What Are the Key Steps in a Range Review - and Why Are They Important?

Most retailers don’t realise that range reviews are critical for ensuring stores carry the right products to satisfy shoppers while keeping the business profitable and relevant.

Retailers schedule range reviews as part of their merchandising cycle, and for some, it can feel like little more than a “tick-box exercise.”

Yet when executed effectively, range reviews are one of the most powerful levers in category management. They provide clarity, streamline processes, and unlock growth opportunities.

Done poorly, however, they not only waste time and resources but also risk eroding credibility with stakeholders and diminishing the impact of strategic decisions.

So what makes a range review effective? Let’s unpack the essential steps.

Phase 1: Data Gathering - Building the Foundation

A review without robust data is just opinion. The must-haves:

•  Sales data: top sellers, laggards, distribution.

• Shopper insights: penetration, frequency, demographics, switching.

•  Competitor benchmarks: how your category compares in-store and in other retailers.

•  Operational constraints: shelf space, planogram resets, supply chain limits.

Phase 2: Deep Analysis — Telling the Story

Data only matters if you analyse it properly. Key lenses include:

•  Performance ranking: identify top 20% of SKUs driving 80% of sales.

•  Duplication checks: reduce “me-too” SKUs that steal share from each other.

•  Gap analysis: identify unmet shopper needs or trends (e.g., plant-based, premium).

Example: A snacks review showed 15 nearly identical cheese-flavoured chips across brands. Rationalising down freed space for emerging protein snacks without reducing category sales.

 

Phase 3: Align with Category Strategy

Every category plays a different role in the retailer’s portfolio. Is it:

•  A traffic driver (brings shoppers in)?

•  A margin builder (generates profit)?

•  A loyalty builder (retains customers)?

Your recommendations must ladder back to this role. Otherwise, they risk being dismissed.

Phase 4: Build Scenarios  - Making It Visual

Planograms and simulations make options tangible:

•  What happens if we remove duplication?

•  Where should NPD be placed for visibility?

•  What if space is reallocated to growth segments?

Retail buyers want to see the impact - not just hear about it.

Phase 5: Present Recommendations Clearly

A strong range review deck is structured like a story:

1.  Shopper insight (why the category matters).

2.  Current issues (backed by evidence).

3.  Recommendations (with scenarios).

4.  Benefits for shopper, category, and retailer.

Keep it visual, concise, and action-oriented.

Why These Steps Matter

Following this process:

•  Builds credibility with data.

•  Ensures alignment with retailer priorities.

•  Positions you as a category partner, not a product pusher.

Skipping steps leads to subjective, politically influenced outcomes. Doing them well elevates you into the “trusted supplier” tier — the ones buyers call first when they need answers.

Need help with your next range or category review? 

The Haley Group are experts in this space and have a range of service offers to help suppliers work with retailers.

Learn More

The Haley Group Category Management & Space Experts

Range review, Retail range review, Category management, Merchandising strategy, Product assortment, Retail product range, Store range optimisation, Shopper satisfaction, Retail profitability, Key steps in a range review, How to conduct a retail range review, Importance of range reviews in retail, Range review process for stores, Improve product assortment for shoppers, Effective category management techniques, Retail merchandising best practices, Avoid mistakes in range reviews, The Haley Group, Space Unlimited, Planogram Consultant, Blue Yonder