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Benchmarking Retailer-Supplier Partnerships

Independent benchmarking that measures partnership performance, clarifies priorities, and helps organizations focus on the actions that strengthen engagement and improve commercial outcomes. 

Explore how benchmarking works
Business professionals reviewing performance data on a laptop during a strategic planning discussion.

The Role of Benchmarking

Benchmarking provides a structured, comparable view of retailer-supplier relationship performance. By measuring partnership capabilities across defined drivers, organizations gain a clear understanding of how they perform relative to peers and where improvement will deliver the greatest impact.

In complex retailer-supplier relationships, perceptions of performance can vary widely. Independent benchmarking also creates a shared reference point, helping organizations clarify priorities, strengthen accountability, and focus improvement efforts where they will drive measurable results.

For more than 35 years, Advantage Report has served as the trusted benchmark for retailer–supplier relationship performance, providing organizations with independent insight into how their partners experience the relationship.

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Benchmarking that Creates Clarity for Retailers and Suppliers

Structured Insight for Objective Assessment 

AGI benchmarking provides retailers with structured insight drawn directly from aggregated supplier feedback across defined relationship competencies. This creates a reliable basis for evaluation grounded in comparable evidence rather than individual perception.

By grounding supplier conversations in shared competencies and consistent measurement, benchmarking reduces subjectivity and supports strategic prioritization across categories and regions.

It strengthens oversight while enabling transparent, well-supported decisions aligned with long-term performance goals.

Clarity on Performance and Priorities

AGI’s benchmarking clarifies retailer expectations through structured, comparable measurement across key relationship drivers. It shows where suppliers stand relative to peers and highlights what differentiates best-in-class partnership performance.

By identifying performance gaps objectively, benchmarking helps suppliers prioritize investment, capability development, and engagement efforts – strengthening retailer relationships through clearer expectations and focused action.

Benefits of AGI Benchmark Research

Benchmarking replaces anecdotal feedback with comparable evidence, helping organizations prioritize action and strengthen retailer-supplier partnerships.

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Directional arrows icon pointing outward, representing clearer priorities and focus. Clearer Priorities
Clearer Priorities Focus time and investment on the partnership competencies that deliver the greatest commercial impact.
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Checkmark badge icon representing greater objectivity and unbiased evaluation. Greater Objectivity
Greater Objectivity Ground decisions on structured benchmarking insight rather than perception or anecdotal feedback.
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Numbered horizontal lines icon representing stronger alignment and structured order. Stronger Alignment
Stronger Alignment Create shared expectations across teams, categories, and markets through consistent measurement.
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Stacked bars icon representing measurable progress and tracked performance. Measurable Progress
Measurable Progress Track partnership performance against defined competencies and best-in-class peers over time.
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Overlapping speech bubble icons representing better dialogue and communication. Better Dialogue
Better Dialogue Anchor supplier-retailer conversations in shared metrics that clarify expectations and reduce friction.
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Checkmark and circular figure icon representing greater accountability and ownership. Greater Accountability
Greater Accountability Reinforce oversight with consistent standards, comparable data, and visible progress.
+1,100 Supplier Clients Served
+1,400 Retail Clients Served
+88,000 Annual Survey Responses
+12,000 Annual Interviews Conducted

Our Benchmark Research Process

AGI benchmarking combines quantitative measurement and qualitative feedback to create a clear, comparable view of partnership performance and identify actions that strengthen retailer–supplier collaboration.

Quantitative Measurement

A structured survey is deployed to your business partners, capturing confidential feedback across Advantage’s core relationship competencies. Responses are aggregated and benchmarked externally to ensure comparability, creating a consistent, evidence-based foundation for evaluating relationship performance.

Qualitative Insight

A select number of business partners participate in structured interviews to provide deeper context behind their survey responses. These discussions help clarify the drivers, expectations, and performance gaps affecting your business relationships, ensuring insight is interpreted with accuracy and nuance.



Structured Data Analysis

Quantitative and qualitative inputs are synthesized within a defined competency framework. AGI’s B2B engagement experts analyze results across markets, regions, and functions to identify patterns, strengths, and performance gaps, clarifying where focused improvement will have the greatest impact.

Insight & Prioritization

A dedicated Engagement Advisor interprets your results in the context of external benchmarks and cross-market patterns. Findings are then translated into clear priorities that align with your strategic objectives and operational realities.

This interpretation moves beyond feedback reporting, connecting measurement to focused action and sustained performance improvement.

See How Benchmarking Strengthens Retailer-Supplier Relationships

Gain a clear, comparable view of partnership performance and identify the actions that drive measurable improvement.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common questions about benchmarking research and how organizations use it to strengthen retailer-supplier partnerships. 

What is AGI benchmarking research? AGI benchmarking research provides an independent view of retailer-supplier partnership performance across key business relationship competencies. By capturing structured feedback from both retailers and suppliers, organizations gain clear insight into relationship strengths and improvement priorities.  
How is AGI benchmarking different from traditional market research or internal market research? AGI benchmarking focuses specifically on the health and performance of retailer-supplier partnerships. Rather than measuring consumers or market trends, it evaluates the commercial capabilities that shape day-to-day collaboration between trading partners. 
Do both retailers and suppliers participate in benchmarking research?

Yes, AGI research incorporates perspectives from both retailers and suppliers to provide a balanced and independent view of partnership performance. This dual perspective allows you to better understand partner expectations and identify opportunities for stronger alignment.

 
How frequently is benchmarking conducted? Benchmarking research is conducted on a regular scheduled cycle to track changes in partnership performance over time. This allows organizations to measure progress, monitor improvement initiatives, and understand how perceptions evolve across trading partners. 
How do organizations use benchmarking insights within their business?

Organizations use benchmarking insights to identify alignment gaps, prioritize improvement initiatives, and strengthen key commercial capabilities. Many teams also use the findings to support internal alignment and guide strategic planning with retail or supplier partners.
What is Advantage LiveLens

LiveLens builds on the trusted Advantage Report benchmark to deliver an Always-On view of partnership performance. It provides continuous insight into retailer-supplier relationships, helping organizations identify evolving priorities and take action to strengthen collaboration.