Optimizing Assortment: The Rock And The Hard Place

By Nikki Baird, RSR Research

One consistent message that RSR has heard from retailers over the last 18 months: While out-of-stocks have been a persistent problem, underperforming inventory is now a much more serious issue than not having enough of the products that consumers want to buy. In our most recent survey on merchandising, underperforming inventory was by far the biggest issue, with 56% of respondents reporting it as a top-three business challenge.