shelfmanagement

ShelfManagement is the practice of planning, tracking, and optimizing the use of shelf space for products in retail stores and warehouses. It aims to improve product visibility, accessibility, and stock accuracy by aligning physical placement with merchandising goals and operational constraints. It often combines space planning, slotting, replenishment, and labeling.

Key components include slotting (assigning products to specific shelf locations), planogram compliance, replenishment planning, and shelf labeling. Shelf data collection—via manual checks, barcode or RFID scans, or image-based analytics—supports stock levels, pricing accuracy, and shelf-life management for perishable goods.

The goals are to maximize space utilization, reduce stockouts and overstocks, improve on-shelf availability, and enable data-driven merchandising. Benefits include faster replenishment, better inventory accuracy, consistent product presentation, and improved customer satisfaction.

Shelf management systems often integrate with enterprise resource planning (ERP), warehouse management systems (WMS), and point of sale (POS) data. They rely on data sources such as sales history, planograms, and shelf scans, using rules or predictive analytics to optimize placement and timing.

Implementation considerations include defining roles across merchandising, store operations, and supply chain; standardizing SKUs and shelf locations; and establishing regular audits. Common challenges are planogram deviations, promotions, seasonal changes, and perishability that require dynamic adjustments.

See also: planogram, inventory management, warehouse management system.