Top 7 Retail Execution KPIs You Should Be Tracking
Retail execution isn't guesswork — it's measurable.
If your team is still relying on gut feelings or scattered store visit notes to judge how well your brand is performing in retail, you're missing key signals. Execution metrics (KPIs) give you the data to back decisions, catch problems early, and improve field performance over time.
Below are the 7 essential KPIs every distributor or brand should track to evaluate in-store execution.
✅ 1. On-Shelf Availability (OSA)
What it is:
The percentage of time your product is in stock and ready to buy.
Why it matters:
If it’s not on the shelf, it’s not selling — and the customer’s trust may suffer.
How to improve:
Use photo-based shelf audits or AI-driven image scoring to track availability by SKU, store, and date.
✅ 2. Planogram Compliance
What it is:
How closely does the product display match your expected layout?
Why it matters:
Poor compliance can negatively impact visibility, brand image, and promotional return on investment (ROI).
How to improve:
Conduct field audits or image-based AI compliance scoring.
👉 Need help building a strategy around this? Read the complete guide to retail execution strategy
✅ 3. POS Material Compliance
What it is:
Whether signs, displays, and branded materials are correctly placed and up to date.
Why it matters:
Missing or outdated POS = missed impact and wasted marketing spend.
How to improve:
Train representatives with checklists and utilize a mobile retail execution platform to verify placement with photos.
👉 Want a field-ready tool for this? Download our free checklist
✅ 4. Execution Score by Rep or Route
What it is:
A composite score based on shelf condition, photos submitted, task completion, and compliance rate.
Why it matters:
Helps you benchmark field teams, identify top performers, and support coaching.
✅ 5. Time to Resolve Field Issues
What it is:
How long does it take to fix issues flagged in-store (e.g., out-of-stocks, incorrect signage)?
Why it matters:
Faster response = tighter operations, better customer experience.
How to improve:
Use auto-assigned tasks and escalation rules in your execution platform.
✅ 6. Promo Compliance Rate
What it is:
Percentage of stores executing a promotion correctly, including signage, pricing, and SKU placement.
Why it matters:
Even the best promo flops if it’s never seen.
How to improve:
You can set up pre-promo alerts, real-time photo audits, and task verification to ensure seamless operations.
✅ 7. Store Coverage Rate
What it is:
The percentage of your scheduled store visits that are completed within the specified time window.
Why it matters:
You can’t improve execution at stores your reps don’t visit.
How to improve:
Track rep check-ins, monitor frequency, and tie coverage to rep incentives.
📈 Retail Execution KPIs Fuel Strategy
You don’t need to track everything, but tracking nothing leads to costly blind spots.
These KPIs help you:
Identify underperforming stores
Catch leaks in your POS budget.
Coach field reps more effectively
Report clearly to brand partners or leadership
👉 Learn how to tie these KPIs into a retail execution strategy
📥 Want a Free KPI Checklist?
We’ve bundled the essentials into a single-page audit guide.
👉 Download the Retail Execution Checklist
Used by leading distributors to score compliance, spot problems, and improve field execution, store by store.
