Retail stores are mapped out and arranged in a way that best appeals to the customer.  There is always thought behind the product placement to entice customers and convey the information they need to make an informed purchase.  This makes it important to ensure that the planogram is followed and that the shelf tags and signage are consistently up to date.

With so many different operations going on within a retail store, the planogram may not always be deployed efficiently.  Shelf tags may not be switched fast enough, the products may not fit within the design, or signs for promotions may become outdated.  Inefficiencies with the deployment of the planogram and the use of shelf labels, promotions, digital signage, and other forms of communication to drive customer engagement will have employees spending more time adjusting the shelves and labels instead of helping customers.  However, you can eliminate these operational inefficiencies with a tool that integrates your inventory, planogram, sales data, and promotions and allows you to easily manage and update these communications from one place.

At ECS Global Inc, we offer the ECS⁵ Media Suite (ECS⁵). One element of our overall core product is the planogram solution, which will help you effectively manage your instore planogram and improve operational efficiency.  With ECS⁵, you can design and optimize your planogram and seamlessly integrate product information, shelf labels and label printing, digital signage, planned promotions, and other communications that will help boost sales through customer engagement.

The Importance of Planograms

The planogram, also known as a POG, is a very important element of retail for communicating with and engaging the customer.  They are basically floor plans for store layouts that include merchandise displays and product placements on the shelves.  A well-designed planogram strategically places shelving and products to create a logical path for customers that encourages sales.  Designing and implementing an effective planogram is a necessity for all retail stores.

A good planogram benefits your store in the following ways:

• Optimal product placement improves sales
• Efficient use of shelf space
• Guides foot traffic through the store
• Makes restocking more efficient
• Improves organization and deployment of store promotions

Planogram Inefficiencies

Deploying the planogram is one of the biggest jobs in terms of the operation of a retail store.  It is important to be followed so that what is on the floor matches the plan, and the shelf tags and other signage are accurate and up to date. In order to deploy the planogram, you need to know your inventory, the layout, pricing, and promotions and also print the appropriate signage.  Managing the planogram can become time consuming and inefficient if these elements are not integrated into one solution.

• Planogram: In many retail stores, the planogram is designed as its own document, but not integrated into an electronic system. Whether it is created in-store or passed down by a corporate office, it needs to be printed out and taken to the floor so employees can match what is on the shelves to the planogram.
• Inventory: Most retail stores keep track of their inventory electronically, but the inventory may not be integrated directly with the planogram. This means that employees have to go to two different places to check the planogram and to check inventory.
• Pricing: The pricing of products in many stores can also be accessed electronically, but it may not be integrated with the inventory or planogram. Prices change often, and if the pricing is not integrated with your planogram, it can take time to match the pricing to the products on the shelves and print the appropriate shelf tags.
• Shelf tag printing: Shelf tags must always show the accurate pricing and product information. For many retail stores, the design and printing of shelf tags is done separately and must be matched with the planogram.  This increases the amount of time it takes to print and implement accurate shelf tags with a higher chance of waste and employee error.
• Promotions: When promotions are handed down from management or a corporate office, the employees need to create the appropriate signage and other promotional materials to place in the right areas of the store. Once again, this can be time consuming if the promotional signage and materials are not integrated with the planogram and there is a higher risk of inaccurate signage.

Each of these elements listed here is an important part of planogram management.  However, under old systems, employees need to go to several different places to manage each element separately and then bring them together themselves on the sales floor.  This makes management a time-consuming process that distracts employees from helping customers and increases the risk of inefficiencies such as inaccurate or outdated signage and shelf labels and wasted materials from printing unnecessary signage and labels.

ECS⁵ Planogram Software

The ECS⁵ planogram software solution seamlessly integrates your planogram with product information, inventory, shelf labels and label printing, digital signage, planned promotions, and other elements necessary for the efficient management of your planogram.  ECS⁵ communicates with your inventory, active promotions, and sales data to help eliminate inefficiencies and optimize your store display and communications.

The visual merchandising capability of ECS⁵ simplifies planogram management and helps avoid inefficient upkeep of products on the shelves and shelf tags.  The streamlined layouts in ECS⁵ are easy to navigate and help maximize the shelf space within the store which creates a better experience for the customer.

The planogram information within ECS⁵ can be accessed from any mobile device.  This allows employees to quickly check prices and inventory on the floor and print new shelf tags and signage using mobile printers.  Streamlining management by harnessing the mobile capabilities of ECS⁵ will help eliminate inefficiencies and free employees to spend more time helping customers.

ECS⁵ includes the following planogram software features:

• Seamless integration with your merchandise information and store systems
• Easy to use interface for designing planograms and store layout
• High tech visualizations including 3D models and product images
• Access to inventory, pricing, product descriptions, and dimensions
• Store walk order label printing according to the planogram design
• Full compliance data reporting
• Tracking of foot traffic, heat maps, and other key metrics
• Adjustable pricing, signage, and store promotion planning based on performance data

Planogram Software from ECS Global Inc.

With ECS⁵, you can eliminate inefficiencies in planogram management by integrating your design with your inventory, promotions, sales data, and shelf tag and label design and printing.  Streamlining management will ensure accurate, up to date communication while reducing the time spent managing shelf tags and product placement.

For more about how ECS⁵ can help you streamline planogram management, contact our professionals at ECS Global Inc.