ABSTRACT
One of the most fundamental questions for the retail product manager, whether carrying the title of buyer, merchandiser or category manager, is how much of a particular product line should be brought in to the business? To begin with, this apparently simple question needs further clarification. For example, docs the question refer to the individual quantities required by each store or the amount needed by the whole organisation? Does it refer to how much product should be bought for a day’s trading or for a whole season? In addition, there may be other issues, such as discount availability for certain order levels, that would bear upon a quantity decision. Retail product management decisions involving product quantities require the same analytical approach as decisions about ‘what product?’.
