DEFINING A MARKDOWN EVENT USING STORE CLUSTERING METHODOLOGY

摘要

A markdown definition process is performed on a system executing code contained on a computer-readable storage medium to define a markdown event for a plurality of stores. The markdown definition process includes computing initial markdown schedules for products eligible for a markdown event, where an initial markdown schedule is computed for each store. The stores are categorized into store clusters in accordance with the initial markdown schedules so that stores having the greatest degree of commonality are grouped together. Final markdown schedules are determined for the markdown event, where a final markdown schedule is determined for each store cluster. Each final markdown schedule includes optimized markdown solutions specific to one of the store clusters for the products eligible for the markdown event. The final markdown schedules are provided to the stores, so that each of the stores categorized into one of the store clusters receives the same final markdown schedule.