As consumer choices expand, getting your product noticed on a crowded shelf is more challenging than ever. Shelf testing, also known as product placement testing, allows brands to test their products’ packaging, pricing, and visibility in a simulated or real-world retail environment. By understanding how consumers interact with your products on the shelf, you can make data-driven decisions to improve visibility, increase sales, and outshine the competition.
In this article, we will cover the top 10 shelf testing suppliers, with Simporter leading the way with its innovative AI-powered shelf testing. These shelf testing suppliers, agencies, and platforms help brands test their products efficiently, ensuring they meet consumer needs before launching in the market.
Simporter
Simporter is an industry leader in virtual shelf testing, offering a cutting-edge, AI-driven platform designed to help brands optimize their product packaging and placement. Simporter allows companies to simulate real-life retail environments in both physical and e-commerce settings. With Simporter, brands can test multiple variations of packaging, pricing, and product placements using A/B testing models and customizable consumer panels. The platform’s advanced algorithms analyze consumer behavior, helping you identify the most effective design and strategy to increase sales.
Key Features:
- AI-Powered Analysis: Simporter uses artificial intelligence to analyze consumer behavior quickly and efficiently, delivering actionable insights in a fraction of the time traditional methods require.
- Customizable Consumer Panels: The platform allows brands to target specific demographics and audiences, ensuring the feedback comes from relevant consumer groups.
- Realistic Simulations: Simporter’s virtual retail environments mimic real-life store settings, offering an accurate prediction of how products will perform in the market.
Why Choose Simporter?
Simporter stands out for its speed and cost-effectiveness. The platform enables brands to test multiple product designs and price points in just days, making it ideal for businesses looking to launch quickly and affordably. With customizable testing and precise data, Simporter helps brands refine their strategy, improving the likelihood of success upon launch.
AYTM (Ask Your Target Market)
AYTM is a popular platform that offers virtual shelf testing as part of its broader market research services. It is particularly well-suited for brands looking for agile, quick-turnaround insights. AYTM enables brands to simulate retail environments and test product packaging, placement, and pricing with targeted consumer panels. With easy-to-use tools, AYTM makes it possible for businesses to collect feedback and make informed decisions on the fly.
Key Features:
- Agile Testing: AYTM allows brands to set up and run tests quickly, providing real-time data and insights that help accelerate the product development process.
- Targeted Consumer Panels: Brands can customize their consumer panels by demographics, purchase history, and other relevant factors, ensuring they are testing with the right audience.
- Easy-to-Use Interface: The platform’s user-friendly interface makes it accessible to brands of all sizes, from small startups to large corporations.
Why Choose AYTM?
AYTM is known for its speed and flexibility. The platform is an excellent choice for brands that need fast, reliable feedback without a lengthy setup process. With affordable pricing options and a simple interface, AYTM is a go-to choice for businesses looking to test products quickly and efficiently.
Toluna Start
Toluna Start is a comprehensive market research platform that offers advanced virtual shelf testing tools. It allows brands to simulate in-store environments and test different product configurations, packaging designs, and price points. Toluna’s platform is known for its detailed consumer insights, helping brands understand how their products perform compared to competitors.
Key Features:
- Virtual Shelf Simulations: Toluna Start offers realistic virtual shelf environments that allow brands to test product visibility, pricing, and placement with accurate results.
- Global Reach: With access to a wide range of consumer panels worldwide, Toluna Start enables brands to test products in different markets and demographics.
- In-Depth Analytics: Toluna provides detailed data analysis, helping brands understand consumer behavior and preferences.
Why Choose Toluna Start?
Toluna Start is ideal for brands that want to gain deep insights into consumer behavior across different markets. The platform’s global reach and comprehensive data analytics make it a valuable tool for businesses looking to optimize their product strategies on a larger scale.
Eye Square
Eye Square is a shelf testing supplier that specializes in real POS (Point of Sale) testing, using eye-tracking technology to provide brands with detailed insights into how consumers interact with products on the shelf. Eye Square’s tests are conducted in both physical stores and online environments, offering a well-rounded approach to understanding consumer behavior. With over 20 years of experience in eye-tracking research, Eye Square is a trusted choice for brands looking to optimize their product placement strategies.
Key Features:
- Eye-Tracking Technology: Eye Square’s eye-tracking tools provide brands with precise data on where consumers look and what catches their attention in both physical and virtual retail environments.
- Real-World POS Testing: Eye Square conducts tests in actual retail settings, giving brands insights into how their products perform in real-world conditions.
- Behavioral Insights: The platform provides a deep understanding of consumer behavior, focusing on attention, engagement, and emotional responses.
Why Choose Eye Square?
Eye Square is the perfect solution for brands that want to dive deep into how consumers visually engage with their products. By combining eye-tracking technology with real POS testing, Eye Square offers comprehensive insights into what influences purchasing decisions and how to improve product visibility.
Zappi
Zappi is a popular platform for virtual shelf testing, offering tools that allow brands to simulate retail environments and gather consumer feedback on packaging, pricing, and product placement. Zappi’s strength lies in its focus on consumer feedback and fast insights, helping brands make quick decisions based on real-world data. Zappi also offers concept testing and A/B testing features, making it a versatile tool for product development.
Key Features:
- Fast Turnaround: Zappi is known for its quick setup and fast insights, allowing brands to gather data and make decisions in a short time frame.
- Consumer-Centric Approach: The platform focuses on collecting real-time consumer feedback, providing brands with actionable data that directly impacts product strategy.
- A/B Testing: Zappi’s A/B testing features allow brands to test multiple product variations and compare their performance side-by-side.
Why Choose Zappi?
Zappi is ideal for brands that need to test multiple product versions quickly. Its consumer-centric approach ensures that brands get feedback from the right audience, making it easier to refine product designs and strategies before launch.
SPRINT Insights
SPRINT Insights offers a shelf testing solution that focuses on understanding consumer behavior through phases of testing, including first impressions, distinctiveness, and heatmap evaluations. SPRINT uses a combination of virtual and physical shelf testing to evaluate how products perform in different retail environments. Their agile research approach allows brands to gather insights quickly, enabling faster product adjustments and refinements.
Key Features:
- Phased Testing: SPRINT breaks down the testing process into distinct phases, such as first impressions and distinctiveness, providing a clear picture of how consumers interact with your product at different stages.
- Heatmap Evaluations: Using heatmaps, SPRINT tracks where consumers focus their attention on the shelf, helping brands understand which elements of their product or packaging attract the most attention.
- Agile Research: The platform’s agile research approach allows brands to gather data and insights quickly, speeding up the product development process.
Why Choose SPRINT Insights?
SPRINT Insights is a great choice for brands that want to evaluate product performance in stages. Its phased testing approach provides clear, actionable data at each step of the consumer journey, helping brands make informed decisions to improve their product strategies.
iMotions
iMotions is a shelf testing platform that integrates biosensors and eye-tracking technology to give brands a comprehensive understanding of how consumers interact with products on the shelf. iMotions focuses on measuring attention, emotional engagement, and decision-making processes, providing brands with deeper insights into consumer behavior. The platform’s use of biosensors, such as EEG and GSR, allows for a more detailed analysis of how consumers respond to products at the shelf.
Key Features:
- Biosensor Integration: iMotions combines biosensors like EEG (Electroencephalography) and GSR (Galvanic Skin Response) with eye-tracking technology to measure emotional and cognitive responses to products.
- Eye-Tracking Data: iMotions tracks where and for how long consumers focus their attention on the shelf, offering valuable insights into product visibility and engagement.
- Comprehensive Analysis: The platform’s combination of biosensors and eye-tracking provides brands with a detailed understanding of how consumers think and feel when interacting with their products.
Kantar
Kantar is a global leader in market research and data analytics, offering shelf testing solutions that help brands understand consumer behavior in retail environments. Kantar’s shelf testing platform allows companies to simulate various retail scenarios and collect insights on product visibility, packaging effectiveness, and consumer engagement. The company’s extensive reach and deep expertise make it a trusted partner for brands looking to optimize product placement strategies.
Key Features:
- Global Reach: Kantar provides access to a vast range of consumer panels across different markets, making it easier for brands to test products in various regions.
- Data-Driven Insights: Kantar’s platform delivers in-depth analysis on how consumers interact with products on the shelf, helping brands make informed decisions based on real-world data.
- Comprehensive Solutions: From packaging design to product placement, Kantar offers a wide range of tools to improve product performance in retail settings.
Why Choose Kantar?
Kantar is an excellent choice for brands that need a globally recognized platform with access to diverse consumer panels. Its detailed analytics and global presence make it ideal for companies looking to expand into multiple markets while maintaining strong product performance.
NielsenIQ
NielsenIQ is another powerhouse in consumer insights, offering a range of shelf testing solutions designed to help brands succeed at the point of sale. NielsenIQ’s shelf testing tools focus on optimizing product visibility, improving packaging, and fine-tuning product placement strategies. Known for its extensive data resources, NielsenIQ provides brands with a clear understanding of how their products perform compared to competitors in real-world retail settings.
Key Features:
- Comprehensive Data Insights: NielsenIQ’s platform is powered by one of the largest data pools in the world, offering brands unparalleled insights into consumer behavior.
- Real-World Testing: NielsenIQ allows companies to test their products in actual retail environments, gathering real-time feedback from consumers.
- Product Optimization: The platform helps brands identify strengths and weaknesses in their packaging and placement strategies, enabling quick adjustments for improved performance.
Why Choose NielsenIQ?
NielsenIQ is ideal for brands that want to leverage a vast amount of data to gain a competitive edge. Its real-world testing capabilities and deep insights make it a go-to choice for companies looking to fine-tune their product strategies for maximum shelf impact.
Cubery
Cubery specializes in 2D virtual shopping experiences, allowing brands to simulate retail environments and test their products in a realistic yet controlled setting. Cubery’s shelf testing platform helps brands understand consumer decision-making processes by analyzing how products perform alongside competitors. The platform is known for its quick turnaround time and easy-to-use interface, making it a solid choice for brands looking to gain insights rapidly.
Key Features:
- 2D Virtual Shopping: Cubery creates virtual shopping experiences that simulate real-world retail environments, allowing brands to test product placement, visibility, and packaging.
- Fast Insights: The platform provides brands with quick feedback, enabling them to make data-driven decisions on product optimization in a short time frame.
- Simple Setup: Cubery’s platform is easy to use, making it accessible for both small and large brands looking to conduct shelf tests without a complicated process.
Why Choose Cubery?
Cubery is perfect for brands that need fast, reliable feedback on their products without the complexities of setting up in-store tests. Its 2D virtual shopping environment provides an accurate simulation of how products will perform on the shelf, making it an efficient and cost-effective choice for product testing.
How to Choose the Right Shelf Testing Supplier for Your Brand
With so many shelf testing tools available, it can be challenging to decide which platform is the best fit for your brand. Here are a few key factors to consider when choosing a shelf testing supplier:
Your Testing Needs
The first step in selecting the right shelf testing supplier is to understand your specific testing needs. Are you focused on packaging design, pricing, product placement, or a combination of these factors? Some platforms, like Simporter, specialize in A/B testing, which is ideal for comparing different versions of your packaging or product placement. Others, like Eye Square, focus on eye-tracking technology to provide deep insights into how consumers engage with your product visually.
Determine what aspects of your product strategy need testing, and choose a supplier that excels in those areas.
Target Audience
Different shelf testing platforms offer varying levels of customization when it comes to choosing your target audience. If your brand needs to test products with specific demographics, look for suppliers that offer highly customizable consumer panels. Platforms like Simporter and Toluna allow you to filter participants by factors such as age, gender, and purchase history, ensuring you’re getting feedback from your target market.
Budget
Cost is always a factor when choosing a shelf testing supplier. Some platforms, like AYTM and Cubery, are more affordable and cater to small-to-mid-sized businesses. Others, like NielsenIQ and Kantar, are larger, more data-heavy platforms that may come with higher price tags but offer more comprehensive data and insights. Determine your budget and find a supplier that meets your financial requirements without compromising on the quality of insights.
Speed of Insights
If you need quick results, consider platforms that specialize in fast turnaround times. Zappi and Simporter are known for their ability to deliver actionable insights in just days, making them ideal for brands looking to make rapid adjustments to their product strategy before a big launch. On the other hand, if you’re focused on long-term strategy and don’t need immediate results, platforms like NielsenIQ may be more suitable.
Global Reach
If your brand operates in multiple markets or plans to expand internationally, choosing a platform with a global reach is essential. Suppliers like Kantar and Toluna offer access to global consumer panels, allowing you to test products in different regions and gather insights from a diverse range of consumers. This ensures that your product strategy is optimized for success in various markets around the world.
Final Thoughts
Shelf testing is a critical step in ensuring that your product stands out in a crowded market. By testing factors like packaging design, product placement, and pricing before launch, you can gather valuable insights that help improve your chances of success. The top 10 shelf testing suppliers listed in this article offer a variety of tools and features designed to help brands optimize their product strategies.
Why Simporter Leads the Pack
Simporter’s AI-powered platform, customizable testing options, and fast turnaround times make it a top choice for brands looking to test products efficiently and cost-effectively. With the ability to simulate both physical and e-commerce environments, Simporter helps brands refine their product strategy with data-backed insights, ensuring they are ready to succeed in any retail setting.
Whether you’re a small business looking for an affordable testing solution or a large brand seeking comprehensive, data-driven insights, one of these top 10 suppliers is sure to meet your needs. Use this guide to make an informed decision and take your product placement strategies to the next level! To see Simporter live in action, sign up for a demo here.
