Helpful tips

Taking a great section photo

A section photo is a photo that shows a section of the aisle from a head-on perspective and includes every shelf from the floor up to the top shelf.

For example: If we are looking for a jar of sauerkraut, and ask for a section photo of the European Foods section, we are asking for a photo of all the shelves around the sauerkraut. Not just the small area of the shelf that holds sauerkraut, but all the products in the European Foods section!

The section photo should show the entire area in the aisle where the product is located from left to right and from the floor to the top shelf.

Here is an example of a proper section photo:

Note how you can see the products from the bottom shelf all the way to the top; the photo is in-focus, and the observer was facing the aisle directly so the price tags and product labels can be read.

Endcaps

These are the short sections on the end of an aisle. They usually show promotional products, new products or items on sale that week. They can be dry stock, cold storage or freezers. Example of an endcap:

Before and after photos

Take a clear picture before you interact with the section. This should show a general overview of the product or section in question. We want to see the condition the shelves were in when you walked in the store.

Before

Take a clear picture after you interact with the section. This picture should highlight the changes you made either by straightening up or repositioning the products in question. Try and get a picture from the same angle, so when going back and forth between the two pictures, the differences are clear.

After

Storefront photo

Take a photo of the front of the store you are observing. A good storefront photo includes the name of the store and the listed address of the store. If these are in two different locations, two storefront pictures are acceptable: one of the store name, and one of the address numbers listed on the building.

We use the storefront photo to confirm the location of the observation, and is one of the easiest ways for you to ensure your observation will be accepted and you aren’t observing the incorrect address. We receive a specific list of stores from our customers to observe, and we need to make sure that each store is covered. The Walmart on 3rd street is not the same as the Walmart on 8th street, for example.

In-Store Demo Audit

It is crucial to familiarize yourself with the instructions for each demo audit, as these opportunities usually have multiple steps and requires many of the skills covered in this helpful tips section.

Search the areas listed in the observation for the demo. If not found, make sure you ask customer service if there are in-store demos happening that day.

If you do find the demo, make sure to take a picture of the entire demo, capturing the entire cart and demonstrator, clearly showing all the signage attached to the cart.

Take mental notes of the demo and your experience and make sure to document your experience clearly in the notes section. This includes providing context about your experience and gives you a chance to share your opinion. It’s valuable!