One of the aspects that is often forgotten in marketing strategies is that products must fit into the assortment policy of the points of sale.
There is a wide range of merchandising actions that must be combined and implemented when creating a point of sale. One of them, in which both large and small businesses put their business at stake, is the choice of assortment.
It is clear that the assortment makes the image of the establishment, but to the extent that - sticking to its definition - it is the variety of articles or references offered for sale, it makes sales of the retail company depend on it.
When choosing the assortment of a retail establishment, there are several components that must be combined to reach the ideal number of references. The breadth of the assortment and its depth, among other things, should be taken into account.
There are various combinations of these two components, some of which are almost certainly successful, as in the case of large surfaces. These are a clear example of a wide and deep assortment, which undoubtedly work in today's society, mainly due to the multitude of needs they cover and other factors that influence the impulse to buy. Even so, we are all aware of what type of products we can find in each one of them, there does not seem to be one that covers the entire range of the offer.
The assortment can also be somewhat more limited and deep, that is, satisfying few needs but with a wide choice. This is the case of specialized stores.
The fact of incorporating the ingredient of the degree of specialization of the establishment will determine if the choice of products and brands to offer to the consumer, that is, the decision about the assortment, has been adequate.
Specialization can consist of the type of products, the target audience, or both.
If the assortment of an establishment is wide but not specialized, there is a risk that the depth will not be sufficient for the client looking for something very specific. It may even happen that with a very low depth level, it is not of interest even to the general public, who will come to the establishment as a last resort (something that we see in many businesses run by Orientals).
Thus, the components of the assortment will have different consequences on the sales of the establishment depending on the type of store to which we refer: specialized store or general store.
A store that specializes must be concerned that customers find everything they want, because if they do not see it as a second-class store, or in a worse case, it will compete with non-specialized stores.
But it will not be enough to decide on the assortment based on the specialization of the product, but it is necessary to be very clear about the brand's positioning, to enhance the image of the business, to be an alternative to the competition in aspects that a consumer will take into account when making the purchase in one establishment or another.
For example, a non-specialized store may offer “outlet-type” products, which have nothing to do with an assortment of luxury products, and yet still have a niche in the market, since the key to its business is not strength of the brand as positioning in the market, but perhaps, the price.
A component that has not yet been mentioned in terms of the choice of the assortment, and which complicates this decision even more if possible, is its consistency. This aspect is defined as the balance between the products, that is, that the assortment adapts to the consumer's needs, follows the rotation criteria, maintains the established margins, respects the size of the premises…
With this component, one more ingredient is being added, from which the reflection that the entrepreneur must make when defining the degree of specialization of his establishment and its image should really start from: a coherent space for the consumer of the assortment.
Thus, when determining the distribution strategy of a product, a consistent analysis must be carried out so that the product is consistent with the assortment policy of the points of sale.
