Generated with the assistance of AI.
Looking at retail shelves can provide useful input for an export offer. Comparable observations require a plan, however. A few photographs from one store show a small part of the market rather than a complete category picture.
Define the question and choose your stores
Decide what you need to learn. Are you exploring room for a new variant, price positioning or the presence of competing brands? Select store formats and locations relevant to your intended sales channel. Record the date and scope of each visit.
Record more than the price
Note the brand, variant, weight or volume, packaging and price. Distinguish regular and promotional prices when possible. Compare different pack sizes using the same unit, such as price per kilogram or litre.
Look at assortment breadth and shelf placement as well. Document observations only as permitted by the store, and do not fill gaps in the data with guesses.
Separate observation from interpretation
A missing product during one visit does not prove that the retailer does not stock it. Visible shelf space does not establish sales volume. Separate what was observed from hypotheses that need to be tested with a partner.
Turn findings into a better sales conversation
Return to your offer after the research. Which variants should you show the buyer? How would your product complement the existing assortment? Which price and packaging assumptions need further validation?
A useful store check helps you ask better questions and explain your proposition more clearly. It works best as part of broader market research, with its limitations made explicit.
Explore how we can help: Store checks.
Apply the insight to your business.
Discuss a specific market or challenge in an export consultation.
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