Assortment as a clustering variable: an application to the distribution of ceramics and construction materials in Spain

Classifying is essential for understanding the situation of the commercial distribution and analyzing its evolution. In the present paper we study the distribution of ceramics and building materials in Spain and we propose a classification based on a cluster analysis validated both internally and externally. As a result, we have obtained three clusters of distributors that present significant differences regarding their assortment, business areas, resources and results obtained.