Abstract
This dissertation examines how category management levers, such as brand and assortment planning, pricing strategy, and channel allocation, impact grocery retail performance across physical and digital environments. Using large-scale scanner data from the Italian market, three empirical essays explore the role of category-specific characteristics in shaping online grocery sales, private label performance, and category sales performance after a pricing policy shift. The findings reveal that category dynamics vary significantly by channel, highlighting the importance of tailoring category strategies to both consumer decision-making heuristics and channel-specific operational constraints. The research advances retail marketing theory and practice and offers actionable insights for retailers to optimize category roles, enhance omnichannel coordination, and align strategic decisions with evolving shopper expectations.