Planogram basics: a simple retail shelf example explained

A planogram is a drawing of one shelving unit that shows which product goes on which shelf, where it sits from left to right, and how many units face the customer. That is the whole planogram definition: a plan for a shelf, drawn before anyone touches the stock.

A small shop can draw one with a pencil and a tape measure, and the result is a shelf that someone else can stock the same way next week.

What does a planogram look like

Most planograms show a front view of a single fixture, such as a 4 ft gondola section with four shelves. Each product is a labeled block on its shelf, repeated once for every facing. A facing is one unit visible at the front of the shelf; three facings means three identical units side by side, with the rest of the stock behind them.

The parts of a planogram are the same on paper or on a screen:

• The fixture: the shelving unit, with its width and the number of shelves.
• The shelves: numbered from the top down, each with a usable width and a clearance height.
• The products: identified by name or SKU, each with a width so the row can be checked for fit.
• The facings: how many units of each product sit at the front of the shelf.
• The positions: where each product starts, measured from the left edge of the shelf.

Some drawings add notes, price tag positions or a color key by brand. The planogram meaning does not change with the level of detail: it is still an instruction for how one shelf should look.

A four-shelf example, annotated

This is a fictional example of a 4 ft breakfast section in a small grocery store. Rows run from the top shelf down, cells run from left to right, and the number after each product is its facings. The bracketed numbers point to the legend below.

The legend explains each annotated planogram marker:

1. Eye level. Shelf 2 sits at adult eye height, so it carries the products the store most wants noticed. The guide to shelf placement explains which products deserve this position.
2. Bottom shelf bulk. Shelf 4 carries the heavy and value-pack items. They are easier to lift from the floor, and shoppers who want the big bag will look down for it.
3. Brand blocking. All three products on shelf 1 come from the same brand, grouped in one block so the shelf reads as a single section.
4. Facings count. Corn flakes get four facings because they sell fastest. The facings guide shows how to work that number out from sales.
5. Price tag position. Each tag sits on the shelf edge directly under the first facing of its product, so tags do not drift away from the products they describe.

A real planogram adds product widths so each row can be checked against the shelf. If the shelf is 120 cm wide and each corn flakes facing is 20 cm, four facings take 80 cm. The shelf measuring guide covers how to take those numbers.

What are planograms used for

A planogram is used for three things. It sets a shelf for the first time, resets it after a range change, and checks that a shelf still matches the plan.

Grocery suppliers and category managers draw planograms to control how a category is presented across many stores. Cornell's Food Industry Management Program trains people in this kind of food retail management, and the USDA Economic Research Service tracks the retail sector those planograms are drawn for.

Why do stores use planograms

Stores use planograms because shelf space is limited and decisions about it are easy to lose. Without a drawing, each person who restocks the shelf makes their own choices. With a drawing, the owner decides once and the staff follow it.

For a small shop the gains are consistency between staff, faster restocking, and an easier check for gaps.

Planogram vs store layout

A store layout is the floor plan: where the aisles, fixtures, checkout and door sit, seen from above. A planogram is one fixture seen from the front. The layout says where a shelving unit stands; the planogram says what sits on each of its shelves.

Draw your first one by hand

A planogram for beginners needs no software:

1. Measure the fixture: its width and the clearance height of each shelf.
2. Measure the width of each product you want on it.
3. Draw the shelves as horizontal lines on a sheet of paper, top shelf first.
4. Write each product on its shelf with its facings, and add up the widths to confirm the row fits.
5. Mark the eye-level shelf and the bottom shelf, then note where price tags go.

If you would rather type it, the free planogram builder arranges products across up to six shelves, checks horizontal fit in centimeters, and prints or downloads the result without an account.

Common beginner mistakes

• Skipping product widths, so the drawing cannot show whether the row fits.
• Giving every product the same facings instead of matching facings to sales.
• Putting slow sellers at eye level because they look tidy there.
• Spreading one brand across several shelves so the section reads as clutter.
• Drawing the planogram and never checking the shelf against it afterward.

Where Headoffis fits

In Headoffis, a planogram belongs to a store and a fixture. You open Planograms, choose New planogram, pick the store and fixture, and start blank or from a starter layout. Press + on a library product or drag it onto a shelf. Select a placement to change its shelf, its position from the left edge, its facings, or its note.

The editor flags a row that runs past the shelf width, overlapping placements, a product too tall or too deep for its shelf, and unconfirmed measurements. A planogram cannot be approved until every check is clear. Once approved, it appears in Tasks as a checklist that runs from the top shelf down and left to right. The help article on building a planogram walks through the steps. Headoffis costs US$29 per business per month including five active people, then US$5 per additional person, with locations included.

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