Connect the Dots

This reporting and analysis is a little more complicated, because you want to look at customer behavior over time. Look back at least a year at one-time buyers and the items they purchased. You may notice the same items showing up repeatedly.

What percentage of that merchandise was sold to one-time purchasers? If it’s more than 50 percent, consider dropping the item from your assortment. Even when the percentage was lower than 50, if the item attracted a large number of one-time buyers, consider if it really fits into your overall assortment and enhances your brand.