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distribution

The Product Mix Trap: Why Averages Can Lie in CPG

June 16, 2026 By Kevin Lehmann 1 Comment

I want to wholeheartedly thank Robin and Sally for trusting me as the new steward of the incredible CPG Data Tip Sheet. As they mentioned in their post last week, the site truly helped me get up to speed on CPG analytics, fundamentals, and terminology when I started my career at Nielsen over a decade […]

Filed Under: How To Communicate Insights, How To Understand Your Database Tagged With: CPG data, distribution, POS data, product mix, velocity

Who’s NOT Selling My Products? or How to Identify Distribution Voids

August 27, 2019 By Robin Simon 3 Comments

Let’s start with stating the obvious:  Shoppers cannot buy your products if they are not available where they shop.  Even though your brand may have 12 different items in its product line, not every retailer carries every item.  You can identify which retailers sell which items using a relatively straightforward data pull from IRI or […]

Filed Under: How To Answer Business Questions, Know Your Measures: Distribution Tagged With: distribution, distribution opportunity, distribution void, void

What’s With All These Similar Distribution Measures?? (Max, Reach, Average Weekly, etc.)

November 13, 2017 By Robin Simon 5 Comments

We’ve had several questions over the last few months regarding some facts that people are starting to notice are available in their Nielsen, IRI and/or SPINS databases.   The names are very similar, but it’s not obvious how the measures are different or when you’d want to use one or the other.  (With apologies to Homer […]

Filed Under: Know Your Measures: Distribution Tagged With: avg weekly, distribution, max, reach

Enhancing Your Analysis with TDP, Part 2: Explaining Sales Trends

May 30, 2017 By Sally Martin 2 Comments

In a recent post, I illustrated the most common usage of Total Points of Distribution (TDP) – as a substitute for % ACV in velocity calculations. In this post, I’ll share another one of my favorite ways to leverage the TDP data metric, which is explaining sales trends. If you aren’t familiar with TDP, read […]

Filed Under: How To Answer Business Questions, Know Your Measures: Distribution Tagged With: analysis examples, distribution, TDP

Using TDP to Enhance Your Analysis, Part 1: Velocity

April 27, 2017 By Sally Martin 6 Comments

TDP (a.k.a. Total Distribution Points) is my favorite syndicated data measure. Why? Because distribution is fundamental to any business question. Therefore, it’s a great place to start when looking for answers. And TDP is the broadest, most flexible way to examine this crucial dimension. If you are looking at individual UPCs, you don’t need TDP – […]

Filed Under: How To Answer Business Questions, Know Your Measures: Distribution Tagged With: analysis examples, distribution, TDP, velocity

All About ACV

June 10, 2015 By Sally Martin 28 Comments

Earlier this year, we received a frustrated email from a reader. He wrote: “Once and for all, I would like to know exactly what ACV is. You hear several definitions depending on the site you visit. Then I would like to know how to calculate it, what it tells me, and why suppliers should care.” […]

Filed Under: Know Your Measures: Distribution, Know Your Measures: Pricing and Promotion, Know Your Measures: Sales Tagged With: ACV, distribution

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  • The 2nd Most Important Measure: % ACV Distribution
  • Velocity: How Well Your Product REALLY Sells
  • Total Distribution Points: Master of All Distribution Measures
  • xAOC and MULO: Multi-Channel Markets in Nielsen & IRI
  • The Beginner’s Guide to Trade Merchandising Measurement

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About CPG Data Tip Sheet

The CPG Data Tip Sheet is published by Kevin Lehmann and Goods Group. It was founded in 2012 by Sally Martin and Robin Simon, two consultants who met in business school over a shared interest in the geeky side of marketing and went on to build independent practices of their own. Over more than a decade they turned hard-won experience into plain-English explanations of how CPG data actually works and how to analyze it.

Robin and Sally built this into something the CPG and consumer industry trusts. It continues in that spirit.

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  • How To Communicate Insights (19)
  • How To Get Started with Nielsen/IRI (22)
  • How To Understand Your Database (13)
  • Know Your Measures: Distribution (25)
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  • Know Your Measures: Sales (21)
  • Miscellaneous (6)
  • Uncategorized (1)

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ACV analysis examples analytic skills attributes average items base base weighted weeks career development category management channels characteristics coronavirus coverage factor covid-19 Database distribution due-to Excel tips Facts incremental markets Measures merchandising new items panel data periods pricing pricing strategy products promoted price quantify opportunity retailer direct data retailer markets shopper data store data Syndicated TDP the basics trade promotion trading areas velocity visualization visualizations volume bridge volume decomposition

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Categories

  • Glossary (80)
  • How To Answer Business Questions (43)
  • How To Communicate Insights (19)
  • How To Get Started with Nielsen/IRI (22)
  • How To Understand Your Database (13)
  • Know Your Measures: Distribution (25)
  • Know Your Measures: Pricing and Promotion (45)
  • Know Your Measures: Sales (21)
  • Miscellaneous (6)
  • Uncategorized (1)

Search CPG Data Tip Sheet

Tags

ACV analysis examples analytic skills attributes average items base base weighted weeks career development category management channels characteristics coronavirus coverage factor covid-19 Database distribution due-to Excel tips Facts incremental markets Measures merchandising new items panel data periods pricing pricing strategy products promoted price quantify opportunity retailer direct data retailer markets shopper data store data Syndicated TDP the basics trade promotion trading areas velocity visualization visualizations volume bridge volume decomposition

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