Which of the following most accurately describes incremental contribution?

The correct answer is C .

In efficient assortment, incremental contribution is not simply the sales volume of the item being added. The key word is incremental . It means the extra volume the category gains after accounting for substitution, switching, and cannibalization from existing items. The CMA/CPCM standards for Efficient Assortment specifically include the requirement to “generate incremental item contribution by understanding cannibalization and source of volume.”

Option C is the best answer because it defines the net additional category volume created by adding a particular item. Option A is incomplete because expected item volume may include volume stolen from existing items. Option D is wrong because it focuses only on the added item’s own volume, not the category-level increment. Option B is wrong because option C accurately describes the concept.