Response of various retail products generally found on the shelves of cold formed steel racking systems used by various supermarkets during seismic excitations is studied experimentally in this project report. A summary of research, which has been done around the globe in the past on cold formed steel racking systems, is also highlighted in this report. It was found that most of the research revolves around the analysis, design and response of the steel racking systems to gravity and seismic loads and very little attention was given into studying the corresponding response of stocked merchandise. The literature review looks into the types of shelves, different methods of rack subassembly tests, various codes available for their design and highlights various methods of seismic analysis of cold formed steel racking systems. The experimental work consists of studying the seismic response of various retail merchandise or products generally found in various supermarkets. The horizontal acceleration was generated using a shaking table, whereas vertical acceleration was applied in the form of Sine wave motion, frequency of which was similar to the vertical component of various recoded earthquakes in the past. The behaviour of merchandises is listed in the form of their maximum displacements, overturning and sliding during the experimental runs. The products selected for the tests were categorised based on their geometry, size and method of staking, whereas the material of the shelves on which they are tested is similar to that used by various supermarkets. Tests are also done in the transverse direction of shaking reflecting the response of the merchandise after hitting the back of the shelf. The recorded displacements of various products reflected the effect of the coefficient of static friction on these displacements. The product having high coefficients of friction were found to have shown low levels of displacements with greater stability. The effective mass or inertial force, which should be used for the seismic analysis and design of these racking systems, is calculated corresponding to different types of experimentally tested products. A computer code is developed which incorporates the static coefficient of friction and the output seismic accelerations, which were recorded experimentally. It was demonstrated by tests that energy dissipation takes place due to the sliding and rocking behaviour of the products, therefore a lower value of deign inertia forces for various merchandise could be used. For various products, their corresponding effective mass is recommended which could be used for the seismic analysis and design of cold formed steel racking systems