Understanding Point-of-Purchase Displays in the Customer Experience

JANUARY 27, 2020| SpeedPro

Any seasoned store owner who knows how to use graphics will tell you that point-of-purchase (POP) displays are crucial to delivering a positive customer experience. Though most businesses focus on marketing efforts that get people into the doors, they neglect in-store marketing that can help close the deal and incentivize customers to try out featured products.

POP displays are tools for effective in-store marketing. By knowing what these experiential marketing displays are and how companies can use them, you’ll improve customers’ experience and be more likely to convince them to check out products they were previously unfamiliar with.

What Are Point-of-Purchase Displays?

POP displays come in several different forms, but their defining factor is their placement next to the items they’re promoting. The goal of these displays is to call attention to a product or service a company is trying to highlight. The displays can use a variety of graphics and signage, such as wall displays, window clings, attachable shelving, easel-back standups, printed fabric panels and table stands.

Though you might hear the terms “point of purchase” and “point of sale” used interchangeably, there’s a notable difference between them. You’ll find point-of-sale displays at the register or wherever the customer completes their purchase, while POP displays are in the area where customers decide to make a purchase.

The Role of POP Displays in the Customer Experience

Whenever a customer is considering a purchase, they generally progress through a few stages before they buy anything. In a traditional sales funnel, customers proceed through four stages before owning a new product:

1. Awareness
2. Interest
3. Desire
4. Action

During these four stages, a customer finds out about a product, shows an interest in it, wants to own it and then chooses whether to make the purchase. The POP display can play a role in each stage, but, most notably, it makes customers aware that a product exists. After all, if no one knows about a product, it’s unlikely that it will sell.

Since the signs and graphics of a POP display have a prominent placement by the items you’re trying to sell, there’s a greater chance that people will become aware of a product. The customer may notice the product because of the display and show an interest in it by picking it up to look at it more closely. The display can even provide extra information to supplement that interest and move the customer to the “desire” stage before they finally decide to purchase it.

To give you more of an idea of how POP displays can help a customer’s experience, consider the following ways you can use them.

Shake up a Customer’s Routine

Due to the nature of POP displays, they’re perfect at taking customers out of their routine and helping them engage in the present. For example, shoppers who regularly frequent a grocery store may go on autopilot every time they go into the store, picking up the same old groceries they always do. POP displays in the store can incentivize customers to break from their routine and pick up something new.

While these displays can lead to improved sales for your company, they also improve the customer’s experience. When a customer gets used to the visual appearance of your store, they’ll grow bored and be more likely to have a less positive experience as they shop. Installing POP displays throughout your stores will help your company make sure the appearance of their store’s interior doesn’t go stale.

Along with improving the visual appearance of a store, a POP sign should lead customers to new products they’ll enjoy. Instead of customers growing tired of purchasing the same products every time they go to the store, they’ll have the opportunity to expand their horizons. In effect, you’ll be giving customers the ability to try something new every time they come to the store, leading to higher customer satisfaction and a belief that your company is staying ahead of the curve.

Add Greater Visual Flair to an Environment

Another primary way that a POP display can give shoppers a more enjoyable shopping experience is by making the environment more pleasant to walk through. Consider placing POP displays throughout aisles, off shelves or onto walls to give extra visual flair to a store.

The customizability of POP displays means that companies can apply on-brand, attractive graphics to their stores and other relevant locations. When their surroundings are more attractive, customers are more likely to enjoy their time in your location. Since customers will have a more pleasant experience, they’ll be in a better mood and more likely to try out products highlighted by the POP displays.

Educate Customers

If you’re trying to market a new product, POP displays are crucial to educating customers on why they should make the purchase. Often, customers stick with tried-and-true products, unless they have good reason to change. If you’re trying to get customers to try out something new, this aversion to novelty can be a barrier.

With a POP display, you can use signage that has the space to feature information about the product you’re trying to sell. For example, a display might showcase how the product improves on a previous model or lists the advantages of the item. With this extra information available, customers will be able to see how the product will benefit them and give them an extra push to try something new.

The additional level of detail on the displays will also improve a customer’s experience by making them feel more informed. It can be hard to choose between products when you’re shopping, especially if you don’t know much about the category of the item you’re looking to buy. To put a customer’s mind at ease and help them make their decision easier, you can educate them about an item’s features with POP displays.

Choose SpeedPro for Your Point-of-Purchase Display Needs

If you’re interested in adding POP displays to a retail location, special event or another relevant area, you should look to SpeedPro for all of your needs. As a nationwide network of studios, we have a long track record of producing stunning POP displays that make viewers more aware of products or services a company is looking to highlight.

To get the best graphics on the market today, you’ll want to find your local SpeedPro studio. While speaking to a representative, you can receive a free quote and discuss your various display options.