How do products actually land on the shelves of major big box retailers?

Ever wonder who chooses the items you see in big box stores? Planet Money takes their board game, Sell Me a Sasquatch, directly to retailers to uncover the secretive decision-making process behind retail product placement and what buyers are really looking for.

Retail product placement is typically a closed-door process, keeping consumers in the dark about how items reach store shelves. By pitching their own board game, Sell Me a Sasquatch, to industry buyers, the Planet Money team gains rare access to the decision-making room.

This experiment reveals the internal logic of retail buyers and the specific criteria they use to determine a product's fate. Understanding these mechanisms offers a glimpse into the commercial pressures and strategic choices that shape the inventory of major retail chains.

Source: Who decides what big box sells? Our GAME got us answers | Planet Money