Is Point Of Sale Right For You? 

Point of Sale (POS) gives retailers the opportunity to further advertise to customers whilst in-store. It gives every surface, window, wall, shelf and till-point the chance to offer additional value and influence purchasing decisions.  

Of course, much of the success of POS depends on its design, wording and placement, and it should be displayed in such a manner that customers do not feel as if they are being sold to; rather it’s an eye-catching promotion that aims to pique curiosity and encourage impulse purchase right at the point of purchase.  

Here at Webmart we have worked with a huge range of brands looking to increase the reach of their POS. We design, create and source an array of different POS items, and in this guide you can find out a bit more about how it could work for you.  

What Can POS Be Used For 

The aim of retail POS is to target impulse purchasers, with most of the sales generated by this method being natural and unplanned. Some types of POS also appeal to discount-hunters; offering ‘multibuy’, ‘buy one get one free’ and ‘special offers’ targets shoppers looking for price reductions.  

And POS works especially well when pushing seasonal offers, such as the chocolate tins by the door at Christmas or eggs at Easter.  

POS can be personalised to the geographic location of the store too, speaking directly to local shoppers and creating an immediate personal affinity and demand for the product.  

We often talk about POS in a retail setting, however the opportunities are limitless. We have seen POS being used within the hospitality, travel and charity sectors to great success. Charities can use POS to advertise raffles or competitions near the tills in supermarkets or cafes for example; or they use counter top POS to sell Christmas cards etc. 

Similarly, the food and hospitality industries  find POS particularly effective   in promoting club membership sign ups which helps them in turn capture customer data for further activities. 

Limits Of POS 

It’s important to remember the restrictions of the store footprint in which you wish to place the POS. Some retail stores have limited fixtures, fittings and space and so can only accommodate certain types of POS. If you’re working with a chain of stores it’s especially important to ensure the same fittings apply in each of the locations that your POS will be displayed in.  

It’s also important to keep POS as part of your wider integrated marketing strategy and not used in isolation. Your customers must be in the store in order to purchase the items near the POS. Having a fully-integrated campaign ensures that you are proactively targeting your customers even before their shopping journey begins.  

Combining online and offline activity has shown to be the most effective way to reach consumers. When offline elements are used with an online campaign, a third of case studies saw revenue increase by 35% compared to 23% without (marketreach). 

Types Of POS 

The possibilities are endless with POS but here are a few popular options: 

• Pallet Displays – great for pushing bulk items pre or post an event such as Christmas 
• Floor standing display units (FSDU) – great for highlighting a particular product launch 
• Wobblers – small tags attached to a thin wobbly arm, eye-catching and unique 
• Stickers – these can be used on walls, floors and windows for an all-round impact 
• Shelf liners – these can display product pricing or a short message on the shelf 
• Counter displays – often found around the point of purchase and offer quick-read messaging 
• Posters 
• Ceiling hangers – handy messaging that’s suspended from the ceiling  
• Banners – wall mounted, internal, external, fixed or pull up banners on a range of substrates 
• Flags – particularly useful to free-stand outside and in entranceways 

How To Design The Right POS 

The most effective POS is cleverly designed to be immediately attention-grabbing. Bright colours and clear, easy-to-read fonts are highly recommended. Other things to consider would be including an image of the product to easily identify the promotion, and a logo to ensure the brand is also recognisable. POS is renowned for its quirky appearance, irregular designs and cut-outs to ensure the offer is easily eye-catching to the passing customer.  

Webmart Examples 

Take a look at our work here: 

Hachette & Barnardos

Microsoft

Bethesda

If you are interested in how POS can enhance your brand then Webmart can help. We have spent decades creating POS for some of the biggest brands in the world and we can design, create and source the right products for you. Speak to your current Webmarteer or give us a call on 01869 321 321. 

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