Do you sell your products in mass retail and want to optimize your sales strategy while maximizing your revenue? You've come to the right place.
To achieve this goal, it's essential to understand what influences the purchasing process, ensure optimal visibility of your products on the shelves, and assess the real impact of your sales operations on the ground. To achieve this, tracking the right key performance indicators (KPIs) is essential.
In this article, we will see why tracking your KPIs in GMS is essential and what are the 5 key indicators that every salesperson must monitor to improve their performance.
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Retail is an ultra-competitive environment , where up to 30,000 products vie for a spot at the top of the shelf. In this context, standing out from the crowd and being chosen among your competitors is no accident: you have to measure the impact of your sales efforts and continually optimize them. In fact, according to Forrester, companies that actively leverage their data are 58% more likely to exceed their financial targets than those that don't.
Why? Because rigorous analysis of the right data not only increases revenue , but also reduces costs . A good understanding of in-store performance helps answer the following strategic questions:
In other words, tracking your KPIs in mass distribution means transforming raw data into concrete and profitable decisions .
By following the right indicators, you can:
✅ Optimize your profitability and commercial performance
→ Understand what works and what needs to be adjusted.
For example, by monitoring sales by point of sale, a brand can strengthen its investments in the best-performing stores (animations, promotions, merchandising) and implement corrective actions in underperforming points of sale.
✅ Improve in-store visibility and execution
→ Ensure that your products are well established and comply with the agreements negotiated with distributors.
Monitoring KPIs such as shelf availability (stock shortages, facing, shelf presence) helps avoid lost sales due to poor inventory management or non-compliance with commercial agreements.
✅ Anticipate trends and adapt your offering
→ Detect market developments using field data.
By analyzing sales by segment, region, or time period, you can adjust your offering and positioning. For example, if a product is a hit in a specific region, it may be worth strengthening its local distribution.
✅ Measure the impact of promotions and commercial actions
→ Evaluate the effectiveness of promotional operations and adjust strategies.
Promotions are common in supermarkets, but they still need to have a real impact. Tracking KPIs such as promotion conversion rates, advertising campaign ROI, or market share impact helps optimize investments and avoid unnecessary expenses.
✅ Strengthen the relationship with distributors
→ Negotiate better and justify your requests.
With concrete data on product performance, brands can negotiate an increase in shelf space, better shelf placement or even increased promotional support.
✅ Prevent the risks of delisting
→ Anticipate weak signals and act before it is too late.
A drop in sales, frequent stockouts, more aggressive competition... these are all factors that can jeopardize your shelf presence. By tracking the right indicators, you can react before a retailer decides to delist you.
There are many performance indicators in mass retail . We could track an infinite number of them... but that would be counterproductive! Too many indicators = too much information = wasted time.
Instead of creating endless dashboards , it's better to track a few key KPIs rigorously, rather than tracking twenty half-heartedly.
And if you were to follow only five, here are the ones that will make the difference ...
Digital detention is a key indicator in mass retail. It represents the ratio between the number of references actually present on shelves and the number expected according to the mandatory assortment (assortment defined with the brand). This indicator allows you to evaluate the presence of your products on shelves and, by extension, that of your brand.
Low digital ownership means that some of your products are missing from shelves when they should be, and therefore, cannot be purchased. The result? Less visibility, fewer purchases, loss of revenue, and therefore, a possibility of delisting.
Formula: Numerical hold = (Number of references on shelf / Number of references in the assortment) x 100
To refine your analysis, it is relevant to segment digital possession :
📌 To learn more about this topic , read our full article on this performance indicator: Digital detention in supermarkets - calculation, analysis and issues
Field feedback is one of the most effective ways to measure digital inventory. Your salespeople and department managers can check directly in-store whether the items are actually on the shelves. To do this, they simply need to fill out their attendance report in their CRM .
Digital distribution measures the number of stores actively selling your products. In other words, it measures the presence of your products—and therefore your brand—in points of sale relative to a targeted sample.
This KPI is essential for assessing your market coverage: the higher your DN, the more your product is available to consumers, and therefore the more your sales opportunities increase. Conversely, a low DN means that your product is under-distributed , which can limit its visibility and growth potential.
Formula: Digital Distribution (%) = (Number of points of sale with the product / Total points of sale in the category) x 100
As with digital ownership, we recommend that you refine your analyses by breaking down this KPI into different key dimensions: by product, by brand, by category, etc.
💡 Tip : For a complete analysis, cross-reference the DN with the value distribution (DV) . The latter allows you to evaluate the weight of the points of sale where you are present according to their contribution to the turnover of your category. To understand everything in less than 5 minutes, it's here: DN vs DV: understanding these key indicators .
Regular monitoring of your DN allows you to identify brands where your presence is weak. One strategy could be to prioritize a brand's points of sale during your sector managers' sales tours to increase your presence.
Digital distribution also has an interest in commercial negotiations: the stronger your DN, the more weight you have with distributors to negotiate highlights, promotions or the addition of new references.
Finally, during a product innovation launch, tracking the DN and DV of a new product helps measure the speed and effectiveness of its shelf placement.
The coverage rate is a key indicator for measuring the frequency and regularity of field visits made by your sales promoters and sector managers. It reflects the level of monitoring of your points of sale.
Without field monitoring, it's difficult to optimize your products' shelf presence and performance. High coverage reflects a well-established visit strategy and a solid understanding of the market. Conversely, low coverage may signal a lack of feedback, inefficient visit organization, or a need to improve the tools used in the field.
This is the number of readings taken over a period, divided by the number of stores visited.
Formula: Coverage rate = (Number of readings / Number of visits) x 100
To refine the analysis, it is interesting to cross-reference the coverage with other indicators , such as:
A good coverage rate ensures that your salespeople are investing their time in the right places . By analyzing this indicator regularly, you can identify areas where follow-up is insufficient and adjust tours to maximize the impact of visits. It also allows you to optimize the distribution of your sales force's efforts by focusing resources where they are most strategic.
Finally, while it may be uncomfortable, rigorous coverage monitoring can also reveal potential shortcomings within your field team.
The out-of-stock rate measures how often your products are missing from shelves.
A high stockout rate means your products are often out of stock. This is a warning sign: either demand is underestimated or the supply chain is failing. Conversely, good management of this KPI ensures your products are always available to consumers.
Formula: Breakage rate = (Breakage periods / Total periods) x 100
The stock-out rate is particularly important during promotional operations. A low stock-out rate indicates excellent inventory management and effective anticipation of demand . It also demonstrates good collaboration between the brand and the store or retailer hosting the promotion.
The number of facings corresponds to the number of products visible directly on the shelf, placed in front of consumers.
It reflects the shelf space your products occupy. The more facings you have, the more visible and accessible your products are to consumers. It's a key indicator for measuring the visual impact of your products in-store.
Shelf space share (SSP), on the other hand, is an indicator of shelf and shelf management. It is linked to facing. It measures the proportion of space occupied by a brand or product in a given shelf, compared to the total space available for the category concerned. In other words, shelf space measures the space dedicated to your products compared to the total space available for a given product category.
Formula: Share of shelf space (%) = (Length of shelf space for your products / Total length of shelf space in the category) x 100
A high shelf share can indicate a strong market presence and a better chance of attracting shoppers' attention.
These indicators are directly linked to your sales performance . A low number of facings or insufficient shelf space can significantly reduce your chances of being seen and chosen by consumers. Conversely, a strong shelf presence strengthens your attractiveness and your dominance in the category.
Once again, thanks to your sector managers. By completing their shelf survey , they collect the number of facings, the number of elements... and Sidely automatically calculates the shelf share. The shelf share is visible on your statements and reports.
If you'd like to track your sales performance in retail, but don't know where to start: follow these 5 kpis. They enable you to accurately assess your in-store presence, optimize your supply chain, and adjust your strategies in real time. Best of all, they're all divisible and adaptable to your analyses. They can be calculated by product, by salesperson, by brand, by department, by store, by geographical area, by brand...
Remember, detailed and regular analysis is the key to success. So, ready to turn this data into winning actions? Sidely can help: contact us
