01
It predicts sales
Share of Shelf moves before sell-out does: it’s the early warning that something changed.
Digital Share of Shelf
How much of your category do you own when shoppers search online?
Digital Share of Shelf measures the share of top search results your brand holds at each retailer, organic and paid, against your competitors. It’s shelf share for the fastest-growing channel.
Definition
What digital Share of Shelf is
It’s the percentage of positions a brand holds in the top search results for a category within a retailer or marketplace. It’s measured on generic searches (those that don’t include the brand name), such as "sugar-free juice" or "facial sunscreen", and split into organic and paid.
Share of Shelf = your brand’s positions in the top N ÷ total positions in the top N × 100
We use top 10 and top 20, by search, by retailer and by day. The average weighted by search volume gives the category’s Share of Shelf.
Why it matters
If it’s not in the top results, it doesn’t sell.
02
It shows where competitors invest
If their paid share rises on a search, they’re buying that category.
03
It strengthens negotiations
With evidence of your real visibility, the conversation with the retailer’s buyer changes.
Organic vs. paid
| Organic share | Paid share | |
|---|---|---|
| What it measures | Positions earned through relevance, sales, content and reviews | Space bought in retail media (Mercado Ads, Amazon Ads, Walmart Connect, etc.) |
| What drives it | Listing content, stock, price, conversion, reviews | Spend, bids and ad relevance |
| What to do if it drops | Check the listing, stock and reviews before raising ad spend | Check whether a competitor is buying your searches |
How we measure it
- 01
Searches
We pick 20 to 50 generic searches per category and retailer, with their relative volume.
- 02
Capture
PULSO records organic and sponsored positions several times a day.
- 03
Calculation
Share by search, retailer and brand, weighted by volume.
- 04
Read-out
Which brand gained or lost share, on which searches and why (price, stock, content or ads).
Sample report
| Search | Retailer | Your brand | Competitor A | Competitor B | Retailer private label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sugar-free juice | Retailer 1 | 20% | 35% | 10% | 15% |
| kids juice | Retailer 1 | 30% | 20% | 20% | 10% |
| natural juice 1 L | Retailer 2 | 10% | 40% | 15% | 25% |
Illustrative example with fictional data.
FAQ
What’s the difference between Share of Shelf and market share?
Market share measures sales; Share of Shelf measures visibility at the digital point of sale. The second usually leads the first.
How many searches should be measured?
Between 20 and 50 per category and retailer is usually enough for a stable read.
Does it include AI?
Share of Shelf covers retailers and marketplaces. For AI assistants we use AI Share of Voice, part of AI Shelf.
Can I measure it myself?
For a snapshot, yes: search, count and repeat. To measure it daily across several retailers and against competitors, you need to automate capture.