Assortment.AI

Overview

Assortment.AI is Vision Group’s retail assortment intelligence layer for modeling product mix, shelf space and merchandising changes. It best suits category and space-planning teams working across varied stores; its central advantage is forecasting the likely impact of changes before rollout, while buying requires a demo and custom pricing.

Key features

Store-level scenario planning

Teams can compare assortment, space and merchandising scenarios across stores or regions, applying their own rules, limits and goals. Forecasts cover revenue, volume and holding capacity under store-specific conditions, and recommendations can be made by store cluster. That is a practical fit for retailers whose locations differ; teams planning one uniform assortment have less need for this level of variation.

Demand transfer modeling

When a SKU is added or removed, Assortment.AI models whether demand may shift to other products or competitors, or leave the category. Its inputs include actual movement data, consumer decision trees, transfer rates, product data and shelf constraints. This helps planners consider effects beyond the changed item, although the output is only as relevant as the store data and assumptions underlying the model.

Planning outputs and connections

Selected strategies can be sent to Space.AI for planogram generation or to execution systems. Vision Group says Assortment.AI decisions can inform Blue Yonder layouts, and provides APIs for CPG brands to retrieve simulation outputs for analytics workflows. The deployment also includes continuous support and quarterly reviews with model adjustments, a useful element for teams expecting to refine models over time.

Governance and deployment scope

Vision Group describes role-based access, audit trails with data provenance, enterprise data residency options and explainable AI decisions. Its platform architecture is described as SOC 2 aligned, with compliance documentation available through the company. Assortment Planning Optimisation is included in every deployment, rather than sold as a separate module, so customers cannot choose it as an add-on purchase.

Pricing

Assortment.AI is paid software with custom pricing; prospective customers are asked to book a demo. The product is positioned as a deployment rather than a self-serve plan, so it is better suited to organizations prepared for a sales-led purchase than to buyers needing an immediately comparable public price.

Platforms

Assortment.AI is available through web and API access. The API route is relevant to CPG brands retrieving simulation outputs for analytics; platform support beyond web and API is not part of its stated offering.

Who it's for

Vision Group identifies category management teams, space-planning specialists and commercial directors as users. It is particularly well matched to retailers making localized assortment and shelf decisions, and to teams that need to trace possible demand shifts before execution. It is less suitable for buyers seeking a low-commitment, publicly priced tool or a narrowly scoped deployment that excludes Assortment Planning Optimisation.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Store-specific forecasts and scenario comparisons help teams account for differences between locations instead of relying on a single chain-wide assumption.
• Pro: Demand transfer modeling considers other products, competitors and category exit when an item changes.
• Pro: Selected strategies can flow to planogram generation or execution, with API outputs for analytics workflows.
• Con: Custom pricing and a demo-led sales process make early budget comparison harder.
• Con: Assortment Planning Optimisation is included in every deployment, limiting the ability to buy only a narrower set of capabilities.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, see Retail Assortment Planning Software. Consider NIQ if Android or iOS access matters alongside web and API platforms; it is paid and has no free plan. SAP Retail is another paid option, with a wider stated platform range including self-hosted, Linux, macOS and Windows environments. SAS Federation Server may suit teams seeking Linux or self-hosted access alongside web and API support; pricing is by contact.

Centric Planning & Pricing is a web-based paid alternative with demo-request pricing. RELEX Demand Planning is another paid, web-based option. SymphonyAI Assortment Optimization is a paid web option with demo-request pricing. Toolio is a paid web alternative with pricing by contact. Circana Liquid Activation is a paid web option that offers a free trial.

Verdict

Assortment.AI is a strong fit for retail teams making store-specific assortment and space decisions, especially when they need to model demand shifts and carry selected plans toward execution. Choose it for that focused scenario capability and its support for ongoing model adjustments; look elsewhere if public pricing, a self-serve buying process or a deployment without bundled Assortment Planning Optimisation is essential.