Best 10 Assortment Planning Software in 2026

TL;DR – The Best Assortment Planning Software  in 2026

Assortment planning tools help retailers balance store space, merchandise breadth, and profitability — but no single platform fits every channel, format, or brand size.

• Anaplan – Best for enterprise retail and omnichannel networks

• DotActiv – Best for category-led retailers and supermarkets

• EDITED – Best for fashion brands and online retail

• Solvoyo – Best for supply chain-intensive retailers

• Centric Software – Best for fashion, footwear, and consumer goods

• DaVinci Retail – Best for specialty and department store retailers

• Toolio – Best for mid-size, digital-native brands

• LEAFIO AI – Best for chain retailers with many stores

What Is Assortment Planning Software and Why Does It Matter in 2026?

In 2026, assortment planning software has evolved into the operational infrastructure of modern retail. As the global e-commerce market scales toward $36.21 trillion this year, the cost of inventory mistakes has never been higher. Retailers currently lose a massive amount annually to inventory mismanagement, specifically stockouts and overstock.

The shift from static spreadsheets to AI-driven planning is no longer a competitive advantage. It is a baseline for survival. Over 75% of retailers have now moved toward unified commerce platforms to eliminate the data silos that previously led to 60 to 70% inventory accuracy rates. Today's leading software solutions leverage agentic AI and task-specific agents to autonomously manage SKU-level optimization and regional rebalancing.

These tools turn raw data on demand, inventory, and social sentiment into precise, customer-centric assortments. Early adopters of advanced AI models in 2026 are reporting a 50% improvement in gross profit and up to a 40% reduction in lost sales.

This guide explores the top 10 assortment planning software solutions to help brands navigate this high-stakes, data-driven environment.

How Does Assortment Planning Software Work? A Complete Overview

Assortment planning software is a digital tool that helps retailers and brands decide which products to carry, in what quantities, and across which stores or channels for a given period. It replaces manual spreadsheet-based planning with data-driven workflows that factor in customer demand, sales history, inventory levels, and market trends.

The goal is to build an optimized product mix that maximizes sales and profitability while minimizing overstock and markdowns. Modern platforms use AI and predictive analytics to support SKU-level optimization, store clustering, scenario simulation, and forecast accuracy, giving merchandising teams the precision they need to plan smarter assortments at scale.

Top 10 Best Assortment Planning Software Tools in 2026

The assortment planning tools below help teams create, test, and execute plans that balance store space, merchandise breadth, and profitability without relying on spreadsheet-based ecommerce supply chain management or manual guesswork.

*Pricing details are indicative and typically provided via sales teams rather than public rate cards.

1. Anaplan: Best Assortment Planning Software for Enterprise Retail and Omnichannel Networks in 2026

Anaplan stands out for its connected planning engine, which lets retailers link every assortment plan directly to top-down financial goals and supply chain operations in a single platform. It is built for large retail businesses that want real-time insights, scenario modelling, and tight control over profitability at the style, store, and channel level.

Key features

• Hyperblock engine for complex planning scenarios and demand forecasting

• Connected merchandise plan, assortment planning, and replenishment in one system

• AI-driven predictive analytics for demand and market trends

• Granular store clusters and size curves for smarter assortments

• Workflow to improve collaboration between merchandising, finance, and operations

Quote-based enterprise licensing; typical contracts start in the mid-five figures annually, with additional implementation services.

2. DotActiv: How to Build Shelf-Aware, Localized Assortments for Grocery and Category Retailers

DotActiv is known for unifying category management, planograms, and assortment planning software. That helps retailers align assortments with store space and sell-through performance. It suits grocery, pharmacy, and general merchandise retailers that need to create detailed assortment plans and floor layouts from the same source of data. For retailers managing complex retail supply chains, DotActiv's shelf-aware approach bridges the gap between category strategy and physical store execution.

Key features

• Data-driven assortment plans tied to category and retail assortment strategy

• Store clusters and local demand modelling for hyper-localized assortments

• Integrated planogram generation to align assortments with physical store space

• Retail analytics dashboards for demand, sales, and inventory levels

• SQL-based data model for secure, scalable merchandising analysis

Offered as tiered SaaS subscriptions, pricing is customised by user count, modules, and number of stores.

3. EDITED: How Fashion Brands Use Market Intelligence to Drive Trend-Led Assortment Decisions

EDITED brings external market intelligence into the assortment planning conversation, combining competitor and market trends with your internal data to sharpen assortment precision. Fashion brands use it to align assortments with emerging trends and consumer demand, rather than relying only on last season's numbers. Retailers focused on fashion retail operations and multi-carrier shipping will find EDITED particularly powerful for timing buys against competitor moves.

Key features

• Live tracking of market trends, competitor product launches, and pricing moves

• Attribute analysis by colour, silhouette, fabric, and price band

• Gap analysis to highlight underserved product categories and assortments

• Overlay of sales and inventory data for data-driven decisions

• Tools to drive sales by timing buys and markdowns more accurately

Enterprise pricing only; contracts are bespoke and depend on data scope, regions, and user teams.

4. Solvoyo: What Is AI-Driven Assortment Planning Connected to End-to-End Supply Chain Optimization?

Solvoyo differentiates itself by tying assortment planning directly into the end-to-end supply chain automation and inventory optimization, so assortment plans remain executable, not just theoretical. It works well for retailers that want AI-driven planning software to connect financial targets, logistics capacity, and local demand on one platform. Businesses looking to reduce reliance on manual workflows can pair Solvoyo with broader logistics automation systems to keep fulfilment in step with assortment changes.

Key features

• AI-driven demand forecasting feeding into assortment optimization models

• Integrated supply chain and inventory management company signals in every assortment plan

• Real-time ERP integration for inventory, costs, and lead times

• Configurable workflows to manage the entire process from strategy to buy

• Scenario planning to test assortments against profitability and service risks

Quote-based SaaS; fees vary by scale of network, SKUs, and planning modules deployed.

5. Centric Software: Best Assortment Planning Platform for Fashion, Footwear, and Consumer Goods Brands

Centric Planning focuses on fashion, footwear, and consumer goods, bringing AI-driven assortment planning software together with PLM and merchandising so teams can align assortments with design and production earlier. It is a good fit for brands that need a unified platform for product, financial, and assortment plans. Brands managing ecommerce supply chains alongside physical retail will particularly benefit from Centric's design-to-delivery visibility.

Key features

• AI-driven assortment optimization to maximize profitability and reduce excess inventory

• Visual boards to create customer-centric assortments across product categories

• Predictive analytics to align assortments to market trends and customer preferences

• Integrated merchandise plan, assortment plan, and in-season trading views

• Tools to align assortments with financial targets and margin guardrails

Available as cloud subscriptions with custom pricing; cost depends on modules, users, and integrations.

6. DaVinci Retail: How to Create Data-Driven, Customer-Centric Assortment Plans for Specialty Retail

DaVinci Retail is explicitly built around data-driven, customer-centric assortment plans that link buying decisions to financial goals and sell-through performance. It is popular with fashion and specialty retail, where planners need structured assortments but still want creative control. Teams managing ecommerce merchandising alongside in-store ranges find DaVinci's attribute-driven approach a strong foundation for omnichannel planning.

Key features

• Dedicated assortment planning and buy management modules

• Customer demand and store clusters are built into every assortment strategy

• Merchandise plan alignment to protect profitability and cash flow

• Attribute-driven range building for the right consumers and locations

• Workflows that improve collaboration between buying, planning, and merchandising

Enterprise, quote-based pricing; typically implemented as a multi-year licence plus services.

7. Toolio: Best Cloud-Native Assortment Planning Software for Mid-Size and Digital-Native Brands

Toolio replaces spreadsheet-heavy assortment planning with a modern, browser-based workspace built for omnichannel retail. The focus is on helping teams create leaner assortments, push purchase orders more quickly, and respond to real-time customer demand without sacrificing margins. For growing D2C brands in the USA looking to move beyond manual planning, Toolio offers an accessible entry point into connected merchandise and assortment management.

Key features

• End-to-end merchandise and assortment planning in one unified platform

• Open-to-buy, option count, and store clusters are built into every view

• Visual line sheets to create assortments and share with merchandising teams

• Integrated demand forecasting using historical sales and inventory data

• Direct integration to order management software and ERP systems to optimize inventory

Subscription SaaS with custom quotes; pricing scales with the number of users and revenue band.

8. LEAFIO AI: How AI-Driven Store Cluster Assortments Help Chain Retailers Respond to Local Demand

LEAFIO AI focuses on AI-driven, store-cluster-level assortments that react quickly to local demand and inventory constraints. It is well-suited to retailers with many stores who need smarter assortments and high automation across the supply chain management stack.

The platform's tight coupling of assortment decisions with replenishment and promotions makes it especially valuable for retailers running large store networks where manual oversight is impractical. Retailers already using a warehouse management system will find LEAFIO's real-time inventory signals a natural complement to existing infrastructure.

Key features

• Machine learning engines for demand forecasting and assortment optimization

• Assortment management by category, store clusters, and local demand patterns

• Inventory optimization and automatic inventory allocation recommendations

• Real-time insights on assortment performance and inventory health

• Tight integration with replenishment and promotions planning

Custom project-based pricing; fees depend on the number of stores, SKUs, and selected modules.

9. Relex Solutions: What Makes a Unified Demand, Inventory, and Assortment Platform Right for Large-Format Grocery Retail?

Relex Solutions offers a unified platform that connects assortment plans with demand, inventory, and wider supply chain planning and operations. Retailers use it to create assortments that meet customer demand while controlling inventory and waste across large store networks.

Its ability to bridge retail supply chain execution and assortment strategy in real time makes it one of the most comprehensive options available for grocery and large-format operations.

Key features

• AI-driven demand forecasting is linked directly to assortment planning workflows.

• End-to-end supply chain and warehouse and inventory management on the same platform

• Tools to optimize assortments, pricing, and promotions together

• Real-time insights for decision making across merchandising and operations

• Support for hyper-localized assortments and omnichannel retail assortment

Offered as a cloud subscription, pricing is determined on a case-by-case basis for mid to large retailers.

10. Style Arcade: Best Visual Assortment Planning Software for Fashion Labels and D2C Apparel Brands

Style Arcade gives fashion brands an intuitive, visual way to build assortments, monitor sell-through performance, and react quickly to emerging trends. It is beneficial for digital-first apparel retailers seeking AI-driven guidance without sacrificing creative control over product offerings.

For D2C clothing and apparel brands looking to compete on assortment precision, Style Arcade's real-time data layer and visual planning interface offer a meaningful operational advantage. Teams can also use it alongside ecommerce automation tools to keep fulfilment aligned with fast-moving assortment decisions.

Key features

• Visual range planning and attribute analysis on one platform

• AI-driven recommendations for buys, size curves, and assortment optimization

• Real-time data on demand, inventory, and profitability by style and store

• Customer-centric metrics to align assortments with the right consumers

• Tools to drive sales by spotting winners, managing aged assortments, and reallocating inventory levels

Subscription-based; pricing is tailored to brand size and data integrations, with no per-user fees.

How to Choose the Right Assortment Planning Software for Your Business in 2026

Not every tool on this list is the right fit for every retailer. Your choice should depend on your business size, operational complexity, and planning maturity. Here is a quick framework to guide your decision:

Enterprise retailers (large store networks, omnichannel operations):

Look for platforms with connected financial merchandise planning, scenario simulation, and deep ERP integrations. A robust order management software integration is also critical for keeping assortment plans in sync with live fulfilment data.

Best fits: Anaplan, Relex Solutions, Centric Software

Mid-market and digital-native brands:

Prioritize cloud-native tools with intuitive interfaces, fast onboarding, and collaborative workflows. Pairing your planning tool with ecommerce fulfillment platforms helps ensure that assortment decisions translate directly into accurate stock availability for customers.

Best fits: Toolio, Style Arcade, LEAFIO AI

Category-led retailers (grocery, pharmacy, general merchandise):

Focus on tools that tie assortment plans to planograms, store space, and shelf-level performance. Consider how your assortment tool connects with your broader logistics management software to reduce supply gaps at the store level.

Best fits: DotActiv, Relex Solutions

Fashion and D2C brands:

Choose platforms with visual range building, trend tracking, and attribute-level analysis. Fashion retailers should also evaluate how well the tool integrates with reverse logistics software to capture returns data that informs future assortment decisions.

Best fits: EDITED, Style Arcade, Centric Software

Regardless of size, make sure your chosen tool supports demand forecasting, integrates with your existing ERP or OMS, and gives your team real-time visibility into inventory and sell-through performance.

Closing the Assortment Loop: Building Smarter Retail Assortments That Drive Profitability

Choosing the right assortment planning software is about more than features. Retailers need platforms that help them create data-driven assortment plans, align assortments with financial targets, optimize inventory, and stay ahead of market trends while keeping customers at the centre of every decision. As ecommerce logistics grows more complex and consumer expectations accelerate, the ability to connect assortment strategy with end-to-end fulfilment will increasingly separate high-performing retailers from the rest.

Frequently Asked Questions About Assortment Planning Software

What is assortment planning software used for in retail?

Assortment planning software helps retailers decide which products to stock, in what quantities, and across which locations or channels. It uses data on customer demand, sales history, inventory levels, and market trends to build an optimized product mix that maximizes sales and minimizes overstock.

How does AI improve assortment planning decisions for merchandising teams?

AI analyzes large volumes of historical sales data, customer behavior, and market signals to identify demand patterns that manual analysis would miss. It powers demand forecasting, store clustering, SKU-level optimization, and scenario simulation, helping merchandising teams build assortments that are more accurate and profitable.

Can assortment planning tools help reduce stockouts and overstock at the same time?

Yes. By linking assortment plans to real-time inventory data and demand forecasts, these tools help retailers maintain the right stock levels across locations. They flag potential shortfalls early and recommend reallocation or replenishment actions before stockouts impact sales.

What features should I look for in assortment planning software in 2026?

Prioritize AI-driven demand forecasting, store clustering and localized assortment capabilities, scenario simulation, ERP and OMS integration, real-time inventory visibility, and collaborative workflows that connect merchandising, finance, and operations teams on one platform.

Is there affordable assortment planning software for small retailers or D2C brands?

Most enterprise tools like Anaplan and Relex Solutions are quote-based and geared toward larger operations. However, platforms like Toolio and Style Arcade offer subscription-based pricing that scales with business size, making them more accessible for small to mid-sized retailers and D2C brands.

How do you measure success in assortment planning?

Key metrics include sell-through rate, gross margin return on investment (GMROI), markdown percentage, stockout frequency, inventory turnover, and customer conversion rate. The best assortment planning software tracks these in real time so teams can adjust plans mid-season if needed.

What is SKU-level optimization in assortment planning and why does it matter?

SKU-level optimization means planning your assortment down to individual product variants, accounting for size, color, and style performance at each store or channel. It ensures you are not just carrying the right products but the right versions of those products in the right locations.

Which assortment planning tools support ERP and OMS integrations?

Most enterprise platforms on this list support ERP integration. Anaplan, Solvoyo, Toolio, and Relex Solutions all offer direct or API-based connections to major ERP systems like SAP, Oracle, and NetSuite. This ensures your assortment plans stay synced with inventory, procurement, and financial data. Connecting these tools with a dedicated order management platform further strengthens real-time visibility across channels.

How do I choose the right assortment planning tool for my business size?

Enterprise retailers with complex, multi-region operations should look at Anaplan, Relex Solutions, or Centric Software. Mid-market and digital-native brands benefit from cloud-native tools like Toolio or Style Arcade. Category-led retailers should consider DotActiv for its planogram and shelf-level capabilities.

What is the difference between merchandise planning and assortment planning?

Merchandise planning focuses on the financial side: setting budgets, open-to-buy targets, and margin goals at a category or department level. Assortment planning sits within that framework and focuses on the product side: deciding which specific items, styles, and SKUs to carry within those financial guardrails. The best software connects both, so your product choices are always aligned with your financial targets.