.svg)
A range review is the meeting, or series of meetings, where a retailer or brand reviews its product range against commercial targets and decides what to keep, change, add or drop. It's the UK and European term for what US teams usually call a line review.
Last updated: November 2026 · Part of the product line glossary
Range review, line review and category review
In grocery and fast-moving consumer goods, range review often means a category review, where a retailer reassesses suppliers and shelf space. This page covers the fashion, home and general merchandise meaning.
| Term | Where it's used | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Range review | UK and Europe, fashion, home and general merchandise | Reviewing the range against targets and deciding what makes it |
| Line review | US, apparel, footwear and consumer goods | The same meeting, under the US name |
| Category review | Grocery and FMCG | Reassessing a category's suppliers, products and shelf space |
What happens in a range review
- The team shares the current range, its targets and any open needs ahead of the meeting.
- Buying, merchandising and design review the range visually against option counts, price architecture and margin.
- Decisions are made on what to keep, change, add or drop.
- Actions go to design, product development and sourcing.
- After the final review, the range is locked and moves into development and production.
Typical stages and who attends
| Stage | Purpose | Who's usually there |
|---|---|---|
| Range direction | Agree themes, categories and targets for the season | Buying and merchandising leads, design leads |
| Range build | Review concepts and samples against the plan | Buyers, merchandisers, designers, product development |
| Range sign-off | Lock the final range before production | Senior buying and merchandising, sourcing, planning |
Common problems
- The deck is out of date by the meeting. Someone rebuilds the range in slides days before, and changes since then are missing.
- Decisions live in notes. Outcomes are captured in meeting notes and never reach the range itself.
- Regional ranges drift. Each country or channel works from its own copy.
- Decisions get reopened. Late changes force work to be redone. See what a redecision is.
Range reviews in VibeIQ
In VibeIQ, teams review on a live board connected to the range, so imagery, prices and targets update as decisions are made in the meeting rather than in a deck rebuilt afterwards. Regional and channel ranges are built from the same master range, so decisions reach every version.
Frequently asked questions
Is a range review the same as a line review?
In fashion, home and general merchandise, yes. Range review is the term most UK and European teams use, and line review is the US term.
How many range reviews happen each season?
Usually two to four, from range direction through build to final sign-off, though it varies by business and category.
Who runs the range review?
Usually buying or merchandising, with design, product development, sourcing and planning in the room.
Related terms: line review, line plan, assortment management, redecision
See where the plan becomes your product line.
Bring one category and your next range review. We'll show how your team could review it live against targets.