How to measure a shelf for a planogram

Most layout problems start with a tape measure. A shelf that is sold as 48 inches wide but has 46 inches of usable space will turn a tidy plan into products that hang off the edge.

Whether you plan one run of small store shelving or a full row of gondolas, below are the four numbers a planogram needs from a fixture, how to take each one, and the gondola sizes you are likely to find.

The planogram measurements you need

A planogram draws one fixture and the products on it. Every placement depends on four numbers from that fixture. They are usable width, usable depth, the vertical gap between shelves, and the number of shelves. Products need three numbers of their own: width, height and depth, measured as the package sits facing the customer. Width sets how much of the shelf one facing takes, height is checked against the gap above the shelf, and depth decides how many units fit front to back.

Write each number down as you take it, with the unit beside it. A tape that reads in centimeters and a note that says 120 with no unit is how a 120 cm shelf ends up planned as 120 inches.

How to measure shelf space

Measure a fixture that is set up in the store, not the catalog page.

1. Measure the width between the inside edges of the two uprights, at shelf height.
2. Subtract anything that takes up room on the shelf: dividers, price-strip clips, or a fence at one end.
3. Measure the depth of each shelf from back to front.
4. Measure the gap between each shelf and the one above it.
5. Count the shelves, including the base deck if products sit on it.

Measure the usable shelf depth

Measure from the back of the shelf to the front lip. If a back panel or pegboard sits inside the shelf, measure from that instead. Depth decides how many units fit front to back, so a small error here changes the count for every product on the shelf. A 2 inch deep box on a 16 inch deep shelf fits 8 deep; on a 14 inch shelf it fits 7.

Check the shelf clearance

Clearance is the gap from the top of one shelf to the underside of the shelf above it. Measure the smallest gap on the fixture and leave an inch or so for a hand to lift a product out. If your shelves are set at different heights, write down each gap and plan your tallest products for the shelf with the most room.

Gondola shelving sizes

A gondola is a freestanding run of shelving with a base deck, uprights and adjustable shelves on one or both sides. Manufacturers sell it in sections, and the sizes below are common catalog options, not a fixed standard. Measure your own.

The figures come from the Mobico double-sided gondola spec page and an island gondola kit listing for Lozier fixtures. Note how the overall depth of a two-sided island (35 inches) is not the depth one side's shelves give you. Published gondola shelf dimensions describe the steel, and the space a product can use is always a little less.

Is there a standard shelf height?

No. Gondola heights run from about 48 to 96 inches, and shelves on the uprights adjust in small steps, so each store sets its own. What does matter is reach. The 2010 ADA Standards give an unobstructed forward reach range of 15 to 48 inches above the floor. They require self-service store shelves to sit on an accessible route but do not require every shelf to be within that range. Products placed above 48 inches are harder for some customers to reach.

How deep are grocery store shelves?

On the common gondolas above, the base deck is about 16 inches deep and upper shelves are often a little shallower, such as 14 inches on the Mobico sample unit. Deeper shelves suit bulk packs and shallower ones suit small items. Check yours: a back panel, a fence or a label rail can take an inch or more off what the catalog lists.

How to count linear feet of shelf space

Linear footage is the shelf width multiplied by the number of shelves, measured along the front edge. It is the usual way to compare how much room a category gets across fixtures of different shapes.

Worked example: a 4 ft gondola section has a base deck and four upper shelves. That is 5 shelves, so one side gives 5 × 4 = 20 linear feet. A two-sided island of three such sections gives 20 × 3 × 2 = 120 linear feet. The figure counts running length only, so the planogram still needs depth and clearance for every shelf.

Enter the numbers and confirm them

In headoffis, a fixture is a type of shelving unit, such as a 4 ft grocery gondola. You describe it once by its usable width, depth, clearance and number of shelves (up to 12), then use it for as many planograms and store-map locations as you need. You can enter sizes in inches, centimeters or millimeters. headoffis spaces shelves evenly, so enter the smallest gap you measured.

Once a fixture's or product's numbers are checked against the real thing, mark them as confirmed. The layout checks flag a row that runs past the shelf width, a product too tall for the gap above it or too deep for the shelf, and any fixture or product whose measurements are still unconfirmed. A planogram cannot be approved until every check is clear. The checks cover fit and overlap only, not weight limits or how the fixture is installed.

Common measuring mistakes

• Measuring the outside of the fixture instead of the space between the uprights.
• Taking depth from the catalog when a back panel or pegboard sits inside the shelf.
• Measuring the clearance on one shelf and assuming the rest match.
• Measuring the product on its side rather than as it faces the customer.
• Mixing inches and centimeters in one list without writing the unit.

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