What is Discrepancy of Assortment? 

Discrepancy of assortment is the difference between the array of products that a producer makes and the array that consumers want to buy. In other words, as a producer, we may only produce one type of product or a narrow set of products

The consumer may want to buy all sorts of things. At the same time, as they buy our product, they may need to buy other things to go with our product. So that's a difference in array, and that's where sorting comes in. 

Companies that provide our product, whether it's the retailers that we use or if it's us ourselves in a direct channel of distribution, we need to sort out different options for the consumer

Our product could have different levels of quality or characteristics. We need to make sure we offer the different types of things that the consumer wants to buy. Not only do we need to separate things that the consumer might want to choose from - we need to have a variety or a range. 

As producers we may again only make a few different items. But, the consumer's going to want more than that, and that's where a sorting comes in.

Related Topics

• What Does "Place" or "Placement" Mean?
• What is a Distribution Channel?
• What is Direct Distribution and Indirect Distribution
• What is Multi-Channel Distribution?
• What is a Channel System?
• Vertical Market
• Vertical Integration
• Ideal Market Exposure
• Intensive Distribution
• Selective Distribution
• Exclusive Distribution
• Discrepancy of Assortment
• Discrepancy of Quantity
• Channel Conflict
• Channel Stuffing