If you’re running a consumer packaged goods brand in 2026 and still relying on spreadsheets to manage your field sales team, you’re making things harder than they need to be. While you’re fumbling with outdated systems, your competitors are quietly claiming the shelf space you’ve been eyeing.
For CPG brands competing in today’s retail landscape, field sales software becomes essential infrastructure that directly impacts your ability to execute at the store level, capture orders efficiently, and optimize routes.
The retail environment has changed dramatically. Shoppers expect more, distribution channels have multiplied, and product lines keep expanding. CPG companies that want to stay competitive need the right tools to keep pace with these shifts.
What Should You Look for in Field Sales Software?
Not all field sales platforms are built equally. Some make your life easier; others just add more complexity to your tech stack. Here’s what actually matters:
Mobile-First with Offline Mode
Your reps are working in real stores, often with spotty reception. The right tools work whether they’re online or not.
End-to-End Order Management
Look for systems that handle your entire catalog, pricing rules, and real-time inventory by store or customer.
Retail Execution Built-In
From shelf audits and share-of-shelf tracking to promo checks, photos, and planogram compliance — you need it all in one place.
Smart Route Planning
Better routes mean more visits and less time behind the wheel. The right software helps reps plan their day like pros.
Actionable Insights
You want dashboards that track everything from store visits and orders to stock-outs, rep performance, and ROI.
Easy Integrations
Your sales tools should talk to your ERP, accounting, and CRM systems — no copy-pasting or duplicated data.
Flexible Workflows
Your brand is unique. Your field sales software should support your processes, not force you into someone else’s.
Simple, Fast Onboarding
If your reps can’t figure it out quickly, they won’t use it. Look for intuitive platforms that make onboarding painless.
Great field sales software turns chaos into clarity — giving your team structure, speed, and data they can act on.
Why SimplyDepo Stands Out for CPG Brands
You may not have heard of SimplyDepo yet — and that’s part of what makes it great. Unlike bloated enterprise platforms, SimplyDepo is built for small to mid-size CPG brands and distributors who want powerful functionality without the headache.
What makes SimplyDepo different? It brings retail execution and order management together in one clean interface. Your reps can audit a store, take orders, and sync everything once they’re back online — no app-switching required.
For lean teams working with tight margins, SimplyDepo is refreshingly efficient. It’s more affordable and easier to implement than most enterprise-level solutions — and it still delivers everything you actually need.
If you distribute through smaller channels, operate in areas with unreliable connectivity, and need software that just works, SimplyDepo should be at the top of your list. It’s like a Swiss Army knife for field sales: practical, versatile, and reliable.
Why SimplyDepo Stands Out for Many CPG Brands
You might not have heard of SimplyDepo yet, and that’s actually part of its appeal. While enterprise platforms often come with enterprise-level complexity and costs, SimplyDepo targets small to mid-size CPG brands and distributors with a straightforward, comprehensive approach.
What makes SimplyDepo different? It combines retail execution and order management in a single platform. Your reps can audit a store, place orders, and sync everything once they’re back online. No switching between multiple apps or systems.
For brands operating with tight margins and lean teams, SimplyDepo offers an appealing balance. It’s typically more affordable and easier to implement than heavyweight enterprise solutions, while still delivering the features that matter most.
If you’re distributing through multiple small channels, often working in areas with spotty connectivity, and need maximum functionality without unnecessary complexity, SimplyDepo deserves a serious look. Think of it as the Swiss Army knife of field sales tools: practical, versatile, and reliable.
What About Repsly and Pepperi?
SimplyDepo isn’t the only game in town, and depending on your specific needs, other platforms might be a better fit.
Repsly: The Retail Execution Specialist
Repsly has built a solid reputation in the field sales and retail execution space. It excels at helping teams track in-store activities, manage merchandising programs, ensure promotion compliance, conduct store audits, and handle catalog-based ordering.
The platform shines when it comes to visibility. You get real-time insights into which stores your team visited, what orders they placed, and how well merchandising standards are being maintained. For CPG brands focused on winning shelf share through meticulous retail execution, Repsly remains a strong choice with structured workflows, photo audit capabilities, and robust reporting.
Pepperi: The Enterprise-Grade Platform
Pepperi takes a broader approach by combining B2B commerce, field sales, route accounting, direct store delivery, and retail execution into one unified platform. It’s specifically designed for consumer goods companies, distributors, and wholesalers.
The platform handles mobile order taking with offline functionality, supports complex trade promotions, and integrates deeply with backend systems like ERP, accounting, and shipping platforms. If you’re running a larger operation with extensive SKU counts, or you need to support both van sales and wholesale orders alongside retail execution, Pepperi’s comprehensive feature set might justify the investment.
Both Repsly and Pepperi have their strengths. Your choice depends on your ideal customer profile, whether you’re targeting smaller retailers or large distributors, and how complex your omnichannel operations are.
The Broader Competitive Landscape
The field sales software market extends well beyond these three options. Different vendors target different niches:
Some platforms focus heavily on route planning and optimization, perfect for door-to-door sales or extensive territory coverage. Others combine basic CRM functionality with mobile ordering for very small distributors or local wholesale networks. Enterprise sales force automation platforms serve CPG multinationals with complex global supply chains. And some tools prioritize mapping and territory management for teams focused more on coverage and lead generation than retail execution.
SimplyDepo occupies a particular sweet spot: it gives small to mid-market CPG brands and distributors control over order capture, retail execution, and distribution without the overhead and complexity of enterprise-grade platforms.
Why This Matters More in 2026
The CPG industry isn’t getting simpler. Here’s why field sales software has moved from “nice to have” to “must have”:
Omnichannel Is the New Normal
Online orders, wholesale B2B, direct-to-door sales, and traditional retail all coexist now. Field sales software helps you unify these channels instead of creating data silos and duplicate work.
Product Lines Keep Growing
More SKUs, frequent promotional cycles, dynamic pricing strategies – managing all this manually is a recipe for errors and inefficiency. The right software brings order to catalog management, inventory tracking, and order accuracy.
Data Wins Shelf Space
With store-level analytics and reporting, you can identify underperforming products, optimize merchandising strategies, and influence purchasing decisions where it matters most: at the point of sale.
Scale Requires Systems
As your team grows, manual processes break down. A scalable field sales platform ensures consistent onboarding, standardized processes, and clean data flowing into your ERP and business intelligence systems.
Speed Creates Competitive Advantage
The faster orders reach your system, the faster your supply chain can respond. In 2026’s fast-moving CPG market, slow order cycles put you at a disadvantage before you even realize it.
Making the Right Choice for Your Brand
Choosing field sales software isn’t about picking the most popular option or the one with the longest feature list. It’s about finding the right fit for your brand’s specific needs, budget, and growth trajectory.
For small to mid-market distributors prioritizing lean efficiency, SimplyDepo offers comprehensive field sales, order management, and retail execution capabilities without unnecessary complexity.
If you’re operating at a larger scale with sophisticated retail execution requirements, Repsly brings battle-tested workflows for merchandising, compliance tracking, and store-level execution.
For wholesale-heavy operations, brands with extensive SKU catalogs, or companies needing deep omnichannel integration, Pepperi delivers the enterprise-grade functionality and integration capabilities you might require.
The Bottom Line
In 2026, field sales software isn’t optional for CPG brands serious about growth. It’s the infrastructure that keeps your products moving efficiently from warehouse to shelf, gives you visibility into retail execution, and provides the data you need to make smarter decisions.
The right platform transforms field sales from a source of frustration into a competitive advantage. Your reps become more productive, your data becomes more reliable, and your ability to respond to market conditions improves dramatically.
The question isn’t whether you need field sales software. It’s which platform will best support your specific go-to-market strategy and help you win in an increasingly complex retail environment.
Choose wisely, implement thoughtfully, and watch your field sales operations transform from a necessary cost center into a genuine growth driver.