Number of Selling Points

This is an essential 'supply side' indicator assessing the number of sellers (physical or online shops, market stalls, mobile sellers) in a target area offering the promoted product (for example, a certain type of fuel-efficient stove). It shows the extent to which the product is physically available to the potential customers.

Collect the following data by conducting individual interviews with the sellers operating in the target area. The best way to identify the maximum number of sellers is to use "snowball sampling" methodology – ask key informants, such as sellers, suppliers or authorities, whether they know about any potential sellers that may or may not sell the promoted product. If you know that there is a very large number of sellers in the target area, use a representative sample of these sellers.

RECOMMENDED SURVEY QUESTION (Q) AND POSSIBLE ANSWERS (A)

Q1: Do you sell [specify the product]?

A1: yes / no

(ask the following question only if the previous response is YES)

Q2: Can I please see the [specify the product]?

A2:

1) product is available

2) product is normally available but is currently out of stock and will be available soon

3) product was not available and it is not clear when it will be sold again

To calculate the indicator's value, sum up the number of sellers offering the given product (or are waiting for the product to be restocked within a short period).

Disaggregate the data by location, type of seller (formal shops, market stalls, mobile traders, cooperatives, government institutions) and the product’s availability in the shop which claimed to sell them (using the options under A2 – product is available, product is normally available but …).

1) Consider complementary indicators to this one that assess the amounts of the products sold and whether the products are offered in adequate quantity (stock availability). An additional indicator might be assessing the proportion of the products sold of adequate quality.

2) While sellers might formally offer a given product, it often happens that the number of customers they have is very low due to their passivity, poor marketing and other factors. Therefore, consider changing the indicator to "number of active sellers..." were "active" means selling a certain minimum number of products over a given time period (for example, "at least 20 solar lamps per month").

3) If the product is not sold, it is recommended that you ask why it is not sold. Such data can help you with increasing the availability of the given product.