How to make merchandising more effective with a display audit
Imagine a situation in which a retailer spends a lot of resources on selecting a targeted assortment, studying demand, analyzing product categories, and developing planograms, but none of this yields the expected results. There can also be a situation when a manufacturer has developed a good product, calculated the demand and got a good placement on the shelf, but the products do not sell as well it was expected. To avoid such problems, it is necessary to conduct a product display audit.
A display audit is an important step in the retail process. Although planograms are already widely used in retail stores, some companies are still not getting the results they expect. This can happen when companies focus too much on assortment selection, logistics processes and other aspects, but don't pay enough attention to proper shelf display.
To remedy this situation, you need to conduct a shelf display audit. It helps you identify problems with merchandising, assess the effectiveness of merchandising, and determine what changes you need to make to achieve the desired result.
The audit allows you to find out how products are presented on the shelf, how accurately they follow the planogram and what condition they are in. As a result, conclusions can be drawn as to which products sell well and which do not, which products strongly compete with each other, which products need to be displayed more and which, on the contrary, should be removed.
The audit also reveals possible problems in the delivery process of goods, such as delays in delivery or misplaced goods in the warehouse. This can lead to lost sales, so quickly addressing supply issues is key to successful merchandising.
Conducting a merchandise display audit is an important step to ensure effective merchandising. It allows you to identify errors as they occur, not when they have already led to negative consequences. Thus, it helps to prevent revenue losses, improve processes and increase customer satisfaction.
In order for a display audit to be as effective as possible, the following rules should be considered:
Define the audit objectives
It is necessary to understand what exactly we want to get as a result of the display audit: check the presence of goods on the shelves, assess the quality of display, evaluate the effectiveness of the planogram, etc.
Determine the methods and tools of the audit
Various methods and tools can be used for the audit, such as customer surveys, photo and video recording of displays, collection of sales information, etc.
Train auditors
Layout audits should be conducted by qualified professionals who should be trained in the specifics of layout audits, methods, and tools for gathering information.
Determine the scope of the audit
It must be determined what categories of goods will be audited and to what extent. For example, it is possible to check all categories of goods or only those that are in the top sales.
Prepare a checklist
In order to conduct an audit, you need to make a checklist that includes all the parameters that will be checked. For example, the availability of goods on the shelf, pricing policy, the correctness of labeling, etc.
Analyze the results
The data obtained as a result of the audit should be analyzed in order to identify problem areas and take measures to eliminate them.
Plan Actions
Based on the analysis of the audit results, an action plan should be developed, which will include specific measures to eliminate the identified problem areas.
To make the display audit a truly effective tool for your retail chain, several approaches can be used:
Store employee training
Provide training for store employees on how to properly display merchandise according to the planogram. The training should be interactive so employees can ask questions and get specific answers to their questions. The training will help improve the quality of in-store merchandise display and reduce errors.
Feedback
After conducting a store display audit, don't forget to give feedback to store employees. The feedback should be constructive, not critical. Explain what mistakes were made and how they can be corrected. Store employees should understand that a display audit is not an evaluation of their work, but a quality control tool.
Incentive system
Reward store employees for good work. Create a system of rewards for properly displaying merchandise according to the planogram. Incentives can vary from gratitude and praise to cash bonuses and bonuses. A system of incentives encourages store employees to work better and improve the quality of layouts.
Use of technology
Use specialized programs and apps to monitor in-store displays. Such applications allow you to quickly collect data about the display of goods, analyze it and generate reports. This can help reduce audit time and increase accuracy and quality control.
To remedy this situation, you need to conduct a shelf display audit. It helps you identify problems with merchandising, assess the effectiveness of merchandising, and determine what changes you need to make to achieve the desired result.
The audit allows you to find out how products are presented on the shelf, how accurately they follow the planogram and what condition they are in. As a result, conclusions can be drawn as to which products sell well and which do not, which products strongly compete with each other, which products need to be displayed more and which, on the contrary, should be removed.
The audit also reveals possible problems in the delivery process of goods, such as delays in delivery or misplaced goods in the warehouse. This can lead to lost sales, so quickly addressing supply issues is key to successful merchandising.
Conducting a merchandise display audit is an important step to ensure effective merchandising. It allows you to identify errors as they occur, not when they have already led to negative consequences. Thus, it helps to prevent revenue losses, improve processes and increase customer satisfaction.
In order for a display audit to be as effective as possible, the following rules should be considered:
Define the audit objectives
It is necessary to understand what exactly we want to get as a result of the display audit: check the presence of goods on the shelves, assess the quality of display, evaluate the effectiveness of the planogram, etc.
Determine the methods and tools of the audit
Various methods and tools can be used for the audit, such as customer surveys, photo and video recording of displays, collection of sales information, etc.
Train auditors
Layout audits should be conducted by qualified professionals who should be trained in the specifics of layout audits, methods, and tools for gathering information.
Determine the scope of the audit
It must be determined what categories of goods will be audited and to what extent. For example, it is possible to check all categories of goods or only those that are in the top sales.
Prepare a checklist
In order to conduct an audit, you need to make a checklist that includes all the parameters that will be checked. For example, the availability of goods on the shelf, pricing policy, the correctness of labeling, etc.
Analyze the results
The data obtained as a result of the audit should be analyzed in order to identify problem areas and take measures to eliminate them.
Plan Actions
Based on the analysis of the audit results, an action plan should be developed, which will include specific measures to eliminate the identified problem areas.
To make the display audit a truly effective tool for your retail chain, several approaches can be used:
Store employee training
Provide training for store employees on how to properly display merchandise according to the planogram. The training should be interactive so employees can ask questions and get specific answers to their questions. The training will help improve the quality of in-store merchandise display and reduce errors.
Feedback
After conducting a store display audit, don't forget to give feedback to store employees. The feedback should be constructive, not critical. Explain what mistakes were made and how they can be corrected. Store employees should understand that a display audit is not an evaluation of their work, but a quality control tool.
Incentive system
Reward store employees for good work. Create a system of rewards for properly displaying merchandise according to the planogram. Incentives can vary from gratitude and praise to cash bonuses and bonuses. A system of incentives encourages store employees to work better and improve the quality of layouts.
Use of technology
Use specialized programs and apps to monitor in-store displays. Such applications allow you to quickly collect data about the display of goods, analyze it and generate reports. This can help reduce audit time and increase accuracy and quality control.