Criteria for Retail Execution Solutions

The shelf is where category strategy either wins or quietly leaks revenue.

Plans and planograms matter, but the real question is simple: Are they actually being executed in-store?

For many CPGs, retail execution is the missing insight. It is the gap between what was planned and what the shopper actually sees.

With so many solutions now claiming to monitor shelf conditions, how should CPG leaders decide what is worth their time, money, and trust?

Five Criteria to Evaluate Retail Execution Solutions

Dr. Brian Harris, widely recognized as one of the creators of category management, suggests looking at five critical criteria:

Speed: Can results come back in real time so teams can fix issues immediately?
Accuracy: Does the solution work in real-world retail conditions, not just in controlled environments?
Relevancy: Do the insights lead to actions that actually improve business results?
Scale: Can the solution work across retailers, categories, markets, and store formats?
Repeatability: Can it reliably track performance over time, spot trends, and improve execution?

The Future of Category Management

The future of category management will not be won by better plans alone. It will be won by knowing, with confidence, what is happening at the shelf and acting fast enough to change the outcome.

Watch Dr. Brian Harris discuss the criteria and why it matters: