How to Read a Planogram

October 17, 2018|HOW-TOS, RETAIL, MERCHANDISING

If you’ve looked into merchandising at all, you’ve definitely heard the word “planogram.” If you’re a veteran merchandiser, you know it by several names — POG, schematic, or any of a variety of store-specific titles. Regardless, the general definition is the same, and pretty simple: a planogram is a visual representation of how products should be displayed.

But that definition doesn’t help you read one — for that, let’s look at an example of what a POG may look like:

The above example is a very simple POG. Not all POGs are created equal, and they will vary from store to store. Most POGs include a product SKU & UPC, a list of deletes and in some cases either a color photo or B&W image of the product(s). Detailed POGs include the above-mentioned items along with additional information, such as product dimensions, shelf height and in some cases the number of units each shelf holds.

To read the document, simply check the UPC/SKU for each item to establish correct product placement — pay attention to how many units wide each section gets, and be sure to space them appropriately. In the above example, you would want to be sure to place all of the “Widget 8s” fairly close to one another to ensure you have adequate space on that shelf to fit the other widgets.

In some cases, team leads and store managers are authorized to & may make changes to some or all of the POG, including but not limited to product placement, shelf height, facing adjustments, etc. They sometimes may even opt out of the reset completely if the product is selling better in its current “home”. If you are working independently you should always follow up with the manager on duty prior to leaving the store to have them verify the set is done to their satisfaction. This will prevent potential revisits and disgruntled store managers/clients, which could put an entire set behind. In most cases team leads and management prefer to take a few seconds to help you verify something about the set rather than find the reset done incorrectly after the fact.

As you merchandise different stores, you’ll encounter all shapes and sizes of POGs, but with a few gigs under your belt, you’ll be an expert in no time. If you think working with a POG sounds like a good fit for you, be sure to register at Marco Polo Jobs — it’s a free way to get your name out there to merchandising companies in the US and start finding work!

Common Planogram Terminology:

Deleted: Items to be removed from the POG.

Facings: Amount of shelf space a product is given

SKU: A product identifier unique to that retailer. Typically 8 alphanumeric characters.

UPC: A product identifier consistent between retailers. Typically 12 digits.

Originally published at marcopolo.solutions.