With all the noise around digital ads, influencers, and quick commerce, it’s tempting to think that customers decide what to buy long before they enter a store.

But step into any supermarket, kirana, or modern trade outlet and you’ll see the truth unfold in real time

 

Nearly 70% of purchase decisions are still made inside the store.
At the shelf. In the aisle. In those few seconds when a shopper pauses, looks around, and chooses.

That moment is where brands win or quietly lose.

Most Shoppers Don’t Walk In With a Fixed Plan

Let’s be honest very few consumers enter a store with every brand already decided.

They browse.
They compare.
They switch.

What influences them?

• Which product they notice first
• Which brand looks familiar or trustworthy
• Which pack is easier to understand
• Which offer feels worth trying right now

All of this happens inside the store, not on a screen.

If Your Product Isn’t Visible, It Doesn’t Exist

You may have the best product and the biggest campaign but if your pack is hidden, placed too low, or out of stock, the consumer never even considers you.

Shelf visibility matters more than most brands realize.

Products at eye level sell more. Clean, well-maintained shelves build confidence. A cluttered or empty space does the opposite.

Poor in-store execution often means:

• Missing or incorrect price tags
• Empty shelves
• Damaged or poorly arranged products
• Competitors taking over your space

Each one costs you a sale.

Seeing and Touching Builds Instant Trust

There’s a reason physical stores still matter.

Consumers like to see the pack, read the label, feel the product, and sometimes even try it before buying especially when it’s a new brand.

This is where sampling and promoter interactions make a real difference.

A simple conversation or demo can:

• Clear doubts instantly
• Explain what makes the product different
• Push a hesitant shopper to try

No banner ad can replace that human moment.

Offers Work Best at the Shelf

Discounts don’t just work because they exist they work because they’re seen at the right time.

An in-store offer:

• Feels more urgent
• Reduces hesitation
• Triggers impulse purchases

But only if it’s executed properly.
A missing dangler, a confusing message, or an uninformed store staff can completely kill the impact.

Digital Gets Them There. In-Store Makes Them Buy.

Digital marketing plays an important role it creates awareness and recall.

But when the consumer finally stands in front of the shelf, only one thing matters:
Does this brand make sense to me right now?

If the product isn’t available, visible, or clearly communicated, the consumer moves on—no matter how good your online campaign was.

This is why in-store execution directly decides the ROI of digital spends.

Retail Is Messy. Execution Brings Order.

India’s retail environment is complex. Every store is different. Every city behaves differently.

Brands that succeed don’t rely on hope they rely on execution:

• Regular retail audits
• On-ground teams who know local realities
• Real-time visibility into what’s happening at stores
• Data that helps fix problems quickly

Execution isn’t glamorous, but it’s powerful.

Why Smart Brands Are Doubling Down on In-Store Execution

More and more brands are realising a simple truth:

The shelf is where the decision happens.

That’s why they’re investing in:

• Strong field teams and promoters
• Better visibility tracking
• Tech-enabled reporting
• Consistent in-store standards

Because awareness without availability is wasted effort.

How BrandPort Helps Brands Win at the Shelf

At BrandPort.in, we work where it matters most on the ground.

We help brands:

• Stay visible and available at the right stores
• Execute consistently across cities
• Track in-store performance in real time
• Turn retail presence into real sales

By combining feet-on-street execution with technology, we help brands take control of their in-store performance.

Final Thought

In-store execution isn’t outdated it’s decisive.

As long as people walk into stores, browse shelves, and make spontaneous choices, the brands that show up better will win more often.

Because at the end of the day,
the shelf still decides the sale.