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DistributionWhether the SKU is present at all, by outlet and channelService
Retail Audit in Oman
In-store measurement of distribution, share of shelf, price, promotion and out-of-stocks across Omani trade channels, outlet by outlet.
In short
What is a retail audit, and does Quantum Gulf Marketing run one in Oman?
A retail audit is a physical, in-store measurement of how a product range is distributed and displayed. Auditors visit a representative sample of outlets and record presence, number of facings, shelf position, price, promotional activity and out-of-stocks, outlet by outlet. Quantum Gulf Marketing has run retail audits in Oman for more than ten years across traditional and modern trade, covering FMCG food and non-food, technical consumer goods, domestic appliances, lubricants and tyres. Because we also build outlet universes, the sample reflects the Omani trade as it exists rather than a purchased list that has aged.
- Method
- In-store observation and measurement at a sampled outlet frame
- Recorded
- Distribution, facings, share of shelf, price, promotion, out-of-stock
- Channels
- Modern trade, traditional trade, pharmacy, e-commerce
- Categories
- FMCG food and non-food, TCG, appliances, lubricants, tyres
- Coverage
- All 11 governorates of Oman
The deliverable
The shelf, as it stood.
Share of shelf derived from the facings actually measured, with gaps marked where the product was not there. The plate below is illustrative.
Illustrative. Share of shelf is calculated from measured facing widths, not estimated.
What gets recorded
Every visit, the same fields.
Consistency is what makes a tracking programme worth running. The field list is fixed at design stage and does not drift between waves.
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FacingsCounted, not estimated, and converted to share of shelf03
Shelf positionLevel and block, because eye level is not the same as present04
Shelf priceThe price the shopper actually sees on the day05
PromotionThe offer and its mechanic, recorded together06
Out of stockGap on shelf, with the facing it should have occupied07
Planogram complianceDeviation from the agreed layout, marked where it occurs08
Competitor activityThe same fields, for the brands you compete againstHow it runs
From frame to finding.
Stage 01
Define the universe
We agree the outlet frame, by channel and governorate. Where no reliable frame exists, a census is run first.
Stage 02
Draw the sample
Outlets are selected to represent the trade, with the channel mix and regional spread that your category needs.
Stage 03
Audit in store
Trained auditors record the agreed fields at each outlet, with checks running during fieldwork rather than after it.
Stage 04
Report and track
Results come back as distribution, share of shelf, price and out-of-stock, comparable wave on wave because the field list never moved.
Questions
Common questions
What is a retail audit?
A retail audit is a physical, in-store measurement of how a product range is actually distributed and displayed. Auditors record presence, facings, shelf position, price, promotion and out-of-stocks at each outlet in a defined sample.
How is this different from sell-out data?
Sell-out data tells you what left the till. A retail audit tells you what was on the shelf and at what price when it did, which is the part you can change. The two answer different questions and are strongest together.
How often should we audit?
Most tracking programmes run monthly or quarterly. The right frequency depends on how fast your category turns and how often your competitors change price or promotion.
Which outlets do you cover?
Hypermarkets and supermarkets, mini markets, large, medium and small groceries, pharmacies, coffee shops and e-commerce listings. The channel mix is set by your category, not by a fixed template.
Do you audit price as well as availability?
Yes. Shelf price, promotional price and the mechanic behind the promotion are recorded together, because a price without its mechanic is misleading.
How do you know the sample represents Oman?
Because we build the outlet universe first. Where a reliable frame does not exist we run a census and sample from that, rather than sampling from a list of convenience.
Start here
Tell us the question.
We will tell you how to measure it.
Send us the business decision you are stuck on. You will get a straight answer on whether research can settle it, what it would take, and what it would cost.
