How Christmas Display Stands Can Benefit Your Business
24 Dec 2012
If there is one annual festival that is known for being commercially attractive, visually appealing, joyous and retail-friendly, it has to be Christmas. This brings as many opportunities as it does challenges to retailers. And those who are creative in their retailing and organised and thoughtful in their approach are most likely to see the benefits in terms of additional sales and high-value purchases in the seasonal run-up to Christmas.
One of the easiest and most impactful areas in which retailers can see a sales result is in sales and promotional display stands and point of sale displays. These are commonly used close to tills, by entrances and in main walkways.
How Are Promotional and Sales Display Stands Used in Retail?
These types of physical marketing are hugely powerful in influencing customer spending decisions and they are wonderfully low-tech and cost-effective too. You will have seen stands in a variety of retail, leisure and entertainment situations, from the standing ‘wait to be seated’ foamex waiter greeting you at your local franchise restaurant through to an eye-catching chocolate POS display in a supermarket and a DVD promotional stand in your local media store. You will also notice a real variety of display stands in large supermarkets. Some are branded and produced by the manufacturer to highlight their particular product line and some are retailer branded to demonstrate an array of themed products for the Christmas season.
The Value of Point of Sale Displays
The beauty of POS displays is that they catch customers just as they are ready to buy and fulfil a need that the customer has usually forgotten they had. A good POS display will generally promote a certain easy-purchase item that the customer is prepared to pick up alongside their order. Example of these might be batteries, wrapping paper or umbrellas in a general store, jewellery, socks and accessories in a fashion store and chocolates, magazines and DVDs in a supermarket.
Choosing Your Display
Think about what display stands would be best suited to your store and consider what budget you have to put towards it. Remember that a POS or Christmas display doesn’t need to involve lightboxes, animations, music and fancy technology. It can be as simple and imaginative as you wish. Some of the most loved Christmas displays and windows simply involve beautifully orchestrated festive scenes and an artistic touch.
Think too about the purpose of the stand. For example, it might be something attractive to lure people into your store or a specific stand designed to highlight certain key products that need to be sold before the New Year. It might be designed to appeal to children or their parents and you’ll need to target the height and size (not to mention products) accordingly.
Inspiration and Guidance
Most brands will provide POS displays for their products, so it will be quite easy to make your store look festive and welcoming. Look for inspiration and guidance in other stores, trade magazines and in different sectors, such as restaurants and bars. Cross-fertilisation of ideas can provide you with a real edge.