Retail Media Planning
Part of Sponsored product campaigns
Choosing retail search products with sufficient availability
Check SKU eligibility, buyability and stock continuity before choosing products for a retail search campaign.
Choose a product for retail search only when the advertised variant is eligible for the proposed unit, buyable through the intended route and supported by a credible availability plan for the campaign dates. A catalogue entry or one stock snapshot is too weak a basis for selection.
Define the exact item and route
Record the SKU, pack size, colour or other variant the advert will show. Check the live page and the delivery, collection or other purchase route relevant to the placement. If buyability depends on postcode, store or fulfilment choice, assess the coverage the media will reach. One location’s stock does not establish wider availability.
Ask the retailer whether that SKU qualifies for the specific search unit. Nectar360 lists Sainsbury’s Search In Grid, Search App and Search Below Grid separately, but its public menu does not confirm eligibility for an advertiser’s item.
Amazon’s product advertising guidance recommends including products that are in stock and displaying the Featured Offer. This is guidance for Amazon products and does not establish eligibility rules for Sainsbury’s or another retailer.
Retail Search Product Availability Requirements
- SKU Verification
- Must match live product page variant (pack size, colour, etc.)
- Buyability Route
- Must support delivery, collection, or in-store pickup as intended
- Stock Continuity
- Requires ongoing monitoring beyond a single snapshot
Judge continuity, not only today’s flag
Use the freshest availability information the team can obtain and record when it was updated. Consider expected replenishment, other demand on the item and the length of the proposed flight. A supplier forecast helps planning but cannot prove that every shopper will be able to buy throughout the campaign. Record gaps when the signal is incomplete.
| Check | Selection question |
|---|---|
| Exact variant | Does the advert represent the item shoppers can select? |
| Unit eligibility | Has the retailer confirmed this SKU for the proposed search unit? |
| Buyability | Does the intended purchase route cover the relevant shoppers? |
| Continuity | Is availability credible for the proposed dates, with someone watching for change? |
| Substitute | Would another eligible item answer the same search? |
There is no universal stock-cover threshold. Set one using the product’s supply pattern, the flight length and the consequence of sending shoppers to an unavailable page. If the evidence does not support the planned dates or coverage, narrow or delay the selection.
Set a response before launch
Name the availability-check owner and the person who can pause an item, shorten the flight or submit a substitute. Check any substitute’s eligibility, page and fit with the original query. A different model or pack size can change what the shopper is looking for.
Amazon’s product-page guidance recommends advertising products that are in stock and displaying the Featured Offer. It does not say that an advertised item is automatically paused when it goes out of stock. Confirm the chosen retailer’s rule and how the team will learn of a change.
Keep a record of when the selected item was buyable, paused or replaced. This helps interpret the retail search result. Decisions about bid adjustments or wider media distribution belong to separate planning work.
