February 17, 2025
Retail POP Displays: How They Can Boost Sales
Retail environments are crowded with competing brands, promotions, and product displays, making it harder than ever to capture consumer attention. While shelving strategies play a role in sales, well-placed point-of-purchase (POP) displays can be a decisive factor in influencing buying decisions.
Unlike traditional shelving, retail POP displays are designed to highlight products in high-traffic areas, drawing shoppers' attention through strategic positioning and compelling design. These displays can showcase promotions, introduce new products, or reinforce brand messaging, leading to higher engagement and increased sales.
From a standalone display to a shelf talker or an interactive digital sign, an effective POP display doesn't just present a product—it creates an experience that nudges customers toward making a purchase. In this article, you'll learn what POP displays are, how they work, the different types available, and how they can boost your retail sales with the right strategy.
What is a Point-of-Purchase (POP) Display?
A Point-of-Purchase (POP) display is a marketing material or advertising placement in a retail store designed to attract customers to specific products. Unlike point-of-sale (POS) displays, which are located at the checkout area, POP displays can be placed anywhere within the store to influence purchasing decisions.
Common types of POP displays include:
- Standalone displays: Free-standing fixtures placed in high-traffic areas.
- Endcap displays: Located at the ends of aisles to maximize visibility.
- Shelf talkers and wobblers: Small attention-grabbing signs attached to shelves.
- Dump bins and baskets: Containers holding bulk promotional items, encouraging impulse buys.
- Digital and interactive POP Displays: Screens or QR codes that engage customers.
POP display with endcap shelving
7 Ways Retail POP Displays Can Boost Sales
POP displays play a pivotal role in influencing customer behavior and driving sales. You'll find that certain POP display examples demonstrate how strategic placement and design can enhance product visibility and encourage impulse purchases.
1. Capturing customer attention with strategic placement
A well-placed retail POP display breaks through the visual clutter of traditional shelving, ensuring key products stand out. Retailers often position these displays in high-traffic zones, such as store entrances, aisle endcaps, and checkout areas, to maximize visibility. According to the Path to Purchase Institute's 2024 Trends survey, 87% of organizations invest in temporary in-store displays, highlighting their importance in engaging potential buyers.
Standalone display
2. Encouraging impulse purchases
A significant portion of purchase decisions are made in-store rather than pre-planned. POP displays showcasing limited-time offers, discounts, or bundled deals stimulate spontaneous buying. Placing small, easy-to-grab items near checkout counters increases last-minute purchases. A recent survey found that 93% of shoppers make at least one totally unplanned purchase per trip to the store.
High-traffic areas for retail displays
Additionally, 29% of shoppers make an impulse buy at least once a week, particularly at checkout. Effective POP displays featuring limited-time promotions or bundled offers capitalize on these behaviors by creating a sense of urgency and encouraging spontaneous purchases.
3. Highlighting promotions and new arrivals
POP displays are particularly instrumental in showcasing promotional items and newly launched products. Utilizing bold signage and clear call-to-action messages creates excitement and draws attention to these offerings, encouraging customer engagement and higher sales.
Retailers that incorporate well-placed POP displays into their marketing efforts can maximize product visibility and create a sense of urgency among shoppers. In fact, the North America POP Display Market is projected to grow to an estimated USD 7,171.25 million by 2032, along with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.0%. This growth underscores the increasing investment in POP displays as a key strategy for promoting brands.
4. Reinforcing brand awareness and loyalty
Beyond boosting sales, retail POP displays help strengthen brand recognition and customer loyalty. Custom displays that incorporate a brand's colors, logo, and messaging create a consistent visual identity. High-quality materials and professional designs also reinforce consumer trust and enhance perceived product value. Such benefits of point-of-purchase displays make the strategic use of branded displays widely recognized as a retail marketing best practice.
Branded in-store display (Image Source: RLI)
5. Educating shoppers and influencing decisions
Modern consumers rely on accessible product information to make informed buying decisions. POP displays that include educational content—such as product benefits, comparisons, and QR codes leading to detailed descriptions—help guide shoppers. Digital screens or interactive elements further enhance engagement and can influence an in-store buying decision, highlighting the importance of providing valuable information at the point of purchase.
6. Enhancing the shopping experience
A well-executed POP display does more than showcase a product—it improves the overall shopping experience. Eye-catching visuals, engaging messaging, and interactive elements create a more immersive environment that captures customer interest. Whether through motion graphics, tactile features, or product demonstrations, these displays encourage shoppers to explore and interact with products in a meaningful way.
Interactive retail display
Beyond simply promoting sales, effective POP displays can make shopping more enjoyable, helping to break the monotony of traditional shelf browsing. Creating a visually dynamic and engaging in-store atmosphere allows retailers to leave a lasting impression on customers and strengthen brand connections.
7. Providing flexibility for retailers
One of the key advantages of point-of-purchase displays is their adaptability, making them a valuable asset for retailers looking to keep up with evolving consumer demands. Unlike permanent fixtures, these displays can be easily repositioned, updated, or replaced to align with seasonal trends, inventory changes, or marketing campaigns. This level of flexibility enables businesses to quickly respond to shifts in consumer preferences without undergoing costly store renovations.
Retailers can also leverage POP displays for time-sensitive promotions, such as holiday sales, new product launches, or clearance events. When a promotion ends, the display can either be modified with new graphics or repurposed for a different product, reducing waste and maximizing return on investment. Modular or collapsible displays add another layer of convenience, allowing for easy storage and reuse as needed.
Shelf talker with promotional discount
Additionally, POP displays offer the ability to test different layouts, messaging, and product placements to determine what resonates most with shoppers. Continuously refining your approach can optimize your merchandising strategies to enhance engagement and boost sales. This adaptability makes POP displays a cost-effective, high-impact solution for those aiming to maintain a fresh and dynamic in-store experience.
Elevate Your Retail Strategy Today
The retail world is dynamic. Capturing and retaining customer attention is critical, with POP displays serving as a powerful tool to influence shopper behavior, drive impulse purchases, and reinforce brand loyalty. Start strategically implementing well-designed POP displays to enhance your customers' shopping experience and significantly boost sales.
However, investing in effective POP displays is not just about showcasing products. It's about creating an engaging retail environment that resonates with customers. Partnering with experts in print media and packaging solutions, like Intermedia Print Solutions, can ensure that your displays are not only visually appealing but also strategically aligned with your marketing goals.
Explore our custom printing services to create high-quality branded materials that enhance your retail presence. Whether you need eye-catching signage, promotional materials, or durable POP displays, we offer tailored solutions to help your products stand out.
Ready to take the next step? Place an order or request an estimate today at Intermedia Print Solutions.
