Artificial Intelligence

Retail AI Solutions for Better Share of Shelf Execution

Ankit Singh
May 15, 2025
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Every year, the consumer goods industry pours over $200 billion into in-store promotions and retail execution, hoping to drive sales and boost in-store brand visibility. But here’s the reality: a large chunk of that investment goes to waste when products are missing, misplaced, or simply not showcased the right way. 

Your worst nightmare as a CPG brand is having your product hidden in the backroom or behind competitors while shoppers walk past an empty shelf.

Out-of-stocks, misplaced SKUs, and poorly implemented promotions are just some of the issues that hurt visibility and cost sales of your brand. You can’t always identify these issues quickly enough. Manual audits are slow, and field checks often leave blind spots unattended.

In this article, we’ll explore how you can take control of your CPG brand’s shelf health, safeguard market share and stop leaving sales on the table. 

‍

What Does Shelf Execution Mean for CPG Brands?

Shelf execution aligns your brand’s in-store product presence and its retail strategy. It answers critical questions: 

  • Are the right SKUs available at the right time in the right quantity? 
  • Are they placed as per the planogram? 
  • Are promotions executed correctly?

For your CPG brand, the responsibility for shelf execution lies entirely with your team, not the retailers. Retailers provide shelf space, but it’s up to you to ensure that your products are visible, compliant, and accessible to consumers. However, many CPG brands struggle to monitor their shelves consistently. 

Where Does Shelf Execution Break Down?

Without real-time visibility, it becomes difficult to catch issues as they occur. As a result, common execution problems often go unnoticed:

  • Missed facings and misplaced products: Items are shelved incorrectly or not given their allotted space.
  • Unnoticed stockouts: Products run out, but no one captures it in time.
  • Poor promotional compliance: Displays, price tags, or signage are missing or incorrect.
  • Lost share of shelf: Competitors gain more visibility due to execution gaps.

What Should an Effective Shelf Execution Cover?

To avoid these losses, shelf execution must be precise and proactive. Every store visit and image audit should capture the following components:

  • On-shelf stock availability: Products should always be present and clearly visible to shoppers.
  • Planogram compliance: Items must follow the defined layout, with correct placement and the correct number of facings.
  • Share of shelf tracking: A brand must monitor how much shelf space it occupies compared to competitors.
  • Promotion implementation: In-store offers, signage, and display stands must match campaign guidelines.

These tasks grow more complex as the distribution scales. Managing shelf conditions across hundreds or thousands of stores is not feasible with human effort alone. That’s why CPGs are turning to automation and AI for support.

ParallelDots’ ShelfWatch helps brands achieve consistent shelf execution by turning shelf images into accurate data. This makes compliance, stockouts, and visibility issues easy to track and fix. This real-time feedback loop enables faster interventions and better control at the store level.

‍

What AI-Powered Shelf Data Tells CPG Brands About Execution Gaps?

Shelf execution does not merely focus on capturing pictures but rather on what those pictures reveal. AI-powered shelf data allows CPG brands to turn the captured shelf images into structured, real-time data that helps spot gaps, track compliance, and take timely action. Here's how visual shelf data supports smarter retail execution:

1. From Store Images to Shelf Insights

Shelf execution begins with a simple step: field reps capture in-store photos. These images are uploaded to the platform, which runs them through its AI engine in real time.

From each image, the system extracts detailed shelf intelligence. Here’s what it identifies:

  • SKU presence and absence: Which products are available, which are missing, and whether all facings are accounted for.
  • Placement and positioning accuracy: Whether items are placed according to the planogram, including height, sequence, and block integrity.
  • Promotional material and shelf tags: Detect price tags, offers, signage, and displays, flagging missing or misaligned elements.

It’s scalable, reliable, and built specifically for the challenges of in-store CPG execution.

2. Monitoring Planogram Compliance in Real Time

Planograms define the expected layout of SKUs on retail shelves, down to the number of facings and product position. These layouts ensure consistency across locations, maximize product visibility, and reflect brand strategy. But they only work if executed properly at the store level.

Manual planogram checks are time-consuming and prone to errors. Without shelf-level data, CPG teams have no reliable way to confirm if stores are compliant. That’s where ParallelDots makes a difference.

The platform uses AI to analyze images taken by field teams and automatically compares them to reference planograms. It highlights exactly where execution breaks down. The system identifies:

  • SKUS are placed in the wrong position: Products are not positioned in their designated space in the planogram.
  • Missing or excess facings: Shelf space is over- or under-utilized, disrupting balance and visibility.
  • Shelf arrangements that don’t match planogram rules: Products from other brands or categories may be incorrectly occupying designated zones.

This real-time visibility enables category managers to detect issues immediately and ensure compliance across all retail locations. It also helps streamline corrective actions, preventing long-term loss of shelf share and brand inconsistency.

3. Measuring Share of Shelf Objectively

Shelf share is a critical metric for CPG brands, as it reflects the percentage of physical space their products occupy compared to competing brands within the same category. Greater shelf share usually translates to higher visibility, more consumer attention, and increased sales opportunities.

However, measuring this metric manually is difficult, inconsistent, and often biased. Field reps cannot accurately estimate shelf proportions across multiple stores and regions. 

AI-assisted Intelligent Photo Capture instantly analyzes shelf photos captured by field teams and calculates brand presence down to the SKU level, providing:

  • Brand-level shelf space measurements: Tracks exactly how much horizontal and vertical space a brand occupies on the shelf.
  • Comparative trends over time: Highlights whether a brand is gaining or losing shelf share week over week or month over month.
  • Store-wise and region-wise comparisons: Identify patterns and anomalies across retail outlets, helping CPGs focus on underperforming areas.

These insights allow CPG teams to evaluate the effectiveness of their retail execution strategies. If shelf share falls short of expectations, they can escalate issues with field reps, revisit trade agreements, or improve planogram compliance.

4. Ensuring Promotion Execution

Retail promotions are time-sensitive and investment-heavy, yet many fail at the store level due to poor execution. Campaign materials may be missing, prices may not reflect advertised discounts, or promotional stands might sit empty, leading to wasted budgets and missed sales targets.

CPG teams need real-time visibility into how promotions are being executed across stores. When field reps upload shelf images to the corporate dashboard, it verifies key promotional elements with precision:

  • Presence of promotional signage and banners: Confirms if all in-store visual materials are present and correctly positioned.
  • Product availability during the promotional window: Checks whether featured SKUs are in stock and visible during the campaign.
  • Correct pricing and shelf tag placement: Identifies mismatches between planned offers and actual shelf pricing or labels.

These insights give CPG brands confidence that their marketing investments are being implemented correctly. When issues are detected, teams can act immediately, whether it’s fixing pricing errors, replacing missing signage, or alerting merchandising partners.

5. Tracking New Product Launch Execution

Product launches are critical moments for CPG brands. Significant budgets go into packaging, promotions, and launch campaigns to ensure that new SKUs get the attention they deserve. However, once products hit the shelves, visibility often breaks down.

Without shelf-level data, CPGs cannot confirm whether the launch is happening as planned. To bridge this gap, brands can use a Power BI dashboard for customised reporting to cater to their unique visibility compliance standards and reporting needs.

Using AI-powered image recognition, ParallelDots verifies:

  • Presence of the new SKU on the shelf: Confirms that the product has reached stores and is physically available to shoppers.
  • Correct placement based on launch plan: Ensures the item is positioned according to planogram expectations or promotional layouts.
  • Sufficient number of facings: Checks if the product has the agreed shelf space to drive visibility and sales.

These insights are delivered quickly, enabling CPG teams to take corrective action during the launch window, not after. Field teams can act immediately if a store displays the product incorrectly.

‍

How Does ParallelDots Use AI to Turn Shelf Images into Scalable Execution Insights?

Visual shelf data allows CPG brands to monitor in-store shelf conditions in real time. Collecting and processing this data manually can be tedious, which is where ParallelDots adds value.

ParallelDots uses AI-powered image recognition to analyze retail shelf photos. Field reps take pictures using a mobile device. The AI then processes these images to deliver instant shelf insights. Here’s how the process supports smarter execution:

  • Image capture made easy: Reps don’t need technical expertise. They simply click photos of store shelves using a mobile app.
  • AI identifies SKUs and gaps: The platform detects product facings, misplaced items, stockouts, and planogram violations within seconds.
  • Immediate feedback for field teams: Reps receive instant reports that highlight execution issues, enabling them to address them before leaving the store.
  • Centralized shelf data for HQ teams: All shelf data is stored and organized for performance tracking across geographies, channels, and categories.
  • Seamless integration with workflows: Insights can be pushed into existing dashboards or Salesforce tools to inform action plans quickly.

This image-to-insight pipeline allows brands to audit more stores frequently without increasing field overhead. AI handles the complex processing, giving CPG teams reliable, actionable shelf data to improve execution at scale.

‍

Final Thoughts

Shelf execution is about making every inch of shelf space count. When shelf space is limited and every brand is fighting for attention, those that rely on guesswork fall behind. Brands using AI to capture real-time shelf data stay ahead.

ParallelDots gives CPG brands the power to see what’s really happening at the store level. From monitoring planogram compliance to verifying promotions and tracking share of shelf, every insight is backed by image-based data.

It’s scalable, fast, and built for teams that need reliable shelf intelligence across thousands of stores.

Take control of your shelf execution strategy with image-backed insights that drive real results. Book a free demo with ParallelDots and see how AI can transform your in-store execution.

Every year, the consumer goods industry pours over $200 billion into in-store promotions and retail execution, hoping to drive sales and boost in-store brand visibility. But here’s the reality: a large chunk of that investment goes to waste when products are missing, misplaced, or simply not showcased the right way. 

Your worst nightmare as a CPG brand is having your product hidden in the backroom or behind competitors while shoppers walk past an empty shelf.

Out-of-stocks, misplaced SKUs, and poorly implemented promotions are just some of the issues that hurt visibility and cost sales of your brand. You can’t always identify these issues quickly enough. Manual audits are slow, and field checks often leave blind spots unattended.

In this article, we’ll explore how you can take control of your CPG brand’s shelf health, safeguard market share and stop leaving sales on the table. 

‍

What Does Shelf Execution Mean for CPG Brands?

Shelf execution aligns your brand’s in-store product presence and its retail strategy. It answers critical questions: 

  • Are the right SKUs available at the right time in the right quantity? 
  • Are they placed as per the planogram? 
  • Are promotions executed correctly?

For your CPG brand, the responsibility for shelf execution lies entirely with your team, not the retailers. Retailers provide shelf space, but it’s up to you to ensure that your products are visible, compliant, and accessible to consumers. However, many CPG brands struggle to monitor their shelves consistently. 

Where Does Shelf Execution Break Down?

Without real-time visibility, it becomes difficult to catch issues as they occur. As a result, common execution problems often go unnoticed:

  • Missed facings and misplaced products: Items are shelved incorrectly or not given their allotted space.
  • Unnoticed stockouts: Products run out, but no one captures it in time.
  • Poor promotional compliance: Displays, price tags, or signage are missing or incorrect.
  • Lost share of shelf: Competitors gain more visibility due to execution gaps.

What Should an Effective Shelf Execution Cover?

To avoid these losses, shelf execution must be precise and proactive. Every store visit and image audit should capture the following components:

  • On-shelf stock availability: Products should always be present and clearly visible to shoppers.
  • Planogram compliance: Items must follow the defined layout, with correct placement and the correct number of facings.
  • Share of shelf tracking: A brand must monitor how much shelf space it occupies compared to competitors.
  • Promotion implementation: In-store offers, signage, and display stands must match campaign guidelines.

These tasks grow more complex as the distribution scales. Managing shelf conditions across hundreds or thousands of stores is not feasible with human effort alone. That’s why CPGs are turning to automation and AI for support.

ParallelDots’ ShelfWatch helps brands achieve consistent shelf execution by turning shelf images into accurate data. This makes compliance, stockouts, and visibility issues easy to track and fix. This real-time feedback loop enables faster interventions and better control at the store level.

‍

What AI-Powered Shelf Data Tells CPG Brands About Execution Gaps?

Shelf execution does not merely focus on capturing pictures but rather on what those pictures reveal. AI-powered shelf data allows CPG brands to turn the captured shelf images into structured, real-time data that helps spot gaps, track compliance, and take timely action. Here's how visual shelf data supports smarter retail execution:

1. From Store Images to Shelf Insights

Shelf execution begins with a simple step: field reps capture in-store photos. These images are uploaded to the platform, which runs them through its AI engine in real time.

From each image, the system extracts detailed shelf intelligence. Here’s what it identifies:

  • SKU presence and absence: Which products are available, which are missing, and whether all facings are accounted for.
  • Placement and positioning accuracy: Whether items are placed according to the planogram, including height, sequence, and block integrity.
  • Promotional material and shelf tags: Detect price tags, offers, signage, and displays, flagging missing or misaligned elements.

It’s scalable, reliable, and built specifically for the challenges of in-store CPG execution.

2. Monitoring Planogram Compliance in Real Time

Planograms define the expected layout of SKUs on retail shelves, down to the number of facings and product position. These layouts ensure consistency across locations, maximize product visibility, and reflect brand strategy. But they only work if executed properly at the store level.

Manual planogram checks are time-consuming and prone to errors. Without shelf-level data, CPG teams have no reliable way to confirm if stores are compliant. That’s where ParallelDots makes a difference.

The platform uses AI to analyze images taken by field teams and automatically compares them to reference planograms. It highlights exactly where execution breaks down. The system identifies:

  • SKUS are placed in the wrong position: Products are not positioned in their designated space in the planogram.
  • Missing or excess facings: Shelf space is over- or under-utilized, disrupting balance and visibility.
  • Shelf arrangements that don’t match planogram rules: Products from other brands or categories may be incorrectly occupying designated zones.

This real-time visibility enables category managers to detect issues immediately and ensure compliance across all retail locations. It also helps streamline corrective actions, preventing long-term loss of shelf share and brand inconsistency.

3. Measuring Share of Shelf Objectively

Shelf share is a critical metric for CPG brands, as it reflects the percentage of physical space their products occupy compared to competing brands within the same category. Greater shelf share usually translates to higher visibility, more consumer attention, and increased sales opportunities.

However, measuring this metric manually is difficult, inconsistent, and often biased. Field reps cannot accurately estimate shelf proportions across multiple stores and regions. 

AI-assisted Intelligent Photo Capture instantly analyzes shelf photos captured by field teams and calculates brand presence down to the SKU level, providing:

  • Brand-level shelf space measurements: Tracks exactly how much horizontal and vertical space a brand occupies on the shelf.
  • Comparative trends over time: Highlights whether a brand is gaining or losing shelf share week over week or month over month.
  • Store-wise and region-wise comparisons: Identify patterns and anomalies across retail outlets, helping CPGs focus on underperforming areas.

These insights allow CPG teams to evaluate the effectiveness of their retail execution strategies. If shelf share falls short of expectations, they can escalate issues with field reps, revisit trade agreements, or improve planogram compliance.

4. Ensuring Promotion Execution

Retail promotions are time-sensitive and investment-heavy, yet many fail at the store level due to poor execution. Campaign materials may be missing, prices may not reflect advertised discounts, or promotional stands might sit empty, leading to wasted budgets and missed sales targets.

CPG teams need real-time visibility into how promotions are being executed across stores. When field reps upload shelf images to the corporate dashboard, it verifies key promotional elements with precision:

  • Presence of promotional signage and banners: Confirms if all in-store visual materials are present and correctly positioned.
  • Product availability during the promotional window: Checks whether featured SKUs are in stock and visible during the campaign.
  • Correct pricing and shelf tag placement: Identifies mismatches between planned offers and actual shelf pricing or labels.

These insights give CPG brands confidence that their marketing investments are being implemented correctly. When issues are detected, teams can act immediately, whether it’s fixing pricing errors, replacing missing signage, or alerting merchandising partners.

5. Tracking New Product Launch Execution

Product launches are critical moments for CPG brands. Significant budgets go into packaging, promotions, and launch campaigns to ensure that new SKUs get the attention they deserve. However, once products hit the shelves, visibility often breaks down.

Without shelf-level data, CPGs cannot confirm whether the launch is happening as planned. To bridge this gap, brands can use a Power BI dashboard for customised reporting to cater to their unique visibility compliance standards and reporting needs.

Using AI-powered image recognition, ParallelDots verifies:

  • Presence of the new SKU on the shelf: Confirms that the product has reached stores and is physically available to shoppers.
  • Correct placement based on launch plan: Ensures the item is positioned according to planogram expectations or promotional layouts.
  • Sufficient number of facings: Checks if the product has the agreed shelf space to drive visibility and sales.

These insights are delivered quickly, enabling CPG teams to take corrective action during the launch window, not after. Field teams can act immediately if a store displays the product incorrectly.

‍

How Does ParallelDots Use AI to Turn Shelf Images into Scalable Execution Insights?

Visual shelf data allows CPG brands to monitor in-store shelf conditions in real time. Collecting and processing this data manually can be tedious, which is where ParallelDots adds value.

ParallelDots uses AI-powered image recognition to analyze retail shelf photos. Field reps take pictures using a mobile device. The AI then processes these images to deliver instant shelf insights. Here’s how the process supports smarter execution:

  • Image capture made easy: Reps don’t need technical expertise. They simply click photos of store shelves using a mobile app.
  • AI identifies SKUs and gaps: The platform detects product facings, misplaced items, stockouts, and planogram violations within seconds.
  • Immediate feedback for field teams: Reps receive instant reports that highlight execution issues, enabling them to address them before leaving the store.
  • Centralized shelf data for HQ teams: All shelf data is stored and organized for performance tracking across geographies, channels, and categories.
  • Seamless integration with workflows: Insights can be pushed into existing dashboards or Salesforce tools to inform action plans quickly.

This image-to-insight pipeline allows brands to audit more stores frequently without increasing field overhead. AI handles the complex processing, giving CPG teams reliable, actionable shelf data to improve execution at scale.

‍

Final Thoughts

Shelf execution is about making every inch of shelf space count. When shelf space is limited and every brand is fighting for attention, those that rely on guesswork fall behind. Brands using AI to capture real-time shelf data stay ahead.

ParallelDots gives CPG brands the power to see what’s really happening at the store level. From monitoring planogram compliance to verifying promotions and tracking share of shelf, every insight is backed by image-based data.

It’s scalable, fast, and built for teams that need reliable shelf intelligence across thousands of stores.

Take control of your shelf execution strategy with image-backed insights that drive real results. Book a free demo with ParallelDots and see how AI can transform your in-store execution.

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