Part 2: Types of POP Displays

Even with the growth of online shopping, consumers still prefer traditional retail stores and crave the in-person shopping experience. Approximately 72% of U.S. consumers visit a physical store on a weekly basis to make a purchase. While this sounds like good news to producers, millions of products are competing against each other to get from the shelf to the checkout line.

While producers can spend as much as they want on online advertising and huge marketing campaigns, it’s equally important to consider in-person marketing strategies. Researchers have found that consumers make roughly 73% of their purchase decisions in the store, making it critical to capture and keep the customer’s attention before they can make up their mind. 

Point-of-purchase (POP) displays are the final form of advertisement that catch the customer’s eye and convince them to make an immediate, informed purchase — even if it’s not on their shopping list. Choosing the right type of display can beautifully complement your merchandise and your brand.

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8 Types of Point-Of-Purchase Displays

Although all POP displays aim to promote brand awareness and boost sales, some displays match certain products or circumstances better than others. When choosing the most suitable unit for your merchandise, you’ll need to consider factors like:

• Product type
• Intended retail environment
• Specific purpose of the display

To help you get started, we’ll explain the most common types of point-of-purchase advertising.

1. Floor Displays

Floor displays encompass all freestanding units, including:

• Display bins
• Endcaps
• Pallet displays

Many floor displays stand at eye level, so products are easy to notice. Since consumers naturally gravitate toward items directly in their line of sight, these products typically sell better than items stocked lower or higher.

Standard floor displays include shelves for placing products like drinks, toys, electronics or snacks. You might choose a floor display with hooks for hanging lightweight items like gift cards or batteries. Case stacker displays are designed to advertise larger products, such as cases of beer or soda. A case stacker display might consist of corrugated cardboard wrapped around the stacked product, featuring colorful graphics and the brand’s logo.

Like any POP display, you can customize the configuration and add unique structural elements. A manufacturer will create every aspect of the display according to your brand, specifications and marketing goals.

2. Counter Displays

Counter displays are movable units designed to sit on a flat surface. They’re ideal for checkout counters and encouraging impulse buys. You’ll often find counter displays holding small seasonal or consumable items like gum, candy, lip gloss and hand sanitizer.

Even though counter displays are typically small, they can still pack a punch with bright colors and vibrant images. If you have products that consumers are likely to buy on impulse as they wait in the checkout line, a counter display might be the perfect fit.

3. Pallet Displays

Pallet displays are sturdy floor displays placed on top of a wooden pallet. They are perfect for promoting a large quantity of merchandise and are suitable for spacious big-box stores like Walmart or Target.

Pallet displays help products move because they are highly visible, and customers can grab items from the display from all four sides. Due to their size, the display manufacturer typically assembles them with the product so it’s ready for in-store setup. Once the display arrives at the retailer, employees only have to place it in its assigned spot with a forklift.

If you want a heavy-duty display that’s easy to access but need something smaller than a full pallet, you can also choose half or quarter pallets. At Creative Displays Now, we’ll help you find the right pallet display for your needs and the retailer’s specifications.

4. Endcap Displays

Endcap displays are placed at the end of gondola shelving aisles and can come in several forms: 

• Freestanding units
• Retail signage
• Inline displays

Well-designed endcap displays are highly effective for increasing visibility and boosting sales. While only a few customers will go down every aisle, everyone will see products displayed in endcaps while walking through the store.

These displays are typically used to advertise new or seasonal products or promote on-sale items. Customers often assume that products displayed in endcaps are on sale even if they’re selling at full price, which is why product manufacturers consider endcap displays prime retail real estate.

Endcap displays also often include a theme. For example, an endcap display might contain back-to-school supplies or snacks and drinks for a Super Bowl party. Retailers might place endcap displays near similar products or add-on items to encourage buying multiple products.

5. Sidekick Displays

Sidekick displays, also called power wings, are small and light. They are often attached to endcaps to highlight add-on items.

One point-of-purchase advertising example using this display type might include stocking an endcap with coffee and pairing it with a sidekick display of coffee mugs. This combination entices customers to purchase both items as a kind of “starter kit” that adds value to each product. 

You’ll also commonly find batteries in sidekick displays next to electronics, which encourages customers to stock up on batteries to keep their new gadgets running.

When complementary products are displayed together, customers might impulsively buy add-on items to make their purchase complete. They also don’t have to work as hard to find what they need, increasing their satisfaction. Overall, sidekick displays are another excellent sales booster for the manufacturer and retailer.

6. Display Bins

Display bins, also known as dump bins, are essentially large containers. These displays typically feature a simple square or hexagon structure and are easy to set up, but they’re still created carefully to be effective and appeal to customers. You can take advantage of the bin’s size to print large, eye-catching fonts and imagery.

Display bins are ideal for holding large quantities of loose or oddly shaped items, products with no primary packaging or anything that needs to move fast. You can add inserts to display bins to organize things. Customers can quickly grab products from display bins and toss them in their carts.

7. Inline Displays

Inline displays are small, space-saving units typically designed to sit on a shelf next to other products. Because they’re placed where customers will already be looking, they’re ideal for promoting a product with limited space and prompting customers to impulse buy or try something new.

You’ll often find inline displays advertising small, consumable items like cosmetics, candy or gum. They’re also used to promote impulse buys like magazines in checkout areas.

8. Gravity Feed Displays

These displays are great merchandising tools, as they keep products organized in a functional and beautiful way.

The sloped shelves in a gravity feed display help your selection always look fully stocked. As a consumer removes a product from the front of the display, the next item falls into place.

Temporary vs. Permanent Displays

Brands can use various materials to create permanent, semipermanent or temporary retail displays to meet time-sensitive merchandising needs. You can choose from the following:

• Temporary displays: Temporary displays made of corrugated cardboard offer a fast, cost-effective solution. These displays are designed to last a few months and make an excellent option for promoting seasonal products, new merchandise or on-sale items. Temporary displays are versatile, lightweight, highly customizable and easy to assemble. You can also recycle temporary displays and reduce waste.
• Semipermanent displays: Semipermanent displays combine materials like plastic, wood or metal and are built to last about a year. They may be the right choice for displaying various products simultaneously.
• Permanent displays: Permanent displays are heavy-duty fixtures designed to last for years. Since these displays are built to last, they’re usually made with sturdy materials like wood, steel or plastic. Permanent displays may be the go-to choice for promoting a brand long-term. In some cases, a retailer might use customized secondary pieces, like signage, to turn a permanent display into a branded piece.

Key Considerations for Choosing a Temporary or Permanent Display

If you’re struggling to decide whether you should create a temporary, semipermanent or permanent POP display, ask yourself these questions:

• Where are you displaying your product? While a permanent display might be an excellent option for your own retail store, a temporary display may be the best choice for selling your items with a big-box retailer. Retailers usually have specifications that suppliers need to meet with their displays. A temporary display allows you to customize the unit to their specifications easily.
• Are you displaying seasonal items? Temporary displays are ideal for advertising seasonal items. With each season, you can design and order a fresh, exciting custom display to communicate a theme and promote your new products. You can also use a permanent display to advertise seasonal items, but it’ll probably require additional design elements, like props, to give it a seasonal feel.
• Do you need a fast solution? Permanent displays often take considerable time and effort to set up. If you need to meet a deadline with your POP display, it may be best to go with a temporary display. Temporary displays can be designed, manufactured and shipped to the retailer quickly.

The Benefits of Temporary POP Displays

Choosing temporary options made from corrugated cardboard can be especially advantageous for businesses for the following reasons.

Increased Brand and Product Awareness

Because POP displays put your products in customers’ line of sight, you can use these displays to increase brand recognition and awareness.

The flexibility and customization of POP displays allow you to integrate key branding elements, like colors, logos, fonts and slogans, into the design, so customers can better remember and recognize products later.

Improved Promotion Visibility 

Temporary POP displays are easy to set up and dismantle, making them ideal for highlighting limited campaigns and deals. Whether you’re launching a new product or offering discounted goods, POP displays help bring more attention to your brand to increase interaction during the promotion’s duration.

Optimized Displays for Seasonal Products

The design customization and easy assembly of temporary POP displays help brands cater to seasonal campaigns and marketing. You can design displays that reflect different holidays while increasing accessibility and awareness of your products.

New Opportunities for Testing Tactics and Products

When launching new campaigns or products, you can use POP displays to better understand customer habits and preferences. The sales from POP displays can help brands determine whether new marketing, design and sales tactics are reaching and appealing to their target audiences.

Enhanced Sustainability

Sustainability is quickly becoming a driving factor in purchasing decisions, especially for younger generations. According to one survey, 73% of consumers worldwide are willing to pay more for products made from sustainable materials and manufactured using ethical practices. 

Choosing a temporary POP display made from corrugated cardboard can help your company visibly improve its sustainability efforts by enabling greater recyclability. According to the American Forest & Paper Association, between 71% and 76% of cardboard was recycled in 2023, making it one of the most recycled materials in the U.S. 

Contact Creative Displays Now for a Customized POP Display Design

If temporary displays are what you’re after, you’ve certainly come to the right place. Our specialty at Creative Displays Now is designing cost-effective and temporary displays tailored to the specific needs of your retail partners.

We’ll work closely with you to understand your brand, products and vision before we begin designing. Our team of in-house experts is just a phone call away to help guide you through the process — contact us today to learn more!

Looking for a semipermanent or permanent display instead? Feel free to head over to our partner company, Great Northern Instore, to handle your long-term POP display needs. You can count on the same level of quality and customer service that we’re known for here at Creative Displays Now.