Point-of-sale display material

Point-of-sale refers to the place where a product can be purchased and this point-of-sale, whether it is a shop, a warehouse or a showroom, must permit maximum customer flow, provide a relaxing, informative and professional selling environment and facilitate the identification, handling, trial (whenever necessary) and carriage of products. ‘Display material', is, in fact, designed specifically to attract attention and encourage sales. Again, many examples can be given, some of them being more suitable for certain advertisers than others. Here are some of the more frequent point-of-sale display materials:

•  Mobiles . They consist of ingenious cut-out displays suspended from the shop ceiling so that they move with the air currents and they are useful in supermarkets, where there is limited display space.

•  Posters . They are a familiar feature of shop displays, decorating walls, doors and windows. In addition to colourful pictorial posters, there are those screen printed in bright colours which stores use to announce special offers.

•  Show cards . These are portable displays - very popular point-of-sale display materials, which a retailer can move about the shop or use from time to time and they can often have a very long life, especially if strongly made. Some, such as those advertising credit card or other services, may remain permanent displays on, say, a hotel reception desk.

•  Dispenser boxes . Rather like show cards, they are portable and may remain in position permanently if they contain leaflets, which satisfy a regular demand. A typical use is for the display of insurance prospectuses, tourist leaflets and official forms.

•  Clocks . This is a popular and permanent form of point-of-sale display, every glance at the time disclosing the advertiser's name.

•  Trade figures . Johnnie Walker and the Michelin Man figures have been used in displays for decades. They appear as moulded figures and cardboard cut-outs, with various versions of the Michelin rubber man. Some figures are static, while others are animated or articulated models.

•  Working models . These always fascinate, for few people can resist stopping and staring at a model, which is active. For example, in Britain , a very amusing model was a model baby elephant, which bounced up and down in an armchair to demonstrate how well the chair was sprung. They can be useful for the windows of, say, building societies, where normal displays are inevitably static.

•  Illuminated displays . In a similar way, as when the lights go on and off or change colour, the lighted sign in a window attracts attention, particularly of window-shoppers and passers-by after dark when the shop is closed.

•  Display stands . They give exclusiveness to goods; thus, it is essential to fix the supplier's name to the stand and to limit their use to the supplier's products. A good example is the refrigerated stand, the equipment being intended for the supplier's ice cream products, but the retailer misuses it if he stores rival brands in it.

•  Crowners. When bottled goods are displayed, collars or crowners can be slipped over the necks, to state the price, display a slogan or promotional message - an excellent point-of-sale display material.

•  Samples . Sampling may be point-of-sale strategy for the manufacturer to supply free samples of his product, usually in special packs.

•  Drip mats/coasters . They can be used in bars, cafés, etc., placing prominent advertising in a very convenient form.

•  Ashtrays . These are much used by drinks and tobacco manufacturers who print the advertisements on them.

•  Menu-cards . The supply of menu cards printed with the advertiser's name, logo and slogan is a method of advertising used in catering, food and drinks trades. They provide a service both to caterer and customer.