The battle for retail success

I found the category management article very interesting.

In our role reporting, analysing and improving our clients’ positions, it has been obvious to us that there is no point in spending time on a plan that cannot be delivered; nor, indeed, in building on previous plans which were never delivered.

However, getting rid of category managers may not be the solution. At Waterloo, and before, the generals still had plans but recognised they needed to be flexible depending on local conditions, and they relied on fast and effective feedback so that the army could change direction.

The problem with category management is that it started as, and remained, an ivory tower, often with no direct information from the field on what was actually happening. It might have been better to reposition this management in the line of fire. As Sainsbury’s and others are retailers, they might have defined their category management more in terms of availability and, as you mentioned, in-store theatre. This would mean managing the effective presentation to the public, an area in which very considerable work needs to be done.

At the same time they could work much more closely with their suppliers to deliver the best mix of products on the shelf. This has, of course, been one of the great strengths of Wal-Mart.

Colin Harper

Marketing and sales director

Storecheck