3 Mistakes That Can Derail a Product Launch at the Shelf
Even the most well-funded, insight-driven product launches can hit a wall once shoppers reach the shelf. It's not a ball that CPGs can afford to drop.
In fact, 85% of shoppers say that shelf arrangement is an important or very important factor influencing their in-store experience, according to P2PI research, which indicates that execution at the point of sale can determine whether a product sells out or stalls before its first reorder.
Looking closely at why launches falter reveals several avoidable pitfalls. The good news: By strengthening measurement, visibility and collaboration, CPGs can build feedback loops between data, automation, and teams — transforming launches from one-time events into repeatable engines of growth.
1. Ignoring Real-Time Shelf Visibility
Many brands still rely on outdated audits or self-reported field data to plan their in-store execution, resulting in blind spots. When a new SKU goes missing due to shipments, resets or local merchandising decisions, it may never appear on the shelf, with many retailers remaining unaware for weeks.
Modern shelf-intelligence platforms can use real-time imagery from stores to identify stock-outs, competitor encroachments, and compliance gaps, transforming these insights into live KPIs.
For example, beauty company Eos (Evolution of Smooth) partnered with Storesight to monitor shelf conditions across retailers in real-time and increase its visibility into new categories. This helped Eos resolve display issues, confirm distribution, and maintain its presence during a period of growth.
2. Misaligned Launch Timing Between Marketing and Retail Execution
A lack of coordination in marketing and visibility, such as launching marketing before the product is widely available or setting up retail displays weeks too early, is a recipe for disaster that can result in lost sales, wasted advertising spend and frustrated partners.
Unfortunately, launch calendars across departments rarely synchronize in real-time, and data is often siloed, making it hard to coordinate product launches with marketing efforts. McKinsey noted that leading CPGs are pursuing a dual goal: increasing growth while enhancing operational performance, with a strong emphasis on aligning commercial, operational, and retail efforts.
One practical step is to synchronize marketing and retail activation calendars. Modern dashboards make it possible to confirm that fixtures, promotions, and pricing are live before paid campaigns launch, which can ensure every shopper touchpoint is connected and consistent.
3. Treating the Launch as a One-Time Event Instead of a Continuous Process
Many brands stop paying attention after the “go live” window closes, but store shelves can be challenging due to price adjustments, advertising changes, and adjacency shifts, which can lead to a decline in store compliance. BCG highlighted that brands that maintain data-driven feedback loops during the first 90 days of a launch outperform their slower peers by 15-20%.
To address this, the best approach for brands is to adopt a continuous launch mindset, with consistent tracking of on-shelf availability, pricing, and display compliance on a daily or weekly basis. AI can also be used to help flag anomalies and automate corrections.
AI can also be used to help flag anomalies and automate corrections.
Clorox, for example, uses AI to accelerate every phase of product development and post-launch optimization. Its “digital core” tools cut development time in half and doubled innovation output by analyzing consumer discussions and trends in real time.
The system helps the brand anticipate needs, test new concepts within hours, and continuously refine products such as its Scentiva and Toilet Bomb lines based on live feedback — turning product launches into dynamic, data-driven cycles rather than one-off events.
This was originally published on P2PI, a CGT sister publication.