Point of sale displays, sometimes called "POP displays," are the items displayed near a business’s checkout station. You’ve probably seen these point of sale displays at grocery stores; they include the racks of candy and magazines near the checkout as well as the freestanding displays that hold Beanie Babies, Ferrero Rocher chocolates, and other fun impulse-buy items.
Grocery stores and drugstores aren’t the only places to include point of sale displays; a shoe store, for example, will sell shoe polish, shoe laces, and other accessories in point of sale displays at the counter, and Starbucks is well known for including point of sale displays featuring albums from selected artists. If you have a brick-and-mortar business, chances are there’s at least one point of sale display.
Getting your product into a coveted point of sale slot takes some work. After all, you’re competing against many other companies all interested in that valuable, impulse-purchase-friendly real estate. The key to success is actually creating an eye-catching point of sale display in advance, before pitching your product to stores.
To quote product and invention consultant Matthew Yubas: "Retailers really want support from the vendor. They want in-store demos, they want point-of-sale displays, they want advertising and promotion–they want any type of support you can give."
In short: these retailers don’t have time to do the work themselves, which means that you have to come prepared with a top-notch pitch and a truly attention-grabbing point of sale display.
What makes a point of sale display stand out? Here are a few tips.
Product visibility
Take a look at the point of sale displays at your favorite stores. Chances are, the products are visible from more than one side. A good point of sale display pushes the product forward, rather than hiding it behind walls or shelving. It allows the product to be seen from at least three different directions, if not all four.
Branded hardware
A good point of sale display does not just put a product up on a simple cardboard or metal stand. Instead, it brands the entire hardware. Look for point of sale displays that give you opportunities to print your company name on the edge of a shelf, or to create a large backdrop featuring your company’s name, tagline, and logo. You want potential customers to start thinking about your product from at least 20 feet away, as they begin to approach the checkout line.
Height
The best point of sale displays are at eye level, but not everyone’s eyes are at the same height. A tower-shaped point of sale display, with products at multiple levels, gives you many opportunities to catch people’s eyes — especially children, who will see the products you stack close to the ground.
Don’t forget that visual focus changes throughout the checkout process. As people enter the checkout line, for example, they begin to focus their gaze downwards, to avoid staring at the other people in the line. Placing point of sale products slightly lower than usual will help attract attention as you get closer to the checkout.
Flexibility
A good point of sale display converts to an end cap display or a power wing with ease. Creating a point of sale display with flexible usage ensures that your products will remain displayed in the store even if they no longer occupy the place of honor near the checkout.
About the Author:
Sara Stringer is a freelance writer and soloprenuer. She most enjoys writing on the subject of creativity in the business world. One of her favorite tactics is to use point of sale displays to imaginatively showcase her products. She recommends finding different ways that you can make your business stand out.