How AI Streamlines Assortment Planning and Planogram Creation Processes
Advanced machine learning and AI capabilities are transforming retail merchandising by streamlining processes, saving time, and optimizing store layouts for maximum impact. These developments allow for seamless adaptation to changing store dynamics, such as expanding singles pack sizes, by leveraging AI-based planogram templates that generate shelf layouts precisely aligned with buyer preferences without requiring post-optimization adjustments.
At HIVERY, we have developed a game-changing approach that starts with historical data, using existing base planograms as a starting point. These planograms represent the reality of today's market. Our machine learning algorithms forecast and identify store-level points of distribution, enabling the generation of floating shelves based on actual shelf data rather than relying on generic templates.
Working closely with retail teams, HIVERY Curate helps identify the optimal number of templates needed for each market, considering store flow and door count factors. This approach significantly reduces workload while maintaining a high level of customization for each store.
Changes in yearly flow, such as expanding or reducing shelf space for specific products, are seamlessly incorporated into the optimization process. This ensures that store layouts are always up-to-date and tailored to the latest product trends and consumer preferences.
Our data science team collaborates with retail teams to establish the necessary rules for optimization, including product prioritization and churn limits. The resulting optimized assortments are implemented across multiple markets, which drives sales and enhances the shopper experience.
HIVERY Curate simplifies the output process by generating easy-to-understand floating shelf data, allowing retail teams to quickly identify store-level additions, opportunities, and items with low KPIs. This streamlines the decision-making process and ensures the perfect assortment is always within reach.
Although we're still refining the exact time-saving benefits of HIVERY Curate, our initial testing indicates that it could revolutionize retail merchandising by saving up to 70% of the time typically required for planogram drawing. Retailers can now achieve the optimal assortment more efficiently, saving time and resources while enhancing the customer shopping experience.
Our innovative approach seamlessly integrates with our clients' existing retail workflows. The process can be summarized in five steps:
- Load in Base Planograms: Ensure accurate forecasting and understanding of store-level planograms by loading them into Curate's machine learning system.
- Template Identification and Creation: Collaborate with clients to determine the number of "similar store" templates with comparable merchandise styles and store fixtures, efficiently reducing workload while ensuring customization.
- Copy Template Assortment Into Stores: Use script data science to copy the templated assortment onto base planograms, tailoring store layouts to the latest trends and preferences.
- Load and Apply Merchandise Rules to Templated Planograms: Load planograms with templated assortment into Curate, apply specific store-level constraints and rules, optimize sales and enhance the shopper experience.
- Enable Merchandising Floating Shelves: Export final planograms from HIVERY Curate and run them using newly modified floating shelves, streamlining decision-making and ensuring the perfect assortment is always within reach.
By incorporating AI into the assortment and planogram optimization process, AI tools like HIVERY Curate can reduce planogram draw time and delivery better assortment plans. This allows CPG brands to achieve the optimal assortment more efficiently, saving time and resources while enhancing the customer shopping experience.
Connect with our team of experts and explore the benefits of using HIVERY Curate as your reliable co-pilot. By leveraging store-specific data, you can elevate your strategy with tailored assortment plans that cater to local tastes, are expertly showcased, and streamline store operations.
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