RETAIL- 5 steps for a perfect store check

Store checks are essential for any brand that decides to be part of the point of sale jungle game. That is the moment of the truth; where you can actually see if all the efforts that the marketing team invested in the product was worthy. If all those project development hours, the strategic plans, pricing and so forth was effective.

The point of sale is real life, man! Where your audience will find your product and interact with it. It´s the touch & feel experience and if, by any chance there´s a happy ending, the purchase will come true.

Would you dare to launch a product and actually not see where it lives on the shop floor? I doubt it… this is called “Store check”.

Store checks require time, team logistics (it´s not easy to have all relevant minds on site together) and very often, it requires a significant investment on flights, hotels, transport & feeding your crew. This is a very special moment where every simple detail must be absorbed. So I’ve selected 5 basic steps for a perfect store check to help you out:

1) Before entering the shop, stay at least 10 minutes outside observing the behavior of the consumers. Check which side of the shop they prefer to enter, if there are any frequent stops on the very first gondolas of promotional sites. In case there are windows, do they stop to check it or not? How long do they keep staring at it?

Those aspects will help define if the first locations area hot areas, if it´s worth investing in more expensive window displays and etc…

2) Once in the shop, make a very spontaneous walk as it was a leisure moment and let your subconscious guide you. That´s the best way to detect the natural shoppers flow. Play special attention to the first 3 stops you do.

3) In the center of the shop: Where are the leader brands or leader categories? “Tell me with whom you walk and I will tell you who you are”…Where are the cash tills and promotional sites? Where are the emergency doors, escalators and elevators? (usually cold areas).

4) Your product space: Is your product placed at the eyes, hands or knees level? Is it properly illuminated? Is your space clean of dust? How is the pricing being communicated, is it cristal clear to the dear shoppers? In case you have a selection of discounted lines, how is it highlighted?

Remember, retail is detail. Your space must be nothing but perfect.

5) Competitors: are they looking like you? Are they brighter or sexier?According to the share of shelf (this is a MUST KNOW data that will allow you to negotiate better spaces/situation) are their space situation fair towards yours?

Take pictures, tons of it. From the macro to micro: full shop, shopping flow, promotional & permanent areas, competitors and your space. These data will be key later for official reports, negotiations & new projects. If you are visiting several shops, make sure to make the first picture with the name of it so it will be easier to have it organized latter.

And voilà, happy store check!