Why Point of Purchase (POP) Displays Are Effective in 2022

Point of Purchase displays, or POP displays, may seem obsolete in the digital world we now live in. After all, why bother with the effort to create a visually compelling display when you can get the right message in front of the right consumer via social media or email?

But consider that around 82% of all mass merchant purchase decisions happen not online but in-store. It's an incredible statistic — even though online shopping is convenient, it isn't the "be all, end all" retail frontier that some fear.

In reality, POP displays are still quite popular, even though some retail stores reduced the number of displays they were using during the COVID-19 pandemic. While many people leverage online shopping, many products still drive shoppers to brick-and-mortar stores, and POP displays prevail. They bring a wide range of benefits for all types of brands you should be aware of.

The Power of POP Displays

One of the biggest advantages POP displays offer has to do with placement. Successful marketing is all about contacting the right customer at the right moment in their buyer's journey.

By creating an attractive and convenient POP display, you can get your message — and your products — directly in front of shoppers when they're making their purchasing decisions. Displays are a perfect opportunity to capitalize on impulse purchases — which 62% of people reported making at least one impulse purchase during their last shopping trip. If someone is already at the register and your POP display is within arm's reach, you dramatically increase the chances that they'll at least examine what it is you're offering.

Why Brand Awareness Matters

POP displays are great for raising brand awareness. Even modest retailers tend to have tens of thousands of square feet filled with various products. If someone enters a store and already knows what they came in for.  They might not even make it to the aisle where your products are located.

But with a POP display in the right position, you get another chance to make that connection. On a trip to the store, a shopper may not go down every aisle, but they have to make their way to the register eventually. Therefore, the right display can not just capture their attention but may also entice them to add one more item to their cart.

The Versatility of POP Displays

POP displays are also versatile, offering your brand some incredible return on investment (ROI) opportunities that you likely won't be able to get through other means. They can be constructed in a wide range of different shapes and sizes, and they can also include QR codes and similar elements to help bridge the gap between online and offline shopping experiences.

Say a shopper sees your POP display at the register, is interested in what you offer, but doesn't have the time to fully consider that purchase. That's perfectly okay because a QR code can be included on the display, which will take them directly to your website or eCommerce store from their smartphone or mobile device.

Even if the final purchase is made online, sales could still be attributed to the display’s QR code. With the proper tracking and reporting strategy, you can trace that sale back to scanning the QR code. This makes the physical display the buyer’s first touchpoint with your brand. 

At that point, you've made a positive impression with this person, and they still have the option to buy your products at home, on their terms. From a convenience standpoint, the customer wins. From a brand impression standpoint, you win as well. One reason POP displays work so well is that they directly appeal to how modern customers spend their time while shopping.

A carefully designed, visually attractive POP display is your key to taking full advantage of this fact — and it's one that you absolutely should not overlook.

If you'd like to find out more information about the many reasons why POP displays will continue to be effective in 2022 and beyond, please feel free to view this eBook that the team at Bay Cities has put together on the topic.