The planogramming process, step by step

Step 1: Define the question

Every planogram starts with a reason. A retailer might be reviewing a whole category. A brand might want to add three new items. A broker might be proposing that a segment moves to eye level. The question shapes everything that follows, so it is worth writing down in one sentence before any data is collected.

A clear question also sets the scope. Is this one section of one fixture, or every store format in a chain? Are we redesigning the whole set or changing a few positions? Is the output a presentation for a meeting, a build instruction for stores, or both? Answering these early prevents a lot of rework.

Step 2: Gather the inputs

Planograms are only as accurate as the data behind them. The usual inputs are:

• Fixture details: section widths, shelf counts, shelf depths, the gaps between shelves, and whether the fixture uses shelves, pegs, doors or something else.
• Product dimensions: height, width and depth of each item as it sits on the shelf.
• Product images: front-of-pack images or artwork so each item is recognisable.
• Item list: every product in scope with its identifier.
• Sales or movement data: how each item sells, if available. This drives space decisions later.
• The current set: a planogram, a photo, or both, so the change can be measured against where things are today.

Missing or wrong dimensions are the most common source of trouble. A pack that is a few millimetres wider than recorded can push the last item on a shelf off the end.

Step 3: Decide the assortment

Before any shelf is laid out, someone decides which items are in the set. In a category review that is the retailer's decision, often informed by supplier recommendations. It includes new items going in, slow items coming out, and items that stay but might change size or count.

Assortment and space are linked. Adding items to a fixed amount of shelf means other items give up room, so the assortment decision is often revisited once the first layout shows what it costs in space.

Step 4: Allocate space

Next, each item is given a number of facings. The starting point is usually sales: items that sell more get more space, so they do not run out between refills. The common check is comparing each item's share of shelf with its share of sales, and investigating where the two differ a lot.

Sales are not the only factor. Every item needs enough facings to hold a sensible amount of stock and to be seen. Some items have minimums set by the retailer or by case pack size. Tall or deep items may only fit on certain shelves. Allocation is a balance between these constraints rather than a single formula.

Step 5: Block and flow the set

With facings decided, the items are arranged. Blocking groups related products so the shelf reads clearly: by brand, by segment, by flavour, by size or by price. Flow is the order those blocks follow along the aisle, often matching the direction shoppers walk or the way they think about the category.

This step is where a set becomes easy or hard to shop. A strong brand block is visible from down the aisle. A logical segment flow lets a shopper find the variety they want without reading every label. Vertical placement matters too: shelves at eye level are the most visible, and heavy or large items usually sit lower.

Step 6: Build the planogram

Now the plan is drawn. Each item is placed at its position with its facings, shelf heights are set, and price tag positions are marked. The planogram is checked against the physical limits: does everything fit across each shelf, does the tallest item clear the shelf above, is the depth enough to hold the intended stock?

The result is the planogram itself, normally a flat front view with an item list. For a proposal, this is also when a presentation view is prepared, which is where 3D planograms are often used so decision makers can see the shelf rather than read it.

Step 7: Review and approve

Proposals go to the people who decide. For a retailer, that is the category buyer and space planning team. For a brand, it may be an internal review first and then the retailer. Reviews usually lead to changes: an item moves, a block shifts, facings are rebalanced. Several rounds are normal.

It helps to show the current and proposed sets side by side, so reviewers see the change rather than two unrelated pictures. See planogram proposals and shelf resets for what that deliverable looks like.

Step 8: Execute the reset

Approved planograms are issued to stores with a reset date. Merchandisers remove the old set, adjust shelves to the new heights, place products in their new positions and move price tags. Good planograms make this straightforward: clear shelf numbers, clear positions and an item list that matches what arrives in the store.

Stores differ in size, so a single planogram often exists in several versions for different section widths or store formats. Keeping those versions consistent is part of the space planning team's job.

Common mistakes to avoid

Most planogram problems are predictable, which means most are avoidable.

• Trusting old dimensions. Packs change size more often than records are updated. Checking dimensions against a real product or current spec sheet before building saves a lot of trouble at the reset.
• Planning for the ideal fixture. A set drawn for a standard section can fail in stores where the fixture is narrower, shallower or has a different shelf count. Knowing which fixture versions exist matters as much as knowing the products.
• Allocating on sales alone. An item can sell well and still need fewer facings if it comes in a large case pack that refills the shelf efficiently, or more if it sells in bursts. Sales are the start of the conversation, not the end.
• Blocking that only makes sense on paper. A layout can look tidy as a flat diagram and still be hard to read from the aisle, especially where tall products or door frames get in the way. Viewing the set at shopper height catches this.
• Skipping the current set. Without an accurate picture of today's shelf, nobody can see what the proposal actually changes, and reviewers end up debating details that were never going to move.
• Unclear versions. When several drafts circulate, the wrong one can reach stores. One clearly labelled approved version prevents that.

None of these needs special software to fix. They need someone to slow down at the right step.

Step 9: Check compliance and learn

After the reset, someone checks whether stores built what the planogram says. Where they did not, the reasons are useful: maybe the fixture was different from the record, or an item was not delivered, or the plan was unclear. Those findings feed the next cycle.

Once the new set has been on shelf for a while, its sales can be compared with the old one. That comparison is the start of the next question, and the process begins again. For a plain definition of the thing being built, see what is a planogram.