1. introduction
The Store Audit arises as a result of the growing need for information on the mass consumer market. It is a periodic report offered to companies as a continuous subscription service. The information is presented on a national scale, by type of outlet according to the Data I. R market areas and by type of outlet in each area.
The study as such, contemplates weekly visits to different types of establishments, rotated at every opportunity by 100% until the totality of the premises in each of the cities where it is carried out is completed.
Being able to carry out continuous measurements in different marketing channels allows users of this service to quickly and effectively attack all those establishments that are not present to ensure the flow of sales. Also allowing to evaluate the penetration of advertising or promotional campaigns.
2. What is a store audit?
It is a continuous survey of information on mass consumer products in retail commercial establishments. Data on sales and stocks, prices and other characteristics are collected, both at the place of sale and at the warehouses. The results are projected from a sample of establishments representative of the real universe.
3. Importance of the store audit for manufacturers and distributors
For manufacturers and distributors of mass consumer products, the store audit unit is a source of accurate information, capable of answering what market share, what sales figures, distribution levels, prices, activities and spaces on the shelves, presents any of its brands and that of its competitors in the last link of the commercialization chain (retail trade).
4. Features of the store audit
The characteristics of the Store Audit are:
• Trend
• Objective and impartial
• Trustworthy estimate
• Provides information on the last link in the marketing chain
• It allows the joint analysis of different variables.
5. The myths of the store audit
• It is the representation of the total market of a category
• Immediately reflects manufacturer dispatches
• Reflects market indices in a timely manner
• The sample used varies according to the category
• Reflects the behavior of the informal economy
• Sample stratified by socio-economic levels
6. Definition of the types of businesses according to the data store audit
The data provided by the Store Audit of DATOS, CA, is based on information collected from the different types of establishments that come into play in the distribution of mass consumer products. chain supermarkets.
They are establishments that operate under the same corporate management, with a minimum of five (5) premises belonging to it. It has a minimum area of three hundred (300) m2 of excision not including the deposit, a minimum of five cash registers and has complete self-service and parking facilities. They market more than one hundred and twenty (120) categories of products and also offer other services such as: butcher, delicatessen, fishmongers, bakeries, perfumery, greengrocers, legumes and vegetables. (Examples: each central madeirence, victoria and excelsior range, etc.)., Independent supermarkets.
They have a minimum area of two hundred fifty (250) m2 of exhibition, a minimum of two (2) cash registers and have self-service facilities. They have limited parking facilities. They market between one hundred and ten and one hundred and twenty (110) and (120) categories of products and also offer other services such as: butcher, delicatessen, perfumery, greengrocers, legumes and vegetables. (example: don sancho, luvebras, el patio, big low, etc).
Hypermarkets
The Hypermarket offers all the services of a supermarket and other activities such as: cafeteria or restaurant service, appliances and video, household appliances, clothing and footwear, car accessories, tellers, etc. It has similar service hours.
Most of them have Scanners (barcode reading). They have wide corridors with high warehouse-type shelves, with the presence of promoters and demonstrators. Establishments with a minimum of two hundred (200) positions. As for example we can cite: Super Maxy's, Candido Foods, Koma, etc.
large supplies
The area of these businesses varies between seventy and one hundred fifty (70) and (150) m2. They have few self-service and parking facilities. They market around eighty-five (85) categories of products and also offer services such as: butcher, delicatessen, greengrocers, legumes and vegetables.
medium supplies
They have an area between thirty and fifty (30) and (50) m2. They may or may not have cash registers and do not have self-service facilities or parking. They market around sixty (60) categories of products and offer additional services such as: butcher and delicatessen.
small supplies.
Its area is less than thirty (30) m2. In many cases they are businesses with improvised construction and do not have a cash register, nor do they have self-service facilities or parking. They market around forty (40) categories and do not offer any type of additional services.
restaurant bars
Places mainly destined to the sale of liquors in the form of drinks or services.
liquor stores
They are businesses dedicated to the sale of alcoholic beverages and soft drinks, although some sell juices and other beverages, such as energy drinks, as well as confectioneries and snacks.
market stalls
They are fixed establishments that are within the peripheral markets and free markets, dedicated to the sale of food, personal care products and home maintenance.
kiosks
They are establishments located around the streets, dedicated to marketing confectionery, snacks, cigarettes, leaflets, batteries, magazines, newspapers, and other retail items.
agricultural houses (agricultural)
Stores specialized in offering various articles for animals, especially balanced food and agricultural implements (fertilizers, insecticides, tools, etc.).
hardware store
They are establishments dedicated to the sale of articles related to construction or other similar trades. It is not included in this channel for Store Audit purposes, the exclusive representatives of certain brands (Ex: Wantzelius, La Casa del Pintor), only two categories are audited in this type of channel: paint and batteries.
pharmacy
Establishments dedicated to the sale of medicines and also personal care products.
perfumeries
Establishments dedicated to the sale of personal care and home maintenance products, where they generally offer significant discounts to the consumer. Additionally, various demos and promotions are frequently featured.
bakeries
They are establishments dedicated to the production and sale of bread, in addition to any other food made from flour. They also sell other products such as: soft drinks, juices, coffee, confectionery, snacks and most have additional services such as the sale of cheese and delicatessen.
luxury bar restaurant
Unlike normal bars, they usually present different atmospheres, diversity and variety of drinks-brands, types, origin (national and imported) -, live shows, clean, decorated and luxurious facilities. Examples: discos, piano-bar,. Night Club, others related.
bar-restaurant-cafeterias-luncherias-soda fountain-areperas.
They are establishments whose main function is the sale of fast foods: sandwiches, sweets and any other food to order. They are also dedicated to the sale of coffee, soft drinks, juices, confectionery, snacks and some have a license to sell beer, liquor in the form of a drink or service.
7. How is a store audit performed?
The first thing that is done is to select an area of study, that is, a particular category of product, for example soft drink, and the geographical coverage of the research. The company DATOS, CA to study the Venezuelan market, divides the Venezuelan territory into six (6) market areas and each one of these is analyzed based on the information collected in the outlets, this is the best way to provide a less framework abstract for both quantitative and qualitative analyzes.
Afterwards, the data on the brands and types of packaging that exist within the product category are collected in the marketing channels and in the purchasing departments of the audited businesses.
Having the information about the brands, sizes and types of container, a form is prepared that must have aspects such as: classification or type of outlets, type of brand and type of container.
After data collection, the audit formula is applied to determine the sales of the category to be studied, in a specified time.
Formula.
previous stock + purchases - current stock = sales
Audit example: Suppose that the chosen sample is only of three types of businesses (chain supermarkets, independent supermarkets, large stores), of a particular category (Soft drinks) and of a specific product (Coca-Cola), the auditor It will collect the Previous Existence of the product of the chosen category in the three establishments, to later add it, then it will do the same procedure with the Purchases of the category to study and of the chosen product, made by said supermarkets. The result of this last sum (purchases), will be added to the result of the addition of the Previous Existence. Then, it will collect the Current Existence of the product in question and add it to obtain the total of this last line, that is, (of the current existence). The total of Current Existence,It will be subtracted from the total of the sum between the Previous Existence and the Purchases, thus obtaining the total of the Sales made of the Coca-Cola product, by the three establishments, in a given period.
Generally, the period of time between two (2) audits is not less than four (4) weeks, it is not recommended that it be two (2) months, as it could lead to the loss of invoices that provide data on purchases in the establishments.
Finally, a report by category is presented to the companies that hired the service.
8. Information presented in the store audit
Market Share (PM)
Relative importance of a brand within the total market, expressed in the form of percentages.
Sales (SALES)
It is the same participation of the brand expressed in units (Kgs., Bs., Etc.)
Purchases (COMP)
They represent the purchases made by the retailer of the brand in reference during the respective month. These purchases are expressed in units or bolivars.
Numerical Distribution (DN)
It is based on the number of outlets the brand had in stock during the auditor's last visit. This figure is expressed in percentages. It does not differentiate between channel types.
Weighted Distribution (DP)
It reflects the importance of the businesses where the brand is present, in the total sales of the audited category.
Maximum Weighted Distribution (MAX)
Represents the sum of the DP and SET, that is, the percentage of importance that the businesses have in the total sales of the category where sales of the brand were registered.
Without Temporary Existence (SET)
Indicates the importance (weighted) in the total sales of the category, that the businesses had where the brand was not present during the last visit of the auditor, but where the brand was sold (using a previous stock or with a record of purchases of the month)
Months in Stock (ME)
It is the duration of the existence of the brand expressed in number or fraction of months. This figure is calculated by dividing the stock found during the last visit of the auditor by the sales of the last month of the brand.
9. Conclusions
To conclude, we can say that being able to carry out continuous measurements in different marketing channels allows users of this service to quickly and effectively attack all those establishments that are not present to ensure the flow of sales. Also allowing to evaluate the penetration of advertising or promotional campaigns.
We can also add that the use of the Store Audit provides companies with a series of extremely important data on sales, distribution, rotation, market share, spaces on shelves and which are the channels that best mobilize the product categories in question.
We also have that there are different types of businesses such as: independent and chain supermarkets, large, medium and small supplies, as well as the entire range of establishments exposed in the framework of the report.
10. Recommendations
The group recommends that the Data company should redefine the concepts of business types, since in our country there has been a series of hybrids recently in terms of business types. As an example, we have Farmatodo, which not only sells pharmaceutical products, but also offers the public various ranges of products, in which we can mention: cleaning products, personal care, soft drinks, confectionery, etc.
On the other hand, the company Datos should consider expanding its range of types of establishments, since in recent years, new types of businesses have emerged, as an example we have the convenience stores located in the service stations.
11. Contributions
We consider that the most important contribution is a clear exemplification of the types of businesses, based on a series of photographs of all of them, so that our colleagues have a comparative tool when identifying any of the types of existing establishments In Venezuela.
12. Bibliography
• Data Information Resources. Store Audit Department
• Territorial Market Analysis, Cod. 023055, ISUM
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