# Pre-season assortment review

Before the order round or season plan locks, Marcel Melzig checks your planned assortment against what the market is buying: categories, price architecture and channel mix. You go into the buy with clear keep, cut and push calls.

## Key numbers

- **3**: Checks: categories, price architecture, channel mix
- **3**: Calls: keep, cut, push
- **30 min**: To start, no deck needed

## What gets checked

- **Categories**: Where demand is moving in your market, and which categories in your plan follow it.
- **Price architecture**: Whether your price bands match what customers are buying into right now.
- **Channel mix**: Which channels carry full-price demand, and where the plan depends on discount.

## What you get

- **Keep**: The parts of the plan the market supports.
- **Cut**: Where the plan bets against what the market is buying.
- **Push**: Where the market is ahead of your plan.

## Timing

Market signals → Assortment review → Order round → Season. The review happens before the plan locks: that is the point where a clear read of the market still changes what gets bought, priced and pushed.

## How I help brands

- **Market Intelligence Brief**: A focused answer to one market question: a competitor, a category, a channel or a price band. The numbers, what they mean for your brand, and the decisions they support.
- **Pre-Season Assortment Review**: Before the order round or season plan locks, your planned assortment is checked against what the market is buying. Clear keep, cut and push calls.
- **Ongoing Advisory**: A sparring partner for brand and commercial teams on positioning, assortment and channel questions, with a direct line when a decision cannot wait.

## FAQ

**What is a Pre-Season Assortment Review?**
Before the order round or season plan locks, the planned assortment is checked against what the market is buying: categories, price architecture and channel mix. The result is clear keep, cut and push calls for the buy.

**When is the right time for a Pre-Season Assortment Review?**
Ideally before the season plans lock. That is the point where a clear read of the market still changes what gets bought, priced and pushed.

**Who does Pre-Season Assortment Reviews for fashion, sportswear and luxury brands?**
Marcel Melzig, an independent market analyst and advisor with 20+ years in retail and brand practice, based in Germany and working with brands worldwide.

**How do I start?**
Book a 30-minute strategy session. No deck needed.

## Next step

Book a 30-minute strategy session: https://calendly.com/marcel-circularlink/30min · Email: marcel@circularlink.eu

Source page: https://marcelmelzig.com/pre-season-assortment-review