Assortment Property- this is a feature of the assortment, which manifests itself in its formation and implementation.

Assortment indicator- this is a quantitative or qualitative expression of the properties of the assortment, while the number of groups, subgroups, types and names of goods is subject to measurement.

The unit of measure for assortment indicators is the name of the product or the commodity article, which may include the name of the type or brand.

For example, orange juice (type) "J7" (trademark).

When forming the assortment, the complex of its properties and indicators is regulated, which requires an understanding of their essence and knowledge of the range of properties and indicators of the assortment (table).

Table. Nomenclature of properties and indicators of assortment

m- the number of homogeneous groups of goods;
d- the number of types, varieties or names of goods available;
b- the basic number of types, varieties and names of goods, taken as a basis for comparison;
n- the number of goods of different names or trademarks and their modifications of a certain type;
ngar- the number of goods of different names or brands, identical with the approved list and taken as a sample;
AI- the quantity of a particular product in physical terms;
Si- the total quantity of all goods available in physical terms;
m- the minimum allowable number of goods that determine the trade profile of the organization;
at- the number of types and names of goods that are in steady demand;
n- the number of new types and names of goods;
vg, vu, vn– coefficients of weighting indicators of depth, stability and novelty;
Ep- the beneficial effect of the acquisition and consumption of goods when used by the consumer for its intended purpose, rub.;
W– costs for design, development, production, bringing to consumption, rub.

Let's take a closer look at the range.

1. Range breadth- this is the number of groups, types, varieties and names of goods of homogeneous and heterogeneous groups.
1.1. Actual latitude- this is the actual number of groups, types, varieties and names of goods available.
1.2. Base latitude is the latitude taken as the basis for comparison.

Latitude factor- this is the ratio of the actual number of species, varieties and names of goods of homogeneous and heterogeneous groups to the base one.

Latitude has 2 forms.
General latitude- this is a set of all assortment units, types and varieties of goods of homogeneous and heterogeneous groups.
For example, the total breadth in the Auchan hypermarket is 45 thousand assortment units belonging to 40 groups at a time, and up to 80 thousand assortment units during the year. In supermarkets, the total breadth during the year fluctuates between 30-50 thousand assortment units.

assortment unit- this is a name, trade mark or commodity article, conventionally accepted as a unit, and used to measure assortment indicators by counting.

Group latitude- the number of homogeneous groups of goods produced and sold by the organization.
For example, the group latitude of the Auchan hypermarket is approximately 40 groups, for supermarkets 25-40 groups.
2. Completeness of the range- is the ability of a set of goods of a homogeneous group to satisfy the same needs.
Completeness is characterized by the number of types, varieties and names of goods of a homogeneous group or subgroup. Completeness scores can be real or baseline.

2.1. Actual Completeness Index- this is the actual number of types, varieties and names of goods of a homogeneous group.

2.2. The indicator of basic completeness - This is the regulated or planned quantity of goods.

Completeness factor is the ratio of the actual completeness indicator to the base one.

For example, in the assortment of the store there are 4 types of cheeses that belong to the group of hard rennet cheeses, so the actual fullness indicator will be 4 units. And the Russian standards provide for 25 types of cheeses in this group, so the basic indicator of completeness will be 25 units.

3. Depth of assortment- this is the number of brands of goods of the same type, their modifications or trade articles.
For example, the depth of the commercial assortment of fruit juices is determined by the number of brands (“Champion”, “I”, “Tonus”, “Dobry”, “My family”, etc.), as well as their modifications (“Tonus”: apple-orange, peach-orange, etc.) and commodity articles that differ in the capacity of the package (0.2; 1; 1.5; 2 l).

3.1. Actual depth is the number of brands or modifications available.

3.2. Base depth- this is the number of brands or modifications offered on the market or potentially available for release and taken as a basis for comparison.

Depth factor is the ratio of the actual depth to the base.
The higher this indicator, the more fully the species assortment of a particular product is represented.
4. Stability of the range is the ability of a set of goods to satisfy the demand for the same goods.
A feature of such goods is the presence of a steady demand for them.

Stability factor- this is the ratio of the number of types, varieties and names of goods that are in steady demand among consumers to the total number of types, varieties and names of goods of the same homogeneous groups.

Manufacturers and retailers most often seek to expand the number of products that are in steady demand, but it should be borne in mind that tastes and habits change over time, so the sustainability of the assortment should be rational.

5. Novelty (updating) of the assortment The ability of a set of products to meet changing needs with new products.
Novelty is characterized by actual renewal, i.e. the number of new products in the general list; and the degree of renewal, i.e. the ratio of the number of new products to the total number of product names (actual latitude).

It should be noted that the constant and increased updating of the assortment for the manufacturer and seller is associated with certain costs and the risk that they may not be justified, so updating the assortment should also be rational.
For example, new product may not be in demand.

6. The structure of the product range- this is the ratio of the sets of goods selected for a certain attribute in the set.
It is characterized by the specific share of each type or product name in the total set.

The structure of the assortment can be expressed both in natural and in relative terms.
For example, the structure of the assortment of fabrics, expressed in m and in%.

Assortment structure indicators are used if it is necessary to determine the need for warehouse space, as well as areas for displaying goods.

7. Assortment minimum (list)- this is the minimum allowable number of types of goods daily demand, defining the profile of a retail trade organization.

8. Rationality of assortment- this is the ability of a set of goods to most fully satisfy the really justified needs of different segments of consumers.

rationality coefficient is the weighted average value of the rationality indicator, taking into account the real values ​​of the indicators of depth, stability and novelty of goods from different groups, multiplied by the corresponding weighting coefficients.
With a certain degree of reliability, the coefficient of rationality may indicate a rational assortment.

9. Harmonious assortment- this is a property of a set of goods of different groups, characterizing the degree of their proximity in ensuring rational commodity circulation, sale or use.

The enlarged assortment and its varieties are distinguished by the greatest harmony, and the mixed assortment is the least harmonious.
Coefficient of harmony- this is the ratio of the number of species, names or trademarks available in the trade organization and corresponding to the established list or sample, to the actual breadth of goods in the same organization.

Characteristics of the product range

As a system that satisfies human needs, the assortment has a number of characteristics that describe its state at a certain point in time.

Assortment Property- this is a feature of the assortment, which manifests itself in its formation and implementation.

Assortment index - this is a quantitative or qualitative expression of the properties of the assortment, while the number of groups, subgroups, types and names of goods is subject to measurement.

The unit of measure for assortment indicators is the name of the product or the commodity article, which may include the name of the type or brand.

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

The main indicators of the assortment

Assortment structure- the composition of product groups and other divisions included in the assortment, as well as the quantitative ratio between them. In other words, the assortment structure is a percentage of certain sets of products to their total number.

It is characterized by the specific share of each type or product name in the total set.

The structure of the assortment can be expressed both in natural and in relative terms.

Completeness of the range - the ratio of the actual number of varieties of goods (available for sale) to the base number of goods. From this definition, we can conclude that the completeness of the range gives an idea of ​​the "saturation" of goods available for sale.

Express the completeness of the assortment through the coefficient of completeness Kp assortment, which is determined by the formula:

TO P = B f / IN n

where IN f - the actual number of types of goods at the time of inspection, units; IN n - the number of species provided for by the assortment list, supply contract, standards, etc., units.

Range breadth - the number of items, product groups, that is, assortment divisions.

The breadth of the assortment is determined by the number of product groups and is estimated by the breadth coefficient:

TO w = G f / G n

where G f- number of product groups at the time of determination, units;

G n - total number of product groups, units

Assortment depth - this is the number of brands of goods of the same type, their modifications or trade articles.

The depth of the assortment is determined by the number of varieties of goods for each item.

For example, the depth of the commercial assortment of fruit juices is determined by the number of brands ("Champion", "I", "Tonus", "Dobry", "My family", etc.), as well as their modifications ("Tonus": apple- orange, peach-orange, etc.) and commodity articles that differ in the capacity of the package (0.2; 1; 1.5; 2 l).

Depth factor is the ratio of the actual depth to the base.

The assortment depth coefficient is estimated by the formula:

TO G = P f / R n

where R f- the actual number of varieties of goods at the time of inspection, units;

R n- the number of varieties provided for by the assortment list, the terms of the contract, price lists, etc., units.

The higher this indicator, the more fully the species assortment of a particular product is represented.

Varieties of assortment depth:

1. Actual depth - is the number of brands or modifications available.

2. Base depth- this is the number of brands or modifications offered on the market or potentially available for release and taken as a basis for comparison.

Assortment stability - it is the ability of a set of goods to meet the needs of buyers for consumer goods.

Sustainability (stability) characterizes the constant availability of goods of the corresponding type on sale.

Stability factor- this is the ratio of the number of types, varieties and names of goods that are in steady demand among consumers, to the total number of types, varieties and names of goods of the same homogeneous groups.

The stability coefficient K y is determined by the formula:

TO at \u003d 1 - (P " f1 + R" f2 +. + R" fn / R n h n)

where R" f1 , R" f2 ,.,R" 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;

R n - the number of varieties (types) of goods provided for 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.

Manufacturers and retailers most often seek to expand the number of products that are in steady demand, but it should be borne in mind that tastes and habits change over time, so the sustainability of the assortment should be rational.

Range renewal - the ability of the assortment to replace its constituent goods with goods with more improved indicators of consumer properties.

The novelty (updating) of the assortment is the ability of a set of goods to satisfy changing needs through new goods.

Novelty is characterized by actual renewal, i.e. the number of new products in the general list; and the degree of renewal, the ratio of the number of new products to the total number of product names (actual latitude).

Novelty coefficient (Ko): Ko \u003d Ro / Rf

where Ro- the number of new varieties of goods that appeared at the time of the check, units;

RF- average number of varieties, units.

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

It should be noted that the constant and increased updating of the assortment for the manufacturer and seller is associated with certain costs and the risk that they may not be justified, so updating the assortment should also be rational. For example, a new product may not be in demand.

Also, the product range is characterized by several other indicators.

1. Compatibility- the degree of complementarity and compatibility of various product groups.

4. Assortment height- the average price of the assortment group.

5. Assortment mobility- the ability to change in accordance with the needs and demands of consumers.

6. Assortment stability- the ability to maintain an assortment matrix of the most popular and profitable assortment positions.

7. Relevance of the range- this is a constant demand by consumers for assortment positions presented by the company.

Key concepts in assortment characteristics goods are the concepts of assortment and product nomenclature.

Product range- a set of goods united according to some feature or set of features.

The term comes from the French word "assortiment", which means selection various kinds and types of goods. However, in merchandising, it is customary to limit a set of goods by their names, and grades as gradations of the quality of goods of the same type and name are attributed to the assortment.

Commodity nomenclature - a list of homogeneous and heterogeneous goods of general or similar purpose.

Yes, product line foreign economic activity(TN VED) is a list of goods intended for export-import operations. The range of products subject to confirmation of conformity in terms of safety indicators is intended for the purposes of mandatory certification.

The range of consumer goods is divided into groups - by location, into subgroups - by the breadth and depth of coverage of goods, into types - by the degree of satisfaction of needs, into varieties - by the nature of needs.

The classification of the range of goods is shown in Figure 7.

By location of goods distinguish between industrial and commercial assortment.

Figure 7. Classification of the range of goods

Industrial range - assortment of goods produced by a particular branch of industry or a separate industrial enterprise.

Industrial assortment of goods of different manufacturing organizations, including enterprises Catering, regardless of the form of ownership, must be agreed with the sanitary authorities of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation.

An example is the industrial assortment of the Babaevsky confectionery concern, which includes about 100 items of caramel, candy and chocolate products.

Trade range - assortment of goods presented in the trading network.

Unlike the industrial assortment, the trade assortment includes, as a rule, goods from different manufacturers. The exception is branded stores of manufacturing organizations, the strategy of which is based on the sale of goods only of this company.

simple assortment goods - a range of goods represented by such types that are classified according to no more than three criteria.

Complex assortment goods - a range of goods represented by such species that are classified according to more than three criteria.

Expanded assortment goods - range of goods represented by their varieties.

Enlarged assortment goods - a range of goods united by common characteristics in a certain set of goods.

Species assortment - a set of goods of various types, varieties and names that satisfy similar needs. He is integral part assortment. For example, the assortment of milk - pasteurized, sterilized, etc. - is part of the assortment of dairy products.

Brand assortment - a set of goods of the same type, but different brands. Such goods, along with the satisfaction of physiological needs, are largely aimed at satisfying social and mental needs. These needs are met by prestigious brands of cars, clothing, shoes, perfumes, fine wines, etc.

Associated assortment - a set of goods that perform auxiliary functions and are not related to the main ones for this organization. Related products, for example, in shoe store- these are shoe care items, and in the grocery store - soap, matches, and some other household goods.

Mixed assortment - a set of goods of different groups, types, names, characterized by a wide variety of functional purposes. Such an assortment is typical for stores selling non-food and food products at the same time, for example, for hypermarkets.

By degree of satisfaction needs distinguish rational and optimal assortment.

Rational assortment - a set of products that provides a sufficient degree of customer satisfaction and the achievement of the objectives of the organization.

Optimal range - a set of goods that satisfies real needs with the most useful effect for the consumer or organization at rational costs for their acquisition and consumption (sale). Goods of the optimal assortment are characterized by increased competitiveness.

The optimal assortment can be considered from the standpoint of consumers-purchasers of goods and organizations that form them.

Depending on the nature of needs range can be real and predictable.

Real range - the actual set of goods available in a particular manufacturer's or seller's organization.

Projected assortment - a set of goods that will have to satisfy the expected needs.

Assortment property - a feature of the assortment, which manifests itself in its formation and implementation.

Assortment index - quantitative and / or qualitative expression of the properties of the assortment, while the measurement will include the number of groups, subgroups, types and names of goods.

The unit of measure for the assortment indicators is the name of the product or the commodity article, which may include the name of the type and / or trade mark. For example, orange juice (type) Champion (trademark).

The main properties of the assortment include: breadth, completeness, depth, stability, novelty, structure, harmony, rationality of the assortment and assortment minimum.

Range breadth- the number of types, varieties and names of goods of homogeneous and heterogeneous groups. Latitude can serve as an indirect indicator of the saturation of the market with goods: the greater the breadth, the greater the saturation.

Completeness of the range - the ability of a set of goods of a homogeneous group to satisfy the same needs.

Completeness is characterized by the number of types, varieties and names of goods of a homogeneous group and / or subgroup.

Depth- the number of trademarks of goods of the same type, and / or their modifications and / or commodity articles. The unit of measurement of this indicator is the trademark, and in the presence of modifications - one of them. For example, the depth of the commercial assortment of fruit juices is determined by the number of brands (Champion, Ya, Tonus, My family, etc.), as well as their modifications (Tonus: apple-orange, peach-orange, etc.) and commodity articles , differing in packaging, its capacity (0.2; 1; 1.5; 2 l).

Range sustainability- the ability of a set of goods to satisfy the demand for the same goods. A feature of such goods is the presence of a steady demand for them.

Novelty (updating) of the assortment- the ability of a set of goods to satisfy changing needs through new goods.

Assortment structure- the ratio of selected on a certain basis sets of goods in the set. It is characterized by the specific share of each type and/or product name in the total set.

Assortment minimum (list) - the minimum allowable number of types of consumer goods that determine the profile of a retail trade organization.

In conditions of deficit, this indicator was used to check the work of stores. As the market became saturated with goods, it seemed that the need for this indicator disappeared. However, during privatization, many trading enterprises changed their profile or real assortment, excluding cheap everyday goods from it. To prevent such negative phenomena, it was necessary to return to this indicator, renaming it to the “assortment list”. Replacing the concepts of “minimum” with “list” in combination with the adjective “assortment”, in our opinion, is not very successful (recall, an assortment is a set or list of goods).

The assortment list of goods is established by the seller-retailer independently. However, the seller must coordinate the assortment list of food products with the authorities of Rospotrebnadzor.

Rationality of the assortment- the ability of supervision of goods to most fully satisfy the really justified needs of different segments of consumers.

The harmony of the assortment- a property of a set of goods of different groups, characterizing the degree of their proximity in ensuring the rational distribution of goods, sale and / or use.

In order to achieve the rationality of the assortment, it is necessary to manage it.

Assortment management - activities aimed at achieving the requirements of the rationality of the assortment.

The main stages of management are the establishment of requirements for the rationality of the assortment, the definition of the assortment policy of the organization and the formation of the assortment.

The establishment of requirements for the rationality of the assortment begins with the identification of consumer requests for goods of a certain assortment. For this, such methods of marketing research as sociological (survey) and registration (observation) can be used, and for seasonal and fashionable goods - the method of historical analogies, which is based on the assumption that events that took place earlier can be repeated with a certain proportion probabilities.

Assortment policy - the general intentions, capabilities and main directions formulated by the top management of the organization in the field of assortment. General intentions can be defined in the form of goals and objectives for their implementation.

Purpose of the organization in the field of assortment - the formation of a real and / or predicted assortment, as close as possible to rational, to meet a variety of needs and obtain the planned profit.

To do this, the following tasks must be solved:

Established real and perceived needs for specific products;

The main indicators of the assortment are determined and an analysis of its rationality is given;

The sources of commodity resources necessary for the formation of a rational assortment are identified;

The material possibilities of the organization for the production, distribution and / or sale of individual goods were assessed;

The main directions of assortment formation are determined.

The main directions of assortment formation - it is reduction, expansion, deepening, stabilization, renewal, improvement, harmonization. These areas are interrelated, largely complement each other and are determined by a number of factors.

Range reduction - quantitative and qualitative changes in the range of goods by reducing its breadth and completeness.

The reasons for the reduction in the range may be a drop in demand, lack of supply, unprofitability or low profitability in the production and / or sale of individual goods. For example, in recent years there has been a tendency to reduce the range due to cheap food and non-food items, disadvantageous to the manufacturer and seller, but necessary for the consumer.

Range expansion - quantitative and qualitative changes in a set of goods by increasing the indicators of breadth, completeness, depth and novelty.

The reasons contributing to the expansion of the range are the increase in supply and demand; high profitability of production and/or sale of goods; introducing new products and/or manufacturers to the market; increased competition. Thus, the current state of the Russian consumer market is characterized by the expansion of the range due to imported goods, as well as goods made on the basis of foreign technologies.

Assortment deepening - quantitative changes in the range of goods due to the development and proposal of new brands and / or their modifications.

The reason for choosing this direction is the high saturation of the market, the desire to reduce the risk of releasing goods of little novelty, the presence of well-known, sought-after brands, the inability of the organization to produce new types of goods.

Assortment stabilization - state of a set of goods characterized by high stability and low degree of renewal.

This is a rather rare state of the assortment, inherent in the main assortment of food products of daily demand. The range of non-food products is characterized by a high degree of change under the influence of fashion, scientific and technological progress and other factors.

Range update - qualitative and quantitative changes in the state of a set of goods, characterized by an increase in the indicator of novelty.

The criterion for choosing this direction can be considered the need to meet new, constantly changing needs and / or increase competitiveness, as well as the desire of manufacturers and sellers to stimulate demand by encouraging consumers to buy new products to meet functional, social and psychological needs; fashion changes; achievement of scientific and technological progress.

This direction is based on the widespread consumer belief that new products are better than previously released ones. However, this is not always the case, since the quality of new products may be worse than already known products. In such cases, the consumer, realizing this, may experience a feeling of disappointment, dissatisfaction, distrust of new products in general, as well as to the manufacturer or seller.

Improvement of the assortment - quantitative and qualitative changes in the state of a set of goods to increase its rationality.

This complex direction of changes in the assortment of goods determines the choice of the following possible ways: reduction, expansion and / or updating of the assortment of goods to form a rational assortment. The target approach to the formation of an improved rational assortment is the main distinguishing feature this direction. This should take into account scientifically based rational needs, as well as the requirements of society to ensure safety for consumers and environment, using the achievements of scientific and technological progress to maximize the quality of life.

Range harmonization - quantitative and qualitative changes in the state of a set of goods, reflecting the degree of closeness of the real assortment to the optimal or best foreign and domestic analogues, as well as most fully corresponding to the goals of the organization.

In the Russian consumer market, this direction of assortment formation is relatively new and is expressed in the desire of a number of “elite” stores to form an assortment on the model of well-known foreign firms.

In addition, this direction is typical for large firms, corporations, joint-stock companies with subsidiaries in different parts of the city, or regions of the country or the world. An example is the harmonized assortment of such firms as Perekrestok, Auchan, GUM, etc.

Ministry Agriculture Russian Federation

Federal State Educational Institution

higher professional education

ALTAI STATE AGRARIAN UNIVERSITY

Department of Agribusiness

MALYSHEVANATALYA VLADIMIROVNA

Analysis of assortment indicators of goods, the possibility of their improvement.

(on the example of Stroydvor LLC)

Specialty: 080111 "Marketing"

Discipline: "Commodity research, examination and standardization"

Leading teacher: Velichko N.N.

COURSE WORK

Group student 4321

full-time education N.V. Malysheva

(signature, date)

Barnaul 2007

Introduction…………………………………………………………………...………..3

Chapter 1

1. Product range…………………………………………………….5

2. Properties and indicators of the assortment…………………………………..7

3. Formation and management of the assortment…………..................................17

Chapter 2. Analysis of assortment indicators at the enterprise Stroydvor LLC ………………………………………………………………………………..27

1. Economic characteristic Stroydvor LLC………………27

2. Analysis of assortment indicators and measures to improve them, carried out by LLC "Stroydvor"…………………......................33

Chapter 3. Measures to improve the assortment indicators at the enterprise………………………………………………………………………………...37

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………...40

List of used literature………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………42

Applications………………………………………………………………………………………………………..44

Introduction

Assortment policy is one of the most important activities of each enterprise. Especially this direction is of particular importance in the current conditions, when the consumer places increased demands on the quality and assortment of the product, and all economic indicators of the organization and the market share depend on the efficiency of the enterprise with the goods being sold. As international experience shows, leadership in the competitive struggle is given to those who are most competent in assortment policy, who own the methods of its implementation and can manage it as efficiently as possible.

From the foregoing, it is clear that the problem of the formation and management of the assortment is today one of the most important for market economy. It follows that the chosen topic of the course work is relevant.

When forming the assortment, there are problems of prices, quality, guarantees, service, whether the seller is going to play the role of a leader in the implementation of fundamentally new types of products or is forced to follow other sellers.

The object of study of the course work are the assortment indicators of goods. The subjects of the research are the factors influencing the indicators of the assortment - demand, profitability of sales, suppliers, the material and technical base of the enterprise, its specialization, methods of sales promotion and demand formation. The object of observation is a society with limited liability"Stroydvor".

The purpose of the course work is to develop measures to improve the assortment indicators of the company's goods, aimed at improving the efficiency of its trading activities. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to solve the following tasks:

1) The study of theoretical and methodological aspects formation and management of assortment indicators of the enterprise.

2) Analysis and evaluation of the formation and management of the assortment on the example of Stroydvor LLC.

3) Determination of ways to improve the indicators of the assortment of goods of the enterprise in modern conditions.

To write a term paper, such research methods as statistical, content analysis, settlement-constructive and others are used. Information base are the annual accounting reports of Stroydvor LLC for 2003-2005, the Charter of Stroydvor LLC and its accounting policy and various tutorials.

1. Assortment, assortment indicators,

formation and management

1. The concept of "Assortment of goods"

Product range- a set of goods combined by any or a combination of characteristics (GOST R 51303-99). The term comes from the French word "assortiment", which means a selection of different types and varieties of goods.

The range of consumer goods is divided into groups - by location, into subgroups - by the breadth and depth of coverage of goods, into types - by the degree of satisfaction of needs, into varieties - by the nature of needs. The classification of the assortment of goods is shown in fig. one.

1. By location of goods distinguish between industrial and commercial assortment.

Industrial assortment (unacceptable (hereinafter referred to as NDP): production assortment) - an assortment of goods produced by a separate branch of industry or a separate industrial enterprise (GOST R 51303-99).

Trade assortment- the range of goods presented in the distribution network (GOST R 51303-99).

2. Depending on product coverage the following types of assortment are distinguished: simple, complex, expanded, enlarged, accompanying, mixed.

Simple assortment of goods(NDP: goods of a simple assortment) - an assortment of goods represented by such types that are classified according to no more than three characteristics (GOST R 51303-99).

Complex assortment of goods(NDP: goods of a complex assortment) - an assortment of goods represented by such types; which are classified according to more than three criteria (GOST R 51303-99).

Expanded product range(NDP: intra-group assortment) - the range of goods represented by their varieties (GOST R 51303-99).

Enlarged range of goods(NDP: group assortment) - an assortment of goods, united by common features in a certain set of goods (GOST R 51303-99).

· Species assortment - a set of goods of various types, varieties and names that satisfy similar needs.

· Vintage assortment - a set of goods of the same type, but different brands. Such goods, along with the satisfaction of physiological needs, are largely aimed at satisfying social and mental needs. These needs are met by prestigious brands of goods.

Rice. 1 Product range classification

Related range- a set of goods that perform auxiliary functions and are not related to the main ones for this organization.

Mixed assortment- a set of goods of different groups, types, names, characterized by a wide variety of functional purposes.

3. By degree of satisfaction needs distinguish rational and optimal assortment.

Rational assortment- a set of products that provides a sufficient degree of customer satisfaction and the achievement of the objectives of the organization.

Optimal assortment- a set of goods that satisfies real needs with the most beneficial effect for the consumer or organization at rational costs for their acquisition and consumption (sales).

4. Depending on nature of needs range can be real and predictable.

Real range- the actual set of goods available in a particular organization of the manufacturer or seller.

Projected assortment- a set of goods that will have to satisfy the expected needs.

2. Properties and indicators of the range

Assortment Property- a feature of the assortment, which manifests itself in its formation and implementation.

Assortment indicator- quantitative and / or qualitative expression of the properties of the assortment, while the number of groups, subgroups, types and names of goods is subject to measurement.

The unit of measure for the assortment indicators is the name of the product or the commodity article, which may include the name of the type and / or trade mark.

The nomenclature of properties and indicators of the assortment is considered in table 2.

Table 2. Nomenclature of properties and indicators of assortment.

T-number of homogeneous groups of goods;

e - the number of types, varieties or names of goods available;

b - the basic number of types, varieties and names of goods, taken as a basis for comparison;

n- the number of goods of different names or trademarks and / or their modification of a certain type;

n gar - the number of goods of different names or brands, identical with the approved list and taken as a sample;

D - quantity of an individual product in physical terms;

S ,- the total quantity of all goods available in physical terms;

m - the minimum allowable number of goods that determine the trade profile of the organization;

y - the number of types and names of goods that are in steady demand;

n - the number of new types and names of goods;

вг, ву, вн - weight coefficients of indicators of depth, stability and novelty.

Let's take a closer look at the range.

Range breadth - the number of groups, types, varieties and names of goods of homogeneous and heterogeneous groups included in the assortment of the store.

This property is characterized by two absolute indicators - the actual and base latitude, as well as a relative indicator - the latitude coefficient.

Actual latitude(W d) - the actual number of groups, types, varieties and names of goods available (d).

Base latitude(Wb) - latitude taken as a basis for comparison. The number of species, varieties and names of goods, or the maximum possible, can be taken as the base latitude. The choice of criteria for determining the base latitude indicator is determined by the objectives of the trading organization. For example, when analyzing the assortment policy of competing stores, the maximum list of goods available in all surveyed stores can be taken as the baseline.

Latitude factor(K w) is expressed as the ratio of the actual number of species, varieties and names of goods of homogeneous and heterogeneous groups to the base one.

There are two approaches to the definition of the term "breadth of assortment". In the disciplines "Organization of commercial activity" and "Theory of commodity science" breadth is considered as the number of groups of goods available for sale. In the practice of trade, breadth is determined by the total number of species, names, trademarks and other assortment units belonging to homogeneous and heterogeneous groups. In our opinion, this approach is more rational, since it allows for automated accounting and identification of goods using barcode technology.

These approaches can be combined if we introduce two concepts of latitude related to its varieties: general and group.

General latitude - the totality of all assortment units, types and varieties of goods of homogeneous and heterogeneous groups.

assortment unit- this is the name, trade mark or commodity article conventionally accepted as a unit and used to measure the performance of the assortment by counting.

Trademark- this is the brand name of one or more goods, determined by the manufacturer or trade organization.

Group latitude - the number of homogeneous groups of goods produced and sold by the organization. With a group breadth of assortment, a group of homogeneous goods acts as a generalized unit of measurement. According to the rules of certification homogeneous product group is a set of products united by common properties and purpose.

The overall latitude can serve as an indirect indicator of the saturation of the market with goods: the greater it is, the higher the saturation. Latitude indicators change depending on the saturation of the market and the state of demand.

What is the attitude of the consumer to the breadth of the range? On the one hand, the wider the range, the more varied needs can be met. On the other hand, with an ultra-high breadth of assortment, it is difficult for the consumer to navigate in this variety, which makes it difficult to choose the right product. Therefore, breadth cannot serve as an indicator of the rationality of the assortment.

Completeness of the range - the ability of a set of goods of a homogeneous group to satisfy the same needs; this is the correspondence of the actual availability of goods at the trading enterprise to the approved assortment list.

Completeness is characterized by the number of types, varieties and names of goods of a homogeneous group and / or subgroup. Completeness scores can be real or baseline.

Actual Completeness Index characterized by the actual number of types, varieties and names of goods of a homogeneous group, and base- regulated or planned quantity of goods. Those. The completeness of the assortment of goods is understood as the ratio of the number of varieties of goods on sale to the number of goods provided for by price lists and contractual obligations.

Completeness factor(K p) - the ratio of the actual completeness indicator to the base one. The higher the completeness of the assortment, the better the needs of the buyer are satisfied.

The indicators of the completeness of the assortment are of the greatest importance in a saturated market. The greater the completeness of the assortment, the higher the likelihood that consumer demand for goods of a certain group will be satisfied.

The increased completeness of the assortment can serve as one of the means of stimulating sales and satisfying a variety of needs due to different tastes, habits and other factors.

At the same time, an increase in the completeness of the assortment requires trade workers to know the commonality and differences in the consumer properties of goods. different types, varieties and names to inform consumers about them. It is the responsibility of the manufacturer and/or supplier to communicate such information to the seller.

However, it should be borne in mind that an excessive increase in the completeness of the assortment can make it difficult for the consumer to choose, so the completeness should be rational.

Depth - the number of trademarks of goods of the same type, and / or their modifications and / or commodity articles in the assortment of the store. The unit of measurement of this indicator is the trademark, and in the presence of modifications - one of them.

Actual depth(Ch. e) - the number of brands and/or modifications or SKUs available.

Base depth(Chapter b) - the number of trademarks and / or modifications, or commodity articles offered on the market or potentially possible for release and taken as a basis for comparison.

Depth factor(K ch) - the ratio of the actual depth to the base. The higher this indicator, the more fully the species assortment of a particular product is represented.

In a saturated market, a wide range of goods is provided by increasing the number of goods of certain types, but different brands and their modifications.

Range sustainability - the ability of a set of goods to satisfy the demand for the same goods; this is the uninterrupted availability of goods for sale by their types and varieties, declared in the assortment list. A feature of such goods is the presence of a steady demand for them.

Stability factor(Ku) - the ratio of the number of types, varieties and names of goods that are in steady demand among consumers (Y) to the total number of types, varieties and names of goods of the same homogeneous groups (W d).

Sometimes sustainability is associated with the period during which goods of certain types, varieties and names are in the sale. In this case, the stability of the assortment may depend, firstly, on the presence of stable demand and constant replenishment of inventories for these goods; secondly, from the absence or insufficiency of demand for goods that are stale in warehouses and counters; thirdly, from the mismatch of commodity stocks with the possibilities of implementation. Therefore, the timing of the sale of goods as indicators of the stability of the assortment cannot be used in determining the rationality of the assortment.

Identification of goods that are in steady demand requires marketing research by methods of observation and analysis of documentary data on the receipt and sale of various goods.

Consumers of sustainable products can be characterized as "conservative in tastes and habits". After evaluating a certain product name, they do not change their preferences for a long time.

Manufacturers and sellers most often seek to expand the number of products that are in steady demand. However, it should be borne in mind that tastes and habits change over time, so the sustainability of the assortment must be rational.

Novelty (updating) of the assortment - the ability of a set of goods to satisfy changing needs with new goods. The renewal of the assortment is the replacement of goods on sale with products with higher consumer properties, which contribute to a better satisfaction of the needs of the population. This is the replenishment of the assortment with new varieties of goods in accordance with the assortment policy of the enterprise.

Novelty is characterized by a real update - the number of new products in the general list (N) and the degree of update (K n), which is expressed through the ratio of the number of new products to the total number of product names (or actual breadth).

Renewal is one of the directions of the assortment policy of the organization, carried out, as a rule, in a saturated market. However, the renewal of the assortment may be the result of a shortage of raw materials and / or production capacities necessary for the production of previously produced goods.

The reasons that prompt the manufacturer and seller to update the range are the replacement of obsolete goods that are not in demand; development of new products of improved quality in order to stimulate their purchase by the consumer; design and development of new products that had no analogues before; expanding the range by increasing the completeness and depth to create a competitive advantage for the organization.

The consumers of new products are the so-called innovators and super-innovators, whose needs often change due to the desire for a sense of novelty. Often, new products satisfy not so much physiological as mental and social needs.

However, it should be borne in mind that the constant and increased updating of the assortment for the manufacturer and seller is associated with certain costs and the risk that they may not be justified, for example, a new product may not be in demand. Therefore, updating the assortment should also be rational.

Product range structure - the ratio of the sets of goods selected for a certain attribute in the set (GOST R 51303-99, clause 80). This is the ratio of groups, subgroups, types and varieties of goods in the assortment of the store. It is characterized by indicators of breadth (macrostructure) and depth (microstructure), i.e. specific share of each type and/or product name in the total set.

The structure of the assortment can be expressed both in natural and in relative terms. They are calculated as the ratio of the number of individual products to the total quantity of all products included in the assortment.

The assortment structure, calculated in physical terms, determines the structure of turnover in monetary terms. However, there is no direct relationship between them.

When adjusting the assortment structure, one should take into account economic benefits enterprises in the case of a predominance of expensive or cheap goods, the cost recovery for their delivery, storage and sale, as well as the solvency of the consumer segment that the trade organization focuses on.

Assortment structure indicators are used if it is necessary to determine the need for storage space, as well as the area for displaying goods. When analyzing the profitability of certain types of goods, the structure of turnover in monetary terms is taken into account.

Assortment minimum (list) - the minimum allowable number of types of consumer goods that determine the profile of a retail trade organization.

In conditions of deficit, this indicator was used to check the work of stores. As the market became saturated with goods, it seemed that the need for this indicator disappeared. However, during privatization, many trading enterprises changed their profile or real assortment, excluding cheap everyday goods from it. To prevent such negative phenomena, it was necessary to return to this indicator, renaming it to the “assortment list”.

According to paragraph 4 of the Rules for the sale of certain types of goods, approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of January 19, 1998 No. 55, the seller-retailer establishes the assortment list of goods independently. However, the seller must coordinate the assortment list of food products with the authorities of Rospotrebnadzor.

Rationality of the assortment - the ability of a set of goods to most fully satisfy the really justified needs of different segments of consumers.

rationality coefficient(K p) - the weighted average value of the rationality indicator, taking into account the real values ​​​​of the indicators of depth, stability and novelty of goods of different groups, multiplied by the corresponding weighting factors. The calculation formula for the coefficient of rationality is given in Table. 2.

When determining the ratio of the rationality of the assortment, all of the above indicators should be taken into account, taking into account the degree of significance or weight coefficient (c) for each indicator. The weighting coefficients are determined by an expert and characterize the specific share of the indicator in the formation of consumer preferences that affect the sale of goods. The complexity of their calculation lies in the fact that there are no common weight coefficients for all or at least for a group of goods. They are specific to each product.

With a certain degree of reliability, the coefficient of rationality may indicate a rational assortment. The probable error shows the difference between the needs assumed in the formation of the assortment (predicted assortment) and the real needs, supported by consumer demand.

The harmony of the assortment - a property of a set of goods of different groups, characterizing the degree of their proximity in ensuring the rational distribution of goods, sale and / or use. The enlarged assortment and its varieties are distinguished by the greatest harmony, the mixed assortment is the least harmonious.

Harmony determines the qualitative characteristics of the assortment, but can be measured quantitatively. The indicator of harmony is the coefficient of harmony (K gar), which is defined as the ratio of the number of types, names or brands available in a trade organization and corresponding to an established list or sample, to the actual breadth of goods in the same organization.

The desire for harmony in the formation of the assortment is expressed in the specialization of the store or its individual sections. The advantages of a harmonious assortment include the lowest costs for the manufacturer and seller for delivery, storage, sale, and for the consumer - for the search and purchase of goods that are similar in purpose or complement each other. For example, the assortment of network and company stores is distinguished by a high harmony.

The considered properties of the assortment are interconnected with classification groups, which is well illustrated in Fig. 3.

Rice. 3 . Interrelation of classification assortment groupings and assortment properties.

3. Formation and management of the assortment

When forming the assortment, the complex of its properties and indicators is regulated, which requires an understanding of their essence and knowledge of the range of properties and indicators of the assortment (Table 2).

Assortment formation is the process of selecting groups, types and varieties of goods in accordance with customer demand.

Assortment management is an activity aimed at achieving the requirements of assortment rationality. Assortment management is understood as the development and application of measures aimed at forming the optimal structure of the assortment of goods that most fully meets the needs of the population and consumer demand. Management is carried out by a systematic analysis of the existing structure of the assortment, the formation of a preferred assortment, and its optimization.

When analyzing the structure of the assortment, they evaluate the relative share of goods (by groups, subgroups, types and varieties), compare the range of goods ordered and going on sale, formulate appropriate conclusions, and take the necessary measures. At the same time, the quantitative ratio in the expanded assortment of all product names is determined by their types, styles, models, heights, sizes, colors, patterns, packaging, packaging and other trademarks.

The results of a detailed systematic analysis of the assortment of goods serve as a rationale for drawing up applications and orders for trade enterprises and organizations.

The main stages of management are the establishment of requirements for the rationality of the assortment, the definition of the assortment policy of the organization and the formation of the assortment.

Establishment of requirements for the rationality of the assortment begins with the identification of consumer requests for goods of a certain assortment. For this, such methods of marketing research as sociological (survey) and registration (observation) can be used.

In addition, organizations that use an active marketing strategy create demand themselves through advertising, trade shows, presentations, and other methods. The requirements for the rationality of the assortment change depending on the market situation (the solvency of buyers, socio-economic, socio-cultural, legal and information characteristics organization environment).

The level of requirements for the rationality of the assortment is individual for each organization and is determined by its assortment policy.

Assortment policy- general intentions, opportunities and main directions formulated by the top management of the organization in the field of assortment. General intentions can be defined in the form of goals and objectives for their implementation.

The purpose of the organization in the field of assortment - the formation of a real and / or predicted assortment, as close as possible to rational, to meet a variety of needs and obtain the planned profit.

To do this, the following tasks must be solved:

Established real and perceived needs for specific products;

The main indicators of the assortment are determined and an analysis of its rationality is given;

The sources of commodity resources necessary for the formation of a rational assortment are identified;

The material possibilities of the organization for the production, distribution and / or sale of individual goods were assessed;

The main directions of assortment formation are determined.

Assortment formation system includes the following highlights.

1. Determining the current and future needs of customers, analyzing how these products are used and the characteristics of consumer behavior in the respective markets.

2. Evaluation of existing analogues of competitors in the same areas.

3. Critical assessment of products manufactured by the enterprise in the same assortment as in p.p. 1 and 2, but from the perspective of the buyer.

4. Dealing with questions: which products should be added to the assortment, and which should be excluded from it due to changes in the level of competitiveness; whether it is necessary to diversify products at the expense of other directions of the enterprise's production that go beyond its established profile.

5. Consideration of proposals for the creation of new products, improvement of existing ones, as well as new ways and areas of application of goods.

6. Development of specifications for new or improved products in accordance with customer requirements.

7. Explore opportunities to produce new or improved products, including price, cost and profitability issues.

8. Conducting tests (testing) of products taking into account potential consumers in order to determine their acceptability in terms of the main indicators.

9. Development of special recommendations for the production departments of the enterprise regarding quality, style, price, name, packaging, service, etc. in accordance with the results of the tests carried out, confirming the acceptability of the characteristics of the product or predetermining the need to change them.

10. Evaluation and review of the entire range. Planning and assortment management is an integral part of marketing. Even well-thought-out sales and advertising plans will not be able to neutralize the consequences of mistakes made earlier in assortment planning.

The main directions of assortment formation - it is reduction, expansion, deepening, stabilization, renewal, improvement, harmonization. These areas are interrelated, largely complement each other and are determined by a number of factors.

Range reduction - quantitative and qualitative changes in the range of goods by reducing its breadth and completeness.

The reasons for the reduction in the range may be a drop in demand, lack of supply, unprofitability or low profitability in the production and / or sale of individual goods. For example, in recent years there has been a tendency to reduce the range due to cheap food and non-food products that are unprofitable for the manufacturer and seller, but necessary for the consumer.

Range expansion- quantitative and qualitative changes in the set of goods by increasing the indicators of breadth, completeness, depth and novelty.

The reasons contributing to the expansion of the range are the increase in supply and demand; high profitability of production and/or sale of goods; introducing new products and/or manufacturers to the market; increased competition. Thus, the current state of the Russian consumer market is characterized by the expansion of the range due to imported goods, as well as goods made on the basis of foreign technologies.

The expansion of the assortment, along with an increase in the mass of goods, is one of the most important conditions for saturating the market with goods. At the same time, this direction of the assortment policy does not exclude other directions that complement it, giving it new aspects. Thus, the expansion of the range can occur due to its renewal while reducing the share of goods that are not in demand. The expansion of the range due to imported goods is associated with a reduction in the range of domestic goods, as well as a decrease in their

production in general.

Assortment deepening - quantitative changes in the range of goods due to the development and proposal of new brands and / or their modifications.

The reason for choosing this direction is the high saturation of the market, the desire to reduce the risk of releasing goods of little novelty, the presence of well-known, sought-after brands, the inability of the organization to produce new types of goods.

Assortment stabilization- the state of a set of goods, characterized by high stability and a low degree of renewal. The range of non-food products is characterized by a high degree of change under the influence of fashion, scientific and technological progress and other factors.

Assortment update - qualitative and quantitative changes in the state of a set of goods, characterized by an increase in the indicator of novelty.

The criterion for choosing this direction can be considered the need to meet new constantly changing needs and / or increase competitiveness, as well as the desire of manufacturers and sellers to stimulate demand by encouraging consumers to buy new products to meet functional, social and psychological needs; fashion change; achievement of scientific and technological progress,

This direction is based on the widespread consumer belief that new products are better than previously released ones. However, this is not always the case, since the quality of new products may be worse than already known products. In such cases, the consumer, realizing this, may experience a feeling of disappointment, dissatisfaction, distrust of new products in general, as well as to the manufacturer or seller.

Therefore, updating the assortment is a very responsible direction of its formation, associated with a significant risk for all subjects of market relations. At the same time, in a competitive environment, it is impossible to do without updating, since the novelty of goods is one of the most important criteria for the competitiveness of organizations - manufacturers and sellers.

Improvement of the range - quantitative and qualitative changes in the state of a set of goods to increase rationality.

This complex direction of changes in the assortment of goods determines the choice of the following possible ways: reduction, expansion and / or updating of the assortment of goods to form a rational assortment.

Range harmonization- quantitative and qualitative changes in the state of a set of goods, reflecting the degree of proximity of the real assortment to the optimal or best foreign and domestic analogues, as well as most fully corresponding to the goals of the organization.

Formation of the assortment- the activity of compiling a set of goods that allows you to meet real or predicted needs, as well as to achieve the goals defined by the management of the organization; this is the definition of a set of groups, types and varieties of goods, the most preferable for the serviced segment and ensuring the economic efficiency of the enterprise.

Formation of the assortment goods in a particular store is carried out taking into account the action of factors indicated in table 4.

There are general and specific factors in the formation of the assortment.

General factors: demand, profitability.

Specific factors:

· raw material base;

· material and technical base of commodity production;

· achievement of scientific and technical progress;

specialization of the trade organization;

· channels of distribution of goods;

methods of sales promotion and demand formation;

material and technical base of the trade organization;

consumer segment.

Principles of building an assortment of stores

The basis for the formation of the assortment of the store should be based on the following principles:

Table 4 The main factors determining the construction of the trade assortment.

The range of goods should be formed taking into account the following principles:

Reflection in the range of features of demand served and potential consumers goods;

Ensuring completeness in the selection and purchase of goods by buyers;

Compliance with the assortment profile established for a trading enterprise;

Ensuring sufficient completeness and sustainability of the range of goods of constant demand;

Drawing up a simple assortment, a list of non-replaceable and hard-to-replace goods;

Determination of the range of interchangeable goods;

Ensuring a sufficient breadth of types of goods for each group and subgroup, depending on the level of specialization commercial enterprise;

Expansion of the assortment due to new products;

Achievement through the rational selection of goods and conditions that contribute to the growth of the turnover of a trading enterprise, the acceleration of turnover, and the increase in profits.

Stages formation of assortment in stores

The formation of the assortment of goods in stores is carried out in several stages:

1. The assortment profile and the direction of the store specialization are determined in accordance with the chosen commercial strategy in the retail market, taking into account the specialization of the already existing store chain in the area.

2. The structure of the assortment is established (the list and ratio of the main groups and subgroups of goods sold) in the store. At this stage, the quantitative ratio of individual groups of goods is determined and they are linked with the planned indicators of the store.

3. An intra-group assortment is selected according to distinctive features with its linkage to a specific trading area, i.e., the number of types and varieties of goods is determined in the context of individual groups and subgroups of goods (within individual consumer complexes and micro-complexes ),

4. A specific assortment list of goods for this store is being developed.

Methods for forming the assortment of the store

Currently, when forming the assortment of retail trade enterprises, two methods are used that correspond to the current state of the economy - the assortment list method and the consumer complex method.

Assortment list method

This method assumes that there is a standard product offer on sale, declared in the mandatory assortment list. The method is focused on meeting a firmly formulated demand.

Consumer complex method

A more progressive method of forming an assortment of goods in retail is the method of consumer complexes. It is based on the principle of complex satisfaction of demand. At the same time, it is focused on a more complete satisfaction of certain needs, saving time for buyers, facilitating the choice of goods and services, and promoting impulsive purchases.

The methods of assortment formation discussed above have both positive characteristics, as well as disadvantages. However, the assortment list method certainly has more "minuses" compared to the second method. The competent work of the commercial apparatus of the enterprise in the field of assortment policy helps to reduce the impact of objective shortcomings.

Assortment structure optimization

The breadth and depth of the assortment must comply with the accepted assortment policy, which is focused on the requirements of a particular segment (s) of the market.

A wide range allows you to focus on the various requirements of consumers and stimulate shopping in one place. However, it requires the investment of additional resources in various product groups and subgroups. A deep assortment can meet the needs of different customer segments for one product; maximize the use of retail space; prevent the emergence of competitors; offer a range of prices. However, it increases inventory holding costs and can make it difficult to match and select a product.

It is recommended to form a comparable assortment based on the ratios between the proposed assortment groups in terms of the commonality of consumer groups, sources of supply and price range. It allows the company to create a strong image and maintain stable relationships with suppliers. However, an excessively limited assortment can make the enterprise vulnerable to external environment, supply fluctuations, competitors. Therefore, they talk about the formation of an assortment of optimal breadth and depth, taking into account all existing factors.

Some enterprises sell narrow in breadth and shallow in depth assortment. At the same time, only popular, popular and quick-moving goods are sold. This policy allows you to optimize the investment of funds in inventory, accelerating their turnover. Other merchants attract customers to their store precisely by the possibility of a wide selection of goods and the possibility of making all purchases “under one roof”. In each specific case, decisions on the breadth and depth of the assortment are made in strict accordance with the chosen strategy of the commercial activity of the enterprise in the retail market.

2. Analysis of assortment indicators

at Stroydvor LLC

1. Economic characteristics of Stroydvor LLC

Stroydvor LLC, hereinafter referred to as the "company", "enterprise", "firm", was founded on May 4, 2002. Formed on the basis of the founding agreement. Operates in accordance with the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, the Law of the Russian Federation "On Limited Liability Companies" and the Charter. PE "Polyakov" (hereinafter referred to as the "shop") is part of Stroydvor LLC.

The location of the company is determined by the place of its state registration Location: Barnaul, Leninsky district, 656019, st. Yurina, 203G. The subject of the company's activity is: commercial, commercial-entrepreneurial and trade-purchasing activities; wholesale, retail and outbound trade. The main purpose of the commercial activity of the enterprise is wholesale trade, transport services.

Shop PE "Polyakov" is located in a one-story building with a trading area of ​​50 m 2 . Shop opening hours: Monday - Friday from 9 am to 7 pm, Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm, without lunch, Sunday is a day off. The store staff consists of: a salesperson, a merchandiser, a director, 2 drivers, a manager, an accountant, a forwarding driver. The store is located in a residential area of ​​the city, which negatively affects entrepreneurial activity store, because significantly reduces the influx of buyers. The store has a traditional form of sale - through the counter, installed 1 cash register. This is enough to serve customers in a small store.

The main suppliers of the enterprise are: Praktika LLC, Znak LLC, Metallkhoztorg LLC, Stroy-Business LLC, Polozhentseva T.N., Arsenal LLC, Stroy-Region LLC, CJSC Metalservis, Zhirnov IP, Novex LLC, Gvozdilka LLC. The range of suppliers of the Stroydvor LLC enterprise can be considered on the example of Metallkhoztorg LLC and IE Polozhentseva T.N. (Appendix 1.2).

The size of the enterprise's activities are presented in table 1.

The table shows that marketable products increased every year, therefore, the size of the enterprise's activities increased (expanded). In 2005, the cost of marketable products increased by 69.07% due to an increase in the assortment and price increase. The average annual number of employees did not change for three years and amounted to 100% in 2005 in relation to 2003. The cost of fixed assets decreased due to depreciation: in 2004 compared to 2003 it decreased by 1.2% (i.e., it was 98.8%), and in 2005 it decreased by 1.2%. compared with 2003 - by 2.38 and amounted to 97.62%.

Table 1 The size of the enterprise.

Fixed assets form the main component of the material and technical base of enterprises and play an important role in the implementation of the leading directions of their activities.

Fixed assets are involved in the production process long time. Their value is reproduced in products and cycles through several production cycles. The cost of the main production assets annually included in production costs is accumulated in the form of depreciation and reimbursed when selling finished products.

In the conditions of market relations, the problem of increasing the efficiency of the use of fixed assets occupies a central place.

Improving the use of fixed assets means accelerating their turnover, which greatly contributes to solving the problem of reducing the gap in terms of physical and obsolescence.

The size and composition of fixed assets for each enterprise, due to the specifics of its activities, is special.

An analysis of the properties and structure of fixed assets allows us to draw an appropriate conclusion and outline measures to reduce or increase certain types of fixed assets, depending on the degree of their significance, the need for them and their role in the production process.

The size and structure of fixed non-production assets of Stroydvor LLC are shown in Table 2.

table 2 Size and structure of fixed non-productive assets

The data in the table show that the cost of fixed non-productive assets decreased by 1.21% in 2004 due to depreciation. compared to 2003, and in 2005 compared to 2004 - by 1.2%, the cost of vehicles in 2004 also decreased compared to 2003 by 1.2; in 2005 compared to 2004 - by 1.21%. Other fixed assets in 2004 compared to 2003 increased due to their arrival by 0.89% and by 0.59% - in 2005 compared to 2004. That is. in general, the situation has not changed, fixed assets have remained the same, only their value has decreased. This is not very positive, because production did not expand.

The fixed assets of the enterprise increased in 2006. The firm purchased a new computer, office supplies.

Human resources play an important role in economic efficiency enterprise activities. An important factor influencing the efficiency of the company is the availability of its labor resources. Insufficient provision can lead to non-fulfillment of the planned scope of work, and excessively high availability of labor resources leads to their incomplete use.

At the enterprise Stroydvor LLC, namely at the state of emergency "Polyakov", the number of workers in 2006 is 8 people. For a small store, this is enough. Labor force availability is shown in Table 3.

Table 3 Availability of labor force and efficiency of its use

Sales of marketable products per employee increased every year: in 2004, compared to 2003, it increased by 0.27%; in 2005 compared to 2004 - by 63.92%; and in 2005 compared to 2003 - by 64.36%. Such a sharp jump in product sales occurred due to an increase in sales volume, Ito, the company began to work more efficiently. Labor resources were used most fully, which made it possible to achieve maximum sales of marketable products. Profit per employee in 2004 increased by 84% compared to 2003 - this was due to an increase in sales, and in 2005 compared to 2004 it decreased by 44.09%. - This decrease was due to a decrease in profit from sales and a decrease in employees (up to 9 people). In 2005, compared to 2003, profit per employee increased by only 2.87%. In general, the indicators are good. Efficiency in the use of labor has increased.

The composition of commercial products is an assortment. The structure of the assortment of goods is called the composition of product groups and other divisions included in the assortment, and the quantitative ratio between them, expressed as a percentage, shares of the entire assortment. Usually, the shares of each group (or other division) are calculated by the value of the goods. The composition and structure of marketable products make up the assortment of Stroydvor LLC, namely PE Polyakov, which is presented in table 4 (the table shows part of the products sold by this enterprise).

Table 4 Composition and structure of commercial products

The table data showed that every year (from 2003 to 2005) the composition of products sold increased due to the expansion of the range, volumes of marketable products sold and rising prices. The largest percentage in the total volume of marketable products is occupied by paints and varnishes (10.43% - on average for 3 years), drywall (21.2%), wooden products (9.56%), sanitary ware (21.99%). When sold, these products bring more profit to the enterprise than hardware (2.54%), glue (3.2%), hardware (2.18%).

To calculate the cost products sold and the correct distribution of financial resources in the enterprise use cost accounting. Cost items are shown in Table 5.

After analyzing the indicators of the table, we can conclude that products purchased at a wholesale price for sale increased in 2005 compared to 2003 by 64.66% due to an increase in its volume and price growth; similarly increased the cost of fuel, energy and fuel (164.68%), wages (50.71%), deductions for social. fear (97.73%), expenses for the maintenance and operation of equipment (63.17%), other expenses (360.82%). The total cost of selling products increased by 131.84%.

Table 5 Cost of goods sold

The multifaceted activity of the enterprise finds its expression in the system economic indicators. Cost indicators allow you to determine the economic efficiency of the use of economic resources for the enterprise as a whole. Profit is calculated as the difference between the proceeds from the sale of products and the total cost of sales. The economic efficiency of current costs (profitability level) is defined as the ratio of profit from sales to the total cost of sales, multiplied by 100%. The assessment of the level of profitability and cost recovery is carried out at actual sales prices. Data on the financial performance of the enterprise are presented in table 6.

Table 6 Financial performance

After analyzing the data in the table, we can conclude that sales revenue increased by 119.14% in 2005 compared to 2003, the total cost of sales increased by 131.84%, and profit increased by 37.16%. Hence, the level of profitability decreased by 6.32%. In general, the indicators are good, financial results are positive.

2. Analysis of assortment indicators and measures to improve them, carried out by Stroydvor LLC

According to the classification of the assortment of goods by their location, the assortment of the Stroydvor LLC enterprise is trade. The breadth of coverage of goods included in the assortment is determined by the number of groups, subgroups, types, varieties, brands, types and names. Depending on the breadth and coverage of goods, the assortment of this company is complex. This assortment is characterized by a significant number of groups, types, varieties and names of goods that satisfy a variety of needs for goods. According to the degree of satisfaction of needs, the assortment of the enterprise is rational, as it is a set of goods that provides a sufficient degree of customer satisfaction and the achievement of the organization's goals. Depending on the nature of the needs, the assortment is real, since it is really available in the organization.

The breadth of the organization's product range is represented by 25 product groups:

1. Building materials.

2. Rolled metal, metal products.

3. Lumber.

4. Reinforced concrete, brick.

5. Insulating materials.

6. Roofing materials.

7. Facade materials, siding.

8. Finishing materials.

9. Paint and varnish and chemical products.

10. Plumbing equipment.

11. Heating equipment.

12. Electrical products.

13. Electrodes.

14. Furniture, shop equipment, safes.

15. Doors, windows, gates.

16. Glass.

17. Stoves and fireplaces.

18. Equipment for baths and saunas.

19. Climate engineering and ventilation.

20. Tools, equipment, special equipment.

21. Security industry.

22. Hardware.

23. Overalls, shoes.

24. Goods for the office, office equipment, programs.

25. Services.

The saturation of the product range is from 12 (electrodes) to 514 (Finishing materials) positions in each product group.

The completeness of the assortment of goods of Stroydvor LLC is characterized by a wide variety of types, varieties and names of goods of a homogeneous group. For example, the group of finishing materials includes:

GVL VL (10mm / 1.2 × 2.5m; 12.5mm / 1.2 × 2.5m; 12mm / 1.2 × 2.5m).

Drywall (12.5mm/1.2×2.5m; 12.5mm/1.2×3m; 12.5mm/1.2×3m/3.6m2; 8mm/1.2×2.5m; 9, 5mm/1.2×2.5m; moisture resistant (9.5mm, 12.5mm/2500×1200); normal (12.5mm/3000×1200=3.6m2); normal (8mm, 9.5mm, 12, 5mm/2500×1200); fireproof (12.5mm/1.2×2.5m)); drywall VL (12.5mm / 1.2 × 2.5m; 9.5mm / 1.2 × 2.5m), etc.

Stone (Altai, natural; border (gray, red); artificial decorative; for landscape and design, block from 500kg to 5 tons; artificial decorative; landscape).

Cornice (white, metal/plastic door No. 1/4 (3m); white, metal/plastic door No. 1/5 (1.6m); golden oak, metal/plastic door No. 1 /4 (3.6 m), walnut, metal/plastic door No. 1/4 (2 m), walnut, metal/plastic door No. 1/4 (3.2 m)).

Glue ("Liquid nails" LN-604 (310 ml); "Eunice" 2000 for interior and exterior work (25 kg); "Eunice-XXI" for tiles and repairs (25 kg); Quality - "Master"; TitanSM; for for tiles "Hercules" superpolymer; for tiles "Hercules" universal; for mosaics white (25 kg); for marble tiles "Vetonit"; for tiles in pools Mapei (Italy); for floor "Vetonit"; mounting for cellular concrete; building "liquid nails" in assortment).

Linoleum (commercial Tarkett, Forbo, Juteks; object; household; semi-commercial).

Sheet (plasterboard, hypofibrous GVL (2005 × 1200 × 10), etc.).

Panel (plastic white, colored (0.25 × 3; 0.3 × 3); (0.34 × 3); wall MDF "Union" (2.6 × 0.238), etc.).

Stretch ceilings (seamless, photo printing (Italy); glossy (France); matte (France), etc.); suspended ("Armstrong"; "Armstrong oasis", etc.) and much more.

The completeness of the assortment of the enterprise can be considered on the example of 5 groups of goods in the price list of Stroydvor LLC (Appendix 3).

The depth of the assortment of Stroydvor LLC is presented big amount commodity brands. For example, in the group of sanitary equipment, a pipe of the following trademarks is sold: Pilsa, Pometek, Ecoplastic, Prineto, Valtec, Henco, FV-Plast, Politron, Valsir.

Often the differences between brands produced by different manufacturers are not significant and are mainly due to different formulations, packaging and labeling. This is explained by the fact that the possibilities of developing fundamentally new types and names of goods are limited due to the absence or insufficiency of non-traditional raw materials and/or technologies.

The range of the company is quite stable. If the enterprise runs out of any goods, the seller immediately informs the director about this, he makes an application and after a few days the goods are delivered to the store or warehouse. Therefore, the availability of goods on sale, declared in the assortment list, is practically uninterrupted.

The assortment is updated at the enterprise regularly, as needed and the appearance of products with higher consumer properties that will more fully meet the needs of the population.

To this end, the company carries out a study of consumer demand; the merchandiser travels to bases, exhibitions and other stores in order to study the assortment of other firms, to identify better and more in demand products.

To improve the indicators of the breadth and completeness of the assortment, the company carries out work to order. Those. buyers have the opportunity to order the goods they need if it is not available in the store (or at the enterprise). This increases the volume of sales and attracts buyers.

To attract buyers, the company advertises in two magazines; discounts are provided in the store (customers who have collected goods in the amount of 200 rubles receive a 5% discount coupon). (Annex 4)

Due to the above operations, the turnover of the enterprise increases. Therefore, profit increases. The company directs the received profit to the acquisition of new goods, the expansion of the range, the improvement of its performance, the expansion and improvement of the trading area.

Chapter 3. Measures to improve the assortment indicators at the enterprise

The improvement of the assortment is carried out by regulating the complex of its properties and indicators. Assortment management is carried out by a systematic analysis of the existing structure of the assortment, the formation of a preferred assortment, and its optimization. But the problem of this enterprise lies not only in the existing assortment structure, but also in the location of the store - one of the main reasons for the reduced demand. Only local buyers know about the location of the store, as it is located in the yards. To solve this problem, the company needs to change the place of lease of the premises to a more profitable one, but this requires cash. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the volume of sales in order to increase profits.

To increase the volume of sales, it is necessary, in addition to advertising policy, marketing activities, etc., to pay attention to the formation of the assortment, its management, and the improvement of its performance. It is necessary to try to form an assortment as close as possible to rational.

To determine the main directions for the formation of the assortment, you must first establish the current and future needs of buyers. To do this, you need to conduct marketing research using methods such as a sociological survey or observation. Based on the data obtained, determine the direction of assortment formation.

With low demand for certain goods, low profitability in their implementation, it is necessary to reduce their range.

The range of those goods for which demand has increased, the profitability of sales has increased, competition has intensified, new manufacturers or more advanced goods of this type have appeared, it is necessary to expand the range.

The deepening of the assortment, that is, the proposal of new brands of goods and / or their modification, must be carried out if the market for the goods offered is saturated; if there are better known, best-selling brands.

If the assortment has a high degree of renewal and low stability (which is unlikely for this enterprise), then it is necessary to stabilize it.

To meet the new, constantly changing needs of the population, to increase the competitiveness of the enterprise, to stimulate sales, it is necessary to update the assortment. That is, to sell new products that are more advanced in quality or functional characteristics.

The assortment of the store should reflect the characteristics of consumer demand for goods, groups of interchangeable and non-replaceable goods should be drawn up, new goods should be present.

Also, to attract customers in the store, you can organize the sale of goods by self-service. During self-service, the technological layout of the trading floor and other premises of the store, the organization liability, commodity supply, as well as the functions of store employees. Self-service is one of the most convenient selling methods for customers, which will help speed up sales operations, increase throughput store, expand the volume of sales, attract more customers. This will require at least three more employees (cashier, sales assistant and security guard) in order to better serve customers. It will be necessary to install video surveillance and sew branded clothes for the staff, this is also important for customers to assess the culture of service and the status of the store.

Merchandising should be carried out in the store, that is, a competent display of goods on the shelves and placement of the latter on the trading floor.

It is necessary to change the signs at the entrance and design them more effectively appearance shop. This will significantly attract buyers, which will increase their influx. Also, the store needs to be renovated, including the porch and front doors.

If the store does not implement a self-service form and leaves the traditional method of sale (through the counter), then the following conditions of sale must be ensured. The buyer who came to the store should be met with a friendly attitude from the sales staff. At the same time, a neat appearance of store employees, order and cleanliness in the trading floor leave a favorable impression. Identification of buyers' intentions is to determine their attitude to the types, varieties and other features of goods. This operation must be performed sales staff unobtrusively, in a polite manner.

After identifying the intention of the buyer, the seller shows the relevant goods. At the same time, he draws attention to the characteristics of individual goods, offers other similar goods instead of missing ones. If necessary, the seller is obliged to give qualified advice to the buyer, which may include information about the purpose of the goods and how they are used, consumption standards, the conformity of the goods offered with modern fashion, etc. The consultation should help promote new products, educate consumers in aesthetic tastes. For consultations in large stores, specialists from industrial enterprises producing consumer goods, fashion designers, cosmetologists and other specialists are invited. It is the responsibility of the seller to offer the buyer related products.

The sale of goods is completed by settlement with buyers and the issuance of purchases to them. These operations can be performed at the workplace of the seller or controller-cashier.

When selling technically complex goods with a warranty period, in addition to the listed operations, the seller is obliged to make a note in the passport for the product, write out a sales receipt and hand a copy of it to the buyer.

The proposed measures to improve the assortment indicators in this store are given at the discretion of the manager and may not be used by him.

These measures will help the company to significantly increase the demand and profitability of the sale of goods. The formation of a rational assortment is one of the most important factors in stimulating sales and increasing sales volumes.

Conclusion

Successful commercial and economic activity of market entities requires optimization of the product range. In this regard, much attention is paid to its formation.

The formation (assembly) of the store's trading assortment is a serious and responsible commercial work. It requires knowledge of the composition of the population served by the store, needs, its purchasing power, knowledge of fashion, taking into account climatic, seasonal and national characteristics. The formation of the range, as practice shows, can be carried out by various methods, depending on the scale of sales, the specifics of the products sold, the goals and objectives facing the manufacturer.

So, the essence of the problem of assortment formation lies in the planning of virtually all types of activities aimed at selecting products for sale on the market and at bringing the characteristics of these products in line with consumer requirements. In recent years (starting from the 70s of the XX century), the formation of the trade assortment began to be carried out not only on the basis of the commodity-group principle, but also on the basis of the consumer purpose of goods.

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.

Based on the analysis of the enterprise data (see Chapter 2), it can be concluded that the enterprise has been operating efficiently throughout the entire study period, expanding the range, and improving its performance.

By applying the proposed measures to improve the assortment indicators, the enterprise can significantly increase demand, the level of profitability of sales of goods, increase sales, improve its economic condition.

Thus, the development by each specific store of an assortment list of goods and the monitoring of its observance contributes to a better service to customers of the target market and the creation of a sustainable assortment.

List of used literature

1. Bolt G.J. Practical guide for sales management. - M.: Economics, 2001. - 271 p.

2. Vilkova S.A. Fundamentals of technical regulation. M.: Publishing Center "Academy", 2006.

3. Dimov Yu.V. Metrology, standardization, certification. 2nd ed., 2006.

4. Durovich A. P. Marketing in entrepreneurial activity. - Mn.: NPZh "Finance, accounting, audit", 2002.- 464 p.

5. Krasovsky P.A. etc. Goods and its expertise. - M.: Center for Economics and Marketing, 1998.

6. Kotler F. Fundamentals of marketing / Per. from English. Bobrova V. B. - M .: "Rostinter", 1996. 693 p.

7. Krylova GD Fundamentals of standardization, certification, metrology (2nd edition). - M.: UNITI, 2000.

8. Lifits I.M. Fundamentals of standardization, metrology and certification (second edition) - M: Yurayt, 2001.

9. Marketing: Textbook / A.N. Romanov, Yu.Yu. Korlyugov, S.A. Krasilnikov and others; Ed. A.N. Romanova. - M.: Banks and stock exchanges, UNITI, 1996. - 560 p.

10. Nikolaeva M.A. Theoretical basis commodity science: Textbook for universities. – M.: Norma, 2006. – 448 p.

11. Nikolaeva M.A. and other means of information about the goods. - M.: Economics, 1997.

12. Nikolaeva M.A. Commodity expertise. - M.: Business literature, 1998.

13. Nikolaeva M.A. Merchandising of consumer goods. Theoretical foundations, - M .: Norma, 1997.

14. Organization of commercial activities: Ref. allowance / S.N. Vinogradova, S.P. Gurskaya, O.V. Pigunova and others; Under total ed. S.N. Vinogradova. - Mn.: Higher. school, 2000. - 464 p.

15. Pankratov F.G. Commercial activity: Textbook. - 8th ed., revised. and additional - M .: "Dashkov and Co", 2005. - 504 p.

16. Petrishche F.A. Theoretical foundations of commodity science and expertise of non-food products: Textbook. - 2nd ed., Rev. - M .: "Dashkov and Co", 2005. - 510 p.

17. Raikova E.Yu. Theory of Commodity Science: Proc. allowance for students. Wednesday, prof. education / E.Yu. Raikova, Yu.V. Dodonkin. - M.: Publishing Center "Academy", 2003.

18. Richard Sh. Audit and analysis economic activity enterprises. - M.: Audit, UNITI, 1997. - 375 p.

19. Certificate, product quality and buyer safety (edited by G.P. Voronin, V.G. Versan). - M.: VNIIS, 1998.

20. Teplov V.I. etc. Commercial commodity science. - M.: Ed. House "Dashkov and K", 2001.

21. Fedko V.P., Fedko N.G., Shapor O.A. Fundamentals of Marketing. Rostov n / a: Phoenix, 2001. - 512 p.

They include many methods for classifying goods, but one of the most important principles of sorting is the characteristics of the assortment. Basic indices will help to determine the significant differences between goods of various types, names and intended purposes.

Product range

A set of commodity items united by similar features can be divided into separate groups according to certain features:

• location of the goods;
• breadth of coverage;
• the nature of the needs.

Let's consider these elements of the classification in more detail.

Groups of goods, divided by location, mean the sorting of products according to commodity or industrial characteristics. include all the main ones that are involved in the trade turnover of the outlet - for 95% of stores, diversity is an absolute advantage. The exceptions are networks of highly specialized stores focused on the promotion of a brand - for example, the Yves Rocher cosmetics store, garments from eminent ateliers, and so on. Industrial classification sorts all products by industry - for example, car dealerships or retail outlets that offer food products, promote automotive products and the food industry.

The breadth of coverage implies the formation of a simple or complex assortment. Simple is represented by a small number of brands and product groups that can satisfy the minimum requirements of buyers. For example, an optician offering glasses and contact lenses of various modifications is a classic example of a simple assortment. Complex is a large list of products, which is represented by many types, groups and names of commodity items that satisfy the needs of buyers. Supermarkets are classic examples of outlets that offer a mixed assortment.

According to the nature of the needs, all the products presented can be divided into the actual list, available in the specifications of the suppliers, and the predicted one - the ideal assortment that completely satisfies the buyer.

Assortment indicators

In general, we can name a set of different products, the choice of which is formed according to certain characteristics, taking into account and satisfying the needs of each customer.

The range has various indicators, which characterize products according to various parameters:

1. Latitude. So you can call a set of types, names, brands of various goods of heterogeneous or homogeneous groups.
2. Completeness. Characteristics of the product range according to the list of different types of the same type of products.
3. Novelty (update). The ability of the presented product range to meet changing customer needs through the introduction of new products.
4. Sustainability. The ability of the presented product range to meet daily demand.

Examples

To spend practical analysis indicators of the assortment, consider the assortment list of a small atelier that produces clothes.

Currently, the garments presented by this manufacturer are limited to seven types of women's clothing, and each of the listed types is presented in four models. From here you can determine the depth of the assortment, which is calculated by the formula:

Number of species × number of models = 7 × 4 = 28.

Let's determine the manufacturer's latitude factor. This parameter is defined by two indices:

• Ш р - real latitude as the actual number of items of goods available.
• Ш b - basic latitude as a basic indicator taken as a basis. This indicator is individual for each enterprise and is calculated based on production possibilities manufacturer.

Current assortment breadth:

• K w \u003d W p: W b × 100.

If an enterprise sews twenty women's blouses, but has the ability to sew forty, then this coefficient will be equal to:

• K w \u003d 20: 40 × 100 \u003d 50%.

The calculation of assortment indicators will be incomplete without calculating the completeness parameter. This is the name of the manufacturer's ability to satisfy the same type of customer requests. Completeness depends on two indicators:

• P r - the real number of types of goods presented.
• P b - the planned number of types of goods.

For example, the specification provides for 7 varieties of blouses for women, but in fact 4 have been put into sale. The completeness of the assortment is 0.57. The coefficient of completeness of goods can be represented as a formula:

• K p \u003d P d: P b x 100.

This means that the completeness of the assortment will be 57%.

Indicators of the assortment of the enterprise include such a value as stability. This value (Set) characterizes the ability of the supplier to meet the demand for the goods available in the specification:

• K y \u003d Set: W b × 100.

If our manufacturer is able to regularly provide customers with twenty-five blouses per month, then his stability coefficient will be equal to:

• K y \u003d 20: W b × 100.

Or the property of the assortment "stability" will be equal to: 25: 40 × 100 = 62.5%.

Expansion of the range is impossible without taking into account the parameter of product novelty - this is the name of the supplier's ability to quickly respond to the demands of the time and satisfy the changed wishes of customers. The novelty of the assortment is characterized by a real update - the number of new positions in the general specification (N) and the degree of update (K n), expressed through the ratio of the number of new products to the total number of product items (or actual breadth).

For example, in the sewing shop problem above, out of twenty-five blouses for sale, 7 models are new. Specific gravity new products in the general specification will be:

• K n \u003d H: W p × 100,

or in numerical equivalent:

• K n \u003d 7: 20 × 100 \u003d 35%.

The expansion of the range due to renewal takes place in two stages:

1) presentation of new nomenclature positions;

2) exclusion from the State Register of Obsolete Goods.

Assortment list

Selecting the required product for a given outlet generates an assortment list. This is the name of the minimum number of eligible goods that must be presented in this trading place. The assortment list should be characterized by such parameters as depth, variety of trade brands represented, and a wide choice.

The classification of the assortment of a trading enterprise is usually represented by products of both an industrial and a trading group. But all this product must be consistent with the assortment list. A minimum set of consumer goods must be available at each outlet. In turn, representatives of retail chains must coordinate it with local authorities.

Important! Ignoring the assortment list can lead to serious administrative fines.

Product assortment indicators determine the selection structure. So you can call the numerical proportions of various commodity items in the general commodity list. The indicators of the assortment and its structure are expressed in monetary or physical parameters, calculated as a percentage of individual groups, brands, types and own names to the total mass of the entire product list at the outlet.

Assortment management

Various activities and activities aimed at establishing, maintaining and providing a certain variety of goods on the shelves of stores and other outlets are called assortment management. The indicators of the assortment of goods directly depend on the structural transformations associated with the turnover of products, its logistics - from the manufacturer through distributors and the retail network to the final consumer.

The structure of the entire available assortment (C) can be characterized as the specific share of each type or in the total mass of items sold at the outlet. The parameters of the assortment structure have natural and monetary indices and are expressed as a percentage. They can be represented as a fraction, in the numerator of which there will be an index of the number of individual goods of individual goods (A), and in the denominator - the total number of all goods available in the assortment (S):

• C = A / S.

How to manage assortment

Assortment management technologies directly depend on the general technical progress, on the stage of development of agriculture and industrial production, from the achieved level of scientific progress, which makes it possible to offer consumers various technical innovations, etc., from the index of the well-being of citizens. The completeness of the assortment presented at the outlet is achieved using various formulas used in trade to achieve the most acceptable level of stocks of goods and optimal turnover.

Formation of the assortment

The rational formation of the assortment contributes to the qualitative satisfaction of the needs of the population. Its modernization should overtake demand, thereby taking a direct part in its formation. On the other hand, it is impossible to lag behind the current demand, because in this case, the market, through the introduction of new positions in the product range, will be able to directly influence the tastes of buyers. A large assortment of obsolete products will be the beginning of a continuous series of losses - the buyer will not buy obsolete household appliances, and the manufacturer will not take them back. The basis for updating the list of goods offered for sale is moral and physical wear and tear.

The foundation for assortment management is the ability of different manufacturers to offer a certain specification in a timely manner. The presented groups of goods must correspond to the direction of the economic activity of the manufacturing enterprise and, at the same time, fully satisfy the needs of certain segments of buyers.

The basis for the selection of the product list is the planning of virtually all major activities aimed at selecting goods for further production and subsequent sales. The other side of the selection of the assortment is the adjustment of the characteristics of the various properties of a particular thing or product to the wishes of potential buyers. The selection of goods on the basis of a well-developed assortment is a constant continuous action that continues throughout the full cycle of the life of a commodity unit. A similar process begins from the moment the concept of the existence of a particular type of product is born. The last point will be the washing out of this unit from the shelves of retail chains, the withdrawal from the manufacturer's product specification.

10 principles of the assortment formation system

The principle of creating an assortment list includes the following points:

1. Determination of current and probable requests, requirements of potential buyers, analysis of the possibilities of using this type of product and the principles of consumer choice in the respective markets. For example, in pharmaceutics, the current seasonal needs (autumn colds or seasonal flu) must be met by an expanded range of pharmacies, which includes a large number of anti-cold drugs.

2. Consideration and analysis of existing commodity analogues offered by competitors.

3. Critical assessment of the proposed goods in the same range as in paragraphs 1 and 2, but from the point of view of the consumer (very little, enough, in excess).

4. Solving questions about what exactly should be included in the main assortment, and which positions should be excluded from it due to changes in the offers of competing enterprises and the general state of the sales market. For example, rumors about the introduction of an additional tax on the sale of imported medicines can significantly narrow the assortment of a pharmacy - because in this case it will be more profitable to sell domestic medicines.

5. Analysis of incoming proposals related to the creation of a new range of products, modernization of the existing product base, as well as analysis of new possibilities for using products.

6. The appearance of updated specifications of improved products or goods that first appear on the market, in accordance with existing requirements.

7. Analysis of the profitability of the production of new or improved products.

8. Testing (testing) of new products, taking into account the opinions and requests of potential buyers. Such testing is carried out in order to find out how the new product meets the needs of the market.

9. Development of special instructions and recommendations for the production sectors of the company, including the required quality parameters, model, cost, name, packaging, pre-sales service, etc. Such recommendations are written based on the results of tests confirming the acceptability of product characteristics, and are agreed upon in government services.

10. Analysis of the entire existing range.

Assortment management is part of any marketing

Even well-designed sales and advertising plans will not be able to nullify the consequences of omissions and shortcomings that may have been made in the development of the assortment list. Assortment management involves coordinated actions of interrelated segments - project and technical, holistic sales analysis, signing contracts with distributors, subtleties of service, advertising, demand stimulation.

The complexity of solving such issues lies in the difficult combination of all of the above positions to achieve the desired results: optimization of the assortment, taking into account the capabilities of the business entity and the marketing goals set. If this goal is not achieved, the product list will include products designed for the needs of the company and its divisions rather than for potential client. Basic marketing principles point out this contradiction and provide recommendations for a current action plan. The main objectives of planning and assortment formation are first of all to approve the required "customer" specification with a list of finished products, give it to the development sector, and then ensure that the prototype is tested and brought to the level of current customer requests. When compiling the list of finished products, the marketing managers of the enterprise should have the last word, who will provide explanations about when it is more appropriate to invest in the modernization of the finished product, and not bear the increasing costs of promoting obsolete products or reduce their cost. It is up to the marketing manager to answer the question of whether it is time to introduce new products to replace existing products in the assortment, or is it better to update the old specification with modified products.

Marketing and assortment formation

A wide range of products offered can be formed by various methods. It mainly depends on:

• sales volumes of manufactured products;
• the specifics of the offered goods;
• tasks and final goals facing the manufacturer.

What all three parameters have in common is that assortment management should report to the head of marketing. Updating or modifying a product allows you to more fully use the “absorbing” capabilities of markets, taking into account the specifics of their requirements in certain areas, to fill those product niches where there is no competition (or it is small). But the designation of upcoming tasks in the assortment strategy is a rather costly business, the main aspects of which are related to the need for a significant upgrade and expansion of production capacities, the purchase of new equipment, and a deep restructuring of established sales networks for expanding the entire existing marketing mix. The use of uniform rules in the production of products, differentiation of individual groups of goods or their combination depends on the individual conditions of the manufacturer's activities and is determined only after summing up. At the end of a certain period, the results are summed up: how much the level of economic efficiency of sales has changed, whether the sales volumes that were planned using these methods have increased, whether financial results. After that, conclusions are drawn about the profitability of the production of this product and the prospects for its further release are determined.

Efficient Management

Rational use of the product range allows the company:

• reduce the number of sales lost due to the lack of necessary goods;
• speed up the turnover of goods at the point of sale;
• reduce the surplus of goods;
• reduce the risk of write-off of goods due to the expiration date; minimize the total costs associated with inventory.

If you look at the processes of assortment formation from the point of view of delivery and storage of goods (logistics), then a competent correlation of commodity stocks is a constant balancing on the fine line between two mutually exclusive parameters: reducing the costs associated with transportation, storage and accounting of goods and ensuring the necessary (minimum ) inventory, which will be sufficient for uninterrupted sales.

At the same time, an increase in the inventory of unsold products makes sense as long as the economic effect exceeds the costs of maintaining additional inventory and spending working capital on it.