Merchandising Checklist

Pull the active planogram from the merchandising portal (Lightspeed Analytics, RICS, or the corporate POG binder) and walk each fixture: gondolas, end-caps, four-ways, and slatwall. Confirm SKU placement, facings, and adjacency match the schematic — drift accumulates within a week of any reset.

Flag any fixture where placement, facings, or signage deviates from the schematic. Off-plan displays trigger a reset task assigned to the visual merchandiser before the week's end.

Face every SKU to the front of the shelf with the label forward. Pull replenishment from the stockroom for any SKU below two facings. Empty pegs and shallow shelves cost conversion on high-traffic SKUs.

Remove damaged units to the RTV cage with a damage tag noting SKU, qty, and reason. Expired consumables go to the disposal log; vendor-direct returns route to the receiving area for the next vendor pickup. Do not write off without manager approval — variance over the cycle-count threshold needs investigation, not adjustment.

Spot-scan a sample of shelf edges with the handheld or POS app and compare to the printed tag. Tag-vs-POS mismatches create scanning-law exposure in MI, MA, CT, NY, and several other states — the customer pays the lower of the two.

Pull this week's price change report from the merchandising system. Print new tags, retag the fixture, and remove the prior tag — leaving an old tag behind is the most common audit finding. First / second / third markdown cadence follows the corporate markdown matrix; do not freelance below the cost-protection floor without district manager approval.

Build the end-cap and feature tables for the next promo window per the corporate setup guide. Stage signage, header cards, and price tags in the back office the day before so opening team can set before the doors open.

Ring a test transaction at a register on each BOGO, GWP, and loyalty-tier promotion. POS rules that didn't sync from the corporate price book are the leading cause of opening-day customer complaints. Loop the assistant manager in if any rule fails.

Dress mannequins per the current window directive, refold display tables to the corporate fold standard, and clear any dead stock from the entry zone. The first ten feet drive the conversion rate on door count.

Check pegboards, valances, sign holders, and slatwall for broken pegs, missing header cards, and stripped fasteners. Submit a maintenance ticket for anything that cannot be fixed with backroom spares.

Unpack the weekly marketing shipment — window clings, register talkers, fitting-room cards, loyalty signage. Match each piece to the setup guide; surplus pieces go to the back office, not the trash, in case of replacements.

Strip last cycle's window clings, register signage, and loyalty cards. Recycle per the corporate sustainability program where applicable; leaving stale brand creative up dilutes the new campaign read.