POP Displays 101: How to Maximize In-Store Sales with Temporary and Semi-Permanent Structures
In the retail world, a product on a standard shelf is passive; a product in a Point-of-Purchase (POP) display is active. These eye-catching, branded structures are your most effective in-store sales tool, designed to interrupt the customer’s path, draw attention to a promotion, and trigger an impulse buy. For any business looking to expand its retail footprint, understanding POP displays is essential to maximizing Return on Investment (ROI).
The Two Strategic POP Display Types
POP displays are broadly categorized by their intended lifespan and materials. Choosing the right one is the first step in a successful retail campaign. At MDM Packaging & Supplies we can help you throughout the entire process :
Temporary Displays:
These are ideal for short-term promotions, seasonal campaigns, or product launches (lasting 3 to 6 months).
- Material: Typically made from corrugated cardboard (which is recyclable and cost-effective).
- Benefit: They are highly customizable, inexpensive at scale, lightweight, and fast to manufacture. Their low cost allows brands to constantly swap out designs to keep the display fresh and relevant for specific promotions (e.g., holiday or summer deals).
Semi-Permanent Displays:
These are designed for longer campaigns, flagship products, or higher-ticket items (lasting 6 to 12 months, or sometimes longer).
- Material: They utilize more durable materials like heavy-duty cardboard, wood, plastic, or metal bases.
- Benefit: They convey a higher-quality look and feel, better withstand high-contact retail environments, and are often used to secure prime selling space within a retailer for an extended period.
If you want to learn more about POP displays, for your small business read this blog
Maximizing ROI: Placement and Design
The effectiveness of a POP display is less about its beauty and more about its strategic placement and engineering.
- Strategic Placement: The goal is to place the display where a buying decision is made, known as “breaking the shopping autopilot.” Prime spots include endcaps (the end of an aisle), checkout counters (for impulse buys), and high-traffic zones near store entrances.
- Structural Integrity: A high-quality display must be engineered to hold the product weight securely, withstand customer interaction, and be easily assembled by store staff. Flimsy construction is a fast track to product damage and a poor brand image.
- Visual Magnetism: Use bold, legible graphics and colors that align with your brand. Key messaging—like “New!” or “Limited Time Offer”—must be readable from a distance. Integrating features like QR codes or demo space encourages customer interaction and bridges the gap between the physical store and your online content.
Beyond the Box: The Logistics of Expansion
A successful POP program doesn’t end with design; it demands flawless execution across the supply chain. Businesses expanding their retail footprint face the complex logistical challenge of warehousing, kitting, and assembling hundreds of displays and products simultaneously for roll-out. Dealing with multiple vendors for design, manufacturing, and fulfillment introduces costly delays and errors.
This is where a full-service partner is non-negotiable. At MDM we take pride in helping our customers, so feel free to contact us.
MDM Packaging & Supplies: Your Retail Expansion Partner
When businesses look to expand their retail footprint, they need a reliable partner who can execute the entire POP display lifecycle efficiently. MDM Packaging & Supplies is uniquely positioned to fulfill this need as an integrated design and distribution partner. We eliminate the need for coordinating multiple vendors by offering end-to-end solutions from our Southern California facilities. We handle structural design, high-quality printing (for both temporary corrugated and semi-permanent displays), and the critical phase of fulfillment/kitting. This means we can assemble your display, pack it with your product, and ship the entire retail-ready unit directly to distribution centers nationwide, ensuring perfect execution, minimizing transit damage, and freeing up your resources for sales and marketing.
