Glossary

Back-Up Card—A card placed on the hook behind merchandise indicating size, item number, selling price and other information.

Consumable—A product that is used up regularly and has to replaced, such as pet food or cat litter.

Cross-Aisle Merchandising—Displaying related merchandise on facing shelves.

Cross Merchandising—Displaying products together that are used together. Especially effective for related items normally stocked in different departments.

Departmental Lead-In—Items with greatest impulse value displayed on the edge of the shelf and near the main traffic aisle to draw customers into the aisle.

Display Board—Board or panel displaying assembled merchandise. Shows customers how merchandise is used or how projects can be completed.

Dump Bins—Bulk display units in which fast-moving or impulse items can be “dumped” without stacking or placing on regular fixtures. Used in heavy traffic areas, such as power aisles or near checkout counters.

Endcap—Prime display space located at the end of a run of gondolas or fixtures. Also called feature-ends. Used for promotional items, specials, advertised items, seasonal items, new items and impulse merchandise.

Eye-Level Merchandising—Displaying the fastest-selling and most profitable merchandise at eye level.

Facing—The number of similar products on a shelf; the number of facings should relate to sales demand and available shelf space.

Fronting—Pulling merchandise to the front of the shelf, hook or bin.

Gondola—A section of permanent store fixture or shelving on which products are placed, typically the primary stocking location for products. A set of fixtures or shelving also is referred to as a gondola run.

Grouping—Organizing merchandise in logical groups, such as color or related use.

Hands-On Displays—Removing items from packages so customers can handle or use the product before buying it. For example, displaying a fish filter out of the box, or a retractable lead out of the packaging.

Hang Tags—Informational tags that hang on merchandise and list quality features, performance specifications and benefits to help consumers reach a buying decision.

Headers—Signs for use in a merchandising display that include a selling message, product identification, brand name identification, or similar information.

Horizontal Merchandising—Displaying related product items in horizontal sections. For example, a fish filter could be stocked next to products to support it, such as cartridges, air stones, gang valves, tubing and ornaments. Or a video on pet grooming might be shown next to shampoos, combs, brushes and other grooming products.

Impulse Displays—Dump bins, movable racks, stack displays and feature endcaps that promote seasonal items, special buys, advertised specials, new products, close-outs or price specials in power aisles and other high-traffic areas.

Left-to-Right—Used for merchandise of different sizes. Smallest sizes are at the upper left of the display; largest sizes at lower right. This format lets customers move through the assortment as though they were paging through a book.

Loss Leader—An item that is sold at a retail price below its landed or direct cost. Helps retailers develop a low-price or value-price image with customers.

Pallet Displays—When merchandise that arrives on a shipping pallet is placed on the salesfloor while still on the pallet. For example, a special purchase on a specific size of dog food or a display of 10-gallon aquariums.

Pegging—Placement of merchandise on shelf hooks. Some items are binned and some hung on hooks. Pegged items must be carded or have some way of being hung on perfboard display or shelf hooks.

Planogram—Diagram showing where and how merchandise is displayed within the store. It tells store personnel and management where every item is located.

Platform—Flat unit used to display seasonal or bulky merchandise.

Related Items—Products that are used together.

Sampling—Putting one item in its designated area to check spacing, arrangement and overall effect before all items are stocked.

Shelf Profile—Refers to the width of shelves, the distance between them and whether they are straight or inclined.

SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)—Refers to every item carried by a retailer. Each size, style and packaging variation will have a its own vendor number or Universal Product Code (UPC) and is considered a unique SKU.

Stock Out—When a shelf is empty, indicating a product is sold out.

Vertical Merchandising—Displaying related product categories in vertical sections. Gives customers full view of related merchandise in one spot and encourages related item sales. Larger items should be displayed on lower shelves.