7 Ways Retailers Measure Trade Compliance (And How to Pass Every Time)

Written byAreg Dadashyan Areg Dadashyan
Retailers don’t evaluate brands based on promises, presentations, or marketing decks. They judge you entirely on what your team actually delivers inside the store. And while most manufacturers assume compliance is simply “Was the display set up?”, retailers have a far more structured way of measuring whether you're a dependable partner — or a problem they need to deprioritize. Below are the seven most common ways retailers measure trade compliance, how brands fail them, and how leading field teams pass every time.
7 Ways Retailers Measure Trade Compliance (And How to Pass Every Time)

1. On-Time Execution

What retailers check:
Did your reps execute promotions, displays, and resets on or before the required date?

Where teams fail:
Late installs, incomplete setups, and reps “getting to it later.”

How to pass:
Tie execution to deadlines, alerts, and required photo proof.


2. Shelf Planogram Accuracy

What retailers check:
Does the shelf follow the agreed-upon layout — facings, product order, pricing tags?

Where teams fail:
Products in the wrong position, missing labels, squeezed facings.

How to pass:
Provide reps visual planogram references inside the visit workflow.


3. Promotional Display Compliance

What retailers check:
Was the display built exactly as requested — size, placement, branding, and quantity?

Where teams fail:
Displays built differently or placed in the wrong part of the store.

How to pass:
Use step-by-step tasking + photo evidence mapped to each instruction.


4. Pricing Accuracy

What retailers check:
Does the shelf reflect the correct promotional or standard pricing?

Where teams fail:
Price tags not updated, wrong labels left behind.

How to pass:
Require a price-scan or price-tag photo at visits.


5. Out-of-Stock Management

What retailers check:
Did your reps correct OOS issues and document them properly?

Where teams fail:
Reps “note mentally,” forget, and fail to report OOS patterns.

How to pass:
Embed OOS reporting into your visit flow and link corrective actions.


6. Display Maintenance & Durability

What retailers check:
Is the display maintained daily/weekly and kept in good condition?

Where teams fail:
Displays sag, fall, or get messy after week one.

How to pass:
Use recurring tasks and require proof-of-condition photos.


7. Store-Level Communication

What retailers check:
Did the rep speak with the right person and confirm expectations?

Where teams fail:
Incorrect or missing conversations, especially when managers shift.

How to pass:
Log “manager interaction” as a required field before closing a visit.


How Navimate Helps You Pass Every Compliance Test — Every Time

Navimate is built exactly for these seven retailer scorecard areas:

  • Task-based execution ensures reps do the right activity, in the right sequence, at the right location.
  • Photo-based accountability proves every shelf, tag, and display meets retailer expectations.
  • Planogram and promo references inside the rep’s visit make execution foolproof.
  • Deadline-driven routing ensures promotions launch on time.
  • OOS, pricing, and display condition workflows keep reporting consistent and structured.
  • Geotag + timestamps give retailers undeniable execution proof.
  • Real-time dashboards show HQ exactly where compliance gaps exist and how fast they’re fixed.

Brands that use Navimate consistently outperform competitors on retailer scorecards — and get more shelf space as a result.

Meet Our Experts

Trade marketing professional with a career spanning every role in the field - from sales agent to country manager. Extensive experience leading and training large teams, with deep, hands-on knowledge of trade marketing challenges and how to solve them.

How does Navimate improve trade marketing consistency across territories?

By using standardized tasks, required photos, and real-time reporting, Navimate ensures every store performs at the same high standard.

Can Navimate store visit history, notes, and photos for each account?

Yes. Each account includes a full timeline of past visits, photos, notes, and completed tasks, giving reps full context before entering the store.

How does Navimate automate planning and scheduling?

Navimate uses account priority, rep availability, visit frequency, and geography to automatically generate the most efficient route and daily plan