Sharing knowledge, thoughts and news

Introduction to Assortment Planning Assortment planning is a core element of any retail company’s commercial strategy. The way a product mix is structured directly impacts profitability, customer loyalty, and overall competitiveness. This process involves analyzing demand, seasonality, market trends, and the characteristics of each store. Modern retailers are moving away from intuition-based decisions toward a […]

Introduction to Inventory Planning Inventory planning is a key element of effective retail management. The accuracy with which a company forecasts and maintains the required stock levels determines sales stability, customer service quality, and overall financial performance.  In retail, this process includes demand analysis, optimal order formation, control of incoming goods, and distribution of products […]

Automated Supplier Selection in Retail: Why It Matters For any retail business — especially in pharmacy and fresh categories — choosing the right supplier directly affects profitability and product availability on the shelves. A single SKU may have several suppliers, each offering different conditions: price, delivery terms, service level, and payment deferral. Previously, managers often […]

What Is Assortment Planning and Why Is It Important Assortment planning is… Assortment planning is a comprehensive process of forming, structuring, and regularly updating the range of products a company offers its customers. Assortment planning is not just a list of SKUs but a well-thought-out system that takes into account demand, seasonality, sales strategy, and […]

What is Inventory Turnover Definition and Economic Meaning Inventory turnover is a metric that shows how many times during a certain period (month, quarter, year) a company completely renews its stock of goods or materials. In other words, it demonstrates the speed at which funds invested in inventory are converted back into cash through sales. […]

What Is Category Management and What Are Its Goals Category management is a strategic approach to managing the product assortment, where products are grouped into categories and managed as single business units. Unlike traditional methods that focus on individual items or brands, category management treats each category as an independent business direction with its own […]

What Is Automation in a Cosmetics Store? Cosmetics store automation means transitioning from manual operations to digital solutions that handle routine tasks — from inventory tracking and order creation to sales analysis and promotion management. In a competitive environment with seasonal demand shifts and complex assortments, automation enables accurate, transparent, and efficient inventory control. It […]

What Is an Assortment Matrix and Why It Matters  An assortment matrix is a structured table that displays all the products offered in a store, category, or retail chain. It shows which items by category are included in the current assortment, what role they play, and how their presence aligns with the store format and […]

Category management involves managing dozens of stores, hundreds of SKUs, constant dynamics, and numerous decisions. In such a fast-paced environment, it’s easy to overlook something: forgetting to update a product’s status, missing an inactive item, or failing to remove a store.  That’s why in the assortment management system, we’ve created a tool for category managers […]

Category management is not just about adding new products — it’s also about timely delisting of SKUs that are no longer profitable. This process is critical for maintaining a healthy assortment matrix. At ABM Assortment, we’ve long been working to make this process as automated and accurate as possible. Now, we’re introducing an enhanced module […]

Bakery products are one of the most sensitive categories in grocery retail. With a short shelf life, highly variable demand, and the need for accurate evening ordering, bakery items are especially challenging to manage.   One of our clients faced typical issues common to grocery retailers:   Here’s how they achieved those results.   Why is bread difficult […]

Why Promotional Products Require Special Attention?  Promotional campaigns are a powerful tool for increasing sales, attracting new customers, and boosting brand recognition. However, poor management of promotional products can lead to serious problems for retailers: To avoid these problems, managing promotional products must be accurate, flexible, and automated. How ABM Inventory Helps Manage Promo Stock   […]

Category management has remained almost unchanged over the past few decades, relying on historical data and static analysis models. However, in the modern market, this approach no longer works. Consumers expect personalized experiences, retailers are trying to adapt to omnichannel strategies, and data is accumulating in massive volumes that cannot be processed without modern technologies.  […]

Dairy products are one of the most challenging categories to manage in grocery retail. Due to their short shelf life and constantly fluctuating demand, retailers often face the problem of excess stock, write-offs, or lost sales.  ABM Inventory helped a grocery supermarket chain optimize inventory management processes in the Fresh category. As a result, dairy […]

The realities of modern business leave no chance for those who are slow to respond to change. A long discussion of the way out of a difficult situation leads to the fact that a carefully prepared plan becomes irrelevant, as the situation is already different. The opportunity not to develop your own inventory management software […]