AM Store Standards Checklist

Title Page

Document No.
Audit Title
Client / Site
Conducted on
Prepared by
Location
Personnel

Front of Store

Basket Bays Basket bays should be kept full and in a good condition Baskets must be free from rubbish and dirt Baskets must be positioned in a basket stand

Women’s & Men’s Tops

D-racks and cubes to be placed on perimeter Placed from lowest to highest price Feature key volume lines STYLE - tank, tee, long sleeve, jacket. Lay stock out by STYLE, then PRICE. Separate casual and smart with in each style for women’s

Mens T’s back wall

Mens T’s include Wavezone & Mambo

Men’s Tops

Hoodies all together Polo’s all together

Womenswear

Tops (Shelf/ footwear optional) Smart Dresses

Seasonal Knit

Knitwear to be merchandised in volume by Style Lead with key volume d-racks All knits jumpers together All cardigans together Lowest to highest PRICE Light to dark Ribbon block colours vertically

Women’s & Men’s Bottoms

Bottoms to be merchandised in volume in priority: Starting with leggings, jeggings, chino’s, then denim Lightest to darkest In style ( all skinny together, all straight together etc) Short to long Lowest to highest PRICE Finish with dress pants, then skirts, then dresses for womens

Accessories

Ribbon block like styles vertically (light to dark, top to bottom) and formal and casual separate.

Denim 1964

Denim 1964 is a coordinate zone. Refer to the Womenswear VM Directive setup details from portal

Apparel Cubes

Apparel CU4 units:Used to promote seasonally relevant volume lines Set-up each feature as instructed in the AAEC memo Set-up in the correct location as instructed in the AAEC programme Use one price point per side Products should be separated by colour and then size as per AWVM17 Products should be folded neatly with all labels facing the same way Ensure signage height is consistent between features

RP

Product Presentation

Product life cycle As a product sells through its life cycle, different merchandising rules apply. The stages of the product life cycle are: Full range To be displayed on end caps, coordinated racks and department locations Broken range Displayed on department locations where two or more sizes are sold through End of range Is when a style is depleted to three or fewer items across all colours. This should be displayed in a dedicated “Last of our Best Sellers” location within each department Sale/Clearance Sale items should only be featured on ends and racks where there is a full size and col,our mix for the customer. Sale products should be brought forward to sell as much as possible, at its earliest markdown. When product moves to clearance and items are fragmented, merchandise by price, size, style and colour within canyons as per the VM directive. POS execution for Sale and Clearance tie-up should be in line with the event memo.

Babywear

Tops to be merchandised by Shortest sleeve to longest Lowest to Highest PRICE Light to dark Includes knitwear & jackets Bottoms to be merchandised in priority from Lead In Bay: By gender By style Lowest to highest PRICE Light to dark (within style)

Girlswear

Place tops on gondolas in the following priority: (from Lead In Bay) By style Shortest sleeve to longest Lowest to Highest price Light to dark (within style) Includes knitwear & jackets Bottoms to be merchandised in volume in priority (from LIB), starting with leggings, jeggings, trackies, then denim, then skirts. By style Lowest to highest price Light to dark (within style)

Boyswear

Place tops on gondolas in the following priority from Lead In Bay: By style Shortest sleeve to longest Lowest to Highest price Light to dark (within style) Includes sweats, knitwear & jackets Bottoms to be merchandised in volume in priority (from LIB), starting with trackies, chinos, cargos, then denim. By style Lowest to Highest price Light to dark (within style)

Footwear

Footwear Group together show types and then styles/colours/design groups within each class Separate warms, neutrals and cools when there is an identical style in multiple colours Organise sizes to run from smallest to largest, top to bottom on the fixture For correct adjacencies from Action Aisles follow the “Brand Flow” diagrams in the latest VM directive Each RP arm or shelf is to have a scan label and if there are more than 1 sku then it needs to have multi pocket shelf label holder
Hanging footwear All categories of footwear are hang sell except the following categories: Women’s dress and wedges. These will be shelved, out of boxes with the toe facing towards the Action Aisle Women’s wet weather styles Men’s wet weather and branded work boots/industrial work wear
Toes up Al;l thongs, aqua socks, ballet and selected sandals Women’s, men’s and children’s slippers Women’s canvas Women’s comfort Women’s comfort shoes
Heels up Women’s canvas hi-boot Men’s sandals, canvas and dress All casual and all sports Selected women’s sandals Children’s canvas, school shoes and sandals
Side hung direction Women’s boots and children’s wet weather shoes Present toes pointing in the same direction as the top of the shoe hanger

Product Presentation

Hard and Soft goods overview To accommodate the large number of products available in store, merchandise must be presented in a well organised, logical and visually appealing way. This enables customers to view a clear product choice and inspires them to buy. Display areas should be kept neat, clean and maintained to the highest standard at all times to show our customers we care in order for Big W to become the chosen everyday shopping experience. Getting it right: All departments should be laid out to current planogram guidelines CARS replenishment should be in place to maintain accurate stock levels and availability Product areas should be kept filled, but must not obscure POS Products should be stacked neatly, with folded items maintained throughout the day Products should be brought forward to the shelf edge, including stock behind, with all labels facing forward Sample selling items should be working and secured, with display updates performed monthly No merchandise should be left in customer aisles or walkways Overstock products should not be stored above or beneath fixture pelmets. Maintain 1900 discipline. Test the customer service bell on a daily basis All areas of the store should be completely recovered at the end of each trading day with regular recovery routines throughout the day to ensure our store standard disciplines are maintained
Samples In dinner set displays, only two vendor supplied acrylics should be displayed on each shelf. These should be secured using locking studs Use display table fixtures to showcase both hard and soft home products. When dressing the table, select a colour theme and display on the second shelf. The top and bottom shelves are for bulk products only Displays should be featured directly over the stock of the product for sale Any sample selling items should be in full working
Features and benefits tickets - Sporting , TV s / Bike unit / Nursery / Outdoor These highlight a fantastic deal and communicate the features and benefits on certain products and are available in various sizes and options The ticketing will either arrive in store as a pre-populated ticket from the events team or be created by the store teams using the template from the Google document to input any details Information on tickets should be informative and exciting to the customer A4 tickets should be placed in an A4 acrylic frame, positioned in the centre of the display and used for small appliances and home entertainment
Bikes Bike booklet should be on the front of every Bike Rack, current and in good repair. Refer to sporting presentation standards document All display models must be correctly set-up and secured Bike stock should be placed above the display. Bikes should be displayed with the rear end facing the back wall. In MK9 stores, the bike unit display must feature bike helmets above bikes The bike display unit should show instructional and safety POS alternated on the base of the unit The bulky goods display stand should be positioned at the base of the gym equipment. Refer to the POG for correct positioning guidelines
Toys Use supplier graphics where instructed Price ticketing boards must also be used on the side of the ball hoppers, sitting above hula hoop rings and any other merchandise
Home entertainment All demo handsets and devices must be working and show “features and benefits” POS Only show leaflets as instructed Any glass should be clean and smear-free
Home Cushions must be colour blocked vertically ; separating warm, neutral and cool colours. Where possible, place neutral colours between warm and cool colours, using acrylic dividers at the end of shelves to separate styles/colours Pillow hoppers must feature “how to choose” signage on the side. There are no data strips for this area. A brand insert should be placed at the front of the hopper, with a price board positioned in front Home fashion coordinated POG areas should be refreshed according to the product purchased. each time changing the colour statement. Block products in volume and colour story.

AAEC

The BIG W Action Aisle and End Cap Programme Refer to the portal every month for the latest AAEC programme Review the AAEC programme and plan the set-up as directed, ensuring the correct lines are displayed in the relevant locations Equipment may be relocated to support a specific event. However, the actual number of selling locations must not deviate from the number nominated in the AAEC programme. Do not merchandise products on the floor in front of units Action Aisle Action aisles maximise sales opportunities by promoting seasonally relevant volume-selling lines at great prices Action Aisle PDQ and Dump Bins Set-up each feature as instructed in the AAEC memo Action Aisles are to be positioned in the middle of aisles, irrespective of columns Ensure signage is of a consistent height with all other AAEC fixtures locations and the price point is clear for the customer to see On occasions where stock levels in an aisle fall below minimum standards, managers should nominate a substitute product of a complementary type and price - maintaining good adjacencies
Action Aisle bases Set-up each feature as instructed in the AAEC memo Use only one price point per feature Products are to be stacked neatly, with all labels facing the same way Ensure signage and products are of a consistent height between features
End caps End caps act as a lead into sections and create strong sight lines. These locations within the store are prime selling opportunities and should feature with a high stock turn Set-up in the correct location as instructed in the AAEC programme End caps should have one price point only Where appropriate, end caps should contain samples, placed at the average customer eye level Samples must be in good working order Merchandise may be hung or shelved as long as the display stock does not exceed the expected sales Products should be stacked neatly with all labels facing forward Products must not hang over the fixture or extend into the traffic aisle
4-Way units Used to promote volume low price lines Set-up in the correct location as instructed in the AAEC programme Use one product per side Use one price point per side Products should be stacked neatly with all labels facing the same way Ensure signage height is consistent between features
Fixtures Maintain a safe distance between floor fixtures, front and back. Allow the customer to shop the area with ease. Ensure a logical flow between different brands with complementary product adjacencies following your overview or planogram. Position focal points at the front of sections Align floor fixtures to create clear open sight lines into the rear of the perimeter wall of the store in line with your overview
Sidekicks : Used for associated selling Setup each feature as instructed by support office All equipment must be fixed securely with two brackets at the top and bottom of the unit, so that they do not swing out from the end cap frame The product must be associated with the lines on the end caps The sidekick unit must face customer flow Do not impeded on stock at either side of the unit Sidekicks should not be merchandised on 1500 gondolas
Apparel Aisle tables: Used to promote high volume apparel lines Set-up each feature as instructed in the AAEC memo The table base must be set at the highest notch Promote single products; units may only feature two items if table dividers are used and correctly positioned Tables should have one price point Products should be separated by colour and then size Products should be stacked neatly with all labels facing the same way

Product

Quit Lines Quit Lines greater than ten weeks or 500 units total/ company stock on hand, are to be left on the planogram The facings of each Quit Line are displayed on the planogram, with cross-hashed lines across the keycode
Flex facings Flex facings give stores flexibility to display residual, quit, promotional or seasonal items within the respective planogram When not being used for this purpose, the flex facing should be used to display the best selling adjacent product The amount of flex space required within a planogram depends on the number of Quit and Promotional Lines in the department
Flexible response Flexible response is used predominantly in seasonal areas, such as special events, apparel, toys and sporting goods as well as in areas where space exceeds range The seasonal overviews and planograms apply only when there is enough stock to fill the allocated planograms. As stock sells through adopt the planogram using flexible response.

Ticketing

Permanent POS & ticketing Sub-classes These are designed to help customers find a particular item Sub-classes are placed above the gondola and produced in different shapes, sizes and colour options Header cards define the sub-classes within a department Sub-classes are nominated by the store presentation team in conjunction with the planogram

AAEC

Add On sale - Clipstrips Associated selling for impulse units, located apart from their product “family tree”. Product used in clip strips will come from two sources: Clip strips must be secured at the top and bottom Use only one clip strip per location Use only one keycode per clip strip A shelf label showing the price should be displayed on top of the strip Stock must be kept replenished and fully priced Clip strips should not obstruct other products Clip strips must be removed if empty Clip strips should be placed on both sides of every end cap, excluding back end caps Clip strips are to be positioned on every second outrigger post at a height of 1.9m, exclude first and last post in aisle Clip strips should not be used in the following locations,Action Aisle tables,Thrust tables, 4-Way units, Sidekicks, Back of last bay on gondolas, Apparel fashion (excluding footwear, Optical store, Photo lab, Cosmetic department, Timber gondola areas, Impulse bars

Ticketing

Information signage This is designed to help customers when choosing an item, suggest alternatives and deliver purchase information “How to choose the right…” is used to help customers locate and select the product that best suits their needs “What else you may need…” highlights additional products that complement the original purchase “How to shop…” helps customers to buy the product they’ve chosen. This is typically used with big and bulky items
Shelf labels and ticketing All items on a shelf or scanning hook on a gondola side should feature a data strip to hold the shelf label On shelf fronts, a shelf label must be displayed on the left hand side of each keycode and shown is the data strip. In most situations, a single shelf label is sufficient; a second shelf label may be used at the beginning of the next bay, if the facings are large and span over 760mm in width
Shelf talkers should be displayed using shelf talker clips which slide onto data strips. The ticket must not hamper the stock selection and should not be fixed using sticky tape or any other adhesive Shelf talkers are used to highlight price and come in a range of sizes and messages Shelf talkers are available in 1up, 4up, 9up and A4. The size selected should be used to suit the product the ticket references i.e. 9up talkers are most useful in confectionary where there are smaller product facings An A4 landscape shelf talker is also available, however this must be used to call out features and benefits or key category offers. These talkers are centrally managed and provided by the events team via the BIG W portal Shelf talkers must be changed regularly to ensure a fresh and dynamic look instore Event shelf talkers are sometimes issued ie. Christmas shelf talkers to ensure any product key to an event is called out in the same theme
Marketing ticketing This is used to announce special events such as Christmas, Easter and Mother’s Day. The POS packs stay in place anytime from two weeks onwards and all information required for execution is included in the event memo. The event memo is saved in the BIG W portal, stores are to check the portal communications to reference when the information is available to download. The event memo will cover off in detail the key areas requiring attention from stores including timings, planned advertising, execution expectations, feedback forms and promotional area instructions,.
Ticketboard rules Ticketboard inserts showcase the great deals available in store and act as a powerful complement to standard price ticketing New key call out inserts should be positioned on the left hand side of the pricing numbers All ticket boards on the racetrack should be oriented facing the Action Aisle. This is so the customer can clearly identify a price when viewing a product from the Action Aisle, and should act as a draw card to lure a customer into an area Backcards should be displayed on the reverse of the ticketboards wherever a board is present
Action Aisle permanent equipment On occasions in the AAEC programme, multiple lines may be nominated by the support team for an end cap. In such instances you should adapt the principles detailed below For items displayed on shelves, a shelf labels should be inserted on the left hand side of the product in the shelf data strip One shelf talker should be displayed per price point For items requiring hang sell methods, scan label hooks should be used and a shelf label positioned on every hook On end caps where products are supplied in a shelf-ready tray, the lowest price should be positioned on the ticketboard
Front of store easel Each store has two easels, which can be used at entry to further drive traffic through our doors. These should be placed in a prominent position at the front of the store and if space permits in the sidewalk area This should NOT be placed in store as a POS element The POS element is an opportunity for stores to call out a great offer, or to use a method of communicating the key event in-store Every week in portal communications or in the event memo will be detail around what posters should sit in this fixture

Image Line

Image line packs to be executed as per memo Image Line Phase 1 and Phase 2 AAEC to be followed for exact location of fixtures.

Safety For All

Be house proud! - clean gondola, shiny floors Getting it right: Ensure all equipment is kept clean, tidy and in working order Use only authorised/appropriate cleaning materials and sundries for each area Ensure the correct SOP and only the approved chemicals are used when required to clean fixtures or product Always wear appropriate clothing for the job The shop floor should be checked daily for damaged equipment Any issues found on the shop floor, structure or equipment. Should be logged through facilities for correction. Any fixtures that are damaged or unsafe for use should be tagged out Pickups should be performed throughout the day to ensure the shop floor remains safe and presentable at all times. If you see it on the floor, pick it up! Follow company guidelines when using external companies for maintenance work Repairs of electrical equipment should not be attempted by members of the store team and should be immediately tagged out of use and logged through facilities

For The Customer

Customer Engagement BIG W stores as a representation of the brand is the sum of all associations, both positive and negative about you, the company, our products and services. You never get a second chance to make a positive first impression! BIG W takes great pride in presenting the right image. Customer service areas act as vital touch points throughout our stores. This is where lasting impressions are formed and it is essential that all team members deliver outstanding customer service. This means being polite, efficient, professional and maintaining a high standard of dress and personal appearance at all times. Think like a customer - would you be impressed by you? Make the ordinary extraordinary! Getting it right: All computers ands cash registers must be in full working order and any issues should be logged through the portal Any customer-facing screens must be clean and in good working order Review customer service area regularly for rubbish, old receipts etc PA and telephone systems must be in good working order Areas should be manned at all times through peak trade No excess rubbish is to be kept under desks or in the surrounding areas and waste bins should be emptied regularly Desks must be set-up with any appropriate stationery and equipment required by staff and customers All POS elements should be in place to aid the customer journey Notice boards should be up to date
Customer service desks For selected stores, “layby and service” pillars will need to be applied in-store according to the S and G plan Excess stock should be cleared out regularly throughout the day to ensure excessive stocks do not accumulate
Lay-by Lay-by overhead signage lettering should be in clear sight lines to assist with customer navigation TV and computer screens must be in full working order- sound and vision working! Telephone systems must be in working order Area and counter tops should be kept clear and clutter free “Lay-by Conditions” POS in place on wall
Fitting rooms Fitting room overhead signage lettering should be in clear sight lines to assist with customer navigation. Correct location of signage letters is noted on the store plan PA and telephones should be working and in good repair in all fitting rooms If store cubicles do not have wooden doors, then they should have an individual curtain and a hook Ensure the “yes/no/maybe” bubbles and bra size fitting POS is installed inside all cubicles A tape measure should be available and accessible in all fitting rooms A fitting room size chart should feature on the prominent wall of entry Rubbish or excess equipment must never be stored in fitting rooms Ensure mirrors are clean and smear-free and check regularly Ensure flooring and carpets are regularly vacuumed

Back of House

Back of house Standards: Back of house to be setup for success and easier to navigate and locate products Bulk area to be categorise by type ie. drinks, Household Cleaning etc and 1 item to be placed front to back for easier access Zone 1 area must be emptied every night and dock to be cleaned for next day load and other key operations.
Home Entertainment Lock up Brownbuilts in home entertainment to be laid out similar to home ent area for easier location of products and replenishment of key lines Ink cartridge to be stored by brand TVs to be stored in Lockup area with light TVs on the top shelves and Big boxes on the floor (small to large) Top of brownbuilts must be empty at all times
Brownbuilts Books Brownbuilts to be setup as per books department layout
Apparel Brownbuilts Excess is sorted into the brown built according to which cube it belongs to on the trading floor. Each line has a set spot it belongs, with shelf labels as a reference. Generally one bay corresponds to one cube. One cube corresponds to one brown built bay exceptions include: Mens, Ladies and Avella winter fleece four-sided cubes into 2 Bays Three Girls shirts/leggings two-sided cubes into 1 bay total Three Boys shirts two-sided cubes into 1 bay total
Apparel Brownbuilts Setup Instructions: Ladies and Avella Fleece over four bays. One colour style per shelf. Mens Fleece over two bays, one colour style per shelf Boys shirts. 3 two-sided cubes into one bay. One space is used for the full size range. This is possible because the boys and girls shirts are small and compact. Photos and No Price Shelf Labels are used to keep the excess stock sorted by cube, making it easier to fill from the brown built, and to pack away the excess into the brown built.
RP Excess Solutions The remaining excess RP lines, ie; socks, underwear etc have been sorted into tubs for easy access and reworking. RP stock sorted into tubs, by department and product type.
Key Volume Item Excess KVI lines for mens and ladies are kept out of the brown built and stored on separate runner rails, ready to be run to the floor and filled. A permanent location for the rails has been set up so anyone can find and fill the runner rails.

AM Store Standards Checklist

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Front of Store

Women’s & Men’s Tops

Mens T’s back wall

Men’s Tops

Womenswear

Seasonal Knit

Women’s & Men’s Bottoms

Accessories

Denim 1964

Apparel Cubes

RP

Product Presentation

Babywear

Girlswear

Boyswear

Footwear

Product Presentation

AAEC

Product

Ticketing

AAEC

Ticketing

Image Line

Safety For All

For The Customer

Back of House

Related checklists

AM Store Standards Checklist

Free AM Store Standards Checklist Checklist

Go digital today!

Convert your paper checklists into digital forms

Front of Store

Women’s & Men’s Tops

Mens T’s back wall

Men’s Tops

Womenswear

Seasonal Knit

Women’s & Men’s Bottoms

Accessories

Denim 1964

Apparel Cubes

RP

Product Presentation

Babywear

Girlswear

Boyswear

Footwear

Product Presentation

AAEC

Product

Ticketing

AAEC

Ticketing

Image Line

Safety For All

For The Customer

Back of House

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