Start with the Job, Not the Layout
Before we design a bay, we ask what it’s actually supposed to do. Build brand recognition? Help shoppers compare? Guide a decision? Each answer points to a different layout.
Vertical Merchandising Builds Brand Recognition
If the job is brand recognition, vertical merchandising wins. Stack a line top to bottom, and the whole range is visible at a glance.
Horizontal Merchandising Makes Comparison Easy
If the job is comparison, horizontal merchandising wins. Group products by type in bands across the shelf so shoppers can scan across brands easily. Shelf signage keeps each brand’s identity clear within its band.
For either vertical or horizontal merchandising, we figure out which one a bay needs before we touch the layout because the layout should match what shoppers are actually trying to do in that part of the store.
Layer in Good-Better-Best Tiering
Once the base layout is set, we add good-better-best tiering wherever it’ll cut down decision friction. This doesn’t require three separate sub-brands. Most of the time it’s basic, mid-tier and premium SKUs within one product line, merchandised so the three tiers read clearly without anyone needing to pick up a package and read it.
Where we place those tier breaks matters, too. We position them to reduce friction and support margin goals, putting the highest-margin tier where it gets the most visual attention.
The Payoff: A Shelf that Sells and Guides
Get the logic right, and a bay does two things at once: It’s easier to navigate, and it performs better on the SKUs the brand actually wants to move. That’s usually where the lift comes from – the shelf doing double duty as both a brand statement and a decision guide.
Want to talk through merchandising strategy for your shelf sets? Reach out to us using the form below.