Five fantastic point of sale display ideas
Do you find yourself picking up a sweet treat from the coffee shop counter when you buy your morning latte? Or tempted to try out samples in the beauty hall when you’re shopping at your favourite department store?We’re willing to bet that your answer is yes and yes!
And why is that? Because point of sale and point of purchase displays work.
This tried and tested method of retail merchandising is your opportunity as a brand to reach out and grab your customers. With a pinch of pizzazz, a little humour, and some smart marketing tactics, you can build your brand image and ultimately increase sales.
Is there a place for POS in today’s marketing landscape?
While other brands pour money into flashy websites, Facebook ads and SEO strategies, with point of sale marketing you can catch the significant numbers of shoppers still hitting the streets.
Don’t get us wrong, your online marketing activity is a critical part of your marketing mix, but when your potential customers are browsing in-store, over 70% of them can be influenced to change their mind about what product to buy at this point. That’s powerful.
Point of sale design – where to start?
Whether you’re launching a new product, reaching out to a new audience or solidifying your brand positioning, when it comes to planning a point of sale display, the first thing to think about is the type of display and where it will sit.
The three main types are:
Temporary POS displays
If you have a seasonal product or short-term promotion, a smaller display, perhaps made out of cardboard, that will be presented at the counter or on end-of-aisle shelving is the right choice.
Semi-permanent POS displays
For more significant product launches and brand building promotions that you want to last a few months, more substantial and sturdier stand-alone displays work best.
Permanent POS displays
For long-term collaborations with retailers, you may have the option of creating large-scale, impactful permanent displays for your products. These could be modular to be changed and updated as necessary.
Working with a creative team on POS / POP displays will help you to get the ideas flowing and find the perfect way to attract your target customers, taking into consideration their in-store shopping journey.
Whichever type of POS display you’re thinking of, the elements that make for a great display are the same.
Here are our top 5 tips for creating impressive POS displays:
Show off – make your display approachable and let your customers get their hands on the products. Show them why it’s great rather than tell them, the impact will be more immediate.
- Speak their language – make the most of signage. Be clear and to the point with your copy, but take the opportunity to tell your story and describe your product in more detail.
- Avoid clutter – keep your brand image sleek and classy with well thought through displays. Too many displays scattered on countertops and shelving will devalue your message.
- Be seasonal – everyone loves a holiday. Celebrate with your customers and create displays for significant calendar events like Halloween, back-to-school time, and summer holidays.
- Level up – play with height and scale to make your displays as eye-catching as can be. Think about how to maximise surface space to display products and also make sure your potential customers can see your display from across the shop floor.
And now, we’ll share some of our favourite POS displays to inspire you for your next product promotion.
Five fantastic point of sale display ideas
1. Make them stop and stare
Coca-Cola Zero
For the launch of Coke Zero, this household favourite brand had to find a way to make a lasting impact at a time when every soft drinks company was rolling out new sugar-free alternatives. If you were pushing your trolley round the supermarket, we’re sure you’d do a double-take and stop to appreciate this unique, gravity-defying POS display.
2. Use the power of freebies
Freeosk at Walmart
For the past couple of years, Walmart has been trialling this new, interactive POS display system, and it’s now a regular feature in stores across the US. Every week, a new product is featured on the shelves of the display unit and customers and enter a code to get their free sample there and then. The combination of modern technology and the good old-fashioned taste test have made this type of POS display a real success story.
3. Go big or go home
The first Macy’s Flower Show was in 1946. This annual event now runs across Macy’s four major stores and attracts around half a million people every year. The in-store displays of flowers are more than just a celebration of a perhaps overlooked product for Macy’s; it’s an all-out extravaganza that hits all the senses.
4. Have some fun
Barbour Dog Jackets
If you can make your customers stop and smile, you’re well on your way to making a sale. That was the idea with these displays and in-store decoration pieces to promote Barbour’s dog jackets. The materials keep the display firmly on brand while showing off the products in a fun and also practical way.
5. Be unique
For a chocolate brand, Valentine’s day is a time of the year when the competition is stiff. Cadbury tapped into a pain point for shoppers by setting up a large display for their classic product the Milk Tray, with a team of writers offering personalised, custom-written Valentine’s day cards. Many brands have seen success recently by providing personalised products in-store, creating a memorable experience for their customers.
What’s next for point of sale displays in your industry?
While online shopping continues to grow, and big high street brands continue to disappear from our towns and cities, it’s time to think creatively about how your brand can make an impact with in-store point of sale displays.
