Types of Planogram: A Complete Guide for Retail Merchandising

Table of Contents

Planogram Types Categorized by Format

• Store-Level Planograms
• Shelf Planograms
• Display Planograms
• Text-Based Planograms
• 3D Planograms
• AR Planograms
• Schematic Planograms

Planogram Types Categorized by Strategy

• Category Planograms
• Assortment Planograms
• Block Placement Planograms
• Horizontal Placement Planograms
• Vertical Placement Planograms
• Sales-Based Planograms
• Market Share-Based Planograms
• Seasonal Planograms
• Promotional Planograms
• Space Optimization Planograms
• Analytical Planograms

Every retail shelf tells a story — of strategy, space, and sales potential. Planograms are the visual blueprints behind that story: diagrams that help retailers determine exactly where each product should be placed.

Understanding the different types of planograms can help retailers optimize space, improve shopper experience, and drive sales. This guide explores the main types of planograms, categorized by format and strategy, and highlights practical ways to manage them effectively.

Planogram Types Categorized by Format

1. Store-Level Planograms (Macro planogram)

Store-level planograms provide a macro-level view of the store layout, including departments, aisles, and fixtures. Unlike shelf-level planograms, they focus on zones and product groupings across the store floor, rather than individual SKU placement.

The goal is to optimize customer flow, highlight high-traffic areas, and define clear zones for different product categories. These planograms help managers decide where promotional or high-margin products should be placed for maximum impact.

Practical Tip: Use store-level planograms to plan traffic patterns, evaluate department adjacencies, and maintain consistent layouts across multiple store locations. This approach ensures a smooth shopping experience and effective merchandising at a macro level.

2. Shelf (Image) Planograms

Shelf planograms are the most commonly used type, showing the precise placement of products on shelves or pegs. They include details like facings, product parameters, and spacing between items.

Shelf planograms ensure that products are displayed consistently across stores, enhancing visibility and balancing inventory. They also help prevent stockouts and ensure that high-demand items are always accessible.

Practical Tip: When creating shelf planograms, consider factors like eye-level placement for high-priority products, complementary product adjacency, and space allocation based on sales data. Properly executed shelf planograms can significantly improve sales by guiding shoppers’ attention to featured items.

3. Display Planograms

Display planograms are designed for secondary, high-impact displays such as endcaps, promotional tables, or window installations. They focus on creating visually appealing arrangements rather than routine shelf layouts.

These planograms aim to attract shopper attention, drive impulse purchases, and highlight seasonal or promotional items. Displays designed using planograms ensure consistency in execution across multiple store locations.

Practical Tip: Plan display layouts by grouping products strategically, balancing brand visibility with aesthetics, and considering shopper pathways. Measuring display performance over time helps refine designs to maximize promotional effectiveness.

4. Text-Based Planograms

Text-based planograms provide written instructions for product placement and were commonly used before visual merchandising tools became widespread. Unlike modern visual planograms, they rely entirely on descriptive steps rather than diagrams.

These guides were intended to help store staff understand product layouts when visual tools weren’t available. However, they are time-consuming to create and follow, require more resources, and increase the risk of errors.

Practical Tip: While they can still serve as a quick reference for very small stores or temporary setups, text-based planograms are largely inefficient in modern retail. Combining them with visual aids, such as sketches or photos, can improve clarity, but investing in digital planograms is generally far more effective for accurate and consistent shelf execution.

5. 3D Planograms

3D planograms are immersive, digital models that allow retailers to visualize the store or shelf in a three-dimensional environment before execution.

These planograms improve approval workflows, allowing managers and stakeholders to see how products will appear from a shopper’s perspective. They also help test different arrangements virtually to optimize flow and visibility.

Practical Tip: Use 3D models to simulate shopper behavior and traffic flow, check sightlines for promotional products, and adjust layouts before physically rearranging shelves. 3D visualization can also speed up team alignment and decision-making.

6. AR (Augmented Reality) Planograms

AR planograms use augmented reality technology to overlay digital product layouts onto the real store environment using tablets or smartphones. Unlike traditional planograms, AR lets retailers see virtual products and layouts directly in the store space before physically moving items.

AR planograms help store managers and merchandisers visualize shelf layouts in real-time, test different arrangements, and make data-driven decisions without costly trial-and-error. They are especially useful for complex displays, seasonal resets, or multi-store rollouts where speed and accuracy are critical.

Practical Tip: Use AR planograms to preview new campaigns, assess visual impact, and confirm product placement. Teams can walk through aisles with AR devices to ensure that layouts meet both operational standards and visual merchandising goals. AR also helps train new staff by providing an interactive, visual guide to product placement.

6. Schematic Planograms

Schematic planograms are simplified, execution-ready diagrams created for store employees to follow. They typically focus on the essential details necessary for correct product placement rather than full visual representation.

The goal is to ensure planogram compliance and make it easy for staff to implement layouts correctly. Schematic diagrams reduce errors and save time during planogram execution.

Practical Tip: When creating schematic planograms, highlight critical elements like product sequence, facings, and key display points. Use them as quick-reference tools during routine restocking or promotional resets.

Planogram Types Categorized by Strategy

1. Category Planograms

Category planograms group similar products together, such as all skincare items in one area or beverages by type. This approach simplifies the shopping experience, helps customers compare options, and encourages category-focused purchases.

Practical Tip: Regularly analyze sales and performance data to allocate shelf space proportionally among categories. Adjust layouts as trends shift to maintain relevance and improve customer satisfaction.

2. Assortment Planograms

Assortment planograms determine which SKUs should appear on the shelf, reflecting shopper preferences, seasonal demand, or regional popularity. They help avoid overstocking low-demand items while ensuring bestsellers are always available.

Practical Tip: Track sales performance and regional preferences to optimize product mix. Assortment planograms are particularly effective in chains with diverse store formats, helping tailor product offerings to each location.

3. Block Placement Planograms

Block placement planograms group products by brand or theme to create visual clarity and reinforce brand identity. This type is effective for encouraging brand loyalty and making product categories easy to navigate.

Practical Tip: Apply consistent spacing and alignment when implementing block placement to maintain an organized, professional look. Consider customer behavior data when determining which blocks to feature prominently.

4. Horizontal Placement Planograms

Horizontal placement planograms arrange products side-by-side across shelves, allowing easy comparison of similar items. This layout is useful for categories where shoppers make decisions based on features or price comparisons.

Practical Tip: Prioritize high-margin or popular items at eye level. Ensure sufficient spacing to avoid clutter while keeping products easily accessible.

5. Vertical Placement Planograms

Vertical placement planograms organize products in vertical columns. This layout is ideal for categories where accessibility across different shopper heights is important, or where a “tower” effect helps highlight certain brands.

Practical Tip: Use vertical arrangements for brand-blocking or high-impact products. Consider vertical sightlines and ensure consistent alignment across shelves to maximize visual impact.

6. Sales-Based Planograms

Profitability-based planograms dedicate prime shelf space to products with the highest margins, aiming to maximize revenue potential rather than just sales volume.

Practical Tip: Combine sales and margin data to identify premium placements for high-profit products. Regularly update planograms to reflect changes in profitability and product performance.

7. Market Share-Based Planograms

These planograms allocate shelf space according to a brand’s market share, giving leading brands more visibility while smaller brands receive proportionate representation.

Practical Tip: Integrate market data and sales trends to adjust brand facings dynamically. This approach ensures shelf space reflects both market reality and competitive strategy.

8. Seasonal Planograms

Seasonal planograms are designed for holidays, seasonal campaigns, or special events. They allow retailers to refresh layouts and highlight timely products that capture shopper interest.

Practical Tip: Plan seasonal resets well in advance to ensure smooth execution. Use past seasonal data to predict demand and optimize product placement.

9. Promotional Planograms

Promotional planograms focus on products linked to marketing campaigns, discounts, or limited-time offers. They are intended to attract attention and drive short-term sales.

Practical Tip: Ensure promotions are visually distinct and positioned in high-traffic areas. Track performance and adjust future promotions based on effectiveness.

10. Space Optimization Planograms

These planograms aim to maximize retail space by balancing inventory, variety, and product accessibility. Space optimization ensures every inch contributes to sales without overcrowding the shelf.

Practical Tip: Analyze sales, foot traffic, and product velocity to allocate space efficiently. Periodically review and update layouts to maintain optimal shelf usage.

11. Analytical Planograms

Analysis planograms are used to evaluate store and planogram performance. They combine visual layouts with data like sales, compliance, and shopper behavior to inform future planning decisions.

Practical Tip: Use analysis planograms to identify underperforming products or layouts. Regular performance reviews help refine strategy and improve ROI on merchandising investments.

Key Takeaways

• Different types of planograms serve unique purposes, from visualizing store layouts to optimizing sales strategy.
   
• Combining format-based and strategy-based approaches helps retailers maximize shelf efficiency and improve the shopper experience.
   
• Understanding these types of planograms is essential for consistent execution, better decision-making, and measurable sales growth.

For retailers looking to streamline the process, planogram software like PlanoHero can simplify the creation, management, and execution of all planogram types. With digital tools, stores can maintain consistency across locations, visualize layouts in 2D or 3D, and use data-driven insights to optimize shelf space and boost sales — all while making planogram implementation faster and more accurate.