Words you will hear with planograms
- SKU: short for stock keeping unit. One SKU is one product in one pack size, such as a 100 gram pack of a biscuit.
- Facing: one pack of a product that faces the shopper at the front of the shelf. Three packs side by side means three facings.
- Eye level: the shelf at about the height of the shopper's eyes. It is usually the most noticed.
- Share of shelf: the part of the shelf your brand holds compared with all brands in that group.
A made-up example
Say a snack brand has three products. A shop gives it one shelf, 1 metre wide. Each pack is 10 cm wide, so the shelf holds 10 facings.
- Top seller: 5 facings, at eye level.
- Second product: 3 facings.
- New product: 2 facings, placed next to the top seller so that shoppers see it.
Total: 5 + 3 + 2 = 10 facings. Each month, the plan can be changed. If the new product sells well, give it a third facing and take one from the slowest item. This is a made-up example.
How a planogram works for an Indian business
Large stores and supermarket chains often give brands a set space and a plan. In small shops and kirana stores, there is rarely a formal plan. Here a brand's sales team or distributor agrees on a simple layout with the shopkeeper, and a field visit checks it. A photo sent from the shop is a common way to prove the shelf is set right.
Common mistakes
- Making a plan that does not fit the real shelf size.
- Forgetting to refill, so the plan shows gaps.
- Giving the most space to products that do not sell.
- Never checking whether shops follow the plan.
- Using one plan for every store, even when customers differ.
A planogram is one tool in visual merchandising, which also covers lights, signs and displays.
Related terms
- Visual merchandising: how a shop arranges and shows its products.
- Trade marketing: work with distributors and shops to help your product sell.
- POSM: posters, stands and other display items at the point of sale.
To get shelves set and checked across many shops, see our trade and channel marketing work.
