SKU stratification methods in the consumer products industry

For companies with a large number of Stock Keeping Units (SKUs), it is extremely challenging, if not impossible, to manage the SKUs individually. Therefore, companies stratify SKUs into different classes and manage them by class. Currently, most companies identify SKU stratification based on the single factor of sales volume. This thesis explores more comprehensive analysis methods that can consider multiple SKU characteristics. We applied four methods (Single Factor Analysis, Dual-Matrix Analysis, Analytical Hierarchy Process, and Cluster Analysis) to the data of a company in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry. The factors considered were velocity, volatility, and profit margin. Our research indicates that the Analytical Hierarchy Process is the most viable and comprehensive method for stratifying SKUs. It allows for a flexible number of stratification factors, different importance levels of the factors, and user control of the number of classes and class sizes. By applying the Analytical Hierarchy Process to SKU stratification, companies will be able to carry the right inventory for the right SKUs, and improve customer service.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Supply Chain Management Program.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2017

Authors dc:creator

• Jiang, Jiaxin, M. Eng. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Steverson, Andrew

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Eva Ponce.

• Supply Chain Management Program.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/112863

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/112863