The correct answer is C .
Reducing SKU count can lower operational complexity because fewer items generally mean fewer products to order, receive, stock, count, replenish, manage, and maintain in the system. The CPCM course identifies Efficient Assortment as the analytical process behind product assortment and also teaches Retailer Economics and the Product Supply Chain , including the drivers of a retailer’s financial statement and the retail math calculations tied to business results.
The real-world operating logic is straightforward: unnecessary SKUs create handling work, shelf complexity, replenishment complexity, inventory carrying cost, and execution burden. SKU rationalization is commonly used to reduce complexity, lower handling costs, improve shelf utilization, and increase operational efficiency.
Option A is wrong because SKU count clearly affects operational workload. Option B is the opposite of the correct answer; reducing SKUs normally decreases complexity rather than increasing it. Option D is incomplete because assortment simplification may help shoppers, but the question specifically asks about labor and OPEX.
