Less Is More: The Mindset Retail Still Needs to Change

We’ve all walked into a store to stand in front of a shelf, scanning ten versions of the same thing. You grab one mostly out of habit, or end up with nothing out of overwhelm. The shelf’s full, but somehow decisions are harder.

That moment sums up the challenge inside every category plan. Somewhere along the line, “more” became the default answer in retail. Complexity started feeling like proof of sophistication. But as Barry Schwartz wrote in The Paradox of Choice, too many options don’t give freedom; they create paralysis.

The hardest part of fixing this is changing the mindset that keeps telling us that CPG brands need more visibility, when what they really need is specificity.

The Myth of “More” in Category Strategy

Every category manager has lived it. One new flavor to “cover a niche.” Another pack size for “incremental reach.” Soon, your shelf looks more like a buffet than a strategy.

SKU overflow starts with good intentions: 

• Wanting to please more buyers.
• Protecting your shelf space from competitors.
• Approving an extra product “just in case”.

But once these decisions sets in, retail execution slows down. Resets drag on. Inventory piles up. Meetings multiply. Teams spend hours fixing unnecessary complexity.

Variety Isn’t the Problem. Duplication Is.

I’m not saying we should strip shelves bare. The focus should be in eliminating overlap—what I call variety minus duplication.

Duplication hides in five similar sizes, three identical scents, or two competing formats of the same product. None add true variety. They split volume and clutter the aisle.

When one global household brand modeled their shelves using Curate, they found their kitchen bags were losing space to slower-moving SKUs. Rebalancing—without adding a single new product—opened up a projected two-percent volume lift and a one-and-a-half-percent revenue lift. Just from a better balance of the products they already had.

Further reading: AI in Category Management: The Promise, the Blind Spot, and What’s Changing

Why Complexity Feels Safer… But It’s Not.

At corporate headquarters, complexity gives the illusion of control. 

“If we add one more SKU, we’ll cover the white space.” “If we track ten more metrics, we’ll find the insight.” It sounds logical, but it’s really fear of missing out disguised as strategy.

I’ve seen it again and again: HQ pushes expansion while store teams quietly adjust assortments to match what actually sells. They know their shoppers better than the spreadsheet ever will.

The Cost of “Because We Can”

Every extra SKU brings along added costs in the form of slower resets, heavier inventory, and longer meetings debating things that don’t move the shopper. 

The irony is that simplification isn’t about cutting corners. It’s about protecting time for the work that matters—merchandising that sells, displays that convert, shelves that stay accurate for more than a week.

Simplification Can Be a New Competitive Edge

Making assortments simpler is how the best retail teams are reclaiming attention through the noise. Here’s how to make that shift.

Know the Impact Before You Reset

Smart teams don’t wait to see what happens. They model it. With Curate, you can use AI to simulate the ripple effect of every move you’re planning to make, before actually touching the shelf.

In practice, that means being able to test:

• What happens if you reduce SKUs by 15%
• How a pack-size change will affect facings
• Which product combinations drive better lifts

Simulating builds confidence. Instead of arguing opinions, teams align around proof.

Make Execution Move as Fast as Planning

Assortment simplification only matters if it survives contact with reality. The best shelf plans still fail if they get stuck waiting on someone to update the layout. That’s where space planning tools like EZPOG help teams turn plans into motion: editing the planogram, easily sharing versions, and rolling changes the same day instead of waiting in line for help.

This is what frees teams to respond fast when a retail calls for a mid-season reset. With clean, current planograms, no one’s chasing version five of a file or trading screenshots to confirm compliance. It’s keeping the rhythm going without losing sanity or sales.

Lead With Focus, Adapt With Speed

In retail, less isn’t always better. The right balance between simplicity and adaptability is. The goal isn’t a lean shelf for its own sake, but a business that reacts faster and wastes less.

Focus is what turns change into a rhythm, not a disruption. When retail planning and execution move at the same pace, growth feels steady instead of forced.

Simplifying your shelf strategy doesn’t mean sacrificing ambition. It means building the muscle to adjust faster without losing direction.

See how Vision Group helps retail teams bring speed and focus to every aisle.