The second most important aspect of the joint industry ECR vision was the retailers' shift
from buyers to category managers that was taking place among leaders in the industry during the
early 1990s. Although the cost savings from this shift were not as dramatic or easily quantified as
the savings from CRP adoption, the potential profit improvement of the shift to category
management could easily exceed the cost savings from CRP. Category managers in retail chains
were ideally responsible for the entire profit of a product category across all stores. Replacing
buyers, who were primarily focused on cost or promotional deals, with category managers
responsible for both profits and meeting consumer needs required new skills and capabilities. The
shift from buyer to category manager represented a new mindset, for both the individuals in the
role and the overall organization. Few buyers were able to make the transition to the new role, and
few organizations could make the shift in procurement and merchandising strategy without a strong
CEO vision and mandate for change.