a new Kodak instant camera on the grounds that the camera infringed on related patents held by Polaroid.

Quality and safety of goods. Manufacturers of foods, drugs, cosmetics and some fibers are required to strictly adhere to the provisions of specific laws regarding the quality and safety of their products. the federal law on Food, Drugs and Cosmetics protects consumers from unsafe and substandard food, drug and cosmetic products. A number of laws provide for checking the sanitary condition of meat and poultry processing enterprises. Laws have been enacted on safety standards relating to the production of goods such as textiles, chemicals, automobiles, toys, medicines and poisons. The Consumer Product Safety Act, passed in 1972, established the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which has the power to ban or confiscate dangerous goods and subject violators of the law to severe penalties. A consumer who is injured as a result of using a product with a design flaw may take legal action against the manufacturer or dealer. Every year more than 1 million lawsuits are initiated regarding the quality of manufactured products. As a result, cases of withdrawal of goods from sale have become much more frequent. General Motors spent $3.5 million on postage alone when it had to notify 6.5 million car owners of engine mount defects.

Product quality assurance. In an attempt to convince consumers of the good quality of their products, many manufacturers offer appropriate written guarantees. However, these warranties often contain disclaimers, and the warranties themselves are written in language that the average consumer does not understand. It often turns out that he is not entitled to the services, repairs and replacements that, in his opinion, were implied in the warranty.

To protect consumers, Congress passed the Magnuson Moss Act in 1975 to improve the warranties and operations of the Federal Trade Commission. This law requires full warranties to meet a number of minimum requirements, including provisions to repair "within a reasonable period of time without charge", either to replace the product or to fully refund the consumer if the product does not work and "after a reasonable number of attempts" repair it. Otherwise, the firm must clearly state that it provides only a limited warranty. The law has already forced some manufacturers to replace full warranties with limited warranties, and others to abandon warranties altogether as a marketing tool.

Sources

en.wikipedia.org Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia

www.slovopedia.com Slovopedia

www.bestreferat.ru Best abstracts

www.vedomosti.ru Vedomosti.ru

Product range - a group of closely related products

· or due to the similarity of their functioning (sporting goods, food, cars),

· or due to the fact that they are sold to the same groups of customers (children's goods),

· or they are sold through the same types of outlets (supermarkets, department stores),

· or they are sold within the same price range (discount store).

This definition lists all the principles of forming a product range. From this point of view, the Revlon company has an assortment of cosmetics, the General Motors company has an assortment of cars, the Samson meat processing plant has an assortment of sausages and meat products, and the railway has an assortment of transportation services, both freight and passenger.

The product range has two main parameters- width and depth.

Width product range - the number of product groups offered on the market. Thus, General Motors manufactures and markets trucks, cars and motorcycles. These are the three main product groups of this company.

Depth of the product range - the number of positions of each assortment group. The General Motors company has the following positions in the passenger car group: the Chevrolet brand is focused on the market of people with average incomes, and is produced in mass volume. The Pontiac brand stands out on the basis of age segmentation, it is focused on young people, people under 35 years old. The Buick brand is designed for the high-income segment. There are a number of brands, but these three represent the basis of the General Motors range. Various combinations of the product range parameters shown here - width and depth - give four options, each of which can be used in certain market conditions.

Basic product range options based on different width and depth combinations.

1. The range is narrow and small . The company produces one or two assortment groups, and within each group - a small number of items. A classic example of a narrow and small assortment is the Coca-Cola company until the early 70s, when it produced one assortment group, basically it still produces it, and within this assortment group there was the only Coca-Cola drink.

2. The range is narrow and deep. Basically here too one or two assortment groups, but each of them has a significant number of positions. The same Coca-Cola company at the present time. Now it produces a large number of varieties of soft drinks. These drinks are distinguished both on the basis of segmentation by tastes and preferences, and on the basis of age segmentation, etc.

3. The range is wide and small. Here many assortment groups are produced, but each of them has a small number of positions.

4. From a marketing point of view, the best option to achieve your marketing goals is deep and wide range . An example here is Proctor & Gamble, which has several product groups: detergents, bar soap, deodorants, creams, hydrogels, toothpaste, baby diapers, and in each group there are many positions. So, toothpastes are produced about one and a half dozen items. But it should be noted that it has both advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of a wide range:

· allows product diversification those. focus on the different needs of people, to offer satisfaction of different needs. In this way, more and more products can be sold within the served market, offering a more comprehensive satisfaction of product needs.