Why are category resets so *dang hard?

First let’s review what a Category Reset is:

A category reset, sometimes known as a merchandising reset, or a re-align is the process of rearranging the products in store (on shelf /on display) in each category (i.e., soups, self care, or candy). This process optimizes product placement on shelves. It’s an important part of the category management process, as resets are all about improving the performance of a category.

Why do retailers do Category resets?

A category reset is the process of rearranging or replacing fixtures, shelves, stand-alone units, merchandise etc., ultimately to make a retail business more navigable. For any store having troubles with their inventory turnover, a category reset might be what they need to turn things around.

How much will a store spend doing a Category Reset?

Category resets take more time than most people think, and the costs can add up. The range varies a lot depending on the level of difficulty. At the high end of the difficulty scale, first-time vitamin resets can cost $525 per store for a 150-item reset.

So why are they hard?

Firstly, resets are not always done in the middle of the night. They are most likely done during a weekday while shoppers are still shopping in store. They also take a significant amount of time. For example, a Cosmetic brand can own about 72 feet of shelf space at your local Drug Mart. Not only is a merchandiser trying to organize a 72-foot wall of teeny tiny cosmetic items but all that shelf space also includes numerous brands.

Secondly, when it comes to resets, most consumer are imagining the shelves, or the shelf fixtures are all staying in the same place. What if they weren’t? What if all the shelves needed to be moved a half of inch to the left?

Thirdly, not only do products need to be moved and changed, but so do all those pricing tags, strips or in cosmetics UPC codes. Woo! 72 ft of shelving space means thousands of shelf strips that may not be available at the beginning of the reset, or better yet are made of out of materials that tear easily (which happens more than you might think).

The fourth and final reason category resets are harder than one would expect is most merchandisers are using a big black and white printed planogram. These printed (on paper) planograms are only including new items and their placement but also including tons of instructions on how the shelves need to be set, where the new display cases are going as well as which items or products are being removed and replaced.

What if I told you we have an app that can help. It can remove paper planograms altogether, including pages and pages of instruction manuals.

The AS Merchandising App is a game changer. Love to demo the product for you and your team.