Description
Book SynopsisIn some parts of the world, especially in developing markets, category management today remains a stretch goal a new idea full of untapped potential. In other areas, the original eight-step process that emerged in the late 1980's forms the foundation of many companies' approach to category management. In still others, particularly in developed countries like the U.S., the U.K., and others, refinements are being made most of them designed to place consumer understanding front and center.
New ideas are emerging from trip management to aisle management to customer management. Whether a new descriptor emerges to replace category management is yet to be seen. Even if that does happen, what won't change is the overall objective to help retailers and their manufacturer partners succeed by offering the right selection of products that are marketed and merchandised based on a complete understanding of the consumers they are committed to serving.
This book, which explores both the
Trade Review
"It provides an insight into how they [companies such as Hershey and Hewlett-Packard] have used category management to succeed and how to apply their methods in your own organisation." (Supply Management, April 2006)
Table of Contents
Chapter 0 Introduction—Why Category Management Is More Important Than Ever 1
Part I In the Beginning—the Purpose of Category Management
Chapter 1 The Evolution of Category Management and the New State of the Art 13
Chapter 2 Category Management Begins with the Retailer’s Strategy 33
Part II The Eight Foundational Steps of Category Management
Chapter 3 Step One: Define the Category Based on the Needs of Your Target Market 67
Chapter 4 Step Two: Assign a Role to the Category That Best Supports the Retailer’s Strategy 77
Chapter 5 Step Three: Assess the Category to Find Opportunities for Improvement 95
Chapter 6 Step Four: Set Performance Targets and Measure Progress with a Category Scorecard 111
Chapter 7 Step Five: Create a Marketing Strategy for the Category 123
Chapter 8 Step Six: Choose Tactics for Category Assortment, Pricing, Promotion, Merchandising, and Supply Chain Management 133
Chapter 9 Step Seven: Roll Out the Plan 165
Chapter 10 Step Eight: Review the Category’s Performance Regularly and Make Adjustments as Needed 173
Chapter 11 Bringing the Consumer into Category Management—A New Take on the Eight Steps 179
Part III Category Management Success Stories
Chapter 12 General Mills—Going Beyond the Categories 201
Chapter 13 Big Y—Focusing on Implementation 207
Chapter 14 SUPERVALU—The Last Three Feet of Category Management 217
Chapter 15 CROSSMARK—Just the Facts 241
Chapter 16 Acosta—Multiplying the Impact of Category Management 251
Chapter 17 Chiquita—Extending Category Management to Perishables 259
Chapter 18 The Hershey Company—Linking Consumer Insights and Customer Strategy 275
Chapter 19 Miller Brewing—Tapping Category Management for Competitive Advantage 285
Chapter 20 Hewlett-Packard—Taking Category Management beyond Traditional CPG 295
Part IV The Way Forward
Chapter 21 Lessons Learned from the Real World 303
Chapter 22 Proactive Category Management 309
Shan Kumar
Chapter 23 Linking Category Management and Loyalty Marketing 319
Glenn Hausfater
Chapter 24 The New Category Management Emerges 335
Dirk Seifert
Acknowledgments 343
Index 347
