US dairy supplier reports a 6% sales increase during a touchless retail trial
Supermarkets spend a great deal of time looking at prices, promotions and advertising when trying to increase sales. But there is another issue that can be just as important: making sure products are actually on the shelf when customers come to buy them.
A new announcement from US retail technology company ReposiTrak puts this question back on the table. The company says a national dairy supplier recorded a 6% increase in weekend sales during a retail merchandising programme at a large, unnamed US retailer.
The programme uses what ReposiTrak calls Touchless Retail, a system designed to provide additional merchandising coverage in stores, particularly at weekends and on selected weekdays. The idea is to improve the way products are looked after on the shop floor without relying entirely on the retailer’s own staff.
According to ReposiTrak, the programme achieved a merchandiser attendance and punctuality rate of more than 99%, with less than 0.5% of visits requiring rework. The company also describes a period when severe weather was approaching and shoppers began stocking up. Friday sales increased, followed by a 6% rise in weekend sales.
These are figures reported by the company itself. The retailer and dairy supplier have not been named, and the announcement does not establish that the merchandising programme alone caused the increase in sales. The weather, customer demand and other factors may also have played a part.
Even with that limitation, the case raises an important question for supermarket operators and their suppliers.
The problem starts on the shop floor
Dairy is a particularly interesting category because many products have a limited shelf life and need regular attention. Milk, yoghurt, cream and fresh dairy products must be replenished, presented properly and managed carefully to avoid waste.
When a product is missing from the shelf, the customer may choose another brand, buy a different product or simply leave without making the purchase. For the manufacturer, that can mean losing a sale even when demand is there.
The problem is not always a lack of stock in the supply chain. Sometimes the product is in the store but has not reached the shelf at the right time. Better merchandising and more reliable store visits may help close that gap.
This is where retailers and suppliers do not always have the same priorities. Supermarkets want shelves filled across the whole store, while suppliers are naturally concerned about the availability and presentation of their own products. A system that gives both sides a clearer picture of what is happening in stores could be useful, provided it delivers results that justify the cost.
Technology needs to prove its value
Retailers have invested heavily in data, stock management and automation, but technology is only useful if it improves everyday operations. A dashboard showing that a visit has been completed is not enough on its own. The real question is whether products are available when shoppers want them, and whether the extra sales cover the cost of the service.
The ReposiTrak announcement does not provide enough detail to judge the financial return of this particular programme. It does, however, point to an area worth examining more closely: whether more dependable merchandising can help suppliers protect sales without relying on price cuts.
That matters at a time when retailers are under pressure to keep prices competitive while managing labour costs and reducing waste. Promotions can bring customers into a category, but they cannot sell a product that is missing from the shelf.
For supermarket buyers, the next step should be to look beyond headline sales figures and ask for evidence on availability, waste, labour requirements and the cost per additional sale. Suppliers, meanwhile, need to show that any extra merchandising support improves performance rather than simply adding another layer of expense.
ReposiTrak’s figures are an early example, not a final answer. But they remind the industry that some sales are lost for a very simple reason: the customer cannot find the product.
Before spending more money to persuade shoppers to buy, retailers and suppliers may need to make sure the products they already want are there when they arrive.
