Category management process is a strategic approach to managing spend within an organization by aligning business objectives with supplier capabilities. This process aims to optimize an organization’s total cost of ownership (TCO) while still meeting customer needs.
Category management is a systematic and collaborative approach that enables an organization to:
- Understand its spending patterns across all categories of products and services
- Analyze supplier performance, market trends, and category dynamics
- Develop sourcing strategies that align with business objectives
- Negotiate contracts that deliver optimal value
- Manage supplier performance and drive continuous improvement
What are the Benefits of Category Management?
- Increased Sales: Focus on specific categories helps businesses better understand customer demand so that they can accordingly customize marketing efforts. This can lead to increased sales and market share growth.
- Improved Margins: Category management strategy can help businesses improve gross margins by negotiating better terms with suppliers and minimizing markdowns on slow moving items.
- Reduced Costs: A proper category management strategy can help businesses reduce costs associated with excess inventory, shelf space rentals and other inefficiencies.
- Improved Efficiency: A category management strategy can help businesses become more efficient by reducing the need for duplicate SKUs, improving in-stock levels and streamlining the supply chain
Which are the Different Types of Category Management Strategies?
There are four main types of category management: exclusive, selective, non-selective and private label.
Exclusive Category Management
This is when a retailer only carries products from one supplier in a given product category. This strategy can create customer loyalty and increase market share for the retailer and the supplier.
Selective Category Management
Selective category management is practiced when a retailer chooses to carry products from multiple suppliers in a given product category. This strategy can help the retailer offer more choices to customers and help the retailer negotiate better prices with suppliers.
Non-Selective Category Management
Non-selective category management is practiced when a retailer carries products from all suppliers in a given product category. This strategy can provide customers with the widest possible choices but can also be more expensive for the retailer.
Private Label
The fourth type of category management is called a private label. The retailer creates private label products and sells under the retailer's brand name. This strategy can help the retailer create unique products that differentiate them from their competitors.
Some retailers use a combination of these category management strategies to create a custom approach that meets their specific needs. The important thing is to carefully consider all options and choose the strategy to help the retailer achieve its goals.
What are the 4Ps of Category Management?
There are four key elements to category management:
- Planning – defining the category strategy and objectives
- Procurement – sourcing and contracting with suppliers
- Performance – monitoring and managing supplier performance
- Promotion – executing category marketing plans
Each of these elements is important in its own right, but they must all work together to create a successful category management program. Let's take a closer look at each one.
Planning: Defining the Category Strategy and Objectives
The first step in any category management strategy program is to develop a clear understanding of the category's strategic importance to the business. This includes identifying the goals that the organization wants to achieve by managing the category and the specific strategies and tactics used to achieve those goals.
Once the strategic importance of the category has been established, the next step is to develop a clear set of objectives for the category management program. These objectives should be aligned with the program’s overall goal and be achievable within a defined time frame.
Procurement: Sourcing and Contracting with Suppliers
The category management procurement process is responsible for sourcing and contracting with suppliers that can provide the products or services required by the company. This category of management procurement includes working with suppliers to negotiate favorable contracts and ensuring that all sourced products or services meet the quality standards that the company has set.
Performance: Monitoring and Managing Supplier Performance
Once contracts have been put in place, it is important to monitor the performance of suppliers to ensure that they are meeting the expectations of the company. This includes tracking supplier performance metrics such as on-time delivery, quality levels, and pricing. It also involves working with suppliers to resolve any issues that may arise.
Promotion: Executing Category Marketing Plans
The final element of category management is promotion, which is responsible for executing marketing plans designed to increase awareness and demand for the products or services within the category. This can include activities such as advertising, public relations, and events.
Successful Category Management Implementations
A successful category management strategy should take into account the following factors.
Establishing a Category Management Team
The first step in implementing category management strategy is establishing a dedicated team responsible for managing the process. This team should include representatives from all relevant departments, including marketing, sales, finance and purchasing.
Defining the Categories
The next step is to define the categories that will be managed using the category management process. This can be done by conducting a needs assessment or using market data.
Developing Strategies for Each Category
After the categories have been defined and objectives have been set, the category management strategy team can begin developing strategies for each one. These strategies should be aligned with the company's overall objectives. Common strategies used in category management include segmentation, SKU rationalization and price optimization.
Implementing the Strategies
Once the category management team has developed the strategies, they can implement those. This will typically involve working closely with suppliers to ensure that they can provide the products or services needed. It may also require making changes to how internal processes are conducted.
Monitoring and Adjusting as Needed
The final step in implementing category management is to monitor the results of the process and make adjustments as needed. This includes tracking sales, margins and market share for each category. It also involves evaluating the effectiveness of the strategies used and making changes as necessary.
Conclusion
Category management is a strategic process that helps organizations optimize their product mix and improve their profitability. To be successful, it is crucial to establish a dedicated team responsible for managing the process, defining the categories that will be managed, and developing strategies aligned with the organization's overall objectives.
Ultimately, category management services can help organizations improve their bottom line by ensuring that they are offering the right products or services at the right price.
Additional Read: Case Study on Category Management
