Best planogram software for retail and CPG manufacturers in 2023

Here is a review of the top 6 merchandising automation programs.*

This list is based on both our research and market feedback

Introduction to planogram software

Assortment planning and efficient merchandise display layout are among the most important elements in category management and require diligence and focus at every stage. 

Managing merchandising in several stores isn’t a difficult task if you understand customer preferences, how to manage sales promotions, and how to produce planograms. 

However, managing the retail chain is a completely different game and requires a combination of the same skills and tools:

• Allow automation of space planning and generate store-specific planograms for every category;
• Allow development and scheduling of planograms in advance to meet anticipated seasonal, marketing and assortment changes, etc.;
• Ensure prompt two-way communication between headquarters and retail locations;
• Provide transparency in planogram task completion at any time at every location. 
• Create alignment and ensure seamless communication between the headquarters and branches, category, merchandising and store managers.

TOP cloud planogram program providers

The planogram software market is responsive to business needs on process automation. Therefore, an abundance of solutions are available today, and it makes the selection of the "best fit" a very challenging task. 

The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the most popular offers that feature: 

• planogram creation;
• communication capabilities; 
• continuous performance optimization. 

LEAFIO AI Planogram Optimization Solution

Web: https://www.leafio.ai/planogram-optimization-solution

LEAFIO has been developing cloud solutions for retail optimization for over ten years now. Planogram software from LEAFIO AI is the only end-to-end macro and micro space planning solution in today's list. It includes: 

• Macro and micro configurators generate 2D floor plans and populate them with 3D fixtures from the pre-configured fixture and containers template library. Planograms can be generated automatically by applying proprietary and configurable algorithms based on assortment, volume, price, sales, turnover, priority, and dimensions data that will produce financially and visually efficient store-specific planograms;
• A built-in planner for future layout design, modification, and timely distribution to all retail locations;
• A single planogram optimization environment that aligns all managerial levels: from the head office that creates planograms, plans tasks and monitors performance to local managers who participate in planogram implementation and can communicate in real-time via a native mobile app.
• Mobile app for store employees: to receive tasks for planogram execution and send photo reports of the shelves so the head office could compare the display with the planogram.
• Extensive analytical reports on the effectiveness of new planograms and planogram modifications, sales and margin performance, user activity heat maps, and assortment optimization insights.
• Performance-oriented technical support and customer success services.

LEAFIO Solution supports an unlimited number of users and is suitable for CPG manufacturers, distributors, and retail businesses of any size. It takes approximately four months to implement Leafio Shelf Efficiency Solution, and the developers aim to maximize the product’s economic benefit for clients through a monthly subscription. LEAFIO’s unique feature is its customer interaction policy, according to many users. The price of the product depends on the number of stores and the size of the assortment and is a good value for its wide functionality, which sets it apart from similar solutions on the market.

Overall, this product provides an integrated macro and micro space planning and management integration designed to generate planograms for better financial performance and fast execution efficiently. Its capabilities, ease of use, and pricing are equally suitable for all types of retail chains, large or small.

DotActiv 

Web: www.dotactiv.com

DotActiv has been an active market player for over 30 years and currently features:

1. Store plan creation. 2D plans are generated with a schematic visualization similar to the official floor plan diagrams. The functionality includes a customer action heat map with sales analysis that allows for space optimization and reduction of congestion in the supermarkets during rush hours;
2. 2D layouts of goods with fixture sales performance analysis. In addition, customers are offered planogram automation capabilities based on a list of criteria (category, brand, size, etc.). Planograms connected to the floor plans;
3. Planograms are sent to employees in the field via the Activ8 tool, while the layout control at the locations is completed with a mobile application’s photos of realograms and a reference to the generated planograms. This allows the headquarters to check and verify task completion quickly;
4. Operational retail task scheduling and management tool.

DotActiv offers a free trial for up to 20 users. The cost of the product depends on the number of users. DotActiv also provides space planning outsourcing services. 

Overall, DotActiv has reasonably extensive capabilities in terms of planogramming software. However, there is a feeling of some fragmentation and an asynchronous aspect to its features. In particular, the lack of a planogram implementation status dashboard, the availability of reporting tools for field controllers vs. merchandisers at the store, etc. 

RELEX Solutions

Web: www.relexsolutions.com

RELEX offers several separate products: 

• Planogram and retail space planning - features 2D planogram generation and space planning with remote access to them by merchandisers and local management, as well as the ability to replenish products at a specific location; 
• An assortment planning tool - allows employees at the store to suggest assortment changes based on the planogram data; 
• A program and application for communication between field staff and the central office of the retail chain - enables task creation, execution, and implementation monitoring in a different environment. 

According to user reviews of RELEX's planogram software on gartner.com, the product lacks synchronization of planograms and overall retail space plans. In addition, users identify the ease of deployment, quality of technical support, and communication with the help desk as mediocre, along with conclusions about the need for in-depth and detailed training on the platform's capabilities. This can cause additional challenges for employees and the management of smaller retail chains, leading to the conclusion that the platform is more suitable for large players in the retail world.

Symphony RetailAI

Web: www.symphonyretailai.com

Symphony RetailAI has been on the market for about as long as DotActiv. The planogram software consists of:

• A retail space clustering tool that offers artificial intelligence that selects the optimal mix of core and supplementary assortment at each point of sale, taking into account inventory levels based on customer demand levels;
• An assortment optimizer that tracks and learns user behavior in the store for better product placement; 
• A planogram tool that makes it possible to create 2D layouts of the equipment by incorporating into the planogram the recommendations for the best placement of products, taking into account the rules of article compatibility and the general rules of planogram design;
• Web programs for automated optimization of planograms that allows for the reduction of the number of routine processes and quickly send planograms for realization;
• Shelf Intelligence is a realogram recognition system that allows actions to be organized to improve the conformity of the realogram to the planogram (examples include creating a list of products that are not in stock on equipment, moving irrelevant products, or replacing the wrong price tags and promotional stickers).

The Symphony RetailAI functional description fails to explain how the permanent feedback between the main office and retail outlets on task fulfilment is supported (except for the realogram recognition tool) and how daily operations planning is organized in the system.

NielsenIQ - Spaceman

Web: nielseniq.com

This planogram software is part of the Nielsen Holdings family of products. The company traces its history back to 1923 and is named after one of the forefathers of retail analytics, Arthur Nielsen. 

Spaceman provides planogram generation capabilities and ensures efficient layout arrangement on the shelf with semi-automatic planogram generation, while NielsenIQ Shelf Architect synchronizes planograms and store plans. Store plans are displayed in a Smart Store tool with a 360-degree view. Analytics include charts for key performance tracking, planogram executions, and plan change indicators.

NielsenIQ capabilities are quite extensive, but based on their description, they are not integrated into a single platform. Also, the description of these products does not disclose the communication inconsistencies between the points of sale and the headquarters. According to gartner.com reviews, this company’s programs are more suitable for small retail chains and are not universally adaptable in functionality for different business sizes. In addition, if you choose this product, you may have problems synchronizing the product with an ERP system. This is not surprising since Nielsen Holdings’ main specialization is, after all, market research and development of marketing tools. 

Scorpion Planogram

Web: scorpionplanogram.com

Scorpion Planogram is a solution developed by Retail Smart, a company operating for 15 years. Scorpion Planogram is just one module of the Scorpion One solution. Using it, retailers get the following features:

• Planogram generation: 2d and 3d features, planogram automation, and analytics
• Space planning and its analytics
• Scorpion Viewer - a tool for visual analysis of the planogram used for feedback and planogram implementation. The feature is released within the web version of the solution and provides access to all range and space planning material. However, it is hard to figure out in which way they control planogram compliance in the stores and whether it’s effective on-site.

Summary

The majority of the leading solutions are geared toward large retail businesses. In contrast, only a few solutions are suitable for medium and small retail and are flexible and configurable enough to serve their needs.

Related:
Planograms: Definition and importance in visual merchandising

Almost all solutions feature layout and store plan optimization, but some of them are "stuck" in outdated 2D-modeling technologies, while others offer built-in 3D capabilities.

A few vendors offer solutions that consist of several separate tools that lack synchronization, and this might result in slower and less efficient performance.