Core Insights - The retail industry is facing unprecedented challenges, including declining foot traffic, inventory buildup, and shrinking profit margins, with 62% of retail companies experiencing stagnation in growth [1] - Identifying core products and leveraging the "Cross Ratio" (CR) is essential for retailers to achieve sales and profit breakthroughs amidst these challenges [1][2] What is Cross Ratio - Cross Ratio (CR) is a tool to identify more profitable products, combining gross margin and inventory turnover to assess product profitability and capital efficiency [2][3] - CR is calculated as: CR = Gross Margin (%) × Inventory Turnover Rate [3] Significance of Cross Ratio - A higher CR indicates greater returns on inventory investment, highlighting the comprehensive value of a product [4] How to Use Cross Ratio for Product Selection - Focus on high CR products and optimize low CR products through data-driven adjustments [5] - Steps include: 1. Replace low CR products and streamline SKUs based on defined evaluation periods and benchmarks [5][6] 2. Classify products in the evaluation list to avoid blind elimination [6] 3. Monitor and replace low CR products with high CR alternatives to maintain customer flow [7] Adjusting Profitability and Turnover Rates - Strategies to enhance low CR products include optimizing display and inventory management for low turnover, high margin items, and negotiating better procurement costs for high turnover, low margin items [8][9] Comparing CR Values Across Categories - Conduct a comprehensive CR value assessment across product categories to identify advantageous segments for resource allocation and category expansion [10][11] Application of Cross Ratio in Chain Systems - Cross Ratio can help address the challenges of store differentiation and standardization by comparing CR values across stores to identify profitability gaps [12][13] - Targeted adjustments based on CR analysis can lead to significant improvements in store performance [15] Final Value of Cross Ratio - Cross Ratio aids retailers in optimizing capital allocation, enhancing store efficiency, and reducing trial-and-error costs, ultimately leading to higher profitability [20][21][22] - The core logic is that a higher CR translates to more profit generated per unit of inventory investment [20] Conclusion - In the current retail landscape of slowing growth and rising costs, data-driven decision-making through Cross Ratio is crucial for retailers to thrive and optimize operations [23][24]