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The 14 Most Effective Types of Retail Displays, Explained

Author: Geoff

Nov. 04, 2024

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The 14 Most Effective Types of Retail Displays, Explained

When it comes to visual merchandising, retail displays are where most of the action happens. Knowing the different types of retail displays and how they are used across a variety of product categories is critical to making an impact on sales.

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In this post, we will first give a brief overview of what retail displays are and how they fit into a brand&#;s visual merchandising strategy. We will then go into detail on three categories of retail displays: standalone POP displays and store shelving displays, which are common in the CPG industry, followed by clothing displays, which can differ from CPG retail displays due to the nature of the product.


 


Retail Display Definition

In this post, we will first give a brief overview of what retail displays are and how they fit into a brand&#;s visual merchandising strategy. We will then go into detail on three categories of retail displays: standalone POP displays and store shelving displays, which are common in the CPG industry, followed by clothing displays, which can differ from CPG retail displays due to the nature of the product.

A retail display is anything in a store that houses or promotes your product. A visual merchandising strategy focuses heavily on the appearance of retail displays, as they are often the first point of contact between your product and the shopper.


Any brand that sells at retail will use retail displays. Visual merchandisers are usually the ones to design and implement retail displays and are also in charge of making sure the displays maintain their appearance over time.


Standalone POP Display: Explanation and Examples


A POP display, also known as a point of purchase display, is any store display that draws attention to your product.

A standalone display is a type of POP display that exists separately from traditional aisle shelves. These displays often appear in the middle of large store aisles called &#;action alleys,&#; or anywhere else in the store where there is open space. Standalone displays play a huge role in a brand&#;s visual merchandising strategy and should be carefully designed to stand out within a retailer.

Here are some examples:


Dump Bins

Dump bins certainly live up to their name &#; they are literally giant bins in stores that are commonly stocked with individually packaged products. You&#;ll often see them full of candy other small products that provoke impulse buys.

A great advantage of dump bins is that they are standalone displays, and can be strategically placed to be seen or interacted with from all angles. They are also usually made out of cardboard or are otherwise customizable, so bins are not only a great opportunity to get creative with how you project your brand&#;s image, but they&#;re also easy for your field team or distributor to ship and set up..


 

 

Freestanding Displays

Freestanding displays are similar to dump bins in that they are also standalone displays and can be interacted with from 360 degrees. That being said, they are more organized in appearance than dump bins, and often neatly display slightly larger products on shelves or hooks. Like dump bins, freestanding displays are also commonly made out of cardboard, so they are a great chance to experiment with some attention-grabbing shapes or designs.


 


Entryway Displays

Displaying your products near entryways can put your brand at the top of shoppers' lists before they even see your competitors. Entryway displays are effective at encouraging impulse buys, as customers at the beginning of their shopping trip are entering the store ready to spend money. If you&#;re lucky enough to be in a place with nice weather, setting up an outdoor entryway display is a great way to catch shoppers&#; attention before they even get inside.

 

 

 

Gondola Displays

Gondolas are two-sided, standalone shelving units that also appear in larger, more open areas of a store. They have adjustable shelves, which makes them customizable to accommodate different sized products. While they typically are made with steel frames and pegboard, there are options for brands to promote their product through graphics and an attractive color scheme.


 

 

Display Cases

Retail display cases are a type of standalone display that is closed in on all sides by glass or clear plastic. To access the products, shoppers may have to speak to a store associate to retrieve the item from the case for them. Other times, if the case is serving an ornamental purpose, shoppers can find the product on its home shelf. Because of their security, higher-end products will often find their way into these displays.

Brands can design unique cases by displaying their product in a nontraditional way. For example, if you are selling perfume or lotion, including objects that represent the fragrance of your product will present an aesthetic that is simultaneously attractive and informative to the shopper.




 

Window Displays

Window displays, also known as window dressings, are exactly what they sound like &#; product displays that are set up in the window of a retailer. These displays are extremely lucrative as they represent the retailer and can be the deciding factor on whether a shopper enters the store in the first place. If given the opportunity to occupy a window display for your product, it is imperative to create a visually appealing design that will positively represent your product and the retailer.



Banner Stands

Banner stands are standalone signage that brands can place throughout the store to feature their product or announce a promotion. Banner stands are inexpensive, mobile, and effectively catch shoppers&#; attention. When creating a banner stand, always remember that less is more &#; you don&#;t want to overwhelm the shopper, so avoid using too many colors or providing more written information than what the shopper would be willing to read. If your banner stand is not located next to your product, you can include a message within the graphic on where it can be found in the store.


 

Retail Shelving Display: Explanation and Examples

Shelving displays are any type of display that exists on a traditional store shelf. They utilize the space provided by these shelving units to showcase products, feature signage, and interact with shoppers.


End Cap Displays

End cap displays are the shelves at the end of a two-sided retail shelf which the shopper passes by when going from one aisle to another. Like free standing displays, end caps allow you to place your product in relevant areas beyond typical aisle shelf space. They also give you a prime location to attract a lot of eyes &#; shoppers walking through action alley can see your products without even going down the aisle, giving you a major advantage over your competitors.

 

 

 

Shelf Talkers

Shelf talkers, also known as &#;hang-tags,&#; are the promotional signage you see sticking out perpendicularly to aisle shelves. They&#;re useful for making your brand stand out within the aisle, educating the buyer about the product, and guiding the customer directly to your shelf. Shelf talkers are also great for pointing out promotions or sales. When designing a shelf talker, it is good practice to use colors and messaging that are very similar to the packaging of your product. This way, it is easy for the shopper to make an association with your product and the sign.




Clip Strips

Clip strips are long, vertically hanging strips with hooks that are ideal for holding small products. Using clip strips gives you a chance to get your products on shelves beyond your primary placement, or simply to add a few extra facings to the SKUs you already have. They are ideal for cross-merchandising, as you can set up a clip strip display of chips next to salsa, or lip balm next to other cosmetics.

 



Header Cards

These signs usually appear on the shelf tag, next to a product&#;s price. Header cards can help differentiate your brand from similar items nearby on the shelf. Similar to shelf talkers, brands can use these cards to educate the buyer, point out promotions, or even suggest a way to use the product. This small shelf display can go a long way, as the shopper sees the information you provide on the card as they are checking the price. With the right messaging, you can convince shoppers to go with your product over your competitor&#;s.

 

Clothing Display: Explanation and Examples

While clothing displays sometimes use similar components as CPG displays, there are some key differences between creating displays for apparel merchandising as opposed to something like grocery merchandising.


Garment Racks

Garment racks are one of the most common types of clothing displays. Still, not all garment racks are the same &#; some are circular, some have multiple levels to hang items on, and some include shelves with them as well. Additionally, merchandisers don&#;t just toss the product onto the shelf and walk away. There are many ways to organize clothing on a garment rack to capture a shopper&#;s attention.

For example, grouping items by color is visually appealing and also makes it easy for the buyer to see their options. If you are working with tiered racks, cross merchandising garments will give the shopper an idea of the outfit they can put together with your products.

 

 

Display Tables

Display tables are also a very common clothing display, likely due to their versatility. Display tables can host a myriad of products, from apparel to accessories to jewelry. One benefit of display tables is the amount of room they provide for merchandisers to get creative. Create themes around your brand, the season, or holidays by incorporating signage and decorative elements.

 

 

Mannequins

Mannequins are the embodiment of visual merchandising. They display products in a context that gives the shopper a clear visual of the product in use. To capitalize on this visualization, merchandisers should use the best of their products to create trendy outfits shoppers will want to wear themselves. Mannequins definitely promote impulse buys as they showcase to the shopper multiple items that they may not have been shopping for in the first place. Thus, be sure to have your products nearby, as there is nothing worse than missing out on a sale because the shopper couldn&#;t locate your product.

 



 

Retail Display Best Practices

Designing and implementing retail displays is hard work, but the potential return on investment is well worth it. From shelf talkers to gondolas to mannequins, deciding which retail display is best for your product might seem daunting, so here are a few best practice takeaways to help you move forward in your visual merchandising strategy:

  • Using creative signage and messaging with your display will get you noticed by the shopper.

  • Endcaps, entryway displays, freestanding displays, and window displays get you more exposure to the shopper.

  • Dump bins, clip strips, and table displays are ideal for displaying smaller products.

  • There are multiple options for improving your product&#;s shelf presence by using things like shelf talkers and header cards.

  • The effectiveness of a retail display doesn&#;t rely on how extravagant it is &#; even the simplest displays can increase sales as long as they are part of a solid visual merchandising strategy.

What are Retail Store Displays – The Master Guide

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Visual merchandising and store displays go hand in hand when creating an attractive store that will effectively entice customers, engage them with new products, and build brand awareness. Excellent use of retail displays should be visible and draw the attention of passing customers through correct messaging, design, and setup. But how does one design a product display to achieve this?

In this article, we will help you through this daunting process by providing some creative retail display ideas to consider, pros and cons, and which displays work best for each industry. By the end, we hope to provide you with enough information so that you feel confident enough to begin your journey of creating the best displays for your merchandise!

What Are Retail Displays, and Why Are They So Important?

Source: PakFactory

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the types of displays available and their pros and cons, it&#;s essential to understand what retail displays are and why they are a must-have for stores of any industry. So, to begin, a retail display is any piece of physical marketing, fixture, or in-store area designed to attract customers, engage them, and showcase or promote merchandise. Think of them like exhibits for your products.

The definition alone should be evidence enough of the importance of store displays. However, to further convince you of this notion, studies show that placing products into specially curated in-store exhibits can increase sales by as high as 478%! 

If we read between the lines of the above study, we can glean that product display stands are highly effective tools to attract customers and should be used in stores to drive sales through marketing and promotion. That said, there are many different variations and types of display styles, so it&#;s essential to understand each option to know which one best suits your needs.

Now that you know what a retail display is, we can cover the many options you have at your disposal. Whether you want something for shelving, table tops, windows, or the floor, there are many choices, and PakFactory has a wide selection of custom cardboard displays

Further reading:
Mastering Custom POSM Campaign Management Strategies

Getell supply professional and honest service.

But continuing with the article, let&#;s look at some popular options in many retail stores.

Point of Purchase Units (POP)/Floor Displays

POP displays are any free-standing in-store presentation that draws the attention of consumers. They exist separate from fixed store installations and offer an opportunity for marketing and merchandising throughout the aisles and pathways of your store, where most purchasing decisions are made.

A standard tray floor display with 3 tiers, arranged in a vertical formation and perfect for displaying a wide range of products.

Multi-tier Shelf Floor Display elevates and highlights its stocked product. It showcases a variety of products on several tiers of shelves arranged in a vertical formation.

A floor display with peg hooks is perfect for retail stores to showcase products that can be hung or displayed on hooks.

Cells/Pocket Floor Display is designed to hold various smaller products in a gridded formation.

Tray Floor Display is a floor display with separated tiered trays, designed to hold products like clothing, footwear, and other flat merchandise.

Dump Bin is an efficient way to make use of floor space. It can provide customers with quick access to a variety of items quickly and easily.

Counter and Tabletop Displays

Tuck Top Snap Lock Bottom Display Box is a cost-effective solution to increase visibility &#; helping you promote awareness of your brand and drive more sales.

Corrugated Shelf Counter Display is a multi-tier counter top display perfect at checkout for showcasing a variety of products on several tiers of shelves.

But What Display is Best for What Retail Store?

With the many options and styles of retail displays, it can be daunting to decide which one best fits your business. An argument can be made that any type of display is effective for any industry, but that doesn&#;t help you narrow down your choices.

So to narrow down what might work for your business, let&#;s look at a few typical retail store sectors and which display we think might complement them.

Grocery/Supermarket

Grocery stores and supermarkets provide a range of food and drink products. Selections often include fresh and packaged foods, beer and wine, pet food, and other essential household products. Typical grocery store displays include dump bins, retail shelving, isle units, and gondola displays.

Convenient Stores

Convenient stores are like mini grocery stores, offering quick trip experiences and providing a selection of basic foods, drinks, and everyday essentials. Since they are smaller and are used as quick stops, effective retail displays might include countertop options at the cashier for impulse buys or shelf stoppers to showcase promotions quickly.

Specialty Stores

These stores carry many brands, styles, or models in a narrow category, ranging from local boutiques to big-name stores. In other words, think of stores like furniture, clothing, books, or electronics stores. Since this category has a wide range of possible merchandise, different displays have varying effectiveness based on your specialty store.

For example, garment racks work best with clothing stores but not for other specialty stores, for obvious reasons.  On the other hand, jewelry store displays typically use display cases because of the product&#;s higher value, but not so much for clothing.

However, two options that are effective for a large variety of specialty stores are window exhibits and immersive displays! Designing window exhibits and immersive displays inside your store to showcase your specialty merchandise is an excellent way to communicate with potential customers and entice them to buy whatever product you offer.

How to Turn a Good Store Display into a Great One

As shown above, many options and considerations exist when deciding what display style you want for your merchandise. Depending on the type of merchandise you have, your customer base, and the level of creativity you want, each style can have varying effectiveness, but the more crucial aspect of store displays is how you use them.

Source: Well Designed Wood and Sonsm by PakFactory

Below we&#;ve included a few tips and pointers to consider with your merchandise displays.

  1. Use creative signage. Wall art and other unique tags or signage can quickly grab your shoppers&#; attention and encourage people to engage through social media via pictures and posts.
  2. Pick a good location. Considering the area of placement is one of the most critical parts of determining a successful retail store display. New products and bestsellers should be placed in high-traffic areas, whereas impulse buy or add-on items are excellent near the checkout counter, where the customer is just about to leave.
  3. Show pricing. Showing the price lets customers know if it is within their price range. If they can&#;t find it, they may assume the product is too pricey and skip over it, resulting in a loss of sales.
  4. Change regularly. Changing retail product displays regularly keeps your store looking new and fresh with each visit and helps customers find new products.
  5. Maintain your displays. Maintenance is equally essential as the design and regular changes of in-store displays. It is crucial to keep them clean, evenly spaced, and organized so customers and access these products without problems.

Pros and Cons of Using Custom Store Displays

Now that you have a deep understanding of all the options and considerations you must make when deciding and designing the perfect store display, it is necessary to cover the advantages and disadvantages of including retail displays in your store.

First, let&#;s look at the advantages in-store displays have for your business. Retail displays offer a variety of benefits to your business if done creatively and correctly. When done right, retail displays play an integral role in the marketing and merchandising strategy. 

As mentioned before, careful design and layout can significantly increase sales and can mean the difference between attracting or losing a customer to competitors. Retail displays should naturally attract customers, build a positive brand impression, and effectively communicate promotions and sales while offering good value for money; good displays cost money but can pay back tenfold!

But on the opposite side of the coin, the need to constantly maintain and update in-store displays requires a lot more time management for planning layouts, increased money investment, and increased staff demands for maintenance and updates to keep up with the constant movement of merchandise, changing of seasons, promotions and sales. However, keeping up with these challenges will enable your business to reap the full benefits!

Put Your Best Face Forward With Store Displays

Store displays play a crucial role in any business&#;s visual marketing and merchandising strategy. With a better understanding of how these displays attract customers and the limitless options you have at your disposal, we hope to have provided enough information so that you are confident to take the next step forward.

If you are ready to take the next step or have more questions about custom display stands, please contact us or request a quote now. PakFactory specialists are always prepared and eager to help in your journey!

The company is the world’s best retail island display supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.

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