What is category management?

Category management is the retailer’s practice of managing a product category as one business unit — deciding the assortment, shelf layout, pricing, and promotions for the whole category rather than brand by brand. Suppliers are evaluated on what they contribute to category performance, not only their own sales.

This reframes the pitch. An item that grows the category by bringing in new shoppers is more interesting to a buyer than one that sells well by taking share from another product on the same shelf.

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