Real suppliers.
Real agents.
Real results.
This case study involved actual suppliers and merchandise professionals working with various agents using our prototype.
Built on real data,
not assumptions.
Duration: The study commenced in June 2025 and continued through 2026, utilizing two custom-built proof-of-concept platforms POP Version 1.0 and POP Version 2.0 to 2.2. StoreSnap then started development.
The primary emphasis was on startups and small to medium-sized suppliers and experienced merchandiser agencies.
The data was gathered directly from real individuals at retail locations spanning multiple provinces, without utilizing AI or internet searches. All records were kept for analysis with as much detail as possible.
Suppliers & Relationships
with Retailers
Without technology and industry standards, the dynamic between these three is outdated and precarious. Yet the supplier carries the risk, always. What does the relationship between suppliers, retailers and merchandisers look like?
The dynamics and responsibilities among suppliers, retailers, and merchandisers can be outdated and precarious without the aid of technology and industry standards. The supplier's role in the retail sector extends beyond manufacturing and includes the following responsibilities:
Building Relationships: Establish connections with retail shops and franchises.
Product Placement: Ensure products are available on the shelves and positioned in prime display areas to effectively reach
consumers and maximize sales.
Inventory Management: Monitor stock levels, replenish inventory when it runs low, and maintain organized shelves with updated
price labels.
Sales Focus: Prioritize achieving sales targets.
In-Store Promotions: Engage in tasks such as stock counting, promoting products within the store, and handling product
delivery and unpacking.
This relationship requires a delicate symbiotic relationship with every store and floor manager across multiple regions. The number of stores for small to medium suppliers in particular range from 200 – over 10 000+ stores. These responsibilities ultimately lay on the suppliers, regardless of their use of merchandisers. If a merchandiser makes a mistake the supplier ends up losing.
Merchandiser Visit Records
and Supplier Challenges
Before proof-of-concept version 1 was created, several issues arise between merchandisers and suppliers. Ultimately, these issues can lead to suppliers being delisted from stores and losing business, often without any notification until it's too late:
Records and reports are delivered to suppliers in snippets of data across various communication platforms.
This requires consolidating information from multiple sources, which can lead to store-level feedback being overlooked.
There are concerns about the accuracy and potential fraud in visit records.
When a merchandiser changes, their proprietary portal often retains the data, leaving suppliers without essential historical records needed for contract disputes.
These challenges result in merchandisers having undue leverage over suppliers.
Managing multiple merchandisers across different regions complicates the collection of data, including visit records, orders, and deliveries.
depending on services rendered. Yet the suppliers have it all on the line ultimately. There is nothing wrong with the above, however the Merchandiser hold the power when it comes to disputes.
Adoption & Usage Report
Merchandisers loved using custom forms for store visits. It saved them valuable time and gave confidence that when a visit is logged, the job is done.
Staff management from just one client app saved the agency significant time, delivered accurate data, and eliminated human error.
Suppliers gained confidence in merchandisers. No more overwhelming WhatsApps, emails, or scattered visit records to piece together.
Suppliers no longer receive non-stop WhatsApps and emails. Hundreds of hours saved monthly by not having to piece data together manually.
See when action is needed, what sales are done, by which agent and at what store. This alone can save a business like never before.
Data sits in a central location with multiple anti-fraud measures. No one can bend the truth — disputes are resolved instantly.
A simple store visit record log form. It worked so well that merchandisers and suppliers requested more features.
Orders, delivery management, returns and claims. Requests came from both merchandisers and suppliers to build more.
Real-time orders. Suppliers mark items as ready for pickup, in transit, delivered, or needs unpacking. All in one place.
From visit log
to operating system.
The prototype started as a simple store visit record form. It worked so well that suppliers and merchandisers asked for more — and StoreSnap is what came out the other side.
A simple form. Log a visit, prove the work, end of story.
Real-time orders captured in-store. Pickup, in transit, delivered, unpacked — all tracked.
A supplier dashboard manages visits, orders, deliveries to shelf — all in one place, in real time.
Merchandisers were happy to use the custom forms for store visits from the suppliers. Field merchandisers found that it saved them valuable time. They enjoyed the ease of having to know when they log a visit through our prototype, that the job is done.
Not only did suppliers gain confidence with merchandisers, but staff management and time saving from just one client app saved their agency a lot of time, accurate data and no human error.
Suppliers no longer get non-stop overwhelming WhatsApp’s, emails and other visit record information. This did two main things. One, they were able to be free from being overwhelmed. Saving time by trying to put the data together saved them hundreds of hours a month trying to piece it together and letting a store fall through the cracks.
The real time data showed when action is needed, what sales are done, by what agent and what store. This alone can save a business like never possible before.
Disputes were instantly resolved because of the data sitting in a central location. No one could bend the truth as the data is recorded with multiple ani-fraud measurements in place.
The prototype started as a simple store visit record logs from. This did so well that requests to expand it to more take orders, manage delivery tasks, returns and claims. From Merchandisers requested features as well not just for themselves but for supplier too.
So, more features where added. Orders and deliveries. A simple store visit app can now also take orders. These orders are made in real time. Suppliers can now mark it when its ready for Pick up, delivery or in transit as well as delivered and needs unpacking.
A visit record dashboard for suppliers became the central hub to manage their business after new orders could now be logged and deliveries all the way on to shelves were possible in one place, in real time.
From real fieldwork
to your business.
Want data clarity? Talk to us about running StoreSnap today.