Getting on the shelf is half the job. Staying stocked, faced and visible is the other half, and it is where most brands lose. Retail merchandising services cover that second half. Here is what they include and why they matter.

What merchandising actually covers

Merchandising is the work at the shelf after the sale to the store: setting the planogram, facing and rotating stock, restocking from the back, fixing out-of-stocks, building displays, and checking dates and tags. A product that is sold in but sitting in the back room sells nothing. Merchandising turns distribution into sales.

Why the shelf decides the sale

Shoppers decide at the shelf, in seconds. An out-of-stock, a buried facing or a missing price tag loses the sale to the product next to it. Retailers already fight this: 70 to 80 percent of new products fail in their first year, by Oregon State University's count, and poor shelf presence is part of why. Good merchandising is cheap insurance on everything you spent to get listed.

What to expect from a distributor who merchandises

Not every distributor merchandises. The ones that do send reps into stores on a schedule to set and maintain your shelf, build seasonal displays, and report back. Eagle's Spotlight merchandising does this for the stores we serve, with shippers, displays and in-store support. Ask any distribution partner whether merchandising is included or extra.

The bottom line

Distribution gets you on the shelf. Merchandising keeps you selling from it. Treat the two as one job. Eagle pairs distribution to 500+ independent stores with Spotlight merchandising and sales support. Partner with Eagle, or call 773 775 5777.