How did Merchandising Software Change Retail Marketing?

Retail marketing has been going through many changes lately brought by technology but mobile applications are probably what affected the industry the most. Merchandising software is now a welcome reality for marketing agencies, distributors, manufacturers and retailers alike since they streamline a clumsy, old-fashioned process by virtually doing away with paper-based merchandising audits.

But what are the key aspects of how merchandising software changed retail marketing?

Solutions to mission-critical issues come faster 
Paper-based audits, in addition to being inefficient, are prone to human error in every step of the way, from incorrect product identification to cumbersome data transcription. If a rep notices a product is out-of-stock and checks his/her paper form, he/she will have to notify the office via phone call or email, or corrective action will have to wait until someone goes through every store audit form. Also, sales and marketing managers have to wait until all data is transcribed in order to run reports. With merchandising software, data is available to decision-makers as soon as visits are finished, so they can generate reports, calculate KPIs and tweak strategies mid-campaigns.

Good-bye to merchandisers managing paperwork at stores
There is no more paper in retail marketing. Merchandising software allows for reps and auditors to perform in-store activities on mobile devices and therefore are a much better solution than the clumsy paper-and-clipboard.

Improved brand compliance
It is easier to communicate with reps through merchandising software since managers can supply detailed documents, such as visual planograms and display instructions, to retail reps.  Additionally, feedback is also improved, as most merchandising software solutions provide the capability of capturing photos.

VisitBasis merchandising software is the ideal solution for marketing and merchandising managers that are looking for ways to streamline store sets, resets, and audits. VisitBasis provides a complete solution that includes full customization of the tasks performed by field reps at the stores, as well as real-time access to visit results through web-based dashboards and reports.

Interested in learning more about retail merchandising software? Schedule an online demo or sign up for a free trial!