Overview

The product connects merchandise financial planning with assortment strategy and trading execution. Demand forecasting guides range depth, product mix and localization, while links between planning, demand and inventory management help teams align stock with expected demand. That connected scope is useful when separate planning processes make it difficult to keep financial targets, product choices and inventory decisions in step.

Centric says customers report that budget preparation time can be cut in half and planning cycles reduced by as much as 75%. Those potential gains may matter to organizations with lengthy planning cycles, but they are not a promise of results for every team.

Key features

Assortment and merchandise planning

Size and color, location, seasonal, scenario, open-to-buy and channel planning are supported. This breadth suits retailers balancing product ranges across places, seasons and channels. Demand forecasting informs range decisions, and the connection to financial planning and trading execution gives teams a broader workflow than assortment planning alone.

Lifecycle pricing and competitor insight

Lifecycle pricing covers seasonal and evergreen products. Initial prices account for later markdowns, and dynamic adjustments support infinite-stock e-commerce items. This makes the pricing approach relevant to businesses managing prices over a product's lifecycle, not just setting an opening price. Competitor comparisons and automated price changes in response to rival strategies depend on integration with Centric Market Intelligence, so those capabilities are part of a connected Centric setup rather than standalone pricing.

Connected products and security

Centric says Pricing & Inventory integrates with Centric PLM, Centric Planning and Centric Market Intelligence. Organizations already using those products may have a stronger reason to consider the ecosystem. Centric reports SOC 2 Type 2 and SOC 3 Type 2 assessments, along with ISO/IEC 27001:2022, ISO 27017:2015 and ISO 27018:2019 certifications. It says its web applications follow a security-by-design approach and its infrastructure is hosted in industry-certified data centers; AWS is listed as a hosting subprocessor for Pricing. Centric also says it is committed to protecting personal information under GDPR.

Pricing

Centric Planning & Pricing has custom pricing; buyers are directed to request a demo. The product is paid, with no published self-serve price or plan comparison to help a team estimate costs before engaging. Centric offers a 60-minute demonstration with retail-first planning and pricing specialists, which gives prospective customers a focused way to assess fit and discuss requirements.

The single named plan, Centric Planning & Pricing, supports size and color, location, seasonal, scenario, open-to-buy and channel planning. Its custom pricing and demo-led purchase process are better suited to organizations evaluating a broader planning system than to small teams seeking a transparent, immediately purchasable tool.

Platforms

The product is available on the web. Centric lists AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform and Centric Data Center among its cloud service providers. Existing customers can use Centric's support portal to report product or service issues.

Who it's for

Centric presents the product for global brands, retailers and manufacturers, with particular relevance to fashion and apparel, footwear, and outdoor and sports businesses. It is strongest for organizations that need financial planning, assortment decisions, pricing and inventory to work together. A buyer looking for a narrow pricing utility, a public price, or a simple self-serve signup has less reason to choose it.

Pros and cons

Pro: Planning covers size and color, location, season, scenarios, open-to-buy and channels, giving merchandise teams tools for several linked planning decisions.
Pro: Lifecycle pricing considers later markdowns, while dynamic adjustments address infinite-stock e-commerce items.
Pro: Centric reports multiple security assessments and ISO certifications, which may matter to organizations evaluating enterprise software controls.
Con: Competitor price comparisons and automated responses rely on Centric Market Intelligence integration, adding a dependency for teams that want those functions.
Con: Custom pricing and a demo-led buying path make budgeting and purchase decisions less direct than with a product that publishes prices.

Alternatives

For a wider category comparison, browse Retail Assortment Planning Software or Retail Merchandise Management Software.

Toolio is another paid web option; choose it if you want to compare a separate merchandise-planning product, though its price also requires contacting the provider.
Anaplan is a paid option spanning Android, iOS, web and API. Consider it if those platform options matter; its pricing varies by service and is provided through a Statement of Work or Order Schedule.
Increff Merchandising Software is a paid web cloud SaaS platform with a free trial. It may suit buyers who want a trial option before committing.
Style Arcade is a paid web product priced according to estimated annual sales orders and number of data sources, a model to consider if those measures fit your purchasing needs.
NIQ is a paid product available on Android, iOS, web, Windows and API.
AssortSmart is another paid alternative.
LEAFIO AI Assortment Performance is a paid web and API product with custom pricing and a free demo available on request; consider it if a demo-first evaluation is appealing.
SymphonyAI Assortment Optimization is a paid web alternative.

Verdict

Centric Planning & Pricing is a strong candidate for global merchandise organizations that need assortment, lifecycle pricing and inventory planning connected to financial targets. Its breadth and Centric integrations are the reasons to choose it; its custom pricing and reliance on a separate Market Intelligence integration for competitor-driven actions are reasons to look elsewhere if you need a transparent, self-contained purchase.

	Centric Planning & Pricing	Toolio
Free plan	No	No
Free trial	No	No
Paid from	—	—
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Web	Web

Centric Planning & Pricing vs Toolio

Centric Planning & Pricing

Toolio