Visual Merchandising · As needed

Seasonal Collection Launch Checklist

Everything a store must have ready before a new season collection goes live.

A seasonal collection launch checklist is the list a store completes to put a new season collection on the floor exactly as the brand planned, from stock receipt and the launch docket to the window, hero table and launch-day photos. The store manager fills it in the days before launch and on launch morning, with live photos carrying GPS and time stamp. The VM manager reviews it store by store, and Drishti scores the window and launch zone photos against the docket. The checklist also covers the team, because a collection sells on its story, so staff must know the fabrics, key pieces and how to style them. One item is fatal: launch stock on the floor without MRP. A failed item raises a ticket with an owner and a deadline.

Free. No form. The workbook has the same columns as the table below, with the score formula and a fatal-item check in place.

Filled by
Store Manager
Reviewed by
VM Manager
Cadence
As needed
Time
About 30 minutes
Items
21 across 5 sections
Photos
9 required
Score
65 points, pass mark 90
Fatal items
1
Store formats
Apparel and lifestyle, Jewellery and eyewear, Beauty
The full template

Every item, with the question the store manager answers on the phone.

Score = weight of items answered Yes ÷ weight of items not marked N/A, out of 100. Pass mark 90. A failed fatal item caps the score at zero and raises a ticket to the vm manager.

Stock and docket 5 items

#ItemAudit questionAnswerPhotoWeightWhat good looks like
1Launch docket receivedHas the store received and read the launch docket, with window, zone and styling instructions?Yes / No / N/ANo3Docket version noted, every page read, questions sent to the VM team before launch.
2Launch stock receivedHas the launch stock arrived and been counted against the dispatch list, style by style?Yes / No / N/ANo4Every style and size counted against the dispatch list, gaps reported the same day.
3Launch stock preparedIs every launch piece steamed or cleaned, security tagged and ready for the floor?Yes / No / N/AOptional3Pieces steamed or polished, security tags fitted, hangers and packaging as the brand specifies.
4Damage and shortages reportedHave short, excess or damaged pieces been reported to the warehouse the same day?Yes / No / N/ANo2Report raised with style codes and photos, reply awaited before launch morning.
5Launch embargo heldIs the launch stock kept in the back room until the launch date and time the docket sets?Yes / No / N/ANo3Nothing new on the floor or on staff social media before the launch time.

Window and floor 6 items

#ItemAudit questionAnswerPhotoWeightWhat good looks like
6Launch windowIs the window dressed in the launch look, with the campaign graphic and hero pieces as per the docket?Yes / No / N/ARequired4Window matches the launch docket photo, graphic level, hero pieces lit.
7Launch mannequin looksAre the mannequins dressed in the launch looks the docket lists, head to toe?Yes / No / N/ARequired4Each mannequin in its docket look with accessories, steamed, tags hidden.
8Hero table styledIs the hero table at the entrance styled with the launch story, props and price talkers?Yes / No / N/ARequired4Hero pieces front and centre, props from the launch kit, talkers upright.
9Launch zone layoutIs the new collection placed in its docket zone, colour blocked, with full size runs?Yes / No / N/ARequired3Collection in its zone, colours blocked as planned, every core size on the floor.
10Old season movedHas old season stock been moved out of the launch zones to its planned area or the back room?Yes / No / N/ARequired3No old season piece in any launch zone, moved stock sorted by size.
11Launch lightingAre spotlights re-aimed onto the launch window, hero table and launch zone?Yes / No / N/ANo2Launch areas brightest on the floor, no dark corners around the hero table.

Pricing and signage 3 items

#ItemAudit questionAnswerPhotoWeightWhat good looks like
12MRP on launch stockFatalDoes every launch piece on the floor carry an MRP tag inclusive of all taxes?Yes / No / N/ARequired5Every new piece tagged with MRP, readable without handling, none handwritten.
13Launch signageAre launch standees, headers and in-store graphics up where the docket shows?Yes / No / N/ARequired3Each launch graphic at its docket spot, clean, level and current.
14Launch billing checkDo five new style codes scan and bill at the right price at the counter?Yes / No / N/ANo4Five new styles billed in a test, each at its tagged price with a GST invoice.

Team readiness 4 items

#ItemAudit questionAnswerPhotoWeightWhat good looks like
15Team briefed on storyHas every staff member been briefed on the collection story, fabrics or materials and key pieces?Yes / No / N/ANo4Every staff member can tell the story in two lines and name three key pieces.
16Styling skill checkCan two staff members, picked at random, style a complete look from the new collection?Yes / No / N/ANo3Two complete looks put together from the floor, matching the docket styling guide.
17Launch uniformIs the team in the launch uniform or styling guide the docket specifies?Yes / No / N/AOptional2Everyone in the launch outfit or styling, name badges on, grooming to standard.
18Care and exchange rulesDoes the team know the care instructions and exchange rules for launch pieces?Yes / No / N/ANo2Staff can explain washing or care and the exchange window without checking.

Launch day proof 3 items

#ItemAudit questionAnswerPhotoWeightWhat good looks like
19Launch window photoHas a live photo of the launch window been taken from the pavement on launch morning?PhotoRequired3Full window in frame, time stamped before opening, scored by Drishti against the docket.
20Launch zone photosHave live photos of the hero table and each launch zone been submitted?PhotoRequired3One photo per launch zone and the hero table, GPS and time stamp visible.
21Launch day feedbackWhat did customers say most about the collection on launch day?TextNo1Two or three lines on what customers liked, asked for or found missing, by style.
Take it with you.Excel workbook: one row per item, answer and remark columns, score and fatal-item formulas, an About sheet with cadence and roles.
Download Seasonal Collection Launch Checklist (.xlsx) ↓
In BorentisOps

The same template, with proof.

Loaded into BorentisOps, each required photo is live, GPS and time-stamped, so a photo from yesterday or another store does not pass. Where the brand has a docket or display standard, Drishti scores the photo against it and marks the misses. Every fail raises a ticket with an owner and a deadline, and the vm manager sees the store on a heat map before the next visit.

The checklist runs offline and syncs when signal returns, in Hindi, English and Hinglish, and the operations score sits next to the store's selling score from Borentis Floor on one store card. Pricing is per store, so every store manager and staff member in the store is on the app.

Import
The Excel keeps the columns BorentisOps reads: section, item, question, answer type, photo rule, weight, fatal. A Borentis onboarding person maps roles and stores.
Assign
By role and cadence per store format: this template to every store manager, as needed.
Prove
Live photo with GPS and time. Drishti verdict against the docket where one exists.
Fix
Fail becomes a ticket with SLA escalation: store, area, region.
FAQs

About this template.

When should the seasonal launch checklist be started?

Start it the day the launch docket and stock arrive, which is usually a few days before launch. The stock, docket and team items are filled first. The window, floor and pricing items are filled on the evening before or the morning of launch, once the embargo lifts. The launch day photos go in before opening and the feedback item is filled at closing.

Why does a VM checklist include staff briefing items?

A collection launch is judged on sell-through, and a well-dressed floor does not sell if the team cannot explain the story or style a look. Checking the briefing, a styling test and launch grooming in the same checklist puts VM and selling readiness in one place. BorentisOps reads the operations score next to the store's selling score, so gaps on either side show up.

Can I use this for a festive or wedding season capsule?

Yes. A Diwali, Navratri or wedding season capsule follows the same steps: stock, docket, window, hero table, pricing, team and proof. You would add items for festive decor or gifting and adjust the embargo date. In BorentisOps you can save the capsule as its own version and assign it to the stores that are receiving the capsule stock.

Can I import this template into BorentisOps?

Yes. The Excel download keeps the same columns you see on this page: section, item, audit question, answer type, photo rule, weight, fatal flag and what good looks like. BorentisOps imports it as a checklist, and you can edit any item before it goes live. A Borentis onboarding person maps the store manager and VM manager roles to your people and assigns the launch checklist to the right stores, so the first run happens on the store phone.