Guide · 8 min read
How to create a planogram, step by step
Whether you draw it by hand or let software do it, a planogram is built in the same order. Here is the method, and where each step usually goes wrong.
1. Describe the fixture
Measure the bay: width (US bays are usually 4 ft), height, shelf depth and the number of shelves. Note pegboards, coolers and anything that changes what can go where. Save it — you will reuse the same bay many times.
2. Gather sales and product data
- Unit sales per product for the store (or cluster), ideally 13–52 weeks.
- Product dimensions: height, width and depth of one unit. Missing sizes are the most common blocker.
- Case pack and delivery frequency, to size facings.
- Optionally margin, to break ties between similar sellers.
3. Choose the products
Rank products by sales, then how many stores sell them and how steady they are. Keep what earns its place; leave off rare buys and items that are being discontinued. Expect to fit fewer products than the category has — that is the point.
4. Size the facings
Give each product enough facings that facings × depth covers sales until the next delivery plus safety stock. Cap it: a product shouldn’t take more than it can sell. See our guide on facings and days of supply for the formula.
5. Zone the shelves
Put best sellers at eye level, heavy and bulky items on the bottom shelf, small light boxes up top. Hanging packs go on pegboards; chilled and frozen products into coolers and freezers.
6. Block and fit
Group by category, then by brand, left to right, so the shelf reads clearly. Then fit every shelf: the facings must add up to the shelf width, and the shelf height must clear the tallest product. Give leftover inches to the best sellers.
7. Review, publish, check
Look at space-to-sales by category, adjust, lock what must not move. Publish to the store with a set-up checklist and shelf labels, and ask for a photo afterwards to check compliance.
Doing it in EazyPlano
Steps 3–6 happen in about a second. You choose the fixture and the sales basis; EazyPlano builds the planogram, the AI assistant reviews it, and you edit by drag and drop. The opening order, labels and decks come out of the same plan.
By the WhyNotGlobal team, makers of EazyPlano.