Methods and apparatus to predict new product performance metrics

An apparatus to predict performance metrics of a new product, comprising:

• a tree manager to select a product hierarchy tree based on a distribution measure for a new product, and to identify a segment location of the product hierarchy tree based on the distribution measure for the new product;
• a matrix modifier to retrieve a relationship matrix associated with the segment location of the product hierarchy tree, the relationship matrix comprising available product performance coefficients and attribute information, the matrix modifier to identify a spatial location for the new product in the relationship matrix based on the attribute information;
• and
• a proximity weighting engine to calculate an impact parameter based on the spatial location within the relationship matrix, and to calculate the performance metric for the new product for a first and second assortment of related products on a store shelf, the first and second assortments to be associated with first and second proportional volume shifting effects, respectively, the performance metric calculated based on the impact parameter and a sum of (a) a ratio of category sales in a target geography and overall category sales in a sales channel associated with the new product, and (b) a ratio of channel sales in the target geography and overall channel sales in the sales channel associated with the new product;
• and
• a new product manager to select a candidate product to de-list based on a sales effect with the first and second assortment of products on the store shelf;
• and wherein the tree manager, the matrix modifier, the proximity weighting engine and the new product manager comprising a logic circuit.

A tangible machine readable storage device or storage disk comprising machine-accessible instructions, that, when executed, cause a machine to, at least:

• identify a segment location of a product hierarchy tree based on a projected distribution measure for the new product;
• retrieve a relationship matrix associated with the segment location of the product hierarchy tree, the relationship matrix comprising available product performance coefficients and attribute information;
• calculate an impact parameter based on a spatial location within the relationship matrix, the spatial location based on the attribute information;
• calculate performance metrics for the new product for a first and second assortment of related products on a store shelf, the first and second assortments associated with first and second proportional volume shifting effects, respectively, the performance metrics calculated based on the impact parameter and a sum of (a) a ratio of category sales in a target geography and overall category sales in a sales channel associated with the new product, and (b) a ratio of channel sales in the target geography and overall channel sales in the sales channel associated with the new product;
• and
• select a candidate product to de-list based on sales effects with the first and second assortment of products on the store shelf.