Listing / Delisting

Listing / Delisting

Listing and delisting are retailer decisions about whether a specific product SKU is in or out. A listing means the SKU can be ordered and sold, a delisting means it is removed from the range and should stop flowing through the system.

Also known as: SKU listing, range change, assortment change.

What listing and delisting mean

A listing is the decision to add a specific SKU to a retailer account, a banner, or even a specific store. It is the “yes, you can sell this here” decision, not just a nice idea in a brand plan.

A delisting is the decision to remove a SKU, so it is no longer part of the retailer’s active range. In practice, it also triggers a clean-up, ordering should stop, space needs to be reallocated, and the field needs to know what not to push.

Both are commercial and operational decisions at the same time. Someone agrees the deal and the logic, then a lot of unglamorous work makes it real, item data, ordering setup, planogram changes, store communication, and execution.

Why listings matter

• A listing gives you access to shoppers in that retailer, because the product can actually be bought there.

• A listing is the foundation for distribution, because it enables ordering, replenishment, and repeat sales.

• A listing creates shelf space opportunities, because the SKU can be allocated a place in-store.

• A listing is often a ticket to promo participation, because many promos require the item to be listed first.

• A listing can lead to better visibility, because listed items can be placed, displayed, and signed properly.

• A listing supports predictable ordering, because the retailer has a clear item to order, not a “maybe we can get it” conversation.

What drives listing and delisting decisions

• Category performance, because retailers want the category to grow or at least stay healthy.

• Shopper needs, because items that solve a real shopping mission survive longer than “nice to have” SKUs.

• Retailer strategy, because each banner has its own role, price image, and assortment principles.

• Margin and terms, because listing is a business decision, not a popularity contest.

• Space constraints, because there is always less shelf than the brand team would like.

• Supply reliability, because retailers do not enjoy explaining empty shelves to shoppers.

• Seasonality or launches, because some SKUs are meant to be in for a window, then out again.

Listing vs assortment vs planogram

Assortment is the intended range, what the retailer or banner wants to carry in a category. It is the “target list” of SKUs that fit their strategy.

Listing makes the assortment real, because it is the formal decision that turns a SKU into something that can be ordered and sold. Without listing, the SKU is just a slide in a deck.

The planogram decides where the listed SKU sits and how much space it gets. That is where facings, shelf height, and the “who gets the good spot” politics show up.

A simple example

A supplier proposes a new seasonal SKU for summer, and the KAM brings it to the buyer as a time-limited listing idea. They agree a listing window, and the buyer confirms which stores or banners will carry it.

Next, the retailer updates the assortment file, and the supplier shares the final item details so ordering and store systems do not guess. The planogram is adjusted so the seasonal SKU gets a defined spot, even if it means another SKU loses a facing.

The trade marketing team prepares the in-store story and the field gets briefed on what to place, where it should sit, and what to say when store staff ask questions. After the season, the buyer and the supplier review how it performed in plain terms, did it earn its space or was it just noise. If it earned its space, it stays listed, if not, it is delisted and the planogram is reverted.

Common mistakes

• Teams push too many SKUs, and the retailer hears “complexity” instead of “clear shopper value.”

• Teams bring a weak rationale, so the buyer has no reason to trade shelf space for your new item.

• Teams ignore shelf space, and act surprised when the listed SKU never gets placed properly.

• Teams do poor communication to field teams, so stores get mixed messages and execution becomes random.

• Teams forget timing and lead times, and the SKU arrives late, or the delist happens before stock and materials are cleared.

• Teams do not clean up delisted materials, so old visuals and sell sheets keep floating around like zombies.