Guitar Center to roll out assortment and planning module

Minneapolis Music retailer Guitar Center has launched implementation of a module for assortment planning and range optimization by Quantum Retail.

The Q module updates data on product and customer behavior, which it then uses to automate the way retailers manage and assort their stores at the local level. This enables retailers to determine what products should go into which locations and when, ultimately maximizing merchandise objectives such as profitability, sales and service levels.

Guitar Center initially implemented a pilot of the software in May 2009 on four product levels: classical, acoustic, acoustic/electric, and miscellaneous guitars. Following the successful pilot, full implementation of Q: Assortment and Range began in July, and was completed on Dec. 15, allowing Guitar Center to manage the assortment of every individual product in every store by the new system.

“We had a successful implementation of Q: Assortment and Range Planning,” said John Bagan, Guitar Center’s chief merchant. “The system’s localized assortment planning capabilities will help us to understand how to measurably increase sales and margin on product lines that are currently live on the software.”

Guitar Center has been using Quantum’s Q modules for inventory allocation and replenishment and forecasting and order planning activities since 2005.