Point of sale (POS) covers a range of marketing tools and tactics, rather than referring to one specific thing. In general, point-of-sale material can refer to any item or technique that encourages customers to purchase retail goods, while they are in a store or supermarket.

Types Of POS Display

POS material can include standing or suspended banners, shelf signs, decorative lighting, counter displays and freestanding display units containing retail products. A point of sale display may be independent, relying on messaging and branding to attract customers, or it may be staffed to actively encourage consumers to try a product – e.g. food samples in supermarkets.
The most versatile and cost-effective form of point-of-sale marketing is the freestanding display unit (FSDU) or countertop display unit. These POS materials can be custom designed and printed to accommodate any campaign message or brand identity, and are extremely effective at drawing in new customers. Other types of POS display include dump bins, wobblers, pop-up displays and standees. Each has its own advantages and is suited to different types of campaign. Have a chat with us to find out the right solution for you.

The Purpose Of Point Of Sale Material

Point-of-sale advertising normally seeks to capitalise on impulse buys, secondary spend, or up selling. The consumer is, after all, a captive audience – already present in the store and usually engaged on a considered purchase. The idea is for the point-of-sale material to induce the consumer to increase spend with the addition of one or more low value items (e.g. chewing gum, soft drinks), through the additional purchase of a related item, or by increasing the volume of their planned purchase (e.g. through BOGOF offers.)

Positioning For Point Of Sale Material

For the point-of-sale material to make the required impact, in-store positioning is very important. This will depend on the retail environment and the nature of the product. For example, some point of sale displays are designed for placement at the end of supermarket aisles, others for till counters in convenience stores (where they are sometimes referred to as Point of Purchase, or POP displays) and so on.

The placement area will affect the design for environmental reasons and for advertising purposes. A POS display designed to be placed outside a petrol forecourt to advertise barbecue briquettes will need to be more robust than a small internal display carrying trading cards. The design also needs to complement other advertising within the store – so as not to create a clash of colours or messages – while also standing apart from other marketing material. This involves striking a delicate balance and working closely with your retail partners at each stage of the process.

Competition Or Cooperation?

In practice, different point of sale displays frequently compete with each other in a retail environment, especially in large supermarkets. From a marketing point of view it is important to maintain a carefully considered campaign; the goal being for the different displays to work dynamically together to increase the overall level of retail purchases within the store.

For a good introduction to point-of-sale materials and how they can be used within a marketing strategy, please download our Point of Sale Marketing Guide. This free resource explains the principle of branding, display presentation, customer psychology and retail partner relationships; all from the perspective of point-of-sale. Click here to download your copy.