Choosing Retail Space Planning Software: Features That Actually Matter
Want to squeeze more sales out of the same store space?
Every retailer wants shelves that sell. After all, a smart store layout leads to:
- Happier shoppers
- Higher sales per square foot
Here’s the problem:
Most retailers plan their store space using intuition, outdated spreadsheets and a tape measure. Not the smartest way when it adds up quickly.
Bad space planning quietly eats your profits.
Solution: Retail Space Planning Software. However, not all programs are created equal. Some come loaded down with flashy features you will never use… and lack the essentials you can’t live without.
This guide highlights what you should care about in retail space planning software features. Choose wisely the first time.
Time to jump in!
Here’s What’s Inside:
- What Is Retail Space Planning Software?
- Why Does Your Store Need It?
- 6x Features That Actually Matter
- Features You Can Safely Ignore
- How To Pick The Right Tool
What Is Retail Space Planning Software?
Retail space planning software allows you to determine the placement of every product, shelf and fixture in your store.
Think of it like a digital map of your shop floor.
No more dragging heavy shelves around to “see how it looks.” You map everything out on screen first. Quality retail space planning software allows you to create planograms, experiment with store layouts and align shelf space to actual sales data before you move one product.
It helps you answer questions like:
- Which products deserve eye-level shelves?
- How much space should each category get?
- Where should new stock go?
Pretty handy, right?
Why Does Your Store Need It?
Empty shelves and overflowing shelves are flip sides of the same coin. Both empty you out of money.
And the numbers are huge…
IHL Group estimates that annual global retailer losses from out-of-stock and overstock amount to roughly 6.2% of global retail sales. That’s approximately $1.7 trillion.
True, not all of that stems from ineffective shelf planning. But much of it begins on the floor. Products can get misplaced, shortchanged on space or relegated to the stockroom when they belong on display.
Here’s why this matters:
Stocking shelves based on customer purchases increases sales and reduces waste. Space plan software allows you to do this easily without endless hours of guesswork.
6x Features That Actually Matter
Alright now for the good stuff. Choose a tool that has these 6x features and you will be golden.
Easy Planogram Builder
A planogram is a basic diagram displaying the location of products on a shelf.
Your software should enable you to build these quickly. Look for drag-and-drop functionality, extensive product library and one-click shelf fill. If it takes your team hours to build 1x planogram… it’s too difficult to use.
Tip: Request a demo and spend 10 minutes building a planogram yourself. You will quickly see if the tool is a fit for you.
Sales Data Integration
This is the most important feature on the list…
Design your space plan around what sells, not what looks good. Ideally your space planning tool should integrate with your point of sale (POS) data. That way you know which products earn their keep and which ones don’t.
Why? Because shelf space is your scarcest commodity. Every inch should be fighting.
Data-driven retailers are gaining an edge as well. According to Chain Store Age, retailers who use Artificial Intelligence and machine learning experience 2.3 times higher sales growth than their competitors.
That’s a gap you can’t afford to ignore.
2D And 3D Store Views
Flat floor plans are fine. But 3D views are better.
Walkthroughs allow you to view your store from a shoppers perspective. You’ll notice issues early. Blocked aisles, cluttered displays and dead spaces will be apparent.
It makes aligning your team much easier too. Pictures speak louder than spreadsheets.
Multi-Store Management
Running more than one store? Then this one is a must.
Every store is unique. Varying layouts, equipment, customers. Your POS software should allow you to:
- Create store-specific layouts
- Group similar stores together
- Push changes to lots of stores at once
If you don’t do this you will copy and paste this plan into hundreds of files. That is how errors occur.
Store Compliance Tracking
A great plan is useless if nobody follows it.
Compliance tools allow store teams to check off each task and upload images of completed shelves. Head office can quickly identify which stores have complied and which ones may need assistance.
Easy peasy right? It bridges the gap between screen and shelf reality.
Clear Reports
Your software should tell you if your changes are actually working.
Search out reports that detail sales by shelf, sales by square footage and category performance. Keep it simple….. If someone has to be a data guru to read your reports, they will go unused.
Bonus: Tools that allow you to show your “before” and “after” layouts side by side. Great for visually demonstrating which changes were winners.
Features You Can Safely Ignore
This one might surprise you…
Lots of tools brag about bells and whistles. Virtual reality tours, thousands of templates and confusing features you’ll never use.
They look impressive in a demo. But most retailers rarely use them.
Prioritize the 6x core features first and foremost. If a tool has those mastered, any bells and whistles are gravy. If it doesn’t have those, no amount of bells and whistles will compensate.
How To Pick The Right Tool
Choosing retail space planning software doesn’t have to be hard. Follow these steps:
- List your must-have features: use the six above as your starting point.
- Check it works with your systems: especially your POS and stock systems.
- Book a demo: and bring real store data with you.
- Get your team to use it: those who use it day in day out should love it.
- Ask about support and training: good help makes setup much faster.
Tip: Price is important, but shouldn’t be the only factor. A tool your team dislikes just because its inexpensive will end up costing you more money.
Bringing It All Home
Retail space planning software can help make your shelves your best salesperson. Only if you pick a tool with useful features.
To quickly recap, look for:
- An easy planogram builder
- Sales data integration
- 2D and 3D store views
- Multi-store management
- Compliance tracking
- Clear reports
Forget bells & whistles. Keep it simple. Prototype before you manufacture… and let sales analytics drive your merchandising decisions.
If you nail these two, your store planning will be much easier.