This is a one-off dipstick market assessment study undertaken to determine the status of a product and categories in the market.

A trade scan/ Retail dipstick measures the off take of a particular category and the market in terms of volume sales/ value sales, existing brands, their stock as well as distribution or penetration of a product, brand visibility (POS) as well as providing an understanding of a trader’s relationship with dealers.

A sample is normally audited and extrapolated to represent the total market. These scans involve observation (physical stock counting) and a few open-ended questions asked to retailers/ stockists to clarify/ expound on data collated.

Trade scans are comparatively cheaper to retail audit as they are one off and quick to undertake. They also provide a quick overview of the market if a company has a tight budget and still want to get some benefits of a retail audit.