How the Store Planner Works
The Store Planner is a browser-based tool for laying out full-store gondola shelving plans, sharing them with a rep, and iterating before order. Here is what it does, who uses it, and how to get access.
The Store Planner is a browser-based tool for laying out a full retail store in gondola shelving: walls, aisles, end caps, back rooms, and every section in between. Unlike the Gondola Shelving Builder, which configures one section at a time, the Store Planner is meant for whole-floor plans. This page explains what the tool does, who currently has access, and how to request a plan for your store.
What the Store Planner Does
- Full-store layout in a browser. Draw walls, place gondola runs, add end caps, mark fixtures, doors, checkouts, and back-of-house. No CAD software to install.
- Multi-store aware. A single plan can serve one location or be duplicated as the standard layout across a rollout of 5 to 500+ stores. Per-store notes and revisions attach to each location individually.
- Rep-assisted review. Every plan has an owning rep. Save the plan, request review, and the rep sees the layout, leaves inline comments pinned to specific walls or fixtures, and returns it for revision.
- Revision history. Every save is retained as a revision. Roll back, compare, or fork a plan into a variant without losing the earlier version.
- Read-only share links. Approved plans can be shared as a read-only link to send to a fabricator, general contractor, or corporate approver, without giving them editing access.
- Handoff to production. An approved plan links directly to the Deal, Project, or Rollout it belongs to, so the fixture list flows through to your quote and order.
How It Fits Alongside the Other Tools
Three tools cover three distinct jobs:
- Gondola Shelving Builder: configure a single section (Island, Wall, or End Cap) with a live 3D preview, priced BOM, and submittal PDF. Use when you need one section priced quickly.
- Free CAD Design: hand your floor plan to our team and get a professional CAD layout back. Use when the store is complex, you want a rep to spec-check the plan, or your project mixes manufacturers.
- Store Planner: lay out a full store yourself in the browser, iterate with a rep, and manage revisions across a multi-store rollout. Use when you want direct control over the layout and want to collaborate with a rep asynchronously rather than through email PDFs.
Who Uses the Store Planner Today
The Store Planner is currently rep-assisted access. That means a GondolaFixtures.com rep sets up your plan on your behalf, and you review, comment, and approve. This is the correct workflow for the first wave of projects because full-store planning is a specialist activity and a rep on the plan is a check against layout mistakes that only reveal themselves at install.
Ideal today:
- Retailers rolling out a new store or remodeling an existing one, where the fixture layout is being decided from scratch or substantially revised
- Multi-store rollouts of 5+ locations that need a standardized layout across sites
- General contractors coordinating fixture install alongside general construction and want a single approved layout to work from
- Corporate procurement teams standardizing store formats across a chain
Client Portal Access, Coming Next
The next phase opens the Store Planner directly to client portal accounts, so your team can log in, edit, and iterate on plans without going through a rep first. Everything on this page still applies once the client-portal path is live; the only change is that you can drive the tool yourself and pull a rep in when you want a review.
How to Request Access to the Store Planner
Two paths, pick whichever fits:
- You already have a project in flight with us. Ask your rep to set up a plan for your store. If you do not know who your rep is, contact us and we will route it.
- You are new and evaluating the platform. Start with the Gondola Shelving Builder to configure a representative section, or request Free CAD Design for your floor plan. Store Planner access follows naturally once we are working together on a real project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need CAD software to use the Store Planner?
No. The tool runs entirely in a modern browser. No downloads, no plugins.
Can I export the plan as a PDF?
Yes. Approved plans export to PDF for handoff to fabricators, general contractors, or corporate approval workflows.
Can multiple people on my team see the same plan?
Yes. Read-only share links let you circulate an approved plan without giving edit access. Full multi-user editing is on the client-portal roadmap.
How is this different from a CAD layout?
A CAD layout is a static drawing produced by our design team. The Store Planner is an interactive tool you drive yourself. Both output the same thing at the end: an approved layout with a fixture list attached to your project. Pick based on how much control you want over the layout and how much back-and-forth you want to do with a rep.
What happens if I request a change after the plan is approved?
Approved plans stay editable. Any change starts a new revision, which the rep re-reviews and re-approves. The revision history preserves the previously-approved version so you can compare or roll back if needed.