Retail Promotion Checklist
Steps a retail merchandising and store-operations team runs to plan, execute, and review a storewide or chainwide promotion — from buyer sign-off through markdown setup, signage, POS configuration, and post-promo sell-through analysis.
Promo Planning & Buyer Sign-Off
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Define promo goals and KPI targets
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Select promotion mechanic
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Build the SKU list and sell-through forecast
Pull on-hand, on-order, and weeks-of-supply for every SKU in the promo. Flag SKUs with WOS under 4 — those will sell through and stock-out mid-promo. Allocation should rebalance from low-velocity stores before the launch date.
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Verify markdown stays above the cost floor
Run the promo price against landed cost for every SKU. Buyer approval is required for any item that breaches the GMROI floor. Below-cost markdowns hit the P&L two weeks later and surprise the district manager at weekly close.
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Obtain VP Merch sign-off on below-cost SKUs
Below-cost markdowns need written approval from the VP of Merchandising before the promo enters POS. Attach the signed approval — email export or DocuSign PDF — to the run.
Collects file
Promo Setup
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Build the promo in POS and e-comm
Configure the discount in Lightspeed / Shopify POS with the correct start and end timestamps in store-local time. Mirror the rule in the e-comm platform so omnichannel pricing matches. Stagger by time zone if the chain spans multiple.
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Test the discount at a pilot register
Ring three test transactions at a pilot store: one regular-price item, one promo SKU, one mixed cart. Verify the receipt line item shows the promo name, not just the dollar discount — finance reconciles by promo code at month-end.
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Re-test after POS fix
Coordinate with the POS vendor or internal IT to correct the rule, then re-run the three test transactions. Do not release the build to stores until the test passes.
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Print and ship signage to stores
Window clings, shelf talkers, danglers, register toppers — package by store with a placement diagram. Ship to arrive at least 3 days before launch so closing teams can stage overnight.
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Update the planogram for promo end-caps
Issue the revised POG to store managers with photos of the target end-cap state. Promo SKUs go on the front-of-store end-cap and the secondary placement called out in the schematic.
Store Launch
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Brief store managers on the promo
Cover the mechanic, exclusions, stack rules with loyalty discount, and the manager-override path for edge cases. Record the call so part-time key holders can watch later.
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Stage signage during the closing shift
Closing team places window clings, shelf talkers, and register toppers per the placement diagram the night before launch. Old promo signage comes down the same night.
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Photograph the launch-day floor set
Each store manager submits opening-shift photos of the front window, promo end-cap, and register area. Visual director compares against the schematic to catch planogram drift before it compounds.
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Confirm promo is live at every store
District manager rings a test transaction at each store within the first 2 hours of opening. Any store where the promo doesn't fire gets a same-day fix call — every hour of mispricing is a refund-and-rering at month-end.
Collects list
In-Flight Monitoring
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Review daily sell-through against forecast
Pull units sold, ATV, UPT, and conversion against the forecast in Lightspeed Analytics or Looker each morning. Flag SKUs over-pacing (stock-out risk) and under-pacing (markdown deepening risk).
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Rebalance inventory between stores
For SKUs running below 4 weeks of supply at top stores, transfer from stores tracking under 30% of forecast. Allocation analyst issues the transfer order; receiving stores log it against the promo.
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Decide whether to deepen the markdown
Mid-promo checkpoint: if sell-through is under 60% of forecast at the halfway mark, the merch planner proposes a second markdown. VP Merch approves before POS update.
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Push the second markdown to POS
Update the POS rule and refresh shelf talkers with revised price. Communicate the change to all store managers so cashiers can answer customer questions about the new price.
Promo Close & Post-Mortem
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Take down promo signage and POS rules
Closing-shift teams strip window clings, shelf talkers, and register toppers the night the promo ends. POS rule is end-dated, not deleted, so finance can audit the line items at month-end.
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Reset planogram to non-promo state
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Pull the final promo sell-through report
Report covers units sold, gross margin, ATV, UPT lift vs. prior 4-week baseline, and remaining on-hand by SKU. Attach the export.
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Hold the cross-functional post-mortem
Buyer, planner, store ops lead, and visual director walk through what hit forecast, what missed, and what the operational friction was — POS rule errors, signage delays, allocation gaps. Capture three concrete changes for the next promo.
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