Getting the right products on shelves in the right stores for the right customers sounds like a no brainer, right? Yet mastering assortment across banners, locations and store formats is still a huge challenge (and missed opportunity) for all retailers. Cracking the Assortment challenge has been a laser-focus for dunnhumby throughout our history - and one we help many of the world’s leading retailers to solve today.
Indeed, the data science framework we established some 30+ years ago has actually helped shape how our sector thinks about assortment as a whole.
At the heart of that framework is the principle of “breadth over depth”. The focus here is on satisfying customer need states – the factors that drive them to make a purchase in the first place. If a range contains five varieties of ketchup but no mustard, for instance, then it’s likely some shoppers will be unsatisfied. To counter that, retailers need to ensure that all need states are covered before any duplication (i.e. variety) is added to a range.
Naturally, data science plays a key role here, as well as how it’s applied. As well as helping us to understand those customer need states – and which products are most likely to satisfy them – retailers also need to be able to do so quickly and at scale. And, with decades of refinement behind them, the tools and techniques that we’ve developed now allow retailers to do that at the literal click of a button, without any manual input.
Of course, we’re always looking to the future, too. dunnhumby has been leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) for some time already, and that has allowed us to make some considerable leaps in terms of our assortment-related capabilities.
Ever keen to help our clients automate and refine their processes, we’re now beginning to use those advances, and some cutting-edge new techniques to tackle some of their biggest ranging challenges. Let’s take a look at a few specific use cases.
For more information on the new advances in AI which are powering dunnhumby Assortment, visit dunnhumby.com/dunnhumby-assortment
At dunnhumby, we're harnessing the transformative potential of AI to redefine assortment. Our cutting-edge algorithms and machine learning models are pushing the boundaries of what's possible in retail analytics. Using these advanced technologies, we're able to process and analyse vast amounts of data at unprecedented speeds, uncovering deep insights that were previously hidden. This allows us to offer retailers AI-powered solutions that go beyond traditional assortment planning, enabling more accurate predictions and hyper-personalised recommendations.
As we continue to innovate, we're opening doors to possibilities that were once unimaginable, setting new standards for efficiency and precision in retail assortment science. For more information on the new advances in AI which are powering dunnhumby Assortment, visit dunnhumby.com/dunnhumby-Assortment
Looking for more information on some of the ways in which AI can be employed within the grocery retail industry? Why not check out:
Actionable insight for sustainable category growth
Boost category performance and grow salesCreate customer-centric ranges using AI-powered science
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