Point-of purchase (POP) displays are a popular marketing tool to encourage impulse buys at the point of purchase. Learn more about POP displays and why they should be a critical piece of the puzzle in any retailer’s visual marketing strategy.
POP displays are a form of visual marketing that advertise a product right where that product is featured in stores. These signs are designed to engage shoppers’ interest and get them to purchase a product, even if they weren’t originally planning to buy it when they entered the store.
For instance, in a grocery store, you may encounter a POP sign highlighting the health benefits and delicious taste of a breakfast cereal. If you’re convinced by the display, you’re in luck because the cereal should be right there for you to grab and place in your cart. You may not have had cereal on your shopping list, or maybe you planned to buy a different brand of cereal, but the POP display worked its magic, and now you’re giving the product a try!
Point of purchase displays are often mixed up with a similar mode of advertising: point of sale (POS) displays. These display types do share some similarities, but they aren’t synonymous.
The difference is that the point of sale refers to the point where the sales transaction takes place—typically, a checkout counter. The point of purchase, on the other hand, refers to the point at which a customer makes a buying decision by placing an item in their cart or basket.
POP signs can, like POS signs, be placed near a checkout counter if the product is kept in this area, but they’re not limited to this area. POP displays can be in any aisle, end-cap, or area of the store where products are showcased.
Point of purchase (POP) displays take advantage of the fact that shoppers often make buying decisions at the point of purchase. This is especially true when it comes to in-store sales, which are now up 13.7 percent from pre-pandemic levels.
An exciting marketing message placed right next to the product or brand it’s advertising can be just the thing to inspire impulse buys. Shoppers across demographics make impulse buys, but it’s especially pronounced among younger shoppers. In 2018, roughly half of the purchases made by U.S. shoppers in the 18- to 24-years-old category were impulse buys.
Many shoppers enter a store with an idea of what they’d like to get, but they often leave with additional items they happened upon as they made their way through the store.
Americans enjoy their spur-of-the-moment buying decisions and even credit them with saving them money in cases where they choose to purchase an item because of a sales promotion.
POP displays can be an excellent way to highlight these sales promotions, stopping a customer in their tracks to consider whether they want to miss out on a deal or take advantage of it.
Now is an excellent time to influence shoppers at the point of purchase because consumers are willing to try new brands and products. McKinsey & Company found in 2020 that well over a third of consumers were trying new product brands due to the way the pandemic shook up their buying habits.
An eye-catching POP display can be just the thing to push consumers to try new products and brands when they’re at the store, especially if they’re already open to doing so. And once they try that brand, they may become loyal customers.
POP displays are a must for any retailer that wants to encourage impulse buys and make the shopping experience more enjoyable.
Baesman can help retailers outfit their stores with high-quality, engaging visual marketing materials. Our online sign ordering system streamlines the process of ordering custom signage that’s always on-brand. Because we also kit and fulfill orders, you can be confident your displays will arrive quickly and in great shape so you can start making impressions with shoppers.