Merchandising audit (Perfect Store)
This page shows you how to run an in-store shelf check — the "Perfect Store" audit — and what its score means.
The merchandising audit (also called Perfect Store) is the in-store check that measures whether your products are really winning on the shelf: in stock, well placed, correctly priced, and properly promoted. You run it during a visit, on your phone, and it produces a single compliance score and a Green / Amber / Red band.
Note: This audit is the heart of Modern Trade. It measures real in-store execution — not just the orders you book. See the Modern Trade overview.
Why the audit matters
An order tells you what an outlet bought. It doesn't tell you whether your products are actually on the shelf where shoppers can buy them. The merchandising audit closes that gap: it checks the shelf itself, so your organization can see real execution outlet by outlet, rep by rep, and territory by territory.
What you check
The audit is seeded from the outlet's must-sell list (MSL) — the set of products it must stock (see Must-sell lists). For each must-sell SKU (a SKU is one specific sellable product) you record:
- Available? — is it on the shelf right now.
- Facings — how many of its fronts face the shopper.
- Shelf price vs target — does the price on the shelf match the expected price.
On top of the per-product checks, you score the overall shelf:
- Placement — is the product in the right spot.
- Planogram — does the layout match the agreed plan.
- POSM — are the point-of-sale materials (posters, shelf strips, displays) deployed.
- Visibility — is the product easy to see and find.
- Promotion execution — for each applicable promotion, you confirm it was actually executed and tick the POSM that should be deployed.
📷 [SHOT: merchandising-audit-1] — mobile — Shelf audit checklist with per-SKU availability, facings, and shelf price — caption: "Check each must-sell product on the shelf: available, facings, and price."
How to run an audit
flowchart TD
A[Start the visit] --> B[Open Audit shelf]
B --> C[Check each must-sell SKU]
C --> D[Available? Facings? Shelf price?]
D --> E[Score placement, planogram, POSM, visibility]
E --> F[Confirm promotions executed + POSM deployed]
F --> G[Add photos]
G --> H[Save the audit]
H --> I[See compliance score & band]
- Start the visit at the outlet.
- From the ongoing visit, tap Audit shelf.
- Check each must-sell SKU — mark available or not, count facings, and record the shelf price.
- Score the shelf — placement, planogram, POSM, and visibility.
- Confirm promotions — for each applicable promotion, confirm it was executed and tick the deployed POSM.
- Add photos as proof.
- Save the audit. The app calculates the compliance score and band.
Tip: Take clear shelf photos. They back up your scores and help your manager see what you saw.
The compliance score and band
When you finish, the audit rolls everything up into a compliance score — an overall measure of how close this outlet is to the "Perfect Store" standard. The score maps to a band:
- Green — the outlet is in good shape.
- Amber — some issues; needs attention.
- Red — failing; act on it.
Best practice: Don't just record a Red and move on. Fix what you can on the spot — straighten facings, put up POSM, flag a price — so the next audit is better.
Note: Managers see audit results rolled up across reps and territories, including component averages and the Red-band outlets that need the most help.