Guide · 5 min read
How many facings? Sizing shelf space to sales and deliveries
Too few facings and the best sellers run out between deliveries. Too many and slow movers sit there taking space. The right number is arithmetic, not habit.
The formula
Shelf capacity = facings × units deep (× units high, if stacked). That capacity should cover sales until the next delivery, plus safety stock.
Facings = ceil( (daily sales × days between deliveries × (1 + safety)) ÷ units deep ).
Example: 6 units a day, delivered every 7 days, 20% safety, 8 units deep → 6 × 7 × 1.2 ÷ 8 = 6.3 → 7 facings.
Caps that keep it sane
- A minimum: usually 1 facing (2 for a key line) so a product is visible.
- A maximum per product, so one item can’t swallow a shelf.
- A depth limit: very thin packs can stand dozens deep; cap it so the shelf doesn’t hide a month of stock.
- Case pack: capacity below one case means a half-empty shelf after every delivery.
Days of supply on the plan
Showing days of supply next to each product makes problems obvious: anything under the delivery cycle will run out; anything over 60 days is likely over-spaced.
How EazyPlano does it
EazyPlano sizes facings from the selected store’s sales, the shelf depth and each pack’s depth, with sensible caps, then fits the shelf. When there is spare space, it goes to the products that would run out soonest.
By the WhyNotGlobal team, makers of EazyPlano.