La gestione della stagionalità nella politica assortimentale

Abstract: The paper analyses the management of seasonal changes in retailers’ assortment policy. By analysing the weekly sales of over 300 product categories, a methodology to classify product categories based on the seasonal evolution of sales is proposed. Retailers’ capability to adapt their assortment policy by markets and store formats in front of different product category selling seasons has been assessed. Finally, the effectiveness of the strategies to define the starting and ending points of the merchandising season for different product categories has been evaluated. The research shows that the management of seasonal changes in retailers’ assortment strategies is an area where improvements in terms of both efficiency and efficacy can still be made. Finally, the results are translated into a set of managerial considerations and guidelines aimed at the optimization of retailers’ policies.