Catalog Merchandising: Five Steps for Easy Square Inch Analysis, part 1 of 2

The goal is to compare the sales per inch for each product both to the book average and to breakeven. Items that are above average should be allocated more space in the next catalog. Items that perform below average should get less space or be deleted entirely. A good rule of thumb is to expand the space and improve the presentation of the top one third of the products; eliminate the bottom third; and individually examine each of the products in the middle third – some will get more space and others less.