Even Better Merchandising

When customers walk into a store today, they expect products to be in stock, in the right location, and at the correct price. Merchandisers are an essential part of delivering this shopping experience, by optimizing product placement, monitoring inventory, and ensuring shelves are always well-stocked.

Misplaced products, out-of-stock items, and non-compliant promotions all contribute to the 5% of operating margin a majority of retailers report losing each year, according to research from Coresight. With Simbe Store Intelligence™ powered by Tally and Tally RFID, merchandisers gain near real-time, shelf-level data to eliminate these costly inefficiencies while improving shelf execution to maximize sales.

Boosting Stock Levels

While store environments might seem somewhat static to shoppers, products are constantly changing—and no one knows this better than a seasoned merchandiser. Product moves in and out, evolves with local and global trends, changes with the seasons, and is updated to promote specific items.

Maintaining a strong in-stock position is a huge responsibility for merchandisers. It ensures consumers are able to find and buy the products they are looking for, without having to opt for substitutes or, in the worst case scenario, shop at a different store.

By continuously scanning shelves, Tally helps retailers identify and address out-of-stocks quickly, and avoid over-ordering in the process, since often 60% of product deemed out of stock is on-site and sellable. With Simbe, retailers have observed a 60% reduction in out-of-stock items. These gains not only boost revenue but also strengthen customer loyalty. It’s a no brainer—if shoppers consistently find what they need in your store, they come back.

Moving Beyond the Planogram

It’s time-consuming for retailers to supply and maintain planograms, especially given the difficulty of keeping them accurate amidst constantly changing shelf conditions. Tally creates a high-fidelity “realogram” that captures the true shelf state, giving precise product details that allows merchandisers to ensure compliance and make adjustments as shopper habits evolve. Simbe's data keeps merchandisers informed about which fast-moving products need consistent restocking and which slower-moving items need less shelf space.

These insights also help inform product placement around the store—for example, taking advantage of high-traffic areas, pairing complementary items together, and moving seasonally popular items to more prominent or easy to access locations. Since Tally’s visibility extends beyond aisle shelves to various product areas, including end caps and promotional displays, merchandisers can ensure items are precisely where they should be to capture consumer attention.

Saving Time WIth Virtual Tours

Traditional merchandising relies heavily on manual inventory checks. These are time-intensive for store teams and prone to error—missing up to 5 out of 6 out-of-stock items. Not only are these checks time and labor-intensive, but the information gathered also quickly becomes outdated, making it difficult to maintain optimal store performance. With automated, high-definition shelf scans like the ones provided by Tally, retailers gain up-to-date, flexible, frequent, and targeted insights that help easily benchmark store performance and optimize layouts.

Simbe’s capabilities build on these automated insights by bringing real-time shelf data back to headquarters, enabling merchandising leaders to take virtual “walks” through stores. This allows them to remotely evaluate planogram compliance and share timely insights with category managers. By being able to view store-level performance across multiple locations from a central point, retailers save time and resources, enhancing operational efficiency and execution without the need for in-person visits.

Enhancing Vendor Relations

Effective merchandising hinges on strong supplier partnerships. Simbe Brand Insights enable merchandisers to share near real-time information with suppliers about how products appear on shelves, timely insights into product performance and adherence to display and trade agreements. Simbe’s data allows brand and vendor partners to quickly and accurately answer these key questions:

• What products are out‑of‑stock at each store?
• Which stores have the most out‑of‑stocks?
• Are promotional displays in stock and priced right?
• Was a display stocked for the entire promotional period?

Retailers can also verify whether direct-store delivery (DSD) vendors are fulfilling their commitments, using this data to hold suppliers accountable and ensure products are consistently available and well-presented.

The Strategic Future of Merchandising

By incorporating Simbe’s intelligent automation and near real-time insights, merchandisers can proactively address inventory issues, adjust product placements, ensure promotional compliance, and more. No longer bogged down by manual checks and guesswork, merchandisers can use Tally’s precise data to prioritize strategic initiatives that enhance the shopper experience and contribute to revenue growth. Merchandisers empowered with these insights can create a store experience that accurately reflects the current trends—delighting customers, and driving sales in the process.

For any retailer aiming to transform its merchandising approach, Simbe’s technology offers a proven solution with measurable results. Through improved compliance, stronger vendor relationships, and the ability to monitor shelf conditions remotely, merchandisers using Simbe perform their jobs more effectively and make impactful decisions that resonate with consumers.

With Simbe and Tally, the future of merchandising is here—strategic, data-driven, and primed for success.