Uptake of point of sale displays by brands and retail outlets is increasing year-on-year, in response to growing demand for personalised customer experiences on the high street. A global retail survey published by Anglo-American consultancy Technavio in December 20161 predicted a 15% growth in POS linked sales between 2017 and 2021.

The big factor driving this trend is the reversal of the decline of the high street. Largely this is due to the millennial generation falling in love with real world again. Baby boomers and Generation X shoppers are still largely wedded to online retail. What does this mean for retailers and brands investing in point-of-sale displays?

The following are our thoughts about where we think the market might go, all linked to a greater integration of data gathering, analytics and other marketing channels with retail POS displays.

Sensors & Consumer Retail Data

Big data is the topic on everyone’s lips at the moment. What does this mean for printed point of sale displays? Retail CCTV has been used to monitor interest in point of sale displays for many years, but it is not always effective at busy times. However, the growth of digital POS displays, whether stand-alone screens or digital elements incorporated into a cardboard display, open up new possibilities for data gathering.

Metrics can be gathered such as the amount of time a consumer spends in front of a POS display, or which combinations of colours, smells and messages lead to the most sales. This information is interesting and informative, as it can focus your POS marketing strategy on the most effective brand awareness tactics and give your consumers a more relevant, personalised experience.

Ecommerce/High St Integration

QR codes and online content have been integrated with POS displays for some years now, but this has taken on a new urgency with the explosion in sophisticated mobile devices. There is now the opportunity to blur the lines between high street and online retail by providing exclusive discounts and content for mobile users accessing retail-based POS displays. By using QR codes and custom landing pages, a consumer can access on the spot deals or unlock reward points that can be redeemed against future purchases.

The potential of this technology is almost endless, and also extremely cheap, as it involves nothing more than printing an access code or scannable image onto a cardboard POS. Integration with social media is also possible through these means.
The concrete result is increased consumer engagement on the high street, leading to a boost in POS sales. Online secondary spend is also encouraged, which boosts brand awareness and loyalty. Combine this with the viral potential of social media shares and you get a virtuous circle of increased sales.

Confused About POS Marketing? Check Out Our New FREE E-Book

At Print & Displays we offer a bespoke, end-to-end design and manufacturing service for all types of 3-D POS display. Take advantage of the surge in popularity of POS retail as we move into 2018. For a free quote, please get in touch through our online contact form, or call us on 0115 927 5141.

You might also like to look at our free e-book: The Point Of Sale Marketing Guide, which explains how to use Dump Bins, FSDUs and Countertop units to successfully promote your products to a new audience. Download a copy by clicking here.