I recently visited my local Bed BATH AND BEYOND store. While shopping, I couldn’t help but notice the abundance of POP (point of purchase) displays in use.

And, why not?

Retail increasingly is becoming a place where merchandisers have to market creatively for the loyalty of consumers’ pocket books against online competitors. Those companies that adjust to this reality will look for ways to catch shoppers’ attention in the retail environment with effective point-of-purchase (POP) displays.

While consumers surf online for products, they still have a preference in seeing and feeling the product before any purchase is made.  Statistics show buyers overwhelmingly prefer making this tactile process part of their shopping experience before buying. You might say it’s “the force” driving any purchase.

In the Star Wars movie, A New Hope, Obi-Wan Kenobi described “the force” to Luke Skywalker this way: “The Force is what gives a Jedi his power.” Applying a similar analogy to POP displays, it’s their ability to catch the consumer’s attention and to allow an opportunity to feel and examine the product that is “the force” behind the display’s effectiveness.

At Midwest Graphics, we know a lot about how to make fantastic POP displays. We offer these tips:

• Understand your audience’s preferences

Are your consumer young? Are they female or male? Demographics about your target audience are critical to choosing the right colors and fonts when designing POPs. Understanding your audience’s preferences is essential to attracting their attention.

• Engage and appeal on an emotional level

All graphics and text on a POP should be humanized so shoppers can relate to the brand and understand the critical message of why they should buy your product.

• It’s show-and-tell time

Any great POP will effectively demonstrate why the product is the right choice for the consumer; how it is solving a need, how it is the best choice the consumer can make. Displays using photos or interactive video screens are popular ways to express these thoughts.

• Remember the tactile desire!

Make it easy for the buyer to touch and examine your product. And remember, POP’s offer the consumer the chance to grab-and-go.  Display POP’s at end of aisles, if possible, to allow the buyer to avoid having to search the aisles for your product.

• Design for Durability 

Packaging and displays should be able to withstand lots of hands that will handle it. The best displays are made of durable materials to withstand this and the abuse of store staff members potentially bumping into it.

• Install it correctly

The best POP display is only good if it’s installed correctly. Display management solutions need to be followed and tracked to ensure the displays are installed right.  Marketing dollars are wasted on POP displays that are not installed correctly or never make it to the sales floor.

Just as Obi-Wan Kenobi knows “the force” is what gives the Jedi his power, businesses know “the force” of POP displays lies in meeting a sensory experience their buyers desire.

At Midwest Graphics, we have years of experience designing attractive POP displays for companies. We can handle everything from prototypes and mock-ups to production, assembly, packing and drop-shipment. We welcome the opportunity to partner with you on your next POP display.