Blog - Presence From Innovation (PFI)

How Merchandising Decisions Affect Basket Size

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:47:26 GMT

Merchandising decisions directly affect basket size by influencing what shoppers notice, how products relate to each other, and how easy it is to add one more item.

When displays are planned with shopper behavior in mind, customers naturally buy more. When merchandising lacks strategy, shoppers stick to their original list and move on.

Basket size does not grow by accident: it grows through intentional placement, product relationships, and clear visual cues.

What Is Basket Size and Why Does It Matter?

Basket size refers to the number of items or total value a shopper purchases in a single trip. Increasing basket size is one of the most efficient ways to grow revenue without increasing foot traffic.

Strong merchandising:

Encourages additional items per purchase
Supports impulse decisions
Increases overall sales per visit
Improves return on merchandising investment

Small changes in how products are presented can lead to meaningful gains across thousands of transactions.

How Merchandising Influences Buying Decisions in the Moment

Most in-store purchasing decisions are made on the spot. Merchandising shapes those decisions by guiding attention and reducing friction.

Effective merchandising does three things:

Makes products easy to find
Shows how items work together
Signals when a product is worth adding now

When these signals are clear, shoppers feel confident adding items to their basket rather than walking away unsure.

Why Product Placement Matters More Than Product Count

Interactive displays take the cross-channel strategy a step further. Touchscreens, digital catalogs, and product comparison tools allow shoppers to explore options at their own pace while remaining in the physical store.

These tools are particularly effective for products that benefit from explanation or customization, such as technology, specialty goods, or premium consumer products.

Interactive displays reduce friction, increase dwell time, and help shoppers feel confident in their decisions, all while reinforcing digital integration.

How Cross-Merchandising Increases Basket Size

Cross merchandising connects products that shoppers are likely to use together. When done correctly, it removes the mental step of remembering or searching for an add-on item.

Examples include:

Beverages placed near snacks
Accessories displayed next to core products
Seasonal items paired with everyday essentials

These groupings feel helpful rather than pushy, which leads to higher acceptance and larger baskets.

The Role of Impulse Displays in Basket Growth

Impulse displays work because they catch attention when shoppers are already engaged. Placement near checkout or along transition zones captures those last-minute decisions.

Effective impulse merchandising:

Uses minimal messaging
Highlights convenience or value
Keeps products within easy reach

Impulse additions often feel small individually, but they significantly increase average transaction value over time.

Why Cluttered Merchandising Reduces Basket Size

More displays do not always lead to better results. Overcrowded stores can overwhelm shoppers and shorten their visit.

When displays compete for attention:

Key products get lost
Shoppers rush decisions
Basket size stagnates or declines

Clean, focused displays help customers see value quickly and confidently add items to their basket.

How Merchandising Hierarchy Guides Purchasing Behavior

Hierarchy tells shoppers what to look at first, second, and third. Without hierarchy, everything feels equal, and nothing stands out.

Strong hierarchy includes:

A clear hero product
Supporting items nearby
Simple messaging that explains the connection

This structure helps shoppers understand why adding another item makes sense.

The Impact of Display Flexibility on Basket Size

Retail environments change quickly. Displays that can adapt to seasonal shifts, promotions, or new products help brands maintain relevance and momentum.

Flexible merchandising allows:

Fast resets
Targeted promotions
Ongoing basket optimization

Static displays often miss opportunities to capitalize on trends or changing shopper needs.

How PFI InStore Helps Brands Design Merchandising for Performance

At PFI InStore, we design in-store merchandising solutions with performance in mind. That means thinking beyond display aesthetics to understand how placement, product relationships, and shopper behavior influence basket size.

Merchandising is not just about visibility. It is about guiding decisions, supporting add-on purchases, and creating moments that naturally encourage customers to buy more.

Contact us today to explore how our innovative solutions can transform your retail space and drive sales in this ever-changing industry.

Using In-Store Displays to Strengthen Your Omnichannel Retail Strategy

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 19:36:15 GMT

Today's shoppers rarely follow a linear path to purchase. They may discover a product online, research it on their phone, visit a store to see it in person, and then complete the purchase digitally, or vice versa. As retail continues to evolve, successful brands are finding ways to connect these touchpoints into one cohesive experience.

In-store displays play a critical role in making that connection. When designed with intention, they can bridge the gap between physical and digital channels, reinforcing brand consistency while enhancing customer convenience and engagement.

The Role of In-Store Displays in an Omnichannel World

Omnichannel retail is about more than simply having both an online and physical presence. It's about creating a seamless, connected experience regardless of how or where customers engage with your brand.

In-store displays are no longer just fixtures that hold products. They are communication tools that guide customers, share information, and encourage interaction that extends beyond the store's four walls.

Integrating Mobile Access Through QR Codes

One of the simplest ways to connect in-store and online experiences is through QR code integration. Strategically placed QR codes on displays allow customers to instantly access additional content without relying on store staff.

QR codes can link shoppers to:

Product specifications and features
Customer reviews and testimonials
How-to videos or demonstrations
Online inventory and color or size variations

The key is clarity. Displays should clearly communicate what customers will gain by scanning, whether it's "See more options," "Watch a demo," or "Read reviews." When done right, QR codes empower customers and support self-guided shopping.

Using Interactive Displays to Enhance Engagement

These tools are particularly effective for products that benefit from explanation or customization, such as technology, specialty goods, or premium consumer products. Interactive displays reduce friction, increase dwell time, and help shoppers feel confident in their decisions, all while reinforcing digital integration.

Digital Signage That Mirrors Online Campaigns

Digital signage offers flexibility that traditional signage can't match. Retailers can easily align in-store messaging with online promotions, social media campaigns, and seasonal marketing efforts.

When digital signage reflects the same messaging customers see online, it strengthens brand consistency and reduces confusion. Promotions feel more cohesive, and shoppers are reassured they're getting the same experience across every channel.

Supporting Buy Online, Pick Up In Store (BOPIS)

BOPIS continues to grow in popularity, and in-store displays play an important role in shaping that experience. Clear signage, intuitive wayfinding, and branded pickup areas make the process easier and more enjoyable for customers.

Well-designed pickup areas also present an opportunity. Strategic product placement near pickup zones can encourage impulse purchases and introduce customers to items they may not have considered online.

Maintaining Consistent Branding Across Channels

Consistency is the foundation of an effective omnichannel strategy. When in-store displays reflect the same colors, materials, tone, and messaging used online, customers experience a stronger sense of trust and recognition.

Custom displays make it easier to maintain this alignment, ensuring that physical environments reinforce, rather than dilute, a brand's digital presence.

Designing Displays With Data in Mind

Digital touchpoints within displays also create opportunities to gather valuable insights. Tracking QR scans, engagement with interactive screens, or online traffic driven from in-store interactions can help retailers understand what resonates most with customers.

These insights allow brands to refine both their merchandising strategy and their digital content, creating a feedback loop that continuously improves performance.

Common Cross-Channel Display Mistakes to Avoid

While technology can enhance displays, it should never overwhelm them. As you look to integrate this retail strategy, there are some common pitfalls to be aware of.

Treating in-store and online experiences as separate efforts
Overcomplicating displays with unnecessary tech
Failing to update digital content regularly
Using unclear calls to action

The goal is connection, not distraction.

In-Store Displays as Strategic Connectors

As retail continues to evolve, in-store displays are becoming powerful connectors between physical and digital experiences. When thoughtfully designed, they support customer journeys, reinforce brand identity, and strengthen omnichannel strategy.

Connect With PFI InStore

At PFI InStore, we help retailers design and implement display solutions that work seamlessly across channels, turning physical environments into active, engaging extensions of the digital experience.

Contact us today to explore how our innovative solutions can transform your retail space and drive sales in this ever-changing industry.

Striking Balance: Retail Displays That Sell Without Crowding Your Store

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 16:07:49 GMT

The most successful brick-and-mortar retailers know that displays are more than product holders: they're sales drivers, brand storytellers, and customer experience enhancers.

However, poorly planned displays can have the opposite effect, cluttering the store, blocking pathways, and frustrating shoppers. The challenge is creating eye-catching merchandising while keeping traffic flow, safety, accessibility, and employee restocking in mind.

Let's explore how to strike that balance, ensuring retail displays elevate sales and enhance the shopping experience.

Principles of Effective Retail Display Design

At their best, displays extend a retailer's brand identity. Whether through bold color, premium finishes, or minimalist structures, fixtures should reflect the store's values and personality. Shoppers often form lasting impressions based on these details.

Customer journey mapping is another essential principle. Displays should be placed where customers naturally pause: near entrances, along main aisles, or at sightline focal points.

Hierarchy matters too: a central feature display might highlight a seasonal collection, while smaller impulse displays can nudge last-minute add-on purchases.

Flexibility is key. Modular displays that can be easily reconfigured for seasonal promotions or floor resets save time and resources. Many retailers also consider sustainability when selecting display materials, choosing durable, recyclable, or repairable options that align with growing consumer interest in eco-friendly retail.

Spatial Planning & Flow

Retail layouts succeed or fail based on circulation. Shoppers must have enough space to move comfortably while encountering strategically placed displays. That begins with defining traffic patterns. Wide, uncluttered main aisles should guide customers throughout the store, with secondary lanes branching into categories.

Displays must also respect scale. A towering floor display may work in a high-ceiling environment, but it can overwhelm the space in a smaller store. Maintaining breathing room around feature fixtures prevents a "sea of displays" effect that feels chaotic rather than curated.

Finally, retailers can use vertical space (endcaps, wall fixtures, and suspended signage) without obstructing sightlines. Done thoughtfully, this approach creates layers of interest while preserving open floor areas.

Accessibility & Safety Considerations

Creating an inclusive shopping environment means designing displays with all customers in mind.

ADA guidelines suggest minimum aisle widths, clear turning spaces, and reachable shelf heights. This ensures shoppers using wheelchairs or mobility aids can navigate comfortably and independently.

Safety is equally critical. Displays must not block emergency exits, create trip hazards, or exceed load capacity. Freestanding fixtures should be anchored or designed with stable bases to prevent tipping.

Good lighting also plays a role: ensuring well-lit displays enhances product visibility and eliminates dark corners or blind spots that can feel unsafe.

Slip-and-trip prevention deserves special attention. Avoid placing small signage or promotional materials directly on the floor, and secure any wiring for digital or illuminated displays. These small details make a big difference in keeping the store safe and welcoming.

Designing for Employee Efficiency & Restocking

A display that looks great to customers but frustrates staff is unlikely to succeed in the long run. Retailers should consider how employees will restock and maintain fixtures during peak hours.

Back-of-display access is an excellent feature, allowing staff to replenish stock without disrupting shoppers. Modular bins, trays, or sliding shelves make refilling quick and efficient.

Some retailers even plan small "staging zones" near feature displays, reducing the distance employees travel with stock.

Ergonomics is also essential. Fixtures should be designed so staff can load or adjust them without straining or overreaching. Aisle clearance behind or beside displays helps employees maneuver carts or ladders safely.

Clear labeling and stock indicators can further streamline restocking, preventing stockouts and ensuring products remain available during busy times.

Display Types & Best Practices

Different display types call for other strategies.

Floor displays: These "island" fixtures work best as focal points but should have buffer space around them to maintain circulation.
Endcaps are powerful tools for showcasing featured products, but placement should avoid obstructing aisle intersections.
Beverage displays: Coolers or stackable arrangements require ventilation and door clearance while staying in natural flow paths for grab-and-go convenience.
Display cases are ideal for high-value or fragile items. Staff access from the rear or side makes restocking less disruptive.
Impulse displays: Effective near checkout, but they should never impede queuing space.
Digital or interactive displays: Mounting these on walls or suspending them overhead integrates technology without intruding on the walking path.

Each type can potentially increase engagement and sales—provided it's thoughtfully integrated into the store's broader layout.

Common Pitfalls & How to Avoid Them

Retailers sometimes overestimate the benefit of cramming as many displays as possible into the floor plan.

In reality, overcrowding diminishes both comfort and sales impact.

Other pitfalls include blocking key sight lines, making displays difficult for staff to service, or failing to comply with accessibility codes.

Work With PFI InStore

The best retail environments balance visual impact with customer comfort. Displays should captivate without crowding, guide without obstructing, and sell without compromising safety or accessibility.

Retail displays transform from simple product holders into robust sales and brand tools when designed with flow, inclusivity, and employee efficiency.

Ready to improve your retail signage with displays?

Contact us today to learn how our expert team can help you design and implement effective retail display solutions tailored to your brand's unique needs.

Top In-Store Merchandising Mistakes to Avoid in 2025

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 18:50:46 GMT

In-store merchandising continues to be one of the most effective ways to drive consumer engagement, build brand presence, and ultimately boost sales.

But as retail environments evolve, so do the challenges.

Brands and retailers investing in merchandising solutions—from beverage displays to custom millwork, acrylic fixtures, corrugated POP displays, and security showcases—must avoid common pitfalls that can limit performance or even backfire in today's competitive landscape.

As a company specializing in custom in-store merchandising solutions, we've seen firsthand what works—and what doesn't.

Here are some of our top merchandising mistakes to avoid in 2025 and beyond, as well as tips on ensuring your displays are strategic, functional, and impactful.

Ignoring Store Format Differences

One of the biggest mistakes brands make is using the same display design across all retail environments. What works in a grocery store doesn't always translate to a convenience store, and vice versa.

In 2025, consumers expect tailored experiences, and retailers demand displays that fit their footprint and audience. A bulky endcap that works well in a spacious grocery aisle may clutter a high-traffic C-store. On the other hand, a compact corrugated unit might not have enough visual impact for a large-format retailer.

Best Practice: Work with a merchandising partner who understands how to tailor materials, footprint, and messaging for each channel—whether it's grocery, convenience, liquor stores, club, or specialty retail.

Underestimating the Power of Branding

A display is more than a product holder—it's an extension of your brand. Yet many displays are generic or unbranded, missing the opportunity to reinforce identity and drive recognition.

In 2025, brand storytelling is critical . Shoppers want to connect with the products they buy. Displays that lack cohesive branding—logo placement, consistent color palettes, or clear messaging—miss that chance to create a lasting impression.

Best Practice: Treat your merchandising units as brand billboards. Use custom graphics, materials, and design elements that reflect your identity and appeal to your target audience.

Overlooking Security Needs

With theft and shrinkage continuing to be top concerns for retailers, especially for high-value or regulated items (e.g., energy drinks, alcohol, CBD, or vaping products), it's a mistake to ignore security considerations in display design.

Unsecured displays can lead to product loss and loss of retailer trust. In 2025, retailers are more selective than ever, and they expect solutions that balance product accessibility with protection.

Best Practice: Integrate security features like lockable acrylic cases, TDL security cases , tamper-proof shelving, or metal enclosures into your merchandising strategy, especially for high-risk products.

Using Fragile or Unsustainable Materials

Another common pitfall is using materials that can't withstand real-world retail conditions. Displays that bend, warp, or collapse not only create logistical headaches but also damage your brand's credibility.

In 2025, sustainability is no longer optional. Retailers and consumers expect eco-conscious solutions, and displays that are wasteful or non-recyclable can turn shoppers away.

Best Practice: Choose durable, recyclable materials such as engineered corrugated for temporary displays, or responsibly sourced wood and acrylic for longer-term units. If sustainability is part of your brand's mission, make it visible on your display through badges or callouts.

Failing to Design for Easy Setup and Restock

Even the most beautiful display will fail if it's difficult to assemble or maintain. Retail staff don't have time to deal with complicated setups or broken parts, and displays that are difficult to restock often get neglected or removed entirely.

In 2025's fast-paced retail environment, efficiency is essential—not just for consumers but also for store teams.

Best Practice: Design displays with simple assembly, clear instructions, and modular components that make restocking fast and easy. Tool-less installation, pre-packed kits, and QR-code setup videos can all improve compliance and store execution.

Ignoring Retailer Compliance Guidelines

Each retailer has its specifications for size, safety, branding, and placement. Failing to meet these guidelines can result in your display being rejected or removed, wasting time and money.

Many brands rush to create a display without confirming the retailer's display criteria, or they attempt to use the same unit across multiple chains without adjustment.

Best Practice: Partner with a merchandising provider that understands major retailer guidelines and can handle chain-specific adaptations to ensure compliance and seamless placement.

Neglecting Performance Measurement

A significant mistake brands still make in 2025 is launching displays without a plan for tracking effectiveness.

Without KPIs like sell-through rate, shopper engagement, or in-store compliance, it's impossible to measure ROI or make data-driven improvements.

Best Practice: Include performance metrics in your merchandising strategy. Use retailer POS data, sales lift comparisons, or third-party audits to assess what's working and adjust as needed.

Work With PFI InStore

In 2025, brands that continue to treat merchandising as an afterthought or use outdated strategies will fall behind.

But those that embrace clever design, sustainability, retailer alignment, and performance tracking will stand out and drive measurable growth.

At our company, we specialize in building custom merchandising solutions that avoid these common pitfalls.

From corrugated and acrylic displays to custom millwork, secure showcases, and fully engineered, brand-aligned units, we help our clients not only show up but show up effectively.

Looking to refresh your in-store presence for the second half of 2025?

Maximizing Beverage Sales: Essential Drink Categories & Effective Display Strategies

Fri, 11 Apr 2025 15:18:37 GMT

Beverages are among the top-selling items in grocery and convenience stores, driving foot traffic and impulse purchases.

From energy drinks to bottled water, retailers stock various beverage categories, each with unique marketing and display needs. The right display strategy can significantly boost sales by attracting customers and making it easy for them to grab their favorite drinks.

Let's explore today's essential beverage categories and how store managers can display them effectively to maximize visibility and revenue.

Energy Drinks: Capturing the On-the-Go Consumer

Why They Matter

Energy drinks are a staple for busy professionals, students, and anyone needing a quick energy boost. Brands like Red Bull, Monster, and Celsius have strong brand recognition and a loyal customer base.

Best Display Strategies

Endcap Coolers: Placing energy drinks in refrigerated endcaps near checkout lanes encourages impulse buys.
Freestanding Floor Displays: Bold, branded displays in high-traffic areas can grab attention and boost sales.
Cross-Merchandising: Position energy drinks near protein bars, nuts, or other grab-and-go snacks to increase basket size.

Soft Drinks & Seltzers: The Classic Best-Sellers

Why They Matter

Traditional sodas and flavored seltzers remain top-selling beverages, appealing to a broad demographic. This category continues to expand with the rising popularity of sparkling water brands like LaCroix and Bubly.

Best Display Strategies

Refrigerated Shelving: Cold sodas and seltzers at eye level encourage immediate purchase.
Bulk Stacking: Large-format displays of soda cases with promotional signage attract customers looking for value.
Party Pairings: Positioning sodas near snack aisles or grilling essentials encourages multi-item purchases.

Cold Brew & Ready-to-Drink Coffee: Fueling the Daily Grind

Why They Matter

Consumers are increasingly opting for ready-to-drink coffee over traditional brewed coffee. Brands like Starbucks, Dunkin', and Stok dominate this space, providing convenient caffeine solutions.

Best Display Strategies

Morning Traffic Placement: Display cold brews near breakfast foods like pastries and yogurt to drive early sales.
Premium Shelving & LED Lighting: Highlighting these beverages with sleek displays can enhance their appeal.
Bundling: Offering discounts on coffee and breakfast items together encourages larger purchases.

Bottled & Enhanced Waters: Catering to Health-Conscious Shoppers

Why They Matter

Many consumers prioritize hydration, and bottled water—including alkaline, electrolyte-infused, and flavored options—continues to dominate store shelves.

Best Display Strategies

Dedicated Hydration Zones: Creating an organized water section with clear branding helps customers make quick choices.
Checkout Placement: Smaller water bottles near the register can lead to last-minute purchases.
Grouping Functional Waters Together: Electrolyte waters, vitamin-infused options, and flavored sparkling waters should be placed together for easy navigation.

Sports & Electrolyte Beverages: Appealing to Fitness-Focused Consumers

Why They Matter

Popular among athletes, gym-goers, and outdoor enthusiasts, sports drinks like Gatorade and BodyArmor offer hydration and electrolytes.

Best Display Strategies

Endcaps Near Fitness & Outdoor Sections: Placing sports drinks near protein supplements or outdoor gear can increase sales.
More extraordinary Shelving: Refrigerated placement makes these drinks more appealing, especially in hot weather.
Clear Flavor Differentiation: Using signage to separate flavors and benefits (e.g., low-sugar, high-electrolyte) helps customers find the right product quickly.

Alcoholic Beverages & Non-Alcoholic Alternatives: Expanding Consumer Choices

Why They Matter

Ready-to-drink cocktails, craft beers, and alcohol-free alternatives like mocktails and non-alcoholic beers have surged in popularity. Consumers are looking for both convenience and variety in their beverage choices.

Best Display Strategies

Beverage Destination Sections: A dedicated area for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages encourages browsing.
Branded Refrigeration Units: Branded coolers enhance visibility and keep products at optimal temperatures.
Cross-Promotions: Pairing alcoholic beverages with complementary items like mixers, snacks, or party supplies increases total purchase value.

Get In Touch With PFI InStore

Strategically displaying beverages can significantly impact sales.

By optimizing placement, using attention-grabbing displays, and capitalizing on impulse purchases, store managers can enhance customer experience while boosting revenue.

Contact us today if you want to upgrade your beverage displays with custom solutions designed to maximize visibility and sales. Our team specializes in high-quality, retail-ready beverage displays that drive results!

How to Align Displays with Your Brand Identity

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 21:45:03 GMT

In the competitive world of retail, the way you present your products can make or break your brand.

Point-of-purchase displays and merchandising solutions are functional tools and an extension of your brand's identity. They speak volumes about who you are, what you stand for, and the kind of experience customers can expect.

Explore how aligning displays with your brand identity can amplify your brand message, engage customers, and drive sales.

Understanding Brand Identity

Before delving into how displays can reflect your brand, it's crucial to understand what brand identity encompasses.

Your brand identity includes visual elements (logo, colors, typography), values, personality, and the emotions you want to evoke in your customers.

Whether you are a luxury brand, a tech-forward innovator, or a family-friendly retailer, your displays should consistently reinforce these traits.

Step 1: Know Your Audience

Your target audience should be at the forefront of your display design strategy. Understanding customer preferences, behaviors, and expectations helps you create displays that resonate with them.

Demographics: Are your customers primarily young professionals, families, or luxury buyers? Each group will respond to different design elements.
Shopping Behavior: Consider whether your audience prefers a sleek and modern aesthetic, a warm and welcoming atmosphere, or a quirky and playful vibe. Your displays should cater to their tastes and shopping habits.

For example, a luxury watch retailer may opt for minimalist glass cases with soft lighting to appeal to affluent customers.

At the same time, a toy store might use bright, colorful displays that invite interactivity.

Step 2: Reflect Your Brand's Visual Identity

Consistency is key in visual branding . Every display element—from color schemes to typography—should align with your brand's established look and feel.

Colors: Use your brand's primary and secondary color palette. For instance, a brand with a nature-focused identity might incorporate earthy tones and wooden textures in its displays.
Typography: Stick to your brand's fonts for signage and labels. Consistent typography reinforces professionalism and attention to detail.
Logo Placement: To enhance brand recognition, ensure your logo is prominently and tastefully displayed on or near your merchandising units.

Step 3: Incorporate Brand Values and Storytelling

Displays should go beyond aesthetics to convey your brand's story and values. Storytelling helps forge an emotional connection with customers, making your products more memorable.

Themes: Create themed displays that align with your brand's mission. For instance, a sustainable clothing brand could use recycled materials in its displays to reinforce its commitment to eco-friendliness.
Signage: Include messages or taglines that echo your brand's voice. A tech brand might feature phrases like "Innovation at Your Fingertips," while a health-focused brand could highlight "Wellness Made Easy."
Props: Use props or imagery that reflect your brand's personality. A luxury boutique might incorporate velvet backdrops, while a sporting goods store could include rugged, outdoor-themed elements.

Step 4: Optimize Layout and Functionality

While visual appeal is vital, functionality should still be a top priority. Your displays must balance form and function to create a seamless shopping experience.

Product Accessibility: Ensure items are easy to view and handle. For luxury items, this means locked cases with high visibility, while everyday products benefit from open shelving.
Traffic Flow: Arrange displays in a way that guides customers naturally through the space. Consider using anchor displays to draw attention to high-value or seasonal items.
Interactive Elements: For brands targeting tech-savvy or younger audiences, interactive displays, such as touchscreens or augmented reality elements, can enhance engagement.

Step 5: Leverage Lighting and Technology

Lighting and technology are powerful tools for enhancing your brand's display appeal and functionality.

Lighting: Use lighting to highlight products and create the desired atmosphere. Warm lighting can evoke comfort and luxury, while cool lighting suits modern, tech-driven brands.
Technology Integration: Incorporate digital screens, QR codes, or motion sensors to provide dynamic content and personalized shopping experiences. For example, a screen that displays product videos or customer testimonials can strengthen your brand's credibility.

Step 6: Evolve with Trends While Staying True to Your Brand

The retail landscape is ever-changing, and it's essential to stay updated on industry trends. However, adapting new ideas should never compromise your core brand identity.

Seasonal Updates: Refresh displays to reflect seasonal trends or holiday themes while maintaining your brand's signature style.
Innovations: Adopt innovations that align with your values, such as sustainable materials or AI-driven personalization.

For instance, if your brand prides itself on being cutting-edge, integrating augmented reality or virtual try-ons can emphasize your commitment to innovation.

Partner With PFI InStore

Aligning displays with your brand identity is more than aesthetics; it's about creating a cohesive and memorable experience for your customers.

By understanding your audience, maintaining visual consistency, and incorporating your brand's values and story, you can design displays that resonate with shoppers and reinforce your brand message.

Investing time and effort into creating displays that reflect your identity is a strategic move that pays dividends. It builds trust, enhances brand recognition, and drives customer loyalty and sales.

Partner with us at PFI InStore to accelerate your business and stay ahead in the competitive retail world. We're committed to creating displays that showcase products effectively and enhance the shopping experience.

Contact us today to explore how our innovative solutions can transform your retail space and drive sales in this dynamic industry.

Visual Merchandising Ideas for 2025: Innovating Retail Experiences

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 18:21:00 GMT

With online shopping growing rapidly, physical stores are under increasing pressure to stand out to the average consumer.

Out of all the possible ways to differentiate yourself from your e-commerce competitors, visual merchandising is crucial in attracting foot traffic and driving sales.

Here are some visual merchandising ideas and trends emerging as we head into 2025 that will help retailers stay ahead of the competition.

Immersive and Interactive Displays

Shoppers crave interaction, not just browsing.

In 2025, stores will continue to focus on offering immersive experiences.

Augmented reality (AR) mirrors, touchscreens, and holographic displays will all help you engage customers.

For example, AR mirrors can let shoppers “try on” clothes or see how furniture fits in their home without touching the items.

These interactive setups keep shoppers engaged longer, making the shopping experience more memorable. By encouraging participation, retailers build stronger connections between customers and products.

Sustainability in Visual Merchandising

Eco-conscious shoppers demand sustainable practices, and stores will reflect this in their visual merchandising.

Displays made from recyclable, biodegradable, or upcycled materials will appeal to environmentally aware customers. Natural fibers, plants, and earthy tones will further enhance this eco-friendly image.

Retailers can use their displays to tell stories about sustainability, highlighting how products are made or showcasing efforts to protect the environment, which can resonate with shoppers and build trust and brand loyalty.

Tech-Infused Product Displays

Unsurprisingly, technology will continue to take a more significant role in product displays.

We are beginning to see stores that use motion sensors, smart shelves, and digital signage to personalize the shopping experience. Motion sensors can trigger targeted content when shoppers approach, while intelligent shelves suggest products based on buying habits.

QR codes will continue evolving, allowing customers to scan and view videos, product details, or customer reviews. This “phygital” experience (blending physical and digital tactics) will create a more informed and engaging shopping journey.

Smart mannequins may also become popular; they can change outfits or display digital content based on customer preferences, adapting to different audiences throughout the day.

Omnichannel Displays

We are beginning to see that traditional retail is increasingly merging their online and offline experiences.

One prediction is that in 2025, omnichannel displays will link a store’s physical presence with its digital platforms. Interactive kiosks and QR codes will direct shoppers to online inventories or social media, enhancing the shopping experience.

Window displays will also evolve. Customers can browse products or place orders from outside the store using touchscreens, even after hours.

This seamless integration makes it easy for customers to switch between in-store and online shopping.

Storytelling Through Visuals

Retailers will want to continue focusing on maximizing their physical space.

Modular displays, which can be easily rearranged, will help stores adapt quickly to seasonal changes or promotions. These flexible setups allow retailers to update layouts without significant redesigns.

Creative use of vertical space will also become essential. Hanging displays or stacked shelves make the most of smaller spaces, giving stores a more dynamic look.

Adjustable shelving units will let retailers change displays quickly, keeping things fresh and flexible.

Modular and Flexible Displays

Retailers will focus on maximizing space. Modular displays, which can be easily rearranged, will help stores adapt quickly to seasonal changes or promotions. These flexible setups allow retailers to update layouts without major redesigns.

Creative use of vertical space will also become essential. Hanging displays or stacked shelves make the most of smaller spaces, giving stores a more dynamic look. Adjustable shelving units will let retailers change displays quickly, keeping things fresh and flexible.

Lighting as a Design Element

Lighting will play a more significant role in in-store designs. Beyond function, lighting will guide customer attention and set moods.

LED lights can highlight specific products or create dynamic atmospheres that shift throughout the day.

For example, soft lighting can create a cozy feel in home décor sections, while vibrant, colorful lights can energize athletic wear displays.

Programmable lighting will adjust to different product categories, times of day, or even customer behaviors, enhancing the shopping experience.

Thematic and Seasonal Rotations

Retailers can maintain interest and drive traffic by frequently refreshing the store’s look.

Rotate thematic and seasonal setups to align with holidays, events, and promotions; this helps keep customers engaged and excited about visiting regularly.

Seasonal elements—like beach themes for summer or holiday décor for winter—will make displays feel timely and relevant.

Get in Touch With Butler Merchandising Solutions

Visual merchandising in 2025 will focus on creating immersive, interactive, and sustainable shopping environments.

By embracing technology, storytelling, and flexible design, retailers can attract customers and build stronger connections.

Innovating with these visual merchandising ideas will help brick-and-mortar stores stay competitive in a digital-first world.

Ready to improve your retail signage with displays? Contact us today to learn how our expert team can help you design and implement effective corrugated display solutions tailored to your brand’s unique needs.

Tips for Reopening a Store After a Remodel

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 18:00:00 GMT

When a store undergoes a remodel, it’s more than just a cosmetic upgrade—it’s an opportunity to enhance the customer experience and improve operational efficiency. A grand reopening presents the perfect chance to showcase these changes to customers, both old and new.

To make the most of this event, store owners and managers should rethink their store setup, design, and innovations such as POP displays and POS systems.

Here are some essential tips for ensuring a smooth and successful reopening.

Refresh Your Store Layout for Better Flow

One of the most significant benefits of a remodel is the ability to refresh your store’s layout. A well-thought-out design can significantly impact customer satisfaction and sales performance.

Take this time to reconsider how products are arranged and how customers navigate the space.

Innovate with POP Displays to Drive Impulse Purchases

Point of Purchase (POP) displays are powerful tools for driving impulse purchases.

These displays near checkout counters or high-traffic areas highlight special offers, new products, or seasonal promotions. After your remodel, you can rethink how you use these displays to capture customer attention.

Incorporate eye-catching, innovative designs that stand out from the rest of your store. Consider integrating digital elements or interactive components, such as touchscreens that provide product information or special promotions.

Seasonal displays can also be effective, giving customers a reason to stop and interact with the products featured in them.

Well-designed POP displays can boost last-minute purchases and increase sales overall.

Upgrade Your POS Systems for a Seamless Checkout Experience

A modern Point of Sale (POS) system is crucial for providing a seamless and efficient checkout experience, significantly impacting customer satisfaction.

If your store still uses outdated technology, a remodel is the ideal time to upgrade your POS system. Look for systems that integrate smoothly with e-commerce platforms and inventory management software to create a unified shopping experience.

A modern POS system speeds up checkout times and can offer additional functionality, such as customer loyalty programs or mobile payment options.

A streamlined, fast, and user-friendly checkout process reduces wait times, enhances customer experience, and increases the likelihood of return visits.

Showcase New Features with Temporary Displays

Temporary displays offer flexibility and versatility, making them an excellent choice for showcasing new products or promotions.

As you reopen your store, use these displays to highlight changes or new offerings that customers may not be familiar with yet. These could be seasonal promotions, limited-time offers, or new product lines that deserve special attention.

One key advantage of temporary displays is their mobility. You can easily adjust or move them based on customer behavior and sales data; this allows you to be agile and respond to changing trends or marketing needs, keeping your store dynamic and engaging.

Focus on Branding and Design Cohesion

A remodel is an excellent opportunity to reinforce your brand identity.

Every store design element should reflect your brand’s unique personality, from signage to displays to fixtures; this cohesiveness will make your store more memorable and appealing to customers.

Choose colors, fonts, and materials that align with your brand’s aesthetic. For instance, if your brand emphasizes sustainability, use eco-friendly materials in your fixtures and signage.

Creating a cohesive look throughout the store strengthens your brand presence and helps customers connect with your business on a deeper level.

Reinforce Customer Engagement Through Digital Displays

Incorporating digital displays into your store is a great way to engage customers with dynamic content.

These can showcase promotions, product information, or even brand stories.

Digital screens can also offer interactive elements, such as the ability for customers to look up product details or check prices.

They can be especially effective when placed near checkout areas or in waiting zones, keeping customers entertained while providing them with helpful information.

These screens can also promote loyalty programs or special events, keeping customers informed and engaged.

Plan a Grand Reopening Event

A grand reopening event is a valuable marketing opportunity to draw attention to your remodeled store.

This is your chance to get people excited about your new setup, so consider hosting special promotions, giveaways, or contests to attract customers. You could also collaborate with local influencers or partner businesses to create buzz around the event.

Promote your reopening event through multiple channels, including social media, email newsletters, and in-store signage. Make it a celebration that emphasizes the improvements made during the remodel and why customers should be excited to revisit your store.

Work With Presence From Innovation

Reopening after a remodel is more than unveiling a new look—it’s about maximizing the new opportunities your store setup offers.

By refreshing your layout, upgrading your displays and systems, and focusing on design cohesion, you can create a store that’s not only more efficient but also more engaging for your customers.

Partner with PFI to accelerate your business and stay ahead in the competitive retail world. We’re committed to creating displays that showcase products effectively and enhance the shopping experience.

Contact us today to explore how our innovative solutions can transform your retail space and drive sales in this dynamic industry.

Boost Your Business with Effective Retail Signage

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 19:32:00 GMT

Retail signage is a powerful tool that can significantly impact your business’s success; it is crucial in attracting customers, guiding them through your store, and influencing their purchasing decisions.

This comprehensive guide will explore the different types of retail signage, their benefits, and tips for creating effective signs that can elevate your retail strategy.

Understanding Retail Signage

Retail signage encompasses all signs used within and outside a retail environment to communicate customer messages; this includes everything from storefront signs and window displays to aisle markers and promotional banners. Effective signage can do several things for your business:

Types of Retail Signage

Exterior Signage

Interior Signage

Digital Signage

Benefits of Effective Retail Signage

Increased Foot Traffic

Attractive and well-placed signage can draw more customers into your store. Eye-catching storefront signs and engaging window displays can make your store stand out from competitors and attract passersby.

Enhanced Customer Experience

Clear and informative signage improves the overall shopping experience. When customers can easily find what they’re looking for and stay informed about promotions, they’re more likely to have a positive experience and purchase.

Higher Sales and Conversions

Promotional signage can directly impact sales by highlighting discounts, special offers, and new arrivals. Point-of-purchase displays are particularly effective at driving impulse purchases and boosting overall sales.

Stronger Brand Identity

Consistently using branded signage reinforces your brand’s identity and values; this helps build brand recognition and loyalty among customers, encouraging repeat visits and word-of-mouth referrals.

Tips for Creating Effective Retail Signage

Keep It Simple

Simplicity is vital when it comes to signage. Use concise and clear messaging to ensure customers can quickly understand the information. Avoid clutter and focus on the most critical details.

Use High-Quality Graphics

Invest in high-quality graphics and visually appealing images that align with your brand’s aesthetic. Crisp, professional-looking signage reflects your brand well and can attract more customers.

Choose Readable Fonts

Select fonts that are easy to read from a distance. Avoid overly decorative or intricate fonts that can be difficult to decipher. Ensure that the text size is large enough to be legible.

Incorporate Brand Elements

Consistently use your brand’s colors, logos, and fonts across all signage; this creates a cohesive look and strengthens brand recognition. Additionally, ensure that your signage aligns with your overall brand strategy.

Strategic Placement

Place signs where they are most likely to be seen by customers. Exterior signs should be visible from the street, while interior signs should be placed at eye level and in high-traffic areas.

Update Regularly

Update your signage regularly to reflect current promotions, seasons, and events. Outdated or irrelevant signs can confuse customers and detract from the shopping experience.

Utilize Digital Signage

Digital signage offers flexibility and can be easily updated with new content. Use digital displays to showcase dynamic content such as videos, animations, and rotating promotions. Interactive displays can engage customers and provide additional information.

Measuring the Effectiveness of Your Signage

Measuring your signs’ effectiveness is essential to ensure they achieve their goals. There are a few different methods for accomplishing this:

Work with Butler Merchandising

Retail signage is an essential component of a successful retail strategy. Effective signage can significantly improve your business, from attracting customers and enhancing their shopping experience to driving sales and reinforcing your brand. By understanding the different types of signage, leveraging their benefits, and following best practices, you can create powerful signs that boost your retail success.

The post Boost Your Business with Effective Retail Signage appeared first on Butler Merchandising Solutions, LLC .

Elevate Your Brand with Point of Purchase Displays & Custom Merchandising Solutions

Fri, 12 Jul 2024 17:00:00 GMT

In the competitive retail landscape, capturing the attention of potential customers is more crucial than ever. Effective marketing goes beyond traditional advertisements—it’s about creating an immersive experience that turns casual shoppers into loyal customers.

Point of Purchase (POP) displays and custom merchandising solutions are two significant and ever-evolving methods to creating those experiences while showcasing your products to potential buyers.

The Power of Custom Merchandising Solutions

Custom merchandising solutions take POP displays to the next level. These bespoke setups are tailored to a brand’s needs, creating unique and memorable shopping experiences.

By investing in custom merchandising solutions, brands can create a distinct and engaging shopping environment that leaves a lasting impression on customers. These displays can transform a simple shopping trip into an exciting and interactive experience, encouraging customers to spend more time in the store and explore the products.

Benefits of POP Displays and Custom Merchandising

Increased Visibility

A well-designed POP display can significantly increase the visibility of your products. By strategically placing these displays in high-traffic areas, you can ensure that your products catch the eye of shoppers and stand out from the competition. This increased visibility can lead to higher sales and greater brand recognition.

Enhanced Brand Awareness

Custom merchandising solutions allow you to tell your brand’s story compellingly. Whether through eye-catching graphics, interactive elements, or themed setups, these solutions help create a memorable brand experience that resonates with customers. Consistent and cohesive branding across all displays can strengthen brand identity and loyalty.

Impulse Buying

POP displays are particularly effective at driving impulse purchases. By placing enticing products and promotions right where customers make buying decisions, you can encourage last-minute additions to their shopping baskets; this is especially effective for low-cost items that require minimal decision-making, such as snacks, beverages, and small accessories.

Product Education

Interactive and informative displays can educate customers about the benefits and features of your products; this not only helps increase sales but also builds trust and loyalty among customers. For example, a display that demonstrates how to use a new kitchen gadget can attract curious customers who want to see the product in action before making a purchase.

Improved Customer Experience

A well-thought-out merchandising strategy can enhance the overall shopping experience. Engaging and interactive displays can make shopping more enjoyable and less monotonous, encouraging customers to spend more time in the store and increasing the likelihood of purchasing.

Implementing Effective POP Displays and Custom Merchandising

Understand Your Audience

The first step in creating effective POP displays and custom merchandising solutions is understanding your target audience. What are their preferences and shopping habits? What types of displays and themes are likely to resonate with them? Conducting market research and gathering customer feedback can provide valuable insights that inform your design and strategy.

Align with Brand Identity

Your displays should reflect your brand’s identity and values. Consistency in colors, fonts, and messaging can reinforce brand recognition and create a cohesive shopping experience. For example, a brand known for its eco-friendly products might use sustainable materials and nature-inspired designs in its displays.

Leverage Technology

Incorporating technology into your displays can create a more interactive and engaging customer experience. Touchscreens, QR codes, and augmented reality can provide additional information, product demonstrations, and even personalized recommendations based on customer preferences.

Measure and Optimize

Once your displays are in place, measuring their effectiveness and making adjustments as needed is essential. Use metrics such as sales data, customer feedback, and foot traffic to evaluate their impact. Continuously optimizing your strategy can help ensure that your POP displays and merchandising solutions remain effective and relevant.

Success Stories

Consider how major brands have leveraged POP displays and custom merchandising solutions to boost sales.

Coca-Cola

Known for its innovative and eye-catching displays, Coca-Cola uses custom merchandising solutions to create seasonal and thematic setups that draw attention and drive sales. During the holiday season, for example, Coca-Cola’s festive displays featuring their iconic polar bears and Santa Claus imagery create a strong emotional connection with customers.

Apple

With sleek and modern displays, Apple ensures that its products are not only seen but experienced . Their in-store setups allow customers to interact with devices, creating a hands-on and immersive shopping experience; this approach highlights the product’s features and reinforces Apple’s brand identity of innovation and quality.

L’Oreal

By using interactive displays that allow customers to try on makeup virtually, L’Oreal enhances customer engagement and provides a unique shopping experience that sets them apart from competitors. These displays use augmented reality technology to let customers see how different products will look on them, making the shopping experience more personalized and fun.

Work with Presence in Innovation

Incorporating Point-of-Purchase displays and custom merchandising solutions into your retail strategy can dramatically impact your brand’s success. These tools increase product visibility, drive impulse buys, and create an engaging and memorable shopping experience for customers. Investing in these marketing solutions can elevate your brand, enhance customer loyalty, and, ultimately, boost your sales.

Ready to transform your retail space and captivate your customers? Contact us today to learn how our Point-of-purchase displays and custom merchandising solutions can help your brand shine.

Forecasting the Future of Retail Displays

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 17:00:00 GMT

In the ever-evolving realm of retail, maintaining a competitive edge is paramount to capturing the attention of today’s discerning consumers. Retail displays are at the forefront of this dynamic landscape, serving as the canvas upon which brands paint their stories and connect with their audience.

As the industry continues its forward march, a thrilling transformation unfolds, arguably propelled by emerging technologies, innovative designs, and shifting consumer preferences.

Emerging Technologies for Displays:

Innovative Display Design Concepts:

Alongside technological advances, creative design is shaping the future of retail displays. Instead of sticking to traditional layouts, retailers now use unique designs to tell their brand stories and create immersive experiences. Modular displays and eco-friendly materials show the industry’s commitment to sustainability and flexibility.

Experiential design is also becoming more crucial, turning displays into platforms for storytelling. By using lighting, colors, and textures, retailers create memorable moments that connect with customers emotionally. As retail evolves, innovative design remains crucial for attracting and pleasing customers in a competitive market.

Evolving Consumer Preferences for Displays:

Central to this evolution is the discerning preferences of today’s consumers, who gravitate towards brands that resonate with their values and aspirations. Integrating online and offline experiences is imperative as modern shoppers traverse fluidly between digital and physical realms. Retail displays serve as conduits in this omnichannel journey, seamlessly bridging the gap and offering cohesive brand experiences that transcend boundaries.

Personalization emerges as a cornerstone of consumer engagement, driven by the convergence of data analytics and artificial intelligence. Retailers are adept at deciphering consumer insights and tailoring bespoke experiences poised to cultivate loyalty and drive repeat business in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Work With Butler Merchandising Solutions

The future of retail displays is a dynamic and ever-evolving landscape driven by emerging technologies, innovative design concepts, and evolving consumer preferences. By embracing these trends and staying ahead of the curve, retailers can create immersive, engaging experiences that capture shoppers’ imaginations and foster lasting connections with their brands. As we look ahead to the next chapter in the evolution of retail, one thing is clear: the possibilities are endless, and the journey is just beginning.

If you’re starting to form some ideas for your visual merchandising for this year, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at Butler Merchandising. Our in-house design and manufacturing team commits daily to quality designs and products and can efficiently deliver your product to you.

Get in touch with us today!

Retail Display Maintenance and Care Tips

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 17:38:00 GMT

Effective retail displays are more than just aesthetically pleasing elements; they are pivotal tools for attracting customers and bolstering sales. However, without diligent maintenance and care, even the most meticulously designed displays may lose appeal and functionality over time.

In this blog post, we’ll delve into actionable tips and guidelines for retailers on adequately maintaining and caring for their retail displays and fixtures to ensure longevity and durability.

Understanding the Importance of Maintenance

Before delving into maintenance tips, it’s crucial to grasp why regular upkeep is vital for retail displays. Regular maintenance preserves displays’ visual appeal and upholds their structural integrity and functionality. Neglecting maintenance can result in damage, malfunctions, and, ultimately, missed sales opportunities.

Establishing a Maintenance Schedule

The initial step in proper display maintenance involves establishing a regular maintenance schedule. This schedule should encompass routine inspections, cleaning sessions, and any necessary repairs or replacements. By allocating dedicated time for maintenance tasks, retailers can prevent issues from escalating and ensure that displays remain in optimal condition.

Conducting Regular Inspections

Regular inspections are crucial for identifying potential problems early on. Retailers should routinely inspect for signs of wear and tear, damage, loose components, and any other issues that may compromise their functionality or appearance. Inspections should occur weekly, with additional checks following busy periods or events.

Performing Regularly Cleaning

Regular cleaning is imperative for preserving the visual appeal of retail displays. Dust, dirt, and grime can accumulate, diminishing their attractiveness. Retailers should establish a cleaning regimen encompassing dusting, wiping down surfaces with a mild cleaning solution, and polishing any metal or glass components. It’s vital to utilize gentle cleaning products and avoid abrasive materials that could cause surface damage.

Promptly Addressing Repairs

Upon identifying issues during inspections, it’s crucial to address them promptly to prevent further damage. Whether it’s a loose screw, a malfunctioning light fixture, or a damaged shelf, repairs should take precedence to maintain the functionality and safety of the display. Retailers should keep a supply of basic repair materials on hand, such as screws, adhesives, and touch-up paint, to swiftly address minor issues.

Training Staff on Proper Handling

Proper handling of retail displays is imperative for averting damage and prolonging their lifespan. Retailers should provide staff with comprehensive training on safely and appropriately handling displays. This includes guidelines on lifting and moving displays, avoiding excessive force or pressure, and ensuring correct assembly and disassembly. Retailers can mitigate the risk of accidents and damage by equipping staff with the necessary knowledge and skills.

Protecting Displays During Transportation

For retailers participating in trade shows or events, ensuring the safe transportation of displays is paramount to prevent damage en route. They should be meticulously packed and secured during transportation to minimize the risk of scratches, dents, or other damage. Retailers should invest in quality packaging materials, such as padded cases or crates, and utilize protective covers or wraps to shield displays from impact during transit.

Considering Professional Maintenance Services

In certain instances, retailers may opt to enlist professional maintenance providers to ensure the proper care of their displays. These services can offer expertise, specialized equipment, and access to replacement parts that may not be readily available in-house. While this option may entail additional costs, it can afford peace of mind and aid retailers in upholding their displays to the highest standards.

Work With Presence From Innovation

Proper maintenance and care are essential for maximizing the longevity and durability of retail displays. By establishing a regular maintenance schedule, conducting thorough inspections, regularly cleaning, promptly addressing repairs, providing staff training on proper handling, safeguarding displays during transportation, and considering professional maintenance services as needed, retailers can ensure that their displays remain attractive, functional, and practical tools for driving sales.

Contact us today to explore how our innovative solutions can transform your retail space and drive sales in this dynamic industry.

Training Employees on POS Systems

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 19:49:00 GMT

The customer experience begins before a customer walks into your store and lasts until after they leave. Many retailers focus on getting customers in the door, but how customers feel when they leave the store is equally important. The checkout experience can make or break the customer experience. If the point-of-sale (POS) system is smooth and cashiers provide excellent customer service, shoppers are more likely to return to the store for their next purchase. Let’s examine how to train employees on POS systems and ensure each customer leaves the interaction positively.

Comprehensive Training Program

Developing a comprehensive training program that covers all aspects of the POS system is essential to lay a strong foundation. This foundation includes basic transactions and advanced features that can enhance the overall retail experience. Incorporating hands-on practice sessions and simulations allows employees to become familiar with real-world scenarios, promoting confidence in system usage. Furthermore, designing the training program to be accessible to employees with varying technical proficiency ensures that everyone can navigate the POS system effectively.

Interactive Workshops and Role-Playing

A key aspect of POS system training is handling customer interactions smoothly. Interactive workshops and role-playing exercises provide a platform for employees to simulate actual customer interactions. Emphasizing effective communication and problem-solving skills during these exercises is crucial. By encouraging questions and fostering a culture where employees actively participate, the training becomes more engaging, and employees are better prepared to handle diverse customer scenarios.

User-Friendly POS System Design

Choosing a user-friendly and intuitive POS system is fundamental to minimizing the learning curve for employees. A system that aligns with the specific needs of the retail business further enhances its effectiveness. Regular updates to the POS system not only keep it technologically current but also provide ongoing training opportunities. These updates ensure that employees are well-versed in the latest features and functionalities, contributing to a smoother overall retail operation.

Regular Refresher Courses

The learning process continues after the initial training. Regular refresher courses are essential to reinforce knowledge and address any updates or changes to the POS system. Quick tutorials, video modules, or interactive quizzes effectively keep employees engaged and up-to-date. Scheduling these refresher courses during non-peak hours minimizes disruption to daily operations, allowing employees to focus on improving their skills without affecting customer service.

Performance Metrics and Feedback

Establishing performance metrics related to POS system usage and customer satisfaction is a valuable practice. Providing constructive feedback based on these metrics helps employees understand their strengths and areas that need improvement. Positive reinforcement is a powerful motivator, creating a culture of continuous improvement. Regularly assessing performance and offering feedback make employees feel supported and more likely to excel in their roles, positively impacting the POS system operation and overall customer satisfaction.

Focus on Customer Service Skills

Integrating customer service with POS system training ensures a holistic approach to enhancing the retail experience. Emphasizing politeness, active listening, and effective problem resolution during transactions contributes to positive customer interaction. Encouraging employees to proactively assist customers with the POS system and promptly address any issues enhances the overall service quality, leaving a lasting positive impression on customers.

Work With Butler Merchandising

Mastering the art of POS system training is a multi-faceted approach that goes beyond technical proficiency. By implementing these strategies, retail businesses can ensure that their employees are proficient in using POS systems and excel in providing top-notch customer service.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at Butler Merchandising for all things visual merchandising. We’ve been in business since 1926 and commit daily to quality designs and products. We have in-house design and manufacturing capabilities to get your product to you efficiently. Get in touch with us today!

How to Display Discounted Items

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 15:00:00 GMT

At the heart of retail is the necessity to capture your customers’ attention. Your retail displays and merchandising strategies should catch their eye throughout the store. If there’s one tried-and-true method for encouraging impulse purchases, it’s through prominently displaying discounted items. Shoppers love a sale, and retail owners love to move products from the shelf to checkout.

What are the most effective ways retailers can display discounted items? Let’s examine a few strategies.

Strategic Placement

One of the fundamental strategies for showcasing discounted items is strategic placement within your store. Placing these items in high-traffic areas ensures customers notice them quickly during shopping. Consider positioning discounted products near the entrance to capture the attention of incoming customers. Additionally, placing them at checkout counters or the end of aisles can maximize visibility, prompting impulse purchases as customers finalize their transactions.

Eye-catching Signage

Visual appeal is key in attracting customers to your discounted items. Utilize eye-catching signage that stands out and communicates the discount. Bold colors and legible fonts can make a significant difference in grabbing attention. Clearly state the percentage or amount of the discount, creating a sense of urgency that encourages customers to explore further. Effective signage informs and compels customers to take advantage of the discounted offerings.

Bundle Deals

Bundling is a powerful strategy that enhances the display of discounted items and adds value for customers. Create bundled packages where customers can save more by purchasing multiple items together. Highlight these bundles prominently, showcasing the collective savings. This strategy entices customers to buy more and introduces them to complementary products they might not have considered, ultimately increasing the overall transaction value.

Theme-based Displays

To make your discounted items even more appealing, consider incorporating them into theme-based displays. Align these displays with seasonal promotions, holidays, or current events. For example, during the holiday season, create festive displays that feature discounted items alongside complementary products. Using this strategy not only captures the spirit of the occasion but also makes the shopping experience more enjoyable and relevant for customers.

Cross-merchandising

Cross-merchandising is a clever strategy to boost the visibility of discounted items while encouraging additional purchases. Pair discounted items with complementary products, creating a cohesive and appealing display. For instance, if offering a discount on electronics, display discounted accessories nearby. Cross-merchandising enhances customers’ perceived value and increases the likelihood of them adding more items to their shopping carts.

Interactive Displays

Bring a touch of interactivity to your displays to engage customers and make the shopping experience more memorable. Implement interactive displays that allow customers to experience the discounted items firsthand. Incorporate digital screens displaying product information, touchpoints for exploration, or even product demos. Interactive displays captivate customers and give them a deeper understanding of the features and benefits of the discounted items.

Work With PFI

Effective display strategies for discounted items are essential for creating a positive customer experience and driving sales. Regularly refreshing and updating displays will maintain customer interest, ensuring that your retail store remains a dynamic and enticing destination for shoppers.

Partner with PFI to accelerate your business and stay ahead in the competitive world of retail. We’re committed to creating displays that showcase products effectively and enhance the shopping experience. Contact us today to explore how our innovative solutions can transform your retail space and drive sales in this dynamic industry.

Food and Beverage Trends To Watch for 2024

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 19:00:00 GMT

With the end of 2023 entering its final months, now is an excellent time to start looking towards 2024 and what changes and trends may be on the horizon in retail. For food and beverage retailers, c-store owners, grocery stores, and more, watching current and emerging trends can be beneficial to prepare for the new year. The consumer landscape is constantly changing, and since 2020, these changes are accelerating. Let’s look at some food and beverage trends to watch for in 2024 and beyond.

Healthy and Sustainable Snacking

In an era where health-conscious consumers are rising, the demand for healthier snack options is reaching new heights. Shoppers are looking for products that not only taste good but are good for their health and the environment. To cater to this, retailers can design displays showcasing organic and eco-friendly snack products and emphasizing their health benefits. Consider displays that use eco-friendly materials, like bamboo or recycled plastic, to align with sustainable snacking preferences.

Plant-Based and Alternative Proteins

The popularity of plant-based diets and alternative proteins is skyrocketing. From meatless burgers to dairy-free milk alternatives, consumers seek plant-based options that align with their ethical and health preferences. To tap into this trend, store owners can create displays that effectively showcase these products. Consider modular shelving that accommodates various sizes and types of plant-based products, making it easy for shoppers to find what they need.

Tech-Enhanced Shopping

Technology is reshaping the retail landscape. Interactive displays, QR code scanning for product information, and digital signage are becoming integral parts of the shopping experience. Retailers can stay ahead by incorporating technology into their display solutions. Imagine a display with built-in touch screens that allow shoppers to explore product details, nutritional information, and recipe ideas with a simple tap – this enhances the shopping experience and provides valuable data for retailers.

Local and Artisanal Products

Consumers seek unique, locally sourced, and artisanal food and beverage items. They want products with a story and a connection to their community. Business owners can cater to this by creating displays that effectively communicate the origin and uniqueness of these products. Incorporate storytelling elements into the exhibits, such as mini blackboards with the producer’s story or maps highlighting the local sourcing area. Regional customers may gravitate toward local brands, showcasing their pride in their community.

Convenience and Grab-and-Go

Our fast-paced lives mean convenience is king. Consumers are looking for quick, ready-to-eat options that fit their on-the-go lifestyles. Store owners can meet this demand by designing displays that facilitate grab-and-go shopping. Think about versatile modular racks that can hold a variety of pre-packaged meal kits, salads, and snacks, making it easy for shoppers to pick up what they need for a convenient meal. Customers on the go will appreciate the convenience and ease and remember your store for next time.

Sustainability and Packaging

Sustainability is no longer a niche concern; it’s a mainstream expectation. Eco-friendly packaging and displays are gaining traction. Businesses can contribute to a greener future by offering displays made from sustainable materials. Consider using recycled plastics, reclaimed wood, or biodegradable materials in your designs. Businesses can also consider buying from vendors who are committed to sustainability. Highlighting these eco-friendly choices can attract conscious consumers.

Personalization and Customization

Consumers love products tailored to their preferences, which also applies to food and beverages. Retailers can excel by creating displays that allow shoppers to personalize their purchases. Imagine customers mixing and matching ingredients for a custom snack or meal. Providing this level of customization not only engages shoppers but also encourages repeat visits.

Alcohol and Non-Alcoholic Beverages

The beverage sector is evolving rapidly. Craft beers, artisanal sodas, and sophisticated mocktails are gaining popularity. Store owners can stay ahead by offering innovative displays that showcase these beverages effectively. For example, consider displays with adjustable shelving and lighting to highlight craft beverages’ unique packaging and labels.

Work With Presence From Innovation

As the food and beverage industry continues to evolve, retailers have a unique opportunity to lead the way in providing cutting-edge retail display solutions. By understanding and embracing these eight trends – healthy and sustainable snacking, plant-based and alternative proteins, tech-enhanced shopping, local and artisanal products, convenience and grab-and-go options, sustainability and packaging, personalization and customization, and the evolving beverage landscape, retailers can meet the changing demands of their customers.

To accelerate your business and stay ahead in the competitive world of retail, partner with PFI. We’re committed to creating displays that showcase products effectively and enhance the shopping experience. Contact us today to explore how our innovative solutions can transform your retail space and drive sales in this dynamic industry.

The post Food and Beverage Trends To Watch for 2024 appeared first on Presence From Innovation (PFI) .

Retail Signage and Wayfinding

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 16:11:00 GMT

Did you ever get lost in a store when you were a child? You might have wandered too far from your family and then gotten confused by the bright colors, sudden noises, and groups of people, none of whom looked familiar. While getting lost in the store will likely always be a daunting experience for young children, people of any age can get lost in a store. Are adult customers also overwhelmed in your store, needing clarification about where to find specific items? It may be time to upgrade your retail signage and wayfinding in your store.

Clear and Consistent Branding

Your store’s signage should be an extension of your brand identity. Consistency in colors, fonts, and logos across all your signage helps reinforce your brand in customers’ minds. When they see your signage, they should immediately recognize it as part of your store’s visual identity. Consider the following:

Example: If your brand features a vibrant red and white color scheme, ensure your signage prominently showcases these colors. Use modern, traditional, or playful fonts that reflect your brand’s personality.

Prioritize Visibility

Your signage must grab customers’ attention from a distance, especially in a busy retail environment. To achieve this, choose high-contrast color combinations that stand out. Avoid cluttered signage that can confuse rather than guide. Here’s how you can make your signage more visible:

Example: Opt for bold, contrasting colors like black on yellow or white on a dark background for maximum visibility. Ensure there is sufficient space around each sign to prevent visual clutter.

Strategic Placement

Strategic placement of signage is crucial for effective wayfinding. Position your signs at key decision points, such as entrances, aisle intersections, and near popular product sections. These locations help customers choose where to go next, enhancing their overall experience.

Example: Place a “New Arrivals” sign near the entrance to draw customers’ attention to fresh merchandise. Use arrows to guide them toward popular sections like “Sale” or “Clearance.”

Legible Typography

Your signage should be easy to read and comprehend quickly. Utilize clear and legible fonts, avoiding overly decorative or script fonts that confuse customers. Consider the following typography tips:

Example: Use sans-serif fonts like Arial or Helvetica for maximum legibility. Ensure that the font size is appropriate, with larger fonts for headers and essential information and smaller fonts for additional details.

Information Hierarchy

Organize the information on your signage logically. Place the most critical details at eye level to ensure they capture customers’ attention. Start with the primary message and follow with secondary information.

Example: If you’re advertising a sale, the headline should be the sale percentage, the product category or specific items on sale, and the promotion duration at the bottom.

Digital Signage Integration

Incorporating digital displays can take your signage to the next level. Digital signage allows for dynamic content updates, real-time information dissemination, and customer engagement. Here are some advantages:

Example: Install digital screens near the entrance to showcase product videos, promotional content, and real-time inventory updates. These displays can adapt to changing store needs and create an immersive shopping experience.

Wayfinding Icons and Symbols

Universal symbols and icons can transcend language barriers and make navigation intuitive for all customers. Implementing these symbols in your signage helps streamline the shopping journey.

Example: Use simple arrow icons to indicate directions, restroom symbols for restroom signage, and shopping cart icons to highlight shopping areas.

Lighting for Emphasis

Strategic lighting can draw attention to specific signs or areas within your store. Well-lit signage guides customers effectively and creates focal points that encourage exploration.

Example: Install spotlights or LED strips to illuminate promotional signs or unique displays. Consider track lighting to highlight particular aisles or product sections.

ADA Compliance

Ensuring that your signage meets ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements is crucial for creating an inclusive shopping experience. ADA-compliant signage includes features like braille and tactile elements for visually impaired customers.

Example: Incorporate braille on signage wherever necessary, such as restroom signs and room numbers. Ensure to position tactile elements correctly, like raised letters for touch reading.

Regular Maintenance

To keep your signage effective, it’s essential to conduct regular maintenance. Periodically assess the condition of your signs and replace any damaged or outdated signs. A well-maintained store not only looks inviting but also functions smoothly.

Example: Assign a staff member to perform routine checks on signage. Replace faded, torn, or broken signs immediately to ensure customers can always access accurate information.

Work With Butler Merchandising

Effective retail signage and wayfinding can significantly impact your store’s success. By implementing these ten tips, you’ll enhance the functionality and aesthetics of your store, boost customer satisfaction, and ultimately increase sales. The key to successful signage and wayfinding lies in creating a shopping experience that is effortless, enjoyable, and memorable for your customers. Start implementing these tips today, and watch your store thrive with improved signage and wayfinding.

If you’re starting to form some ideas for your visual merchandising for the year ahead, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at Butler Merchandising. We’ve been in business since 1926 and commit daily to quality designs and products. We have in-house design and manufacturing capabilities to get your product to you efficiently. Get in touch with us today!

Ways to Improve a Retail Store in 2023

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 17:18:00 GMT

In today’s rapidly evolving retail landscape, staying ahead of the competition requires constant innovation and improvement. For retailers looking to enhance their store experience, our Presence From Innovation (PFI) team offers expertise in designing and manufacturing retail displays, POP displays, shelving, beverage dispensers, and more. In this blog post, we will explore ways retailers can improve their stores in 2023, focusing on retail displays, POP displays, POS integration, creating a Phygital experience, incorporating seasonal displays, ensuring accessibility, and engaging the community.

Enhancing Visual Appeal with Retail Displays

One of the most effective ways to attract customers’ attention and increase sales is through visually appealing retail displays. These displays are powerful marketing tools, showcasing products, promotions, and new arrivals. Retailers can captivate customers with creative designs, vibrant colors, and unique materials. Additionally, integrating interactive elements and technology into displays creates a “ Phygital ” experience, bridging the gap between the brick-and-mortar store and the digital world.

The Power of POP Displays and POS Integration

Point-of-Purchase (POP) displays influence customers’ purchase decisions. Retailers can increase impulse buys and cross-selling opportunities by strategically placing POP displays near checkout counters or high-traffic areas. Furthermore, integrating POP displays with Point-of-Sale (POS) systems enables a seamless customer experience. The integration allows real-time data analysis, facilitates personalized recommendations, and optimizes display placement based on sales trends.

Creating Memorable Seasonal Displays

Seasonal displays are an excellent way to engage customers and develop a sense of urgency. By incorporating seasonal themes and trends, retailers can create visually stunning displays that capture customers’ attention. These displays can showcase limited-time offers, seasonal products, and exclusive promotions, encouraging customers to purchase while the items are still available. To create a memorable experience, retailers can incorporate storytelling techniques, using visuals and narratives to evoke emotions and drive customer engagement.

Ensuring Accessibility for All Customers

Creating an inclusive shopping environment is essential for retailers in 2023. By considering accessibility in display and store design, retailers can cater to customers with disabilities and diverse needs. Simple adjustments such as incorporating braille signage, tactile elements, and wider aisles for wheelchair accessibility can make a significant difference. Moreover, ensuring that displays are at appropriate heights for all customers enhances visibility and usability, promoting a positive shopping experience for everyone.

Engaging the Community through Store Design

Customers increasingly value community involvement and support for local businesses. Retailers can create a deeper connection with their community by incorporating local art, cultural elements, or historical references into their store design. This adds a unique touch to the store and fosters a sense of pride and loyalty among local customers. Additionally, hosting community events or partnering with local organizations can strengthen the bond between the retailer and the community, increasing foot traffic and brand recognition.

Work With PFI

As retailers navigate the ever-changing retail landscape in 2023, it is crucial to prioritize enhancing the customer experience. Retailers can elevate their store environment and stay competitive by focusing on retail displays, POP displays, POS integration, and more. Presence From Innovation (PFI) offers professional expertise in designing and manufacturing retail displays and can provide valuable guidance and solutions to retailers looking to improve their stores. Embrace these strategies, and watch your retail store thrive in the new era of consumer expectations. Contact PFI today to transform your retail store into a memorable and successful shopping destination.

A Guide to Cross Merchandising

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 16:37:00 GMT

The retail world is competitive. No matter what type of store or products you sell, using retail strategies to help you meet your goals is advantageous. Various retail tactics throughout the store can build a strong foundation for success. Cross-merchandising is an influential retail strategy that can be straightforward to execute. All consumers have been surrounded by cross-merchandising at one point or another in a store: chips and salsa placed near each other in the grocery store, socks and shoes at a clothing store, hammers and nails at a hardware store, and more.

Understanding Cross Merchandising

Cross merchandising displays complementary products to encourage additional purchases and enhance the overall shopping experience. It goes hand in hand with visual merchandising, as it maximizes the impact of product placement and presentation within your store. By pairing items that naturally go together, you can tap into customers’ buying impulses and encourage them to explore and purchase more.

Leveraging Cross Merchandising for New Products

Introducing new products can be challenging, as customers may hesitate to try something unfamiliar; this is where cross merchandising comes into play. You can capitalize on the customers’ trust and curiosity by placing new arrivals alongside established and popular items. For example, if launching a new line of organic snacks, consider displaying them near your best-selling beverages or healthy snack options. This cross-merchandising approach increases the visibility and desirability of the latest products, leading to higher sales and faster adoption.

Creating Effective Retail Displays

Retail displays are the key to capturing customers’ attention and driving sales. Cross-merchandising can transform ordinary displays into powerful selling tools. Incorporating cross-merchandising principles can significantly enhance their impact, whether it’s an eye-catching window display or an aisle endcap. Consider grouping related products, creating themed displays, or using interactive elements to engage shoppers. Making your displays visually appealing and cohesive encourages customers to explore more items and make additional purchases.

Store Design and Layout for Cross Merchandising

A practical store layout is crucial for successful cross-merchandising. Carefully consider the flow of your store and the placement of various product categories. Create designated sections or zones that allow customers to navigate and discover complementary products quickly. For instance, a clothing store could display accessories near relevant clothing sections or place beauty products near the dressing rooms. By strategically organizing your store, you create a seamless shopping experience and encourage cross-category purchases.

Understanding Consumer Behavior in Cross Merchandising

Consumer behavior plays a significant role in cross-merchandising decisions. Understanding the psychology behind shopping habits allows you to tailor your cross-merchandising strategies to appeal to customers’ preferences and desires. Consider impulse buying, complementary needs, and seasonal trends when selecting cross-merchanding products. By anticipating customer needs and leveraging their buying patterns, you can create enticing product combinations that increase sales and customer satisfaction.

Measuring Success and Adapting Cross-Merchandising Tactics

Measuring the success of your cross-merchandising efforts is essential for ongoing improvement. Track sales data, observe customer behavior, and gather feedback to evaluate the impact of your strategies. Use metrics such as average transaction value, cross-sell conversion rates, and customer surveys to gauge the effectiveness of your cross-merchandising initiatives. Based on the results, adapt and refine your tactics to optimize your displays and drive even better results.

Work With Butler Merchandising

Cross merchandising is a powerful tool that can revolutionize your retail business. Strategically pairing complementary products enhances the overall shopping experience, boosts sales, and maximizes customer satisfaction.

With a deep understanding of visual merchandising, new product promotion, effective retail displays, store design, and consumer behavior, Butler Merchandising is committed to helping you unlock the potential of cross-merchandising. Embrace this strategy, and watch as it transforms your retail space into a compelling shopping destination for your customers. Contact us today!

A Guide to Cold Vault Merchandising and Coolers

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 16:14:00 GMT

Warm weather seems to be here to stay in the Midwest for the spring. There aren’t many things people enjoy more on a hot day than a cold, refreshing beverage. Convenience stores and grocers can set themselves apart by having functional and attractive for your cold vaults, beer caves, and store coolers. With a strong visual merchandising strategy, drinks will move quickly from the shelves to the register.

As a retailer, you want to maximize your profits and satisfy your customers. One way to achieve this is through effective cold vault merchandising and coolers. These are crucial elements in grocery stores, convenience stores, and other retail environments that sell cold beverages.

Cold Vault Merchandising in Grocery Stores and Convenience Stores

Cold vault merchandising is the art of organizing drinks within a refrigerated space to attract shoppers and increase sales. A well-organized cold vault can make the shopping experience more convenient and enjoyable for customers, making them more likely to return to your store.

When it comes to cold vault merchandising, the first thing to consider is the size and layout of the space. You need to ensure that your inventory is arranged to make it easy for customers to find what they want. Group similar products , such as carbonated beverages, sports, and energy drinks. Labeling and signage are also critical to help customers quickly find what they want.

One common technique is to place best-selling items at eye level, making it easy for customers to see them. Less popular items can be set lower or higher on the shelves.

Stand Alone Coolers on the Floor of the Store

In addition to cold vaults, stand-alone coolers on the store floor are also essential for cold beverages. These coolers are usually located near the front of the store and are used for impulse purchases. Again, proper merchandising is critical to ensure that these coolers are effective.

The placement of coolers is essential. They should be in high-traffic areas, such as near the checkout counter or the entrance to the store. You can also use signage and labels to highlight promotions and deals.

Beer Caves and Alcohol Sales

Beer caves are walk-in coolers that are commonly used for beer storage. They are typically located at the back of the store, and their design creates a unique shopping experience for customers.

Alcohol sales are a significant source of revenue for many retailers, and beer caves can play a vital role in generating sales. When setting up a beer cave, consider the size and layout of the space. You want to ensure you can stock various beers and other alcoholic beverages.

The Importance of Rotating Stock

One critical aspect of cold vault merchandising and coolers is rotating stock. Rotating stock involves moving older products to the front of the cooler or display and putting new products at the back. This helps ensure customers purchase the freshest products possible, reducing waste and increasing customer satisfaction.

When rotating stock, check the expiration dates on all products. Discard any items past their expiration date, and remember to restock any products running low.

Working with Beverage Vendors

Finally, working with beverage vendors can be a great way to enhance your cold vault merchandising and cooler displays. Beverage vendors can provide product recommendations, pricing information, and promotional materials.

When working with beverage vendors, clearly communicate your goals and expectations. Ask for their advice on merchandising and pricing strategies. Consider developing a partnership with your vendors to help increase sales and customer satisfaction.

Effective cold vault merchandising and cooler displays can significantly increase sales and customer satisfaction in retail environments. By considering the size and layout of your space, grouping similar products, using signage and labels, and working with beverage vendors, you can create an effective merchandising strategy that will help your business thrive. Remember to rotate your stock regularly to ensure your customers always get the freshest products possible.

Work With PFI

Our team at Presence From Innovation (PFI) is ready to help with all of your cold vault merchandising needs. We have decades of experience helping retailers and business owners achieve their goals with our displays, shelving units, and other retail solutions. Contact us today, and let’s talk about your retail needs!

How to Use Retail Displays to Execute a Successful Product Rollout

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 19:49:00 GMT

Launching a new product can be an exciting and challenging experience for retailers. While the ultimate goal is to increase sales and boost revenue, there are many factors to consider, including pricing, marketing, and distribution. Retail displays play a vital factor when you want to execute a successful product rollout that some retailers may neglect. By strategically planning and implementing eye-catching displays, retailers can create a memorable customer experience and drive sales for their new products. This blog post will discuss using retail displays to execute a successful product rollout.

Develop a Strategy

Developing a strategy is the first step in using retail displays to launch a new product. This involves setting goals, identifying the target audience, and determining the messaging and branding for the product. A clear strategy will help ensure that the retail displays align with the overall marketing plan and help retailers achieve their objectives.

Visual Merchandising

Visual merchandising is the art of presenting products in a way that attracts customers and encourages them to make a purchase. Effective visual merchandising can make all the difference in a successful product launch. Retailers should consider the following visual merchandising techniques to promote their new product:

Retail Displays

Retail displays are an essential component of a successful product rollout. The display should be designed to capture customers’ attention and communicate the product’s benefits and features effectively. Here are a few tips on creating effective retail displays:

In-store Promotion

In-store promotion is an effective way to build brand awareness and drive sales for a new product. Retailers should consider the following in-store promotion techniques:

Work With Butler Merchandising Solutions

In conclusion, using retail displays effectively builds brand awareness and drives sales for a new product. Retailers should develop a strategy, use visual merchandising techniques, create effective retail displays, and use in-store promotion to maximize the impact. A great way to draw inspiration for retail display design ideas is to connect with other industry professionals in similar markets, keep an eye out for clever displays while you’re shopping for yourself, and keep an open mind.

If you’re starting to form some ideas for your visual merchandising for this year, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at Butler Merchandising. We’ve been in business since 1926 and commit daily to quality designs and products. We have in-house design and manufacturing capabilities to get your product to you efficiently. Get in touch with us today!

Visual Merchandising Ideas for 2023

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 21:28:00 GMT

In a competitive market, retailers stand out with their visual merchandising efforts. When new customers enter your store, they may not be familiar with your products or know exactly what they are looking for. A store that utilizes visual merchandising principles and has inviting retail displays is more accessible and exciting for new customers to navigate. As we begin 2023, it’s time to put your best foot forward with your store displays and try out new visual merchandising ideas.

Motifs Throughout the Store

Typically, the longer a customer is in the store, the more likely they are to make a purchase (and purchase multiple items). Consider a motif for your retail displays to add coherency throughout your store’s visual merchandising. This motif could be a similar phrase, a display element, a color scheme, a pattern, or even a character. If you wanted to add a small cardboard cutout of the store’s mascot or another character to a few displays throughout the store, you could turn this into a game for kids. In the end, having similar elements in your displays can encourage customers to stay longer.

Color Schemes

Depending on the nature of your store and your products, there may be a lot of different colors and visual elements already in your store, just from your merchandise itself. Using a few color schemes in your displays and signage can add consistency for the customer and be aesthetically pleasing. The color scheme can be derived from your brand’s logo or reflected in a particular season or holiday. There may be requirements for certain branded displays with specific products, but you can get creative beyond that.

Interactive Displays

Retail displays should catch your customer’s eye, but they can also involve other senses. Interactive displays are popular in visual merchandising for a reason – when customers can engage with the product via multiple sensory experiences, they are more likely to purchase. Interactive displays could allow customers to pick up the product, sample it, or look through which version they prefer. Interactive displays take extra work to set up and should be designed to avoid theft, but this time invested should pay off in the long run.

Pole Toppers

Pole toppers are a unique way to set your retail display apart and get your customer’s attention. These pieces can be on top of many displays you may have in your store. Although signage is usually at a customer’s eye level, having your pole topper just slightly above eye level can pique a customer’s interest. Pole toppers are often made of cardboard and serve as a temporary display. This is effective for highlighting a new product, bringing attention to a seasonal line, or any display you change out often.

Larger Than Life

Some retailers think outside of the box in a big way when they plan out their displays. A common practice is to build a “larger than life” object out of individual products, such as creating a giant jack-o-lantern around Halloween by stacking up products packaged in orange and black boxes. These displays are great to put in the front of the store to wow customers as they enter. Manufacturers may also be able to make temporary cardboard displays that are giant mockups of a featured product or an object with a logo printed all over it. These creative ideas may take time, but they make memorable, attention-catching displays.

Cardboard Cutouts

Another creative idea for your visual merchandising in 2023 is to use cardboard cutouts in your store. Life-sized human or animal cardboard cutouts can be especially fun – is there a celebrity, fictional character, historical person, etc., that would associate with the product? If there isn’t a specific person or animal, an object can always be a cardboard cutout, such as a cutout in the product’s shape with the logo plastered all over it. Anytime you create a memorable display, it gives the customer something to talk about even if they don’t buy the product. They may go to work and mention the display at the store, and your store’s name can travel by word of mouth.

Pallet Displays

Consider a pallet display if you’re looking for an affordable and easily maneuverable retail display. These displays are often made out of cardboard, making them less costly than plastic or acrylic displays, and are sized so that they can be placed on a pallet. If you’ve seen a store with a large “bargain bin” type box, this was likely a pallet display. You can put pallet displays in extra space on the floor or at the end of the aisles to grab attention.

Work With Butler Merchandising

If you’re starting to form some ideas for your visual merchandising for this year, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at Butler Merchandising. We’ve been in business since 1926 and commit to quality designs and products daily. We have in-house design and manufacturing capabilities to get your product to you efficiently. Get in touch with us today!

A Guide to Retail Shelving

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 20:15:00 GMT

When you picture a brick-and-mortar retail store, aisles and aisles of products likely come to mind. Stores whose merchandise is organized well throughout the space often have higher sales and higher customer experience reviews. One of the biggest keys to having an organized store is what’s underneath the quantities of products – the shelving. Whether you run a grocery store, a convenience store, or any other retail store, the retail shelving you use and how you configure it throughout the store is critical.

Dimensions

The dimensions are the first consideration before you order new shelving for your store. Store owners should draw up a few blueprint plans for how they think everything will fit together and be sure to consult with retail and visual merchandising experts. The customer experience should always influence design. Customers will need enough room to maneuver through aisles and displays, and some customers may have wheelchairs, strollers, multiple baskets/bags, or grocery carts (depending on the nature of the store).

Further, you’ll need to ensure the desired items you want to put on each shelving unit will fit and be visible. The balance between buying shelving for your merchandise and shelving that will make for a navigable store is a challenging balance to strike, but with research and help from the experts, store owners can achieve this.

Functions

Some shelving units are made for a specific purpose. A crucial aspect of any shelving unit is the amount of weight it can bear. Bulky or heavy items need to be placed on a shelving unit that can handle the weight, whereas shelving that bears less weight might be a better fit for smaller point-of-purchase impulse items. Some shelving is built to handle cold temperatures for refrigerated areas or walk-in coolers and freezers.

Aesthetics

When planning out shelving for your store, you also won’t want to miss out on aesthetics. While your products and their arrangements are the focal points of the store, your shelving can enhance and complement your products. Neutral colors are the most common for retail shelving, but if you have a vision that may call for some units to be a custom color, this could set your store apart. You’ll want the shelving to look sleek, clean, and modern. Some retailers have also started putting soft-glow lights under (non-refrigerated) lighting, which looks aesthetically pleasing and helps customers read labels easier.

Aisles

The retail shelving units in your aisles should follow all the principles above and support the store’s organization. Many stores have item price tags attached to the shelving. You can attach printed-off price tags to retail shelving by sliding them into clear plastic strips that fit in the front piece of the shelves. Some retailers are moving to digital price tags, also called electronic shelf labels , for convenience and sustainability. The shelving in your aisles must also be deep enough to restock items efficiently and effectively.

Endcaps

Endcaps are shorter shelving units often placed at the beginning or the end of an aisle row. These spots are often a great location to spotlight new items or for placing discounted items since the smaller size of the display allows the customer to take it in quicker than an entire aisle. You may consider having your endcap shelving be a different color or shade than the aisle shelving to stand out. Or, if you plan on rotating stock on the endcaps for a discount area, you should be sure the shelving unit is versatile to accommodate a variety of items.

Point-of-Purchase

Point-of-purchase displays have been consistently popular with retailers for decades. These displays are placed around the register or in the queue area. The items are smaller, cheaper, and maybe something customers often need but forget to buy. Since these displays inspire impulse purchases, the shelving for the area should invite a sense of interaction. This could be with a spinning unit, plastic or acrylic containers where customers can sift through items, etc.

Walk-in Coolers and Storerooms

The shelving you choose for areas your customers won’t be in matters too. Keeping track of your inventory in the storeroom is easier when you have quality shelving. As with customer-facing shelving, you’ll want to think carefully about the dimensions of the units you choose and which design is most convenient for unloading and stocking items. Walk-in coolers and freezers may require shelving that can handle low temperatures and won’t freeze items together.

Work With Presence From Innovation (PFI)

Setting up a new retail environment or updating a current one comes with many choices. Here at PFI, we have decades of experience helping retailers and business owners put their best foot forward with our displays, shelving units, and other retail solutions. Let’s talk about your retail display and shelving needs – contact us today!

Custom Packaging Design Guide

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 16:08:00 GMT

Launching a new product line? Updating your branding or logo? Looking to switch packaging providers for your business? If you found yourself nodding “yes” in response to these questions, this is the custom packaging design guide for you. Simply put, packaging can make or break your bottom line.

Online or In-Store, Packaging Matters

The custom packaging design choices you make play a huge role in overall product success, especially when it comes to where your product is primarily being sold. Think about this as you prioritize design elements — this should include things like balancing protection with aesthetics depending on your answer. For example, if the product is sold online and needs to be shipped, the packaging should be lightweight and easy to pack to save time and money. On the other hand, in-store shoppers need a design that catches their eye.

Consider Your Current Branding

Beyond social media or paid advertising, packaging is one of the most effective branding tools at your disposal. It needs to be creative but also add cohesion to another branding you’ve implemented. Boil your message down to one sentence or a few key phrases and use that to guide your creative design process. Don’t overlook other branding elements in your custom packaging design, like logos, trademarked catchphrases, or other graphics that quickly identify your products and brand for customers.

Design Packaging for Size and Shape

Large items need simple, streamlined boxes, while fragile products need room for filler to help protect them. Don’t make the mistake of designing packaging without considering the product or even the line of products it belongs to. You want a cohesive look across your inventory catalog for brand visibility purposes, and this is often sacrificed in the name of price. A one-size-fits-all approach to custom packaging will inevitably backfire, especially if it’s deemed too wasteful or unwieldy by discriminating shoppers.

Keep It Simple

As you travel through the custom packaging design process, build on a foundation of simplicity. This doesn’t mean your packaging has to be boring, but the information you share should be clear, and the visual design shouldn’t distract customers from knowing precisely what you’re selling. That being said, you also need to find a way to stand out from the competition and showcase how your brand is unique. Make your logo visible so shoppers can recognize your brand at the outset, and use thematic design to tie into your marketing.

Tell a Story

Ultimately, your packaging needs to tell a story. Now more than ever, your shoppers look online for information before making a purchase. They also share their thoughts and pictures of your product and packaging on social media. Make sure your design is something you’d be proud to show off online and makes sense compared to another product packaging you currently have. This is the age of influencers, and your packaging needs to stand out in oversaturated social media feeds.

Sustainability Matters

Don’t overlook the sustainability of your packaging choices, especially when it’s intended for large, bulky items. Regardless of your organization’s mission and industry, customers are increasingly interested in brands that make eco-friendly choices, right down to their packaging. “Greening” your design can mean using recyclable materials or creating something that can be reused or repurposed to complement the product.

Work With Butler MSI

Custom cardboard packaging must be perfectly designed, sized, and executed, using strength, design, color, and typography to your advantage. Custom boxes make it easier to package your product attractively for the customer and give your brand attention as they move through the shipping process. And when the box is attractive and functional, the consumer may keep it for other purposes.

To make this work as a successful packaging design process, you need to work with reputable partners with experience and expertise to turn your vision into a reality. Our designs focus, first and foremost, on structural integrity and aesthetic appeal. We work with you every step of the way, and you receive a full-color prototype before production. When we do our work right, everything lines up to help you sell your product. Talk to us about your custom packaging needs; let us partner with you on this critical aspect of your marketing. Contact us today to get started!

Convenience Store Merchandising Tips

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 15:55:00 GMT

It’s easy for convenience store owners to take their merchandising for granted. After all, the products in your store can practically sell themselves, right? Wrong! The real truth is that optimized visual merchandising is just as important in a convenience store as it is in a retail clothing boutique or high-end jewelry store. Our experts have brainstormed some convenience store merchandising tips to help your store grow its bottom line.

What Is Merchandising?

At the most basic level, merchandising displays refer to the areas of the grocery store with products in places other than the regular aisles. End caps, free-standing pallet displays, and even point-of-purchase displays are all great examples. These displays can (and should be) changed out frequently. The purpose is to draw attention to specialty products: new arrivals, special deals, or seasonal food and drinks.

However, that’s not to say you should overlook the shelves! Where you put everyday necessities and how they are merchandised throughout the aisles also plays a crucial role in creating loyal customers who know where to find exactly what they’re looking for.

The Benefits of Convenience Store Merchandising

Just like posting on social media to promote your convenience store or even buying a billboard on the side of the highway, visual merchandising in your convenience store is a marketing strategy that you can fully leverage.

Customer Engagement

Worst case scenario? Poor (or lack of) visual merchandising can prevent your convenience store customers from finding the products they’re looking for. Cut through the noise of all the products and branding with proper convenience store merchandising – and maybe even encourage impulse purchases along the way.

Increase In Revenue

It’s reported that a whopping 73% of shoppers make spontaneous in-store purchases on top of the items they already need. Investing in the right visual merchandising strategies can help boost that percentage and your bottom line.

Boost Branding

This is especially important for franchised convenience stores: The right visual merchandising can offer a cohesive branding image for your stores. Customers will know where to find the products they’re looking for in your store, regardless of which location they’re shopping at. Use merchandising as a branding strategy to stand out among the competitors.

Convenience Store Merchandising Best Practices

Working With PFI

We are your one-stop shop for convenience store merchandising. The advantage we offer over our competitors is the breadth of our capabilities, including temporary corrugated displays, semi-permanent displays, permanent retail fixtures, and premium acrylic displays. Whatever your need for merchandising in the grocery store, we have the capability and experience to execute.

We help drive customers’ brand preferences and, ultimately, sales. From concept through distribution, our capabilities are not limited by the medium, retail channel, customer size, or delivery requirements. We are committed to transforming great ideas into even more remarkable examples of the finest quality merchandising equipment while maximizing the visual impact of our customers’ products.

At PFI, we help you win more sales through innovation and excellence in delivering custom-branded merchandising systems. Our US manufacturing facilities have delivered our award-winning products faster, with less hassle, and at a lower total cost for over 50 years. Consider PFI for your custom-branded display and merchandising solutions. Contact us today to get started!

Retail Merchandising FAQs

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 18:45:00 GMT

Merchandising strategies are arguably the most crucial tool a retailer can have in the toolbox. When done correctly, business owners can expect revenue to grow and the store to thrive. We’d like to share some retail merchandising FAQs we receive to help you make a well-researched decision when it comes to merchandising solutions.

Why should I invest in retail merchandising?

Selling great products is one way to boost your retail business’s bottom line, but even the best inventory will languish on your shelves without the right merchandising strategy. You can’t just put everything out in your store without a plan; visual merchandising allows you to tell a story with your displays and products, enticing shoppers to buy. The majority of retailers have noticed that there’s a direct connection between good merchandising and a boost in sales.

What areas in my store need to be merchandised?

All of them! From the front entrance to the check-out counter (and not to mention your shelves) you need to adapt merchandising strategies for all areas of your store. Use your floor plan to your advantage, tap into commonly known shopper psychology, and educate and inform customers to promote products – you can do all this with merchandising throughout your store.

How can I capitalize on impulse buying to boost my bottom line?

With 8 out of 10 impulse buys happening at brick-and-mortar retail stores, it only makes sense to stock your checkout areas with smaller items – like snacks or inexpensive accessories. As people wait in line to pay, they’ll inevitably find something to add to their purchase. Even a few dollars added to average sales figures can add up for your business. Invest in point-of-sale marketing and merchandising to help entice them.

What is point-of-purchase marketing, and why is it important for merchandising my store?

Point of purchase (POP) displays is placed at different locations in a retail store, with the entrance and checkout area being two of the most popular. Many large retailers meticulously plan product placement for their stores and see increased sales by using large displays in prominent locations. In-store promotions like this typically impact consumer behavior and are integral to your overall merchandising strategy.

Can I include retail signage along with other merchandising solutions?

Absolutely! This great one-two combination will rev up your in-store experience for shoppers. Before there were social media, before the internet, and even before billboards — there was retail signage. It’s one of the oldest and most efficient marketing methods; some research points far back to ancient Egyptian shopkeepers. Sure, great products and solid merchandising strategies go a long way towards building your bottom line, but retail signage will never go out of style.

How do I tie my merchandising and marketing strategies together?

Loyalty or rewards programs should be a significant component in your integrated marketing strategy. They are an excellent opportunity to create a solid customer base and build traffic in your store. Point-of-sale displays are the perfect opportunity to educate and engage customers about your rewards or loyalty program. Rather than rely on employees to engage customers about signing up and then taking the time to give them all of the details, a well-designed display can accomplish this for you.

How can I get started creating merchandising solutions that work for my store?

Looking to use your store merchandising to help grow your profit margins? Consider investing in custom merchandising displays for your store. From our award-winning design services to printing, assembly, fulfillment, and logistics, we offer a full range of visual merchandising services to retailers looking to grow their business and bottom line. Contact us today to learn more!

Retailer’s Guide to Corrugated Displays

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 18:39:00 GMT

Sure, great products and solid merchandising strategies go a long way towards building your bottom line, but retail signage on your corrugated displays will never go out of style. Retail signage is exactly what it sounds like: A graphic display that helps educate and engage your customers.

Signage is a connection potential (or current) customers will have with your business, and the interaction needs to be good. Signage matters so much that research shows that 60% of businesses reported a minimum 10% increase in revenue after implementing retail signage. Retail signage could offer a big-time return on investment for retailers who have already weathered a challenging year.

When you break down retail signage into three primary uses, it’s much easier to streamline the sign creation and design process.

Marketing: This is the signage customers see around town and outside their homes (and your business). This includes billboards, exterior signage, and other media that work on advertising your retail business and leaving a lasting impression.

Foot Traffic: When your retail signage is informative and engaging, it attracts customers to your physical location and boosts overall foot traffic. A lack of signage is bad, but poor quality signage is even worse — customers need to know where to find your business.

In-store Navigation: Once those customers are inside your store, help them move around the aisles easily. Retail signage in-store clears up confusion and allows shoppers to make educated buying decisions. It helps build their trust, too.

Of all your marketing investments, retail signage is perhaps the most cost-effective, with the highest return on investment. Signage may not put you at the level of the big box stores, but it will help you get discovered.

Signage is a communication tool. When designed and installed in an optimized way, it can work to help guide shoppers from idea to conception and maybe even towards a more significant purchase. You can track the result of your signage by following the sales of the inventory it promotes. This is a great way to quantify customer demand and understand insights that help you meet those demands.

Make sure to check off these boxes when you create retail signage to complement your custom corrugated displays:

Is it outdoors? Make it easy to read and in line with your existing brand. Think about all potential customers walking by who have seen your store and never stopped in. How can you convince them to give you a try?

Is it persuasive? Sometimes shoppers need a little help being convinced to follow through with their purchase decision, and signage can be a great way to do that. They can turn an otherwise “regular” product into a superstar.

Is it compliant? ADA compliance is imperative, and signage should support everything you do in your store to welcome a diverse customer base. Don’t forget to include Braille and other helpful tools for those who may have vision impairments.

Make sure you use this guide when creating retail signage for your custom corrugated displays. These highly customizable displays will grab customers’ attention in any retail environment. Full printing capabilities allow us to showcase your brand’s graphics and quick turn-around times make it easy to capitalize on promotions.

With PFI, we help you win more sales through innovation and excellence in the delivery of custom branded merchandising systems. Our US manufacturing facilities have delivered our award-winning products faster, with less hassle, and at a lower total cost of ownership for over 50 years. Consider PFI for your custom branded display and merchandising solutions. Contact us today to learn more!

How to Leverage Point of Purchase

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 22:17:21 GMT

You can subtly use the point of purchase (POP) areas to influence and guide customer behavior. It may seem to be an art, but there’s a fair amount of science — psychology and many years of behavioral research — in play. A well-designed and carefully implemented POP solution has another benefit as well. It lets smaller retailers compete on the same playing field as their much larger competitors since a high-quality POP display is no longer just the territory of big box retail stores and chains

POP VS. POS

To differentiate, point-of-sale (POS) goes by several different names — register, cash wrap, front counter — and nearly every store has one. The POS can also be used to refer generically to the hardware and software your business uses to ring out your customers and manage transactions and inventory.

POP is essentially any customer-facing part of your store that’s not your POS. POP displays can be as simple as a well-curated and visually attractive end cap to an LED-based or digitally printed display that highlights a specific product or vendor.

POP displays are placed at different locations in a retail store, with the entrance and checkout area being two of the most popular. Many large retailers meticulously plan product placement for their stores and see an increase in sales by using large displays in prominent locations. In-store promotions like this typically have an impact on consumer behavior.

Why Does POP Marketing Work

One of the reasons that retail POP displays are so wildly successful is that they appeal to shoppers’ quick in and out preference. Considering that more and more significant purchases are made online, many people only visit physical stores when they need something fast. This means that they’re not lingering around, so it’s crucial to provide them with options and convey your brand at the one place you know for sure they’re going to be – the point of purchase area.

Items on the point-of-purchase displays are easy to find. When they’re optimally merchandised for the core consumer, the products on them essentially sell themselves while leaving the customer with the impression that your retail location quickly provided them with exactly what they wanted.

Leveraging POP

To create effective POP displays, think of the 4 Cs:

Command – The goal here is to make your presence felt. To do so, select suitable colors, sizes, textures, and shapes for the display. Incorporate movement, if required.
Connect – Use brand messages, packaging elements, and marketing themes to connect with customers instantly.
Convey – Tell a compelling yet easily understood story about the product so that customers can visualize its benefits.
Close – Deliver a call to action that removes any doubt customers may have about purchasing the product.

Take into consideration the timely relevance of your point-of-purchase displays. Are you using POP to push last season’s merchandise or move underperforming inventory out the door? These tactics typically fail for retail POP displays. Instead, keep the focus on merchandise with timely relevance for your customers. Also, don’t let a display linger too long without changing it out – your regular customers will thank you by making last-minute add-on purchases.

One final way of ensuring the success of your POP displays is to invest in quality display fixtures designed to enhance the point of purchase area of your retail location. We’re here to supply you with the retail display solutions you need. Contact us today to learn more about our pre-built and custom retail display fixtures.

How to Create a Point of Sale Strategy

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 18:19:00 GMT

The point of sale, or POS, goes by several different names — register, cash wrap, front counter — and nearly every store has one. You can also use the POS to refer generically to your business’s hardware and software to ring up your customers and manage transactions and inventory.

As the POS — both in physical space and hardware — evolves, it’s given rise to some creative possibilities to boost your sales. A POS area that’s laid out well is a great place to highlight high-margin impulse buys that your customers can browse while waiting in line. If your POS terminal has a customer-facing display, you can use it for messaging that guides purchasing decisions.

Marketing professionals in the retail industry have to balance their efforts between perfecting the user experience and user interface of websites and mobile applications and perfecting and streamlining point of sale design to improve the in-store shopping experience for guests. If you’re facing this challenge and not seeing an effective return on your in-store point of sale design efforts, read on.

Keep These POS Tips In Mind

Work With Professionals

You can make many other possible mistakes in point-of-sale design and implementation. If you’re looking to partner with an expert in POS design, look no further than Presence From Innovation (PFI) – a manufacturer and distributor of retail store displays and fixtures. We specialize in creating custom injection-molded single-serve coolers to drive impulse purchases at convenience and grocery stores. We also design and manufacture a variety of specialized retail racks and fixtures made of plastic, wood, metal, or wire.

We help drive customers’ brand preferences and, ultimately, sales. Our capabilities are not limited by the medium, retail channel, customer size, or delivery requirements from concept through distribution. We are committed to transforming great ideas into even more outstanding examples of the finest quality merchandising equipment while maximizing the visual impact of our customers’ products.

Our clients range from Fortune 50 B2C companies to small independent retailers and craft consumer brands. Our top 10 clients have an average relationship of 18 years. These enduring relationships result from our high-quality products and excellent customer service. Contact us today to learn more!

Making the Most of POS Marketing

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 22:16:59 GMT

Point of sale (POS) marketing happens right where you would expect it to – at the checkout stand, where customers are more likely to make an impulse buy. We’ve worked with a long list of retailers to optimize their POS marketing with the proper signage and have a few tips of our own to share.

Stock Up Your Check Out Space

With 8 out of 10 impulse buys happening at brick-and-mortar retail stores , it only makes sense to stock your checkout areas with smaller items – like snacks or inexpensive accessories. As people wait in line to pay, they’ll inevitably find something to add to their purchase. Even a few dollars added to average sales numbers can add up for your business.

Offer Samples

Set up an area close to the checkout counter to offer samples and freebies. Depending on what you sell, your vendors (food and beverage distributors) may provide “sampling station” displays with their branding. However, this is something that you could create on your own working with a POS display creation team.

Count On Cross Merchandising

You can’t have peanut butter without jelly, so why not display the two together to make things easier for customers? This cross-merchandising strategy allows shoppers to visualize complimentary items and grab them both together, a move that can raise your average sales numbers. Pair these displays with signage that helps educate buyers on why the items work so well together to entice shoppers even more.

Set Up Free-Standing Displays

Free-standing containers for small packaged goods that can be placed so that they can be interacted with from all angles, dump bins provide large surfaces you can creatively project your brand upon. Larger versions of dump bins, and free-standing cartons are similarly used to disrupt the flow of the customer’s journey and allow you to tell the product’s story on a larger canvas. They can be placed in the retail space so that multiple shoppers can interact with the display simultaneously.

End With End Caps

Placed at the end of the aisle, end caps display your product in an eye-catching way outside of the confines of aisles and provide a prime location that shoppers will see as they traverse the store, regardless of whether they go down an aisle or not. End caps tend toward bright colors, bold imagery, and extensive information about the product to give shoppers an obvious idea of what’s on display.

Other Examples of POS Marketing

There are almost endless combinations of signage and placement that retailers have leveraged in their efforts to capture customer market share. Some other great examples include:

Window signage is often used to communicate current sales and promotions and set the mindset for customers as they enter the store.
Banners provide overhead visual guides for the customer journey and help customers hone in on products they might be looking for that were advertised in other mediums.
Interactive displays are becoming more and more prevalent as advertisers try to leverage the effectiveness of video content in the commercial space.
Lighted signage can be used with dump bins and other point-of-purchase displays to enhance their effectiveness.
Motion displays use motorized components to add visually appealing elements to draw shoppers to the display.

Full-Service Point of Sale Services

Butler Merchandising Systems is a premier provider of point-of-sale marketing services in St. Louis. We offer in-house design and manufacturing capabilities in an all-inclusive approach to point-of-purchase and point-of-sale marketing materials, allowing us to provide low-cost services to our clients.

Contact us today to discuss your merchandising needs and let us show you how to promote your products in a retail setting best.

A Guide to Point of Purchase (POP) Displays

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 16:47:00 GMT

Merchandising your retail store is perhaps one of the most important business strategies you’ll develop. So, it’s crucial to understand your options when showcasing your products and solidifying your brand in shoppers’ minds.

Beginning with the right layout is always important. But once you figure out the footprint, it’s time to turn your attention to merchandising display options. The right displays can make a business, but the wrong choices can stop customers from coming back.

“We buy with our eyes.” There’s a reason this adage has been shared for years. In the age of growing eCommerce options, brick-and-mortar retailers need to remember this important psychological tip, especially regarding point of purchase (POP) displays.

What’s the Difference Between POS and POP?

POP displays are placed at different locations in a retail store, with the entrance and checkout area being two of the most popular. Many large retailers meticulously plan product placement for their stores and see an increase in sales simply by using large displays in prominent locations. In-store promotions like this typically have an impact on consumer behavior. In fact, in a 2017 survey , 42.4% of respondents said that promotions influenced their decision about what groceries to buy.

Point of sale (POS) systems are used to accept payments from customers. While some retailers may still prefer cash registers, many small and large retailers use sophisticated point of sale systems, which consist of hardware and software components that are often designed to fit the requirements of the business sector or retailer. Typical POS hardware components include a cash drawer, credit card reader, barcode reader, printer, and screens (standard or touch-screen).

Why Use POP Merchandising?

This means that they’re not lingering around, so it’s crucial to not only provide them with options but also convey your brand at the one place you know for sure they’re going to be – the point of purchase area.

Items on point of purchase displays are easy to find and when they’re optimally merchandised for the core consumer, the products on them essentially sell themselves while leaving the customer with the impression that your retail location quickly provided them with exactly what they wanted.

Maximizing POP Displays

To create effective POP displays, use the 4Cs of in-store activation:

Take into consideration the timely relevance of your point of purchase displays. Are you using POP to push last season’s merchandise or move underperforming merchandise out the door? These tactics typically fail for retail POP displays. Instead, keep the focus on merchandise with timely relevance for your customers. Also, don’t let a display linger too long without changing it out – your regular customers will thank you by making last-minute add-on purchases.

Merchandising Mistakes to Avoid

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 22:15:49 GMT

Brick-and-mortar retail stores have been facing growing challenges over the past several months. Shoppers are being cautious about in-person purchases, and eCommerce has become ubiquitous — even for consumers who never bought anything online before being faced with a pandemic.

Retail store owners need to do anything in their power to gain an edge. The right merchandising can offer that edge, but the merchandising mistakes can send shoppers running for the competition. Below are the merchandising mistakes you need to avoid, straight from our merchandising experts.

Not-So-Great Lighting

You can have the best-looking products and inventory in the world, but if the lighting in your store isn’t great, nobody will give it a second look. Research shows that 70% of shoppers don’t decide what they want to buy until they’re actually in the store. That stat alone is enough to convince store owners to upgrade their lighting.

As much as the proper lighting helps showcase products and make them appealing for customers, too much of a good thing can be distracting. The point here is to avoid overwhelming or overstimulating shoppers and drawing their eyes away from your inventory.

Boring Merchandising Displays

How often do you change out your displays? Do you rotate your products to keep shoppers on their toes while helping them find what they need? Is your signage relevant and exciting? If you don’t have answers to these questions, your merchandising is probably not doing the job it should.

An easy way to do this is with seasonal merchandising and decorating. Don’t just make things exciting during the weeks when most people are doing their holiday shopping. You can even use technology like QR codes or augmented reality to make merchandising interactive and immersive. The trick here is that customers have to shop your store in person to take advantage of this tech.

Disorganized Merchandising Displays

How you allocate shelf space to a product will determine its value to customers. You would never throw expensive luxury products together with the less expensive “bargains.” You can apply the same theory to how organized your shelves are.

If you’re not paying attention to keeping things straightened, your customers won’t think your inventory is valuable enough to pay the price you’re asking. Be strategic and give high-value items the real estate they deserve on clean, organized shelves placed in areas of the store that are easily seen and shopped.

Hard-To-Navigate Footprint

It makes sense to take a different route if you know that the highway is bumper-to-bumper during rush hour. Think about this as you plan the footprint of your merchandising displays. If shoppers can’t effectively navigate your store, they’ll go elsewhere to make a purchase. It’s also essential to make your store accessible to those with disabilities.

You need to give customers room to move about freely and browse displays without feeling cramped. Better yet, make the merchandising displays mobile so you can move them around and switch things up, giving the store a new feel with minimal effort.

Distracting or Lack of Signage

You don’t want your retail signage to be another distraction from what’s bringing in the revenue. Yes, you absolutely need signs in your store as they attract about 20% more attention when they’re on a merchandising display, but they don’t have to steal the show.

Ensure that signs are clearly worded with bold type, with information that helps educate and inform shoppers about their purchases. This is not something you want to DIY; handwritten signs look sloppy and unprofessional. Consult with a team that has experience creating signage that converts.

When your signage is well-designed and high-quality, you’ll demonstrate to your customers that you value them enough to invest in their experience at your store. You know first-hand as an owner that shoppers will notice when signage is misspelled, misprinted, inaccurate, or just plain confusing. Working with an experienced signage partner will help give you peace of mind that you won’t have to deal with any costly or time-consuming merchandising mistakes or errors.

Retail signage is one of the most critical, pivotal aspects of marketing your product. Butler MSI understands this; since 1926, we have provided sophisticated branding in the form of retail signs to everyone from small companies to large, Fortune 100 industries. We pride ourselves on excellent customer service and relentless attention to detail. Our breadth of in-house design and manufacturing capabilities position us to be a low-cost producer and effectively compete for your business. Let us fulfill your retail signage needs and show you how well we can do it, contact us today to get started!

How to Improve Your Holiday Merchandising

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 18:16:00 GMT

It’s shaping up to be another unprecedented holiday shopping season, and it’s more important than ever to optimize your holiday merchandising when people are on a mission to buy, buy, buy. You can’t just put everything out in your store without a plan; visual merchandising allows you to tell a story with your displays and products, enticing shoppers to buy.

Start With the Windows

The best way to get shoppers inside your store is to lure them in with your window displays. Great windows are the hallmark of some of the world’s most recognizable retail and department stores, and for a good reason. That’s especially true during the holiday shopping season.

Think Outside the Box

Although you don’t need a significant shopping holiday or a change in seasons to change out your merchandising displays, make your holiday merchandising special. Don’t use the decorations you had out last year — try something fresh, new, and exciting.

Want Vs. Need

When an item is a must-have, it almost doesn’t matter how you merchandise it– customers will buy what they need from wherever it is in the store. It’s the items that your customers want that you’ll have to convince them to buy. Remember this as you create enticing merchandising displays.

Group Accordingly

Find one thing aside from a price point to showcase when grouping products together. Think about groupings according to use, brand, or even combine colors for a striking look. This increases the chance of add-on purchases and average ticket sales because it’s easy to grab more than one item at a time.

Front First

Jazz up the front of your store with stellar merchandising and more expensive inventory. Studies show that customers are paying close attention to this area, and stocking top sellers here will improve the chance they’ll pick it up on the way to get what they need (see above re: wants and needs).

Adjust the Lighting

It seems obvious, but lighting can illuminate the way for shoppers. Your merchandising displays deserve to be in the spotlight, especially if you have high-end or luxury items with minor details (think: jewelry). Invest in display cases that have quality, built-in lighting to make this easy.

Don’t Skimp on Signage

Along with appealing holiday-themed merchandising displays, you can help shoppers make an educated buying decision with additional signage. Make them just as stylish as the rest of your store with plenty of product and pricing information.

Make It Photogenic

Get creative with your holiday merchandising and encourage customers to share images on social media. Invest in top-quality merchandise display cases that look amazing in the background of Instagram photos or provide a canvas for an easily-shared image from your Facebook business page.

Planogram It

There’s a reason planograms have been around since the inception of the retail store. They look much different now as digital iterations of the original, but they remain a handy tool to leverage as part of your merchandising strategy.

Ask For Help

When it comes to knowing how to merchandise a product, who is better than the vendor or manufacturer? Get a hold of a representative with the brand and ask for insight on how other retailers choose to merchandise the products.

Invest In the Right Merchandising Partner

All the holiday merchandising plans, tips, and best practices won’t work if you’re using sub-par merchandising displays. Properly presenting your products is a smart way to boost your bottom line, and it helps to do that when you have custom merchandising solutions.

We also design and manufacture a variety of specialized retail racks and fixtures made of plastic, wood, metal, or wire. When you’re looking to optimize your holiday merchandising strategy in your brick-and-mortar store, count on us to provide you with the tools to do that — contact us today to get started!

An Updated Guide To Retail Signage

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 22:15:09 GMT

Before there was social media, before the internet, and even before billboards — there was retail signage. It’s one of the oldest and most efficient methods of marketing; some research points as far back as ancient Egyptian shopkeepers. Sure, great products and solid merchandising strategies go a long way toward building your bottom line, but retail signage will never go out of style.

What Is Retail Signage?

Retail signage is exactly what it sounds like: A graphic display that helps educate and engage your customers. Signage comes in many forms, including exterior signs, digital signage, and window displays. It’s a connection that potential (or current) customers will have with your business, and the interaction needs to be a good one.

Signage matters so much that research shows that 60% of businesses reported a minimum 10% increase in revenue after implementing retail signage. For retailers who have already weathered a challenging year, retail signage could offer a big-time return on investment.

The Purpose of Retail Signage

When you break down retail signage into three basic uses, it’s much easier to streamline the sign creation and design process.

Marketing: This is the signage that customers see around town and outside of their homes (and your business). This includes billboards, exterior signage, and other media that work to advertise your retail business and leave a lasting impression.

Foot Traffic: When your retail signage is informative and engaging, it attracts customers to visit your physical location and boosts overall foot traffic. A lack of signage is bad, but poor quality signage is even worse — customers need to know where to find your business.

In-store Navigation: Once those customers are inside your store, help them move around the aisles with ease. Retail signage in-store clears up confusion and helps shoppers make educated buying decisions. Bonus: It helps build their trust, too.

What Are the Benefits of Retail Signage?

Of all the marketing investments you can make, retail signage is perhaps the most cost-effective with the highest return on investment. Signage may not put you at the level of the big box stores, but it will help you get discovered.

Signage is a communication tool. When designed and installed in an optimized way, it can work to help guide shoppers from idea to conception and maybe even towards a bigger purchase. You can track the result of your signage by following the sales of the inventory that it’s promoting. This is a great way to quantify customer demand and understand insights that help you meet those demands.

Is Your Retail Signage…

Outdoors? Make it easy to read and in line with your existing brand. Think about all of the potential customers walking by that have seen your store and never stopped in. How can you convince them to give you a try?

Informational? Use clear, concise language and accurate information to help give customers a path to travel throughout your store. If they’re confused, they’re far less likely to return to the store.

Persuasive? Sometimes shoppers need a little help being convinced to follow through with their purchase decision, and signage can be a great way to do that. They can turn an otherwise “regular” product into a superstar.

Compliant? ADA compliance is imperative, and signage should support everything you do in your store to welcome a diverse customer base. Don’t forget to include Braille for those who may have vision impairments.

Quality Is a Priority

Retail signage is one of the most critical, pivotal aspects of marketing your product. Butler MSI understands this; since 1926, we have provided sophisticated branding in the form of retail signs to everyone from small companies to large ones. Fortune 100 industries. We pride ourselves on superlative customer service and relentless attention to detail. Our breadth of in-house design and manufacturing capabilities position us to be a low-cost producer and effectively compete for your business. Let us fulfill your retail signage needs and show you just how well it can be done.

A Guide to Grocery Merchandising

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 16:38:00 GMT

Just because customers consider food a necessity, it doesn’t mean that store owners shouldn’t put work into grocery merchandising. In fact, a little more attention in this area can offer a huge return on investment.

What Is Grocery Merchandising?

At the most basic level, merchandising displays refer to the areas of the grocery store with products in places other than the regular aisles. End caps, free-standing pallet displays, and even point-of-purchase displays are all great examples. These displays can (and should be) changed out frequently. The purpose is to draw attention to specialty products — think: new arrivals, special deals, or seasonal food and drinks.

However, that’s not to say you should overlook the shelves! Where you put everyday necessities and how they are merchandised throughout the aisles also plays a key role in creating loyal customers who know where to find exactly what they’re looking for.

Different Merchandising Techniques

Shelf Placement: There’s a reason that the phrase “top shelf” exists. More expensive grocery items need to be placed on higher shelves and displays, impulse buys need to be at eye level (called “reach”), and the lower levels should be reserved for the items customers will buy no matter the brand or price. Place generic or store brand items to the direct right of their branded competitors, and merchandise-related items across the aisle from each other.

Promotional Products: As we mentioned above, these are the products that will go on freestanding displays, end caps, gondolas, and other non-aisle merchandising displays. Focus on products that will give your grocery store the biggest profit margin, and not just the hottest, cheapest items in the store. One pro tip: Add a store brand product to every promotional display to boost sales.

Fresh Food/Produce: Use color theory when merchandising fresh produce. There’s a lot of green in this department, and if you don’t get creative your customers’ eyes could get overwhelmed and make it hard for them to shop. Add interest in the bakery department with custom cases, stagger levels of product in the deli section, and don’t be afraid to use props to make things really interesting.

More Merchandising Tips

Working With the Pros

We are your one-stop shop for merchandising in the grocery store. The advantage we offer over our competitors is the breadth of our capabilities including, but not limited to temporary corrugated displays, semi-permanent displays, permanent retail fixtures, and premium acrylic displays. Whatever your need for merchandising in the grocery store, we have the capability and experience to execute.

We help drive customer’s brand preferences and ultimately, sales. From concept through distribution our capabilities are not limited by the medium, retail channel, customer size, or delivery requirements. We are committed to transforming great ideas into even greater examples of the finest quality merchandising equipment while maximizing the visual impact of our customers’ products.

With PFI we help you win more sales through innovation and excellence in the delivery of custom branded merchandising systems. Our US manufacturing facilities have delivered our award-winning products faster, with less hassle, at a lower total cost of ownership for over 50 years. Consider PFI for your custom branded display and merchandising solutions.

Sustainable Packaging: A Guide

Mon, 10 May 2021 22:14:29 GMT

As customers increasingly look for brands that practice sustainability and business owners look for ways to meet that demand, it only makes sense to take a closer look at your packaging choices. That’s especially true now as the exponential rise of eCommerce has us sending and receiving more packages than ever before.

One small change can make a difference, but implementing several sustainable packaging best practices together can make a big dent. It’s also one of the most cost-efficient ways to make a pivot in comparison to other sustainability strategies for your business.

What Is Sustainable Packaging?

At the most basic level, packaging is sustainable when it works to lessen your brand’s carbon footprint. Here is a more sophisticated, comprehensive set of qualifications . Sustainable packaging:

Is beneficial, safe, and healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle
Meets market criteria for performance and cost
Is sourced, manufactured, transported, and recycled using renewable energy
Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials
Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices
Is made from materials healthy in all probable end-of-life scenarios
Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy
Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological and/or industrial cradle-to-cradle cycles.

These qualifications are what’s computed into an equation that then becomes a life cycle assessment, or the analysis of the environmental impact of a product or service over its lifespan. Choose packaging types and strategies that prove to have a lower impact at the end of the assessment.

Types of Sustainable Packaging

Using the criteria above, there are several types of sustainable packaging material you can learn from.

Corrugated cardboard: This has long been the go-to packaging of choice for 90% of every product shipped. While it’s quite popular, it’s also highly sustainable: Cardboard can be recycled 25 times before it’s composted or thrown away.

Packing paper: Another gold standard, you can use packing paper to protect against products shifting or breaking on the way to the customer. Paper is also as recyclable and compostable as cardboard — something that can’t be said about bubble wrap.

Eco-friendly plastic: Innovation in plastic manufacturing has produced cutting-edge and durable materials that can work when plastic is necessary for packaging or shipping. Many plastics are now recycled and recyclable by default.

Biobased materials: Scientists are turning to plants to help create super sustainable, bio-based packaging from things like mushrooms, seaweed, and even cornstarch. These packaging materials can become even more sustainable when they’re made from agricultural waste.

Glass: Food and beverage packaging especially can benefit from the utilization of glass. It protects liquids and perishables, it’s more recyclable than plastics, and glass packaging can be cleaned and reused. A caveat: It’s on the expensive side.

Partner With the Professionals

Once you’ve done some research on sustainability in packaging and you have an idea of what you think you might want, it’s time to seek out a packaging vendor that can help maintain your sustainability efforts. Not only should they be able to offer design and fabrication guidance, but they’ll also have access to sustainable materials to create your custom packaging.

We operate our business with a commitment to sound environmental management, in compliance with all federal, state, and local standards. We operate our facilities in an environmentally sound manner and ensure the safe and responsible utilization and consumption of all input materials and by-products. Our processes also support conservation, recycling, and the reduction of waste.

Finally: Spread the News

These days, opting for sustainability practices gives your brand or business a serious competitive edge, but you shouldn’t wait for people to notice when you make the big move. Sustainability is something to brag about and it should be a part of your branding message. From social media to your website, and even any print marketing materials you have, make sure you include a point about your sustainable packaging.

Relentless attention to quality within and throughout our manufacturing processes and a firm commitment to serving our customers has fostered our strong and steady growth over the years and remains our focus today. Our breadth of in-house design and manufacturing capabilities position us to be a low-cost producer and effectively compete for your business. Ready to make a sustainable splash with your packaging? Get in touch with our team.

Growing Sales with These Merchandising Tips

Mon, 10 May 2021 20:19:00 GMT

E-commerce is more popular than ever before and many customers are still wary about in-person shopping, but despite these challenges for retailers, brick-and-mortar sales remain strong with the right in-store experience. This starts with how you merchandise your store — the goal is to help shoppers locate what they want quickly, while also increasing your bottom line.

Give ‘Em Space

If you already know anything about merchandising, you know it starts with a floor plan that facilitates shopping. Whatever your store’s footprint ends up being, you need to give customers plenty of space to move around and maneuver their carts through aisles. Also, try to avoid merchandising the front few feet of the store to allow for a “decompression zone” when shoppers first walk in.

Consider Shopping Psychology

Think about putting the most popular items in the back of the store. That way, your shoppers have to walk through aisles to get what they buy frequently instead of just running in to grab what they need and running back out again. Put new products where they’ll be seen, use calls to action that create a sense of urgency, and educate them on something they may not have tried yet.

Think About Placement

Bending over to reach a product might be out of the question for customers with mobility issues and not being able to reach products could prevent shoppers from buying something altogether. Keep your important signage and merchandising displays between knee and eye level, ensure important signage is visible, and put slow-moving inventory front and center to help make room for newer items.

Check-In at the Check-Out Counter

Keep your cash register or check-out area clutter-free so shoppers have room to spread out their products, purses, and sometimes even children as their hand over payment. Create customized displays to encourage impulse purchases and add signage that makes your return policy clear. This is where you can put business cards or other marketing materials that can be easily slipped into shopping bags with the receipt.

Embrace Imperfection

It may be tempting to arrange your merchandising displays in perfect rows, but this could prevent customers from picking up products to examine them and disturbing the order. Just as bland, unappealing merchandise can turn off a customer, so too could too many bells and whistles or an aesthetic that seems too precise to “mess up”.

Merchandise for Movement

Studies show that shoppers move through stores like they drive; they walk through the front door and take a right first. They scan with their eyes from side to side instead of up and down, similar to how we move through vehicle traffic. With this in mind, keep merchandising displays under 2 feet apart so that customers can see more of your store and its products with one glance.

Offer an Education

Use custom merchandising displays to inform and educate shoppers about product use, precautions, or brand news. It empowers them to make purchasing decisions without having to find an employee, who may or may not have the product knowledge to provide details like prices, ingredients, uses, or warnings.

Bundle Up

Bundling similar, supplemental, and complementary items together so shoppers don’t have to travel a complicated path to get everything they need. Keeping some cohesion makes your store layout familiar, a big factor when shoppers decide which stores they’ll shop at regularly and loyally. Isn’t it nice when you know where everything is within your favorite store?

Clean Up

Your optimized floorplan layout and stellar merchandising displays don’t mean much if everything is covered in a thick layer of dust and grime. Make a daily, weekly, and monthly checklist for cleaning tasks that keep your store sparkling and appealing, without dirt, grime, and disorganization.

Work with Professionals

While you may not know what kind of merchandising your store needs to succeed, a team of professionals that do this every day will be able to lead you in the right direction. We are committed to transforming great ideas into even greater examples of the finest quality merchandising equipment while maximizing the visual impact of our customers’ products.

Ready to start talking about your next merchandising project? We help drive customer’s brand preferences and ultimately, sales. From concept through distribution, our capabilities are not limited by the medium, retail channel, customer size, or delivery requirements — let’s get started.

Bulk Purchases Continue to Drive Sales at C-Stores. We have merchandising solutions.

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 22:47:00 GMT

The COVID-19 Pandemic has changed many people's buying habits...

Bulk purchasing is up during the pandemic. Research showed that in the third quarter of last year, sales of future-consumption packaged-beverage items were up 14.3%, based on average weekly sales in 2020 relative to 2019. Purchases of seven- to 12-unit and 13-plus unit pack sizes increased by 28% and 18%, respectively, in Q3 2020 compared to Q3 2019. Meanwhile, purchases of two- to six-unit pack sizes declined slightly—by about 1%—during that same time period. (Source: CSP Daily News, read full article here )

To deal with these emerging trends C-Stores need merchandising solutions. PFI has a wide variety of offerings that execute in both primary and secondary display areas in your stores. Promo Platform for bulk beer & soda cases, wire & plastic displays for 2-Liter offerings.

The post Bulk Purchases Continue to Drive Sales at C-Stores. We have merchandising solutions. appeared first on Presence From Innovation (PFI) .

Packaging Trends To Watch In 2021

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 22:13:52 GMT

After spending so much time creating a product, it’s easy to put packaging design on the back burner — but that’s a costly mistake. It’s more important now to pivot your packaging strategy to meet rapidly changing customer demands. To do that, it’s important to know which packaging trends to leverage to help your product stand out.

In fact, 81% of consumers tried something new because the packaging caught their eye, and 63% of consumers purchased a product again because of the packaging’s appearance. Here’s what we’re keeping on our radar.

Protective Packaging

E-commerce is booming, takeout is dominating, and grocery delivery is now standard. Customers want products that are packaged to keep things safe during shipping and protect them from exposure to a virus. This year, packaging needs to be durable enough for shipping.

Think about your current packaging. Does it protect fragile or delicate products from harsh elements? Will it stand up to rough handling? Can it fit into standard-size shipping boxes? If you answered “no” to these questions, it’s time to reevaluate your product packaging.

Convincing Copy

We’re all pretty stressed out and overwhelmed these days, and looking for products that help offer peace of mind. Well-crafted copy on the packaging can offer brand messaging that reassures shoppers; consider tapping into psychology to target emotions and tell the story of your products.

The copy is about as important as the overall design. On a shelf grouped with like products that offer similar industry-standard packaging aesthetics, your copy can be the deciding factor for shoppers to make a purchase decision.

Recyclability and Sustainability

This packaging trend has grown as much in the last year as it has in the few years before that. Consumers are becoming much more aware of how brands support sustainable practices and are choosing to support those that make it clear that their packaging is a part of those practices.

Not only should your packaging be made from recycled materials, but it should also be recyclable. Businesses should work with packaging vendors that also choose to support sustainability. Be transparent about these efforts; it can become a major marketing message to help increase trust with your target market.

Vintage and Retro

Brands that have decades of history are drawing on nostalgia in their packaging, reviving branding from past generations. Logos from yesteryear, vintage color palettes, and even throw-back designs are taking center stage and helping to switch things up and make “old” product lines feel fresh again.

Even newer brands that don’t have years of packaging design to draw inspiration from are looking for retro themes. The purpose of this approach is to trigger an emotional response that drives shoppers to try something new — albeit in old-school packaging.

Immersive and Interactive

Many shoppers are spending much more time online now than ever before and learning how to use innovative tools like AI and augmented reality. This removes barriers for brands that want to create packaging that allows shoppers to interact with it.

For some, this can be a fun novelty, but there are applications of immersive and interactive packaging that are a little more practical. For example, seeing-impaired consumers can scan AI-enabled packages and have information read aloud for accessibility.

Social and Physical Well-being

Both wellness and social initiatives as a focus for consumers have accelerated by the events of the past year. Gen Z potentially has the biggest spending power of many other generations, and they’ve focused more on social justice than others. The pandemic and the rise of remote work have underlined the never-ending quest for work-life balance.

With so many people wanting to live well, stay healthy, and fight social injustice, brands have a unique opportunity to express why their products are a part of that narrative. It’s important, though, to keep packaging authentic to the business’s mission statement.

Custom cardboard packaging must be perfectly designed, sized, and executed, using strength, design, color, and typography to your advantage — especially now, as the world of retail is being turned on its head.

Butler MSI provides custom concept work, design, printing, and construction second to none. Our designs focus, first and foremost, on structural integrity and aesthetic appeal. We work with you at every step of the way, and you receive a full-color prototype before production. When we do our work right, everything lines up to help you sell your product.

Talk to us about your custom packaging needs; let us partner with you on this critical aspect of your marketing. Click here for an information request form.

Merchandising Mistakes to Avoid

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 20:06:00 GMT

Brick-and-mortar retail stores have been facing growing challenges over the past several months. Shoppers are being cautious about in-person purchases, and eCommerce has become ubiquitous — even for consumers that never bought anything online before being faced with a pandemic.

With social distancing, curfew limitations, and occupancy guidelines in place, retail store owners need to do anything in their power to gain an edge. The right merchandising can offer that edge, but the wrong moves can send shoppers running for the competition. Here are the merchandising mistakes you need to avoid, straight from our merchandising experts.

Bad Lighting

You can have the best-looking products and inventory in the world, but if the lighting in your store isn’t great, nobody will give it a second look. Research shows that 70% of shoppers don’t decide on what they want to buy until they’re actually in-store. That stat alone is enough to convince store owners to upgrade their lighting.

As much as the right lighting helps to showcase products and make them appealing for customers, too much of a good thing can be distracting. The point here is to avoid overwhelming or overstimulating shoppers and drawing their eyes away from your inventory.

Distracting Signs

On that note, you don’t want your retail signage to be another distraction from what’s bringing in the revenue. Yes — you absolutely need signs in your store as they attract about 20% more attention when they’re on a merchandising display, but they don’t have to steal the show.

Ensure that signs are clearly worded with bold type, with information that helps to educate and inform shoppers about their purchases. This is not something you want to DIY; handwritten signs look sloppy and unprofessional. Definitely consult with a team that has experience creating signage that converts

Disheveled Shelves

How you allocate shelf space to a product will determine its value to customers. Expensive luxury products would never be thrown together the way less expensive “bargains” would be. The same theory can be applied to how organized your shelves are.

If you’re not giving attention to keeping things straightened, your customers won’t think your inventory is valuable enough to pay the price you’re asking. Be strategic and give high-value items the real estate they deserve on clean, organized shelves that are placed in areas of the store that are easily seen and shopped.

Traffic Jams

If you know that the highway is bumper-to-bumper during rush hour, it makes sense to take a different route. Think about this as you plan the footprint of your merchandising displays; if shoppers now can’t effectively navigate your store, they’ll go elsewhere to make a purchase. (It’s also important to make your store accessible to those with disabilities.)

You need to give customers room to not only move about freely, but also browse displays without feeling cramped. Better yet, make the merchandising displays mobile so you can move them around and switch things up, giving the store a new feel with minimal effort.

Boring, Boring, Boring

On that note, how often do you change out your displays? Do you rotate your products to keep shoppers on their toes while helping them find what they need? Is your signage relevant and interesting? If you don’t have answers to these questions, your merchandising is probably pretty boring.

Ignoring the Experts

You know your business inside and out, but unless your business is merchandising, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to make things more exciting without help from the professionals. We specialize in creating custom injection-molded single-serve coolers to drive impulse purchases at convenience and grocery stores.

We also design and manufacture a variety of specialized retail racks and fixtures made of plastic, wood, metal, or wire. When you’re looking to fix the merchandising mistakes you may be making in your brick-and-mortar store, count on us to provide you with the tools to do that.

We help drive customer’s brand preferences and ultimately, sales. From concept through distribution our capabilities are not limited by the medium, retail channel, customer size, or delivery requirements — let’s start a conversation about transforming your merchandising.

The post Merchandising Mistakes to Avoid appeared first on Presence From Innovation (PFI) .

C-Store Testimonial – Huck’s Market Washington, In.

Fri, 11 Dec 2020 20:30:00 GMT

Reimagining the Cold Vault

Huck’s is in the process of remodeling existing and opening new stores. They wanted to partner with an experienced company like Presence From Innovation (PFI). Who can provide a “One-Stop-Shop” solution for their Cold Vault Merchandising needs and assist in providing a destination for their customers.

When the decision was made to include PFI products in their new Washington, Indiana location, many aspects of the operation were fair game for a new look. "We wanted to look for a one-stop solution for our Cold Vault Merchandising" said Jon Bunch, Director of Marketing and Business Development for Huck's. "Instead of piecing various products together from different providers and companies we partnered with PFI to find the best solution for us".

Making an impact in the Cold Vault

"With our partnership with PFI we settled on four of what I think are amazing products, that is Cool Glide 20/20, C21 Shelving, Retail Shelving, and the Stockmaster Inventory Management System." - Jon Bunch.

The Combination of PFI’s: Cool Glide 20/20, innovative C21 Shelving System, Stockmaster Inventory Management System, and Retail Shelving creates a perfect solution for Huck’s growth going forward. Creating a return on investment (ROI) system that pays for itself in a very short time!

To learn more about our offering for C-Stores visit our C-Store page .

Holiday Shopping Season Prep Tips

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 22:13:17 GMT

This year, the holiday shopping season will be much different for retailers than it ever has been. Shopping behavior, supply chain issues, and social distancing measures have all created huge challenges for brick-and-mortar stores, and it’s important to keep this all in mind as we head into one of the biggest revenue-makers for physical retailers. This year, more than ever, it’s important to think outside the box and create new ways of preparing stores for new ways of shopping.

Efficiency Is Key

Your customers are looking for a streamlined shopping experience, spending as little time as possible in-store looking for what they need. Shoppers will avoid lines or busy stores and will think about how they travel through the aisles and plan for their trip inside. Merchandising displays should be clearly labeled, optimized for grab-and-go shopping, and spaced apart to maintain social distancing. Add point-of-sale displays for impulse buys or quick last-minute purchases that are close to the checkout register. Take it a step further and offer appointments for shoppers who want some peace of mind that they won’t have to stand in line or lack space to pick up their items.

Double Down On Marketing

If you haven’t already started rolling out your holiday marketing campaigns, what are you waiting for? Shoppers are getting a major jump-start this year, and your messages need to reflect that to stand out from the competition. Use social media and email content to educate shoppers about the special measures you’ve taken to keep them safe in your store, any discounts or incentives, and even post-holiday sales and specials for those who received a gift card or need to make returns. Give your brand visibility that helps it stand out during a time when consumers are being particular about where they spend their money.

Follow Changing Customer Behavior

Because we’re all staying at home much more these days, retailers need to shift their approach to meet the shifting demands of customers. Working from home and virtual school means that needs and interests have changed, and it takes a little research to find out where your core demographic has pivoted. If you’re a retailer that leveraged holiday gatherings and parties in the past, you’ll need to take a different approach with your merchandising displays and marketing messages. Instead, help customers create new traditions based on at-home experiences.

Dive Into Digital

If you offer eCommerce options in addition to the physical retail experience, now is the time to get your website in top shape. Work with an expert to ensure everything is working as it should, there are no technical glitches, your location information is correct, and visitors have the phone number or email address they need to get in touch. While you’re at it, take a look at your business social media accounts and look to see that contact info is correct and hours of operation are clear and updated in real-time. Add images of the inside of your store to assure shoppers that you’re taking the proper social distancing precautions and merchandising with efficiency and safety in mind. Both new and returning customers are likely to head online first to do their research before showing up in person, and you want to increase the odds they’ll choose you over the competition.

Remember Your Return Policy

Returns have always been a big part of the holiday shopping season. Make your return policy clear and concise, and share it widely on your website, inside the store, and throughout your social media content. In the past, these policies have been quite lenient around the holiday shopping season, but many retailers have opted to prohibit all or many items from being returned due to health and safety issues. If this is the case for your store, you certainly don’t want to lose repeat customers based on the confusion surrounding something like returns.

The bottom line is that your physical retail store needs to work harder than ever to offer new and returning customers an incentive to choose you over brick-and-mortar or eCommerce competitors. Taking a fresh and proactive approach to merchandising is crucial this holiday season takes some work, but that work is well worth the ROI for retailers — and we can help. It’s not too late to add merchandising and product displays to your store that drive revenue and support your overall holiday shopping strategy; our award-winning design services help you make an impact.

Holiday Merchandising During COVID-19

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 21:47:00 GMT

While this holiday shopping season is set to be much different for retailers than years past, research shows that many of your customers are still planning to shop in person and spend as much (if not more) than they did last year. That means that retailers must do everything they can to increase margins and recover from the losses caused by the pandemic, and that starts with optimizing the holiday merchandising process.

Start With Data

Tap into your point-of-sale software and look at the trends. Focus specifically on your most popular products and brands or the commonly purchased SKUs, along with overall categories. Shopper demands have changed drastically in the past months and trends will reflect that; make sure you’re fully aware of which direction those trends are moving. Consider which items in your inventory you should be prioritizing and promoting in order to meet those shopper demands and keep those central to your merchandising efforts.

Push What’s Popular

While numbers may show that projected revenue won’t drop much, what shoppers are buying this holiday season will reflect what’s currently happening in the world. For example, there’s been a steep rise of working and learning from home, and holiday gatherings and get-togethers have been canceled. Highlight the products in your stores that make it easier and more comfortable to celebrate from the safety of your shoppers’ own homes, and underscore the importance of those products with merchandising displays that echo that sentiment.

Merchandise Strategically

Once you have a better picture of which items in your store are helping to drive revenue, reconsider your store plan and layout — with social distancing in mind, of course. Swap out smaller, less accessible merchandising displays for those with more shelf space for larger volumes of products that you know are more popular, and will sell well based on the data you’ve collected. Don’t overwhelm shoppers with clutter; the key is to help them find what they want the most as quickly and easily as possible.

Keep It Safe and Healthy

The same survey mentioned above also offered some revealing insight about what your customers will be expecting from an in-store experience. They don’t want to stand in long lines or travel through busy stores for health and safety reasons, which means retailers should take extra steps to offer peace of mind. Promote social distancing with queue corrals and minimize high-touch merchandising displays that could make it hard to clean and disinfect the store.

Don’t Forget the Signage

Using signage helps inform anyone entering about any changes to hours of operations and communicate important reminders about new rules. Floor decals and aisle markers help direct the flow of traffic safely throughout the store. Signage can also supplement merchandising displays and educate shoppers about new items or brands that are holiday-specific or seasonal, minimizing face-to-face interactions with employees and boosting product awareness.

Get Digital

Many shoppers will head online to learn more about a retailer, so give them what they want before they step foot inside. Post photos on the business website and social media accounts of the holiday merchandising displays and offer gift ideas in the posts. Create “themes” like stocking stuffers or home office must-haves, and let customers know exactly where in the store they can find the items to streamline their shopping trip.

Watch Your Inventory

Supply chain issues have created quite a headache for retailers, which means they have to carefully track inventory and be proactive to avoid selling out of the items customers want the most. Using inventory and shelving systems means retailers can stock up and have popular items on hand in back rooms and storage areas while also offering an at-a-glance look at inventory levels for ordering purposes.

Leverage Impulse Buys

For all those customers that plan ahead and start holiday shopping early, there are as many who wait until the last possible moment to grab that perfect gift. Make it easier and quicker for them to live on the edge by using point-of-sale (POS) and point-of-purchase (POP) merchandising displays close to the cash register so they can get in and out — even if it’s under the wire.

This holiday season, optimized merchandising, highlighting health and safety, and creating a stellar in-store experience will be key for retailers of all sizes and across all industries. Get in touch with our team to learn how we can help make that happen!

COVID-19 Queue Safety

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 19:15:00 GMT

COVID-19 has forced retailers to rethink customer safety...

With social distancing guidelines in effect across the country many retailers have had to pivot to make checkout safer. One popular trend that has emerged is linking multiple merchandising displays together to create a "checkout corral". You might have seen something similar to this at TJ Maxx and Michael's Craft Stores pre-COVID, but we are starting to see this solution implemented in grocery stores and supermarkets. It's easy to see why - it accomplishes two goals: allows customers to spread out more and it provides a new opportunity to merchandise product.

For this solution to work best displays need to be mobile, low profile and able to merchandise a variety of product. Our Wingmate Wood Racks are especially useful for this function as we have two low profile versions that offer a premium merchandising solution with branding options. You can link them together for forming a queuing corral or use them individually around your store.

Summer Sale 2020

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 21:43:00 GMT

20% Off Wire Racks and Endcaps

It's our biggest sale of the year! COVID-19 has had a huge impact on everyone's bottom line. As business starts to pick back up with summer travel and people getting out more we are slashing prices on our standard Wire Racks and Endcaps*. All sale items are in-stock and can be shipped to you in time for summer sales.

Must order by August 31st to get these prices!

Use promo code: PFISUMMER

*Promotion is based on inventory while supplies last

The post Summer Sale 2020 appeared first on Presence From Innovation (PFI) .

Post-COVID Signage Tips

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 22:12:42 GMT

After facing a long period of working hard to flatten the curve, we’re now faced with the equally challenging task of reopening our schools, businesses, and workspaces safely while also promoting health and well-being. There’s no shortage of strategies to make this happen, and each situation should take a customized approach based on the facility and how it’s being used, but one thing is universal: signage is crucial.

The “new normal” of using public space means wayfinding graphics and instructions that are implemented to help navigate throughout buildings to help with social distancing, personal hygiene, and overall infection control standards. Ideally, this signage should put everyone at ease and offer peace of mind. Working with a team of professionals to follow the best practices below can help a great deal.

Think About Messaging

Visitors to your facility are already facing a great amount of stress. Retail customers, staff, students at school, and employees have all been through an extensive period of adjustment, and the last thing you want your signage to do is scare or worry them. Write instructions and other information in supportive, informative ways.

Go beyond the copy, too. Choose color palettes carefully and consider how your typography can welcome readers to follow important safety guidelines instead of creating a sense of alarm with bright, jarring colors and harsh lettering. Now, more than ever, visitors to your building need a human touch after working remotely or avoiding your store and spending months at home isolated.

Enhance the Experience

Don’t lose sight of how the right signage can enhance the experience visitors have as they travel through your building. Start by empathizing with them: What do they need from you as a business owner? How are they feeling about returning to school? Will they need guidance from managers and leaders to return to work? Keep in mind their journey starts the minute they leave home.

The signage around them should work hard to sync up with that experience. Even if they can’t be physically close to store employees or coworkers, the signage surrounding them should portray warmth which could be a good substitution. Let them know you care about their well-being and safety, and build a sense of camaraderie that recognizes we’re all in the same water while piloting different boats.

Consider Communication

Don’t just stop at signage. Reinforce new guidelines and updated protocols that you share in your signs by launching a digital campaign to go along with it. Use your store’s social media accounts to let followers know that you’re open with protections in place, and what they can expect when they return to shop. Send out company-wide newsletters with messaging that repeats what employees will see in the office.

Supplement all of this with print collateral that you can send to customers, employees, staff, and students at home, where they’re sheltering in place to keep their community safe. In an era where being in physical spaces with others can be a little scary, it helps to return to a sense of normalcy with tangible pieces of branding.

Bolster Your Branding

Your branding elements are a big part of other signage you use; this is no exception. Add your logo with the protocols you’re putting in place to help build a psychological connection. If your school has a mascot, use that. Include company taglines and clever copy to show that there’s an actual human element to the signage.

Your building will look and feel vastly different now than it did the last time visitors were there, but showing them they can depend on you to help everyone continue safely while keeping them healthy is of the utmost importance. Using cohesive branding can be the glue that holds all of these new policies and procedures together and makes them easier to follow.

Now more than ever, retail signage is one of the most pivotal aspects of marking your brand. It’s also taken on the additional role of protecting visitors who are entering your space after months of uncertainty. Your first and most important goal: Communicate with your customers, staff, and students as they start to build new routines and meet them where they are on their journey to do this. Reach out to our team; we’ll apply our years of expertise and experience creating retail signage to help develop post-COVID signage that gets everyone back on track quickly and safely.

Importance of Point of Purchase Displays

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 17:08:00 GMT

Brick-and-mortar retail stores have been facing mounting competition over the years as eCommerce brands have grown exponentially. It’s been harder for small, local businesses to keep up and keep their doors open, and owners have been looking for tools and resources to help gain an edge.

One of these strategies includes optimizing point of purchase (POP) displays. POP displays are the foundation of retail merchandising, and one of the most important steps you can take to set your store apart and create a streamlined shopping experience. There’s a long list of advantages for implementing POP displays — below are just a few.

Showcasing Products

What your customers see when they first enter your store will leave a lasting impression that either draws them in further or pushes them out and to a competitor. POP displays can highlight products in ways that prompt shoppers to follow through with their purchase. When they’re created with intention, POP displays can act like a neon sign that says “BUY ME!”

Have a new product line you want to advertise? Are you carrying seasonal items that you know shoppers are looking for? Do you want to create convenience for the most sought-after inventory? Point of purchase displays can create a stage of sorts to let these items shine and increase the potential for a sale.

Cost Efficiency

Small businesses have notoriously small margins, and that’s especially true now more than ever as owners struggle to keep doors open amid constantly shifting reopening schedules and social distancing guidelines. There’s no shortage of investments you can make for your store, but point of purchase designs can offer a huge return on investment.

You have several point of purchase merchandising configurations to choose from, and working with a team of professionals can help you find the right option or create a custom solution that fits your layout, branding, and inventory needs. The right choice can create a stellar customer experience, but a one-size-fits-all approach could feel cold and depersonalized — something that could send shoppers running. Here are a few POP displays we can help your store create:

Personalization and Creativity

Some of your customers know exactly what they want before stepping through your door. Other customers need a little nudge, and then there are some who shop solely based on impulse. When your point of purchase displays are properly designed with creativity in mind, you can help stores and products stand out.

Looking at sales metrics and data that outlines shopping behavior, you can easily understand which products fit into the above categories. You can design displays that entice shoppers to make a purchase, and directly target them with artful messages and cohesive branding that’s in line with inventory and store marketing messages.

Purchasing Decisions

When customers shop online, they have reviews, product videos, and other tools right at their fingertips — but they can’t pick up the products to see how it feels or looks in person, or examine any moving parts that simply can’t be experienced virtually. Optimized POP displays could provide all of the education that a Google search provides while offering a tangible, sensory purchase experience.

Point of purchase displays can also amplify important use instructions or even warnings. Additionally, POP displays can give brands an opportunity to cross-promote other items in the same product line. This has the added time-saving benefit of cutting back on training you may have to provide employees about new products; ultimately this saves your business money in the long run.

Ready to understand how point of purchase displays can help elevate your retail strategy during a time when business owners need it the most? We have helped Fortune 500 companies and small craft businesses to innovate their POP merchandising. Get in touch to find out how we can innovate yours too!

Tips for Designing Product Packaging

Mon, 11 May 2020 22:12:05 GMT

When it comes to investing in custom packaging for your product or brand, it can either be an exciting design process or something that can cause serious stress. Packaging should be attractive and practical. Simply put, packaging can make or break your bottom line.

It doesn’t matter if you’re launching a new brand or updating what you currently have, packaging design is the most important consideration in the process. Not only does the packaging have to protect and help transport your products, but it’s also an important tool to help build your brand and support your overall marketing strategy. Ask (and answer) these questions.

Where is my product sold?

Think about the different ways your product will be sold and the types of brick-and-mortar stores it will be carried in as inventory. Think about this as you prioritize design elements — this should include things like balancing protection with aesthetics depending on your answer. For example, if the product is sold online and needs to be shipped, the packaging should be lightweight and easy to pack to save time and money. In-store shoppers, on the other hand, need a design that catches their eye.

What products are being packaged?

Large items need simple, streamlined boxes while fragile products need room for filler to help protect them. Don’t make the mistake of designing packaging without considering the product, or even the line of products it belongs to. You want a cohesive look across your catalog of inventory for brand visibility purposes.

What branding message should my package send?

Beyond social media or paid advertising, packaging is one of the most effective branding tools you have at your disposal. It needs to be creative, but it also needs to add cohesion to another branding you’ve implemented. Boil your message down to one sentence or a few key phrases and use that to guide your creative design process.

Once you’ve answered those questions, build on a foundation of simplicity. This doesn’t mean your packaging has to be boring, but it does mean the information you share on it should be clear, and the visual design shouldn’t distract customers from knowing exactly what you’re selling. That being said, you also need to find a way to stand out from the competition and showcase how your brand is unique. Make your logo visible so shoppers can recognize your brand at the outset, and use thematic design to tie into your marketing.

Ultimately, your packaging needs to tell a story. Now more than ever, your shoppers look online for information before making a purchase. They’re also sharing their thoughts and pictures of your product and packaging on social media. Make sure your design is something you’d be proud to show off online and off and makes sense when compared to other product packaging you currently have. This is the age of influencers, and your packaging needs to stand out in oversaturated social media feeds.

Don’t overlook the sustainability of your packaging choices either — especially when it’s intended for large, bulky items. Regardless of your organization’s mission and industry, customers are increasingly interested in brands that make eco-friendly choices, right down to their packaging. “Greening” your design can mean using recyclable materials or creating something that can be reused or repurposed to complement the product.

To make all of this work as a successful packaging design process, you need to work with experienced partners who have the experience and expertise to turn your vision into a reality.

Custom cardboard packaging must be perfectly designed, sized, and executed, using strength, design, color, and typography to your advantage. Custom boxes not only make it easier to package your product attractively for the customer, but they also give your brand attention as they move through the shipping process. And when the box is attractive and functional, the consumer may even keep it to use for other purposes.

Butler MSI provides custom concept work, design, printing, and construction second to none. Our designs focus, first and foremost, on structural integrity and aesthetic appeal. We work with you every step of the way, and you receive a full-color prototype before production. When we do our work right, everything lines up to help you sell your product.

We pride ourselves on superlative customer service and relentless attention to detail. Our fulfillment department has the capacity and employee expertise to efficiently move your product from production to final shipment. Talk to us about your custom packaging needs; let us partner with you on this critical aspect of your marketing. Click here for an information request form.

Protecting Employees on the Job

Mon, 11 May 2020 16:47:00 GMT

While we have worked hard to “flatten the curve” during the spread of COVID-19, the truth is that brick-and-mortar retail stores are working hard to keep that curve flat while also protecting employees. Whether your business is considered essential or not, your employees are your best asset — and you need to take steps to show how much you value them.

Check Out Shields

Social distancing guidelines suggest that people need to keep at least 6 feet apart, but that’s easier said than done for cashiers in places like grocery or convenience stores. You may have already seen variations of “sneeze guards” at a buffet or salad bar, but check-out shields are a bigger, better version that are much safer. They can be made out of a number of materials, but polycarbonate and glass are easy to clean and disinfect. Shields can be permanent or temporary and tailored to fit any size check-out area.

Face Masks

Although masks have been somewhat of a controversial topic, it’s becoming increasingly clear that they work to prevent spreading air-born particles. Non-surgical-grade masks are being strongly recommended for everyone, but especially for employees who are exposed to high-traffic workplaces. Making masks available for every work shift drastically mitigates risk for your entire staff. Face shields are another tool that you can add to your protective equipment options for workers and can be used in healthcare settings along with medical-grade PPE.

Thermometers

Temperature checks are becoming common practice in the workplace as they can easily detect fever, one of the most common signs of illness. Infrared scanner thermometers can take a reading without contact and are suitable for all ages. With many illnesses, coronavirus included, a fever can come on suddenly. Checks throughout the workday can catch a problem before it becomes serious. These scans are also being implemented in a few places to check shoppers before they enter the store, helping protect staff further.

Decals & Aisle Invaders

Regulations in many locations limit the number of shoppers that stores can allow in at a time; it’s a safety measure that helps reduce employee exposure to potential illness. Store layouts have also been changed to help support social distancing. This requires wayfinding and signage that help educate customers on store policies regarding these safety measures. Adding informative decals on the floor and doors means that questions about best practices can be answered and interaction with store staff is minimal. Aisle invaders are on-shelf signage that can supplement decals.

Shelf Easels & Barkers

As the supply chain continues to feel the impact of a global crisis, inventory may be hard to come by. Stores are limiting the purchase of some items in order to ensure that everyone has access to what they need, and shelf easels are large and great for bulky or large item displays. Shelf barkers do the same thing, but in a smaller format for more compact areas of your store. They’re perfect for conveying information about purchase limits, restocking dates, and price changes. Again, the goal with this addition to your store means that shopper questions about stock are easily answered without having to track down an employee and risk infringing on suggested social distancing.

Crowd Management Barriers

Occupancy limits and other best practices mean that lines and crowds may form as shoppers wait for their turn, presenting a risk. Barriers, in conjunction with signage, can help manage crowds and remind everyone that it’s best to keep some distance. This frees up store employees from having to personally deal with these crowds and mitigate their exposure risk. It’s an economical and practical multi-purpose tool that can be used in other areas of the store as well.

Ultimately, you’ll need to consult with business, local, and federal guidelines along with OSHA suggestions to better know how you can upfit your retail store to help protect your employees. It’s not only the ethical thing to do, your business will garner a reputation of valuing safety and health — something that will also benefit your bottom line.

During this critical time, we recognize the need for employee and customer safety. Our Personal Protective Equipment offerings are designed to keep employees and customers safe. These solutions are socially responsible and easy to implement in all retail environments. Reach out to us today for more information. Request a Covid-19 Solutions Catalog for our full product offering! Items are available to ship on short lead times.

Tips for Better Retail Signage

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 22:11:12 GMT

Tips for Better Retail Signage. Think about this: what would happen to your profit margins if you increased the average sales of customers who already shop in your store on a regular basis? It’s no secret that brick-and-mortar retail stores are fighting for customer’s attention as the eCommerce boom continues. Store owners must do everything they can to increase revenue and ensure success, and that includes optimizing retail signage strategies.

Enhance Customer Experience

Retail signage is first and foremost a communication tool to help show the value of a product to your customers. It needs to be informational, and persuasive, and tempt them to choose your store over the competition. These signs can be inside the store, pointing to products, or outside of the store to attract shoppers to come in and shop. Either way, they need to be clear, and concise, and support branding (online and off) that already exists. The goal is to connect with customers on an emotional level and create an experience they’ll want to come back for.

Location Matters

From the outset, location strategy may seem easy — but there are some nuances you’ll need to think about before choosing where to place signage. Exterior signage should work like a real-world ad that’s working for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Choose a placement that is easy to see in an area that won’t be obstructed by parked cars or even glare from the sun or streetlights. Interior placement should be placed at eye level and shouldn’t impede customers’ movement throughout the store or ability to pick up products.

Don’t Ignore Design

Once you’ve chosen placement, you need to focus on getting the design right.

Be specific: Signage should include specific details, whether you’re helping customers find their way around the store or informing them about a product. This is what’s known in the retail world as narrowcasting — having the right message in the right place.
Keep it simple: If a customer can’t get the message you’re trying to send in 5 seconds, your sign is too long. Fine-tune your sign or create more than one if you’re trying to convey a longer message that would take longer than 5 seconds to comprehend.
Structure your copy: Just like effective social media posts require a killer caption, so too does your signage. You need a headline, explanatory text, and finally, a call to action in order to give shoppers all of the information they need to make a decision.

Consistency is Key

While it can be tempting to think that out-of-the-box images or messages may capture your customer’s attention, the signage inside your store should be consistent. Think about your logo colors and fonts, any ads you run, and even your digital marketing strategy. Connect all the dots to create signs that lead directly back to the overall message you work hard to send to customers. That way, you’ll become a familiar brand that shoppers will grow to trust.

Size It Right

Bigger is not always better, especially when it comes to retail signage. Think about the message and the placement when selecting the right size for your signs. While the message should be large enough to read, it can’t block aisles or overshadow products. Too small, and it could be easy to ignore. Direction signs — like those that lead customers to cash registers — should be big and bold, helping to eliminate any confusion that could prevent them from making a purchase.

Quality is a Priority

Retail signage is one of the most critical, pivotal aspects of marketing your product. Butler MSI understands this; since 1926, we have provided sophisticated branding in the form of retail signs to everyone from small companies to large, Fortune 100 industries. We pride ourselves on superlative customer service and relentless attention to detail. Our breadth of in-house design and manufacturing capabilities position us to be a low-cost producer and effectively compete for your business. Let us fulfill your retail signage needs, and show you just how well it can be done.

Retail Merchandising Tips to Grow Your Business

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 20:04:00 GMT

Retail Merchandising Tips

Retail Merchandising Tips. There’s no shortage of advice out there that will help your retail business grow, but perhaps the most important strategy of all is visual merchandising. It’s one thing to get shoppers through your door, it’s another thing to convince them to make purchases once their inside. The power of optimized virtual merchandising is often overlooked.

Ultimately, your merchandising needs to create an experience that makes your customers want to keep coming back and creates trust and loyalty that you’ll have the products they’re looking for in easy-to-access areas of your store.

Start With Your Brand

Think about what your brand stands for and the message you want to send your target demographic. Use that message to create a story, and tell that story throughout your branding, marketing, and merchandising. Product selection, store layouts, and display designs should all be an integral part of this story — with the target customer at the center. Put yourself in the shoes of your customer and what you would want to experience while walking through your store.

Floor Plan With a Purpose

The floor plan layout of your store is more important than you may think. You need to achieve a few goals here: Optimize existing space and provide an accessible path for customers to easily navigate through your product displays. Start where the customers start — at the front — and work your way back. Avoid cluttering the first 15 feet at your store entrance to make a great first impression and remember that shoppers naturally move from right to left.

Organize Products Logically

It’s not enough to simply put products where there’s space. Stick with your story and build merchandising displays around that so customers can make a mental connection to your brand every time they shop at your store. Group products logically and get creative, but don’t stray too much as to confuse shoppers or make it hard to find what they’re looking for.

Engage the Senses

While shoppers start their journey with their eyes, it’s not enough to engage only one of their senses. Add music to enhance the experience, especially if it’s seasonal (think Christmas) or popular tunes that your customers tend to like. Don’t overlook the power of scent, either. Research shows that 75% of emotions are triggered by smell , and that goes for good scents and bad odors alike.

Keep Placement Strategic

The longer a customer moves throughout your store looking for products the more tired and frustrated they’ll become. Merchandise new, trendy, or best-selling items towards the front of the store when shoppers have the most interest in their surroundings. Optimize average purchase amounts by placing lower-priced or sale items towards the back, so even the bargain hunters are more likely to pick up full-priced items early on in their shopping trip.

Rotate Regularly

Rotate displays every few weeks to ensure that you’re regularly showing fresh, new, and high-value products. This is also a great way to change things up during holidays or seasonal selling periods. You can also use display rotations to experiment and test out-of-the-box ideas without committing to permanent display changes. This is almost like A/B testing, and if your first plan doesn’t work, you can easily switch things out and try something else.

Supplement with Signage

Once you’ve figured out the store layout and created a merchandising plan, think about how you can increase sales by adding signs that better identify key areas of your store. Keep them clear and simple to help highlight promotions or products that will boost profit margins. The right signage near the cash register can even boost impulse purchases, which can also help your bottom line grow and keep your business thriving.

Consider Quality

For your merchandising strategy to truly help your business grow, it’s important to work with a partner that understands your vision and can help create displays that bring your store to life. Look for a company that has experience across industries and can create custom items with branding consistency that tick off all the boxes.

We help drive customer’s brand preferences and ultimately, sales. From concept through distribution our capabilities are not limited by medium, retail channel, customer size or delivery requirements. We are committed to transforming great ideas into even greater examples of the finest quality merchandising equipment while maximizing the visual impact of our customers’ products. When you’re ready to grow your retail business, get in touch with our team.

Boosting Holiday Sales with Merchandising

Fri, 15 Nov 2019 22:10:28 GMT

Boosting Holiday Sales with Merchandising

Boosting Holiday Sales with Merchandising. While a lot of press is focused on e-commerce sales around the holidays, in-store sales accounted for about 80% of holiday shopping purchases in 2018. If you’re a brick-and-mortar retail business, you may not be surprised at that stat.

Because this “Golden Quarter” (Q4) is full of prime shopping weeks, it’s a good idea to start planning now to see huge success through the holiday shopping season and well into the new year.

Start with a holiday merchandising plan

The majority of retailers have noticed that there’s a direct connection between good merchandising and a boost in sales. So you shouldn’t head into this crazy shopping season without a solid plan that you write down and stick to. With the right approach, you can even use this plan all year long and recycle some of the merchandising displays. Having a plan can also keep everyone on the same page, even when things hit peak chaos.

Include all your shoppers in your merchandising plan

If you think that the only holiday you need to consider is Christmas, you could be missing out on connecting with a huge audience. The truth is that several shopping events are happening throughout the season. Of course, there’s Thanksgiving and Black Friday — these are great opportunities to make conversions. Here is a list of holidays in December that you need to include in your merchandising plan:

Cyber Monday 12/2
Hanukkah 12/22–12/30
Christmas Eve and Christmas 12/24–12/25
Kwanzaa 12/26–1/1
New Year’s Eve 12/31

Consider your store layout

When harried holiday shoppers are in a rush to find the perfect gift, they want to find it fast. Optimize the space you have by placing the best-selling items where customers will see them the easiest. This is also a great time to make the most of your point-of-sale merchandising displays to boost impulse buys.

Think about the bigger picture

Sure, merchandising can help increase overall sales, but what will it take to implement your plan? Don’t overlook the extra payroll cost that may come up as a result of scheduling more employees to help make your plan work. Get your entire team on the same page and keep them informed every step of the way. Communication is key!

Take offline merchandising online

It may seem counterintuitive to share your in-store merchandising efforts online, but doing so can help create a “buzz” about your store that shoppers won’t be able to resist sharing on social media. Think about creating displays that look amazing on Instagram, develop a custom hashtag, and share calls-to-action in your digital marketing that invites traffic in to see your hard work.

Remember the customers!

Fabulous merchandising that helps grow revenue is great, but your customers always come first. Think beyond just highlighting products with your displays; you can also use them to educate, inform, and redirect shoppers that visit your store, adding to the overall customer experience that keeps them coming back even after the holidays are over.

Refresh holiday merchandising displays frequently

Even with the best plan of action, merchandising doesn’t always help sell a product. If you notice that certain items are slow-moving, change them out. The last thing you want is your store merchandising to get stale, or have unpopular items taking up prime real estate. Think about refreshing every Monday, after you’ve taken a look at the previous week’s sales.

Provide customers with convenience

Holiday shoppers are laser-focused on their mission when they enter your store, and they often have little time to complete that mission. Keep similar items merchandised together or even bundle like items so customers can get in, get what they need, and get out with little frustration. Don’t make displays too overwhelming or confusing, or even too distracting for people to understand exactly what it is you’re selling.

Appeal to emotions

Everyone is pretty emotional during the holidays, whether it’s stress, excitement, or nostalgia. Target all of these emotions with your merchandising! Pulling at your customers’ heartstrings could be an easy way to make a connection — and make a sale. Tell a story with your merchandising!

Once you develop your holiday merchandising plan, it’s time to work with a partner that has the experience to help you make the most of this hugely lucrative Golden Quarter.

Relentless attention to quality within and throughout our manufacturing processes, innovative merchandising designs and concepts, and a firm commitment to our customers sets us apart. From short run to high volume, we handle everything from award-winning design to complete packaged fulfillment and logistics solutions — get in touch!

Retail Merchandising Trends to Watch in 2020

Fri, 15 Nov 2019 17:09:00 GMT

Retail Merchandising Trends to Watch in 2020

Retail Merchandising Trends to Watch in 2020. It can be easy to think that e-commerce is a monolith and a force that brick-and-mortar retailers are reckoning with. While there’s truth to the exponential growth of online shopping, there are still plenty of ways to gain a competitive edge over those big digital brands — starting with optimized merchandising. Making the most of merchandising means understanding the trends that shape the way customers shop and what they’re looking for when they travel your aisles.

Take a look at some of the trends that are shaping the way retailers approach merchandising, marketing, and more.

Bring the outdoors in

Sustainability is a big deal across the board these days, and customers want to know that the stores they’re visiting and the items they’re buying are truly as eco-friendly as claimed. Use merchandising displays and strategies that help support the sustainability initiatives of the vendors who trust you to help boost their bottom line.

Tap into the senses

While many shoppers head online for a quick purchase, brick-and-mortar stores have a distinct advantage that e-Commerce shops don’t: Customers can use all of their senses when they walk in your door. Leverage that distinction by creating merchandising displays that give shoppers an all-senses experience that keeps them coming back.

Create a “store within a store”

Brand collaborations have contributed to this growing trend, with pop-up style curated collections showing up in bigger stores. It’s a great way for brands (especially new ones) to present themselves to a captive audience who’s already in a spending mood. It’s also a smart idea for stores that are still undecided on working with a potential vendor.

Make merchandising educational

It’s no longer enough for your merchandising displays to hold product. Customers are increasingly looking to be engaged and educated while shopping, and signage on merchandising is a great way to do that. Add creative new ways to use the product, its origin story, or even suggestions for complementary products in your store.

Blending online and offline

Even if you’re not selling online with an e-Commerce channel, there are several ways to bridge the divide between digital and brick-and-mortar — many customers are looking for experiences in both arenas. Create merchandising displays that shoppers will love to share on social media, giving your store an even broader audience.

Calling customers to action

Sometimes making a sale takes a bit more prompting and prodding than good merchandise and a stellar product. Sometimes shoppers need a nudge to “pick up” a product or “try it now.” These calls to action are, of course, a great tool in digital marketing, but they’re also trending as popular and effective in the visual merchandising world. Include these CTAs in your signage.

Merchandising goes minimalist

Shoppers have seemingly endless options for any one product, but that doesn’t mean you should include them all in your merchandising plan. Because e-Commerce stores are generally easy to navigate, recent insight shows that shoppers are increasingly looking for minimalism in-store. Reducing the number of options and having a smaller, more curated collection helps customers make buying decisions easier and without as much stress.

Digging into data

The d-word (data!) is everywhere in retail, so why shouldn’t you use it to your advantage when developing your merchandising strategy? It’s likely you’re already using software that will give you the data you need to optimize product placement, and you’ll see even more tech tools and innovation you can use in the coming months to help you do that.

Moving the merchandising

Retail trends move at the speed of light, that’s no secret. What’s working now may not work in 2020, even though some trends (see above!) are here to stay. By creating portable merchandising displays, your products can ebb and flow with those trends and best follow shopping habits for ultimate product optimization.

Regardless of the retail trends that come and go, capitalizing on them won’t do much good if you don’t invest in high-quality merchandising displays. With PFI we help you win more sales through innovation and excellence in the delivery of custom branded merchandising systems. We help drive our customer’s brand preferences and ultimately, sales. From concept through distribution our capabilities are not limited by medium, retail channel, customer size or delivery requirements.

We are committed to transforming great ideas into even greater examples of the finest quality merchandising equipment while maximizing the visual impact of our customers’ products. Let’s talk about transforming your store, and starting the new year out ahead of the trend curve!

Why Gravity Feed Racks are an Effective Merchandising Solution for Your Store

Tue, 15 Oct 2019 21:10:00 GMT

Gravity Feed Racks are an Effective Merchandising Solution

Gravity Feed Racks are an Effective Merchandising Solution. Retail locations have a need for a variety of display fixtures. This is especially true for convenience stores that feature a range of products that need to be easily accessible for shoppers who are looking for a quick in and out experience. When considering the different display options, you’re likely to come across a merchandising solution called gravity feed racks . Let’s learn more about the design and function of gravity feed racks and how they can enhance the customer experience in your store.

What Are Gravity Feed Racks?

Gravity feed racks are merchandising units that feature sloped shelving. As a customer removes an item from a gravity feed rack, the merchandise behind it naturally falls forward and fills the vacant spot. The design and flow of the unit allows gravity to bring products forward without the need to constantly re-merchandise the shelving.

Advantages of Gravity Feed Racks

Gravity feed racks work best for fast moving merchandise that glides along easily with the flow of the gravity fed unit. Think along the lines of soft drinks or convenience snacks. These units are less effective for “soft” merchandise without rigid, smooth packaging.

For the right merchandise, gravity feed racks provide numerous benefits. This type of display option is ideal for merchandise that should be sold by date. Gravity feed racks make it difficult for the customer to grab an item from further back on the shelving unit and encourages them to instead take the item in front. This is very adventitious for merchandise that includes short term expiration dates, such as dairy products.

Gravity feed racks also help to streamline your merchandising efforts. In busy retail locations, employees don’t have the luxury of constantly being able to roam the aisles, pull merchandise forward or stock shelves. Gravity feed racks ensure that your shelves look full and that product is well represented, even when the flow of business prevents you from spending time in the aisles.

Gravity feed racks are also easy for the customer to shop. It’s frustrating for customers to see a product in the back of a shelf and not be able to reach it. It also presents a liability issue for your business if that customer attempts to climb on the rack to reach the merchandise. Gravity feed racks keep your merchandise accessible and prevent dangerous accidents from occurring in your store.

What to Look for In Gravity Feed Merchandising Solutions

Gravity feed racks are almost always appropriate for retail locations like grocery and convenience stores. A well-designed gravity feed rack is a space saving merchandising solution that also provides high density storage and reduces the time spent on merchandising your store. A quality gravity feed rack should be constructed of durable materials that allow for merchandise to flow smoothly into position.

The type of product being merchandised should be taken into consideration when choosing your gravity feed racks. Ideally, your racks should be designed specifically to hold merchandise of specific size and weight. For instance, you’ll need a larger, more durable rack if you want to merchandise larger, 2-liter soft drink bottles.

Learn More About Gravity Feed Racks for Your Retail Location

If you’d like to learn more about how gravity feed racks can enhance the merchandising of your retail location, PFI can help. We offer a full range of custom and pre-built merchandising solutions, including gravity feed racks to meet the merchandising demands of your store. Contact PFI today to learn more.

Merchandising tips to help retail stores grow revenue

Thu, 15 Aug 2019 22:09:59 GMT

Merchandising tips to help retail stores grow revenue. We live in a world where anyone can click a few buttons and get what they want delivered directly to their doorstep. So it’s more important than ever for retail stores to create a shopping experience to rival that of any website and that offers the instant gratification that even overnight shipping can’t offer.

While you can’t prevent all your shoppers from going online, there are plenty of steps retail business owners can take to help grow their businesses. Aside from making sure that all of your employees are offering stellar customer service, you can optimize the merchandising and displays in your store to help encourage shoppers to stay longer, spend more, and build loyalty to your brand.

Aim for space. Grid, loop, and free-flow layouts are all common and popular in retail stores, but whatever you decide on, make sure shoppers have clear aisles and plenty of room to maneuver bigger carts that can hold more items. Allow for a “decompression zone” that gives shoppers room to assess the store layout as soon as they walk in; avoid merchandising within the first few feet of the front door.

Merchandise for loyalty — and surprise. If you carry items that customers shop for the most, put them in the back of the store to keep them walking the aisles longer instead of running in and out. Showcase unusual inventory in a way that will surprise first-time visitors, too, and make sure your merchandising and signage highlight new products to get all customers excited to buy from your store.

Remember that people shop as they drive. Customers usually walk into a store and take a right turn, much like how drivers operate here in the US. It’s also natural to use our eyes to scan from side to side instead of looking up and down, much like we do when we operate in traffic. Keep vertical displays under about 2 feet wide so shoppers can take it all in at once.

Placement is everything. Bending over to find an item or asking an employee to help reach a product could prevent shoppers from wanting to look for items. Make sure you’re merchandising between knee and eye level so shoppers can find exactly what they’re looking for. Save wall space up high for signage, and place slow-moving inventory exactly where people can see it first — at eye level.

Don’t worry about perfection. While perfectly aligned rows of items may look nice, shoppers may be afraid to pick up products and “mess up” your merchandising. Keep this in mind when placing items on the sales floor, and also when you’re choosing merchandising displays. Even the flashiest display could turn off customers if they’re afraid of ruining the aesthetics of your store.

Educate and inform with displays. Finding an employee who can answer questions about inventory can intimidate and even stress out shoppers, tying up resources that could be spent on other business processes or customers. Use merchandising displays to give customers the information they need to make a purchase decision, like prices, ingredients, and special features.

Keep it together. Merchandise like items together so customers can get everything they may need while they’re shopping inside the store. This reduces shopper frustration and helps build loyalty and familiarity with your store’s inventory and layout.

And keep it clean. All of the most amazing and optimized merchandising layouts and displays mean nothing if they’re dusty, dirty, and poorly maintained. How you take care of your store is a direct reflection of how you take care of your customers.

Check out your check-out area. Keep your checkout area tidy and uncluttered so customers can place products, purses, and other shopping bags on top for convenience and ease of shopping. Don’t overlook the importance of using point-of-sale merchandising to help upsell customers and boost your bottom line.

Switch it up. Take a close look at weekly sales and inventory counts so you don’t end up with an empty display and no product to fill it with. Also plan to put newer products up front in new displays, letting your regulars know there’s something special to be paying attention to on this trip to your store.

Looking to use your store merchandising to help grow your profit margins? Along with these tips from our pros, consider investing in custom merchandising displays for your store. From our award-winning design services to printing, assembly, fulfillment, and logistics, we offer a full range of visual merchandising services to retailers who are looking to grow their business and their bottom line.

Learning about POP merchandising display options

Thu, 15 Aug 2019 12:11:00 GMT

Learning about POP merchandising display

Learning about POP merchandising display. “We buy with our eyes.” There’s a reason this adage has been true for years. In the age of growing eCommerce options, it’s especially important for brick-and-mortar retailers to remember this important psychological tip, especially when it comes to point of purchase (POP) displays.

Merchandising your retail store is perhaps one of the most important business strategies you’ll develop. So, it’s crucial to understand your options when it comes to showcasing your products and solidifying your brand in the minds of shoppers.

Below we dive into some of the most common types of POP merchandising displays to help you find retail success. The right partner (like us!) can help customize a solution that meets the unique growth goals your business works hard to exceed.

Gondola displays

These two-sided displays can be adjusted and customized to hold many products. While they are a more expensive option, they are freestanding and can withhold the weight of heavy-duty merchandise. With the right approach, gondola displays can elevate your retail store to a new aesthetic level.

Merchandising coolers

Perfect for food and beverage businesses, these coolers come in all shapes and sizes and improve accessibility and visibility of products. They can help boost impulse buys and maximize refrigeration space in tight layouts and take advantage of seasonal and weather-related marketing campaigns.

Fast Lane displays

Remember: Low-risk + low price = high reward (for your retail store). Place these displays at checkout to tap into last-minute impulse buys. Customers can easily grab conveniently merchandised low-price items like snacks and drinks for the ride home — and boost your store’s bottom line. This is also a great display for cross-merchandising on top of coolers or end caps.

Display racks

Free-standing display racks come in endless options when it comes to size, shape, and finishes. Wire, plastic, and wood are the most common materials. And the fact that they can sit on the sales floor without support provides layout flexibility. Sending an inspiring brand message is one of the best ways to take advantage of merchandising to help boost sales.

Dump bins

Larger dump bins are perfect for merchandising produce in grocery stores, but they can also help move smaller inventory or clearance items. These fixtures can also be customized to match other merchandising decor in your store.

Cold vaults

C-stores are no stranger to the “wall of drinks” that customers flock to, and this merchandising option optimizes space in your store by offering shopping convenience and accessibility. Add features like gravity feeds, and shoppers can find what they’re looking for fast without any hassles.

End Caps

These displays maximize space and prominently display brands that look to stay top-of-mind for shoppers. These displays can be combined with coolers to increase impulse buys at point of purchase. Remember to keep them organized as much as the other shelves in the store for maximum purchase impact.

Recycling receptacles

Large venues like stadiums and theme parks can support sustainability initiatives while delivering a comprehensive brand message with weather-proof displays that encourage recycling. Offering visitors this option can help cut down on facility maintenance and operating costs.

Inventory and shelving

How you organize the back room and excess inventory storage is just as important as how you organize your sales floor. The right strategy can help keep employees safe, streamline restocking, and clarify inventory ordering.

Choosing your POP merchandising display is just as important as any of the other smart business strategies you depend on every day.

We are committed to transforming great ideas into the finest quality merchandising equipment to maximize the visual impact of our customers’ products. We can help you find either pre-built or customized displays to help drive sales and build relationships with your customers.

We have helped Fortune 50 companies and small craft businesses to innovate their POP merchandising. Get in touch to find out how we can innovate yours too!

5 Ways To Improve Your POS Strategy

Mon, 15 Jul 2019 22:08:54 GMT

5 Ways To Improve Your POS Strategy. Marketing professionals in the retail industry have to balance their efforts between perfecting the user experience and user interface of websites and mobile applications and perfecting and streamlining point-of-sale design to improve the in-store shopping experience for guests. If you’re facing this challenge, and you’re not seeing an effective return on your in-store point-of-sale design efforts, then read on. Here at Butler Merchandising Systems, we understand great point-of-sale design and we’ve put together this list of five common missteps retailers and marketers make when implementing their marketing strategy.

Don’t Be Afraid to Be Multi-Dimensional

Flat, uninteresting, bland displays invoke the same emotions in customers who see them. Be vibrant in choosing your color scheme, and think about the point of sale display as an installation rather than a poster or sign. You want to think about depth, height, and interactiveness. The store is a cityscape, and displays that can be seen to rise above the shelving or extend out into the aisle become destinations rather than becoming lost in the background.

Make it Interactive

When possible, it’s a great strategy to incorporate the ability to interact with your product, rather than just put it on display. Tasting stations, dynamic displays that allow you to use a product, dynamic mannequins posed appropriately to clothing, and even video elements showing your product in action are all great ways to incorporate interactive elements into your point-of-sale design.

Design to Attract, Not Distract

While interactive displays can be very effective, it’s important to balance point-of-sale design in a way that draws the shopper in rather than overwhelming them with information that clutters otherwise effective designs. Cluttered and complicated displays can be eye-catching in the wrong way and cause shoppers to steer clear of the display altogether. Instead, design with a focal point in mind, and build the display to draw the shopper to the focal point.

Point of Sale is for Selling, Not Decoration

Oftentimes, retailers mistakenly deploy products decoratively in ways that make it hard to find the product in the store, identify the price, or even use items that aren’t for sale in the store. This can be confusing and frustrating to shoppers. The purpose of a point-of-sale design should be to entice and attract to highlight specific products for purchase. A great way to accomplish this is to display items in use and surround the display with the items and associated products. Your goal is to not only show the customer what they should buy, but how to use it and what else they might need in the process to create value.

Establish Strong Point of Sale Standards

Poorly designed and implemented point-of-sale designs that result in a messy and disorganized retail space can work against you. Messy can be misinterpreted as cheap and low quality. It can also make the space hard to shop in, and ultimately push customers away. Imposing strong design and display standards on vendors, and holding them to the standards, sets the tone and ensures your retail space matches your vision and sales goals.

As Successful As Your Most Effective POS Design

Many other possible mistakes can be made in point-of-sale design and implementation. If you’re looking to partner with an expert in POS design, look no further than St. Louis-based Butler Merchandising Systems, LLC. Our organization’s in-house design and manufacturing capabilities open the door to affordable and expertly crafted display materials for any point-of-sale project you have in mind. With Butler Merchandising Systems, Inc. at your side, a great-looking retail space won’t be on your list of concerns.

5 Reasons Why You’re Not Optimizing Sales with Your Retail POP Displays

Mon, 15 Jul 2019 15:31:00 GMT

Why You’re Not Optimizing Sales with Your Retail POP Displays

Why You’re Not Optimizing Sales with Your Retail POP Displays. The point of purchase area of your retail location can add significant value to your bottom line when it’s merchandised effectively. Unfortunately, for many retailers this space remains underutilized. It isn’t always that the retailer is purposefully neglecting this merchandising goldmine, but rather that their merchandising strategy isn’t completely aligned with how consumers generally shop this area.

Considering that 70% of purchasing decisions aren’t made until the customer is actually in your retail location, the quality and effectiveness of your displays are crucial for encouraging add on sales. If your retail POP displays aren’t performing the way that they should, here are 5 common reasons why.

Lack of Focus and Intent

It can be tempting to use point of purchase displays as a last ditch attempt to move certain merchandise. You might be able to get away with this, but only if your display has a specific intent that makes sense to your average customer.

When customers approach a display, they immediate look for a theme. This helps them determine if the display is one that they want to shop. POP displays that lack focus and intent require too much work on the customer’s part and therefore tend to get ignored.

Failing to Take Price Point Into Consideration

Price point is something that varies among different types of retail establishments. Still, for most retail businesses POP displays are most effective when you merchandise them to inspire last minute, add on purchases. This means that featuring only items that exceed a certain price point is counterproductive to encouraging sales.

It’s fine to merchandise one or two items that fall outside of your typical POP purchase price range, but keep pricing structure in mind for optimized performance.

The Trap of the Visually Uninspiring Display

POP displays should be given the same consideration when it comes to visual appeal as the other key displays in your store. There needs to be something about point of purchase displays that visually captures attention at the moment when your customers are most inspired to make a last minute purchase. Keep color, dimension and the overall design of your displays in mind.

Difficult to Shop

POP displays aren’t typically ones that customers casually linger over. They need to inspire quick action and this means that they also have to be easy to shop.

If a display is precariously stacked or the merchandise doesn’t invite touching and interaction, it will likely fall flat in terms of converting those last minute sales.

Stale and Irrelevant

Finally, take into consideration the timely relevance of your point of purchase displays. Are you using POP to push last season’s merchandise or to move underperforming merchandise out the door? These tactics typically fail for retail POP displays. Instead, keep the focus on merchandise that has a timely relevance for your customers. Also, don’t let a display linger too long without changing it out – your regular customers will thank you by making last minute add-on purchases.

One final way of ensuring the success of your POP displays is to invest in quality display fixtures that are designed to enhance the point of purchase area of your retail location. We’re here to supply you with the retail display solutions you need. Contact PFI to learn more about our pre-built and custom retail display fixtures.

10 Point of Purchase Displays to Consider For Your Business

Sat, 15 Jun 2019 22:07:24 GMT

10 Point of Purchase Displays to Consider For Your Business. Retail success takes more than just having the products on the shelves that customers might need or want. Retailers that excel and prosper go out of their way to create a customer experience within their four walls that sticks with customers and draws them back time and again. A tool used by successful retailers for drawing client attention is point-of-purchase marketing. That is any part of the store where customers engage with products separate from the standard shelf or aisle.

This method of disrupting the customer path can be beneficial in that it gives your product an additional opportunity to catch consumer attention away from its usual stock point. We’ve gathered ten examples of types of point-of-purchase displays to consider deploying with your partners. We’ve singled out five of the most effective approaches to point of purchase marketing, followed by five examples of some other unique methods.

Shelf Talkers and Hang Tags

Want to catch the customer’s eye as they are walking down the aisle? Educate the buyer quickly about a product? Draw attention to promotions? Use a shelf talker. They hang off the edge of the shelf in the customer’s direct line of sight along the edge of the product’s designated shelf space.

Dump Bins

Free-standing containers for small packaged goods that can be placed in such a way that they can be interacted with from all angles, dump bins provide large surfaces where you can creatively project your brand. Great for candy, accessories, and small grabbable impulse items.

Standing Displays and Cartons

Larger versions of dump bins, and free-standing cartons are similarly used to disrupt the flow of the customer’s journey and allow you to tell the product’s story on a larger canvas. They can be placed in the retail space so that multiple shoppers can interact with the display simultaneously.

End Caps

Placed at the end of the aisle, end caps display your product in an eye-catching way outside of the confines of aisles and provide a prime location that shoppers will see as they traverse the store, regardless if they go down an aisle or not. End caps tend toward bright colors, bold imagery, and extensive use of information about the product to give shoppers a very clear idea of what’s on display.

Floor Graphics

A fun and unique way to draw shoppers’ attention in an aisle, floor graphics are used to catch the eye and then point shoppers at a product on the shelf. Key information is usually included about the product and imagery that allows the product to be easily identified is usually used in the floor graphic itself.

Other Examples of Point of Purchase

There are almost endless combinations of signage and placement that retailers have leveraged in their efforts to capture customer market share. Some other great examples include:

Window Signage is often used to communicate current sales and promotions and set the mindset for customers as they enter the store.
Banners provide overhead visual guides for the customer journey and help customers home in on products they might be looking for that were advertised in other mediums.
Interactive Displays are becoming more and more prevalent as advertisers try to leverage the effectiveness of video content in the commercial space.
Lighted Signage can be used in conjunction with dump bins and other point-of-purchase displays to enhance their effectiveness.
Motion Displays use motorized components to add visually appealing elements to draw shoppers to the display.

Full-Service Point of Purchase Services

Butler Merchandising Systems is a premier provider of point-of-purchase marketing services in St. Louis. We offer in-house design and manufacturing capabilities in an all-inclusive approach to point-of-purchase and point-of-sale marketing materials, allowing us to provide low-cost services to our clients.

Contact us to talk to our design team about your merchandising needs and let us show you how to best promote your products in a retail setting.

The Effects of Floor Displays

Wed, 15 May 2019 22:06:34 GMT

The Effects of Floor Displays. Retail point-of-sale displays can be a highly competitive arena for product vendors when vying for the most lucrative advertising space on a retail sales floor. When constructing an effective merchandising strategy, the most successful retailers integrate custom floor displays to take advantage of the benefits provided by the display medium. In turn, these effective displays can also help drive sales in your store. Let’s look at some of the benefits custom floor displays provide to you as a retailer.

Generate A Buzz

An exciting custom floor display is one that customers will talk about, take pictures of, share across social media, and in general create significant word-of-mouth marketing as they interact with the product. A vendor that tells a story and builds the narrative of their product does so with words and visuals to instill a need for the product. Giving customers strong imagery and themes that they will feel compelled to interact with and tell others about drives sales across the retail space.

Leverage for Future Advertising Campaigns

A well-designed custom floor display that performs well and provides value to your retail chain across multiple locations provides you with a vendor has hard data they can reference for expanding future advertising initiatives. It might open doors to other opportunities as well, as they’ve already shown the ability to provide value to your brand.

A Leg Up Over the Competition

With the right planning, vendors can establish the strongest advertising space to display their custom floor display before other vendors arrive on the scene. Taking control of the advertising narrative through placement and positioning ensures the strongest products set the stage for the sales floor and the tone of other vendors, a competitive approach that benefits your operation.

Color to Attract Them, Focal Points to Bring the Sale Home

Our bodies naturally follow the gaze of our eyes, so if custom floor displays effectively leverage color and other engaging elements, consumers will be naturally drawn to those displays and products. Once a product has drawn their attention, the construction of the custom display should have a natural narrative that draws consumers directly to the product, a narrative they can easily follow and act upon.

Feast, Not Famine

The design of a custom floor display should include the ability to hold sufficient stock to meet the flow of customer traffic. There is nothing more frustrating to consumers than being drawn in by the visuals and narrative of a great floor display and deciding to purchase that product, only to find the display is empty and it’s unclear where else they can find the product in the store.

Make Maximum Use of the Entire Space

When negotiating the space a custom floor display will occupy, vendors should ensure they can take maximum advantage of not only the actual floor space but also the space between the ceiling and their product display. The ability to leverage signage and other visual elements to fill the space and make it work in favor of their marketing strategy will also aid your operation’s bottom line in the long run.

Partner With Butler Merchandising to Bring Displays to Life

Vendors looking to create dynamic and engaging custom floor displays in St. Louis should look no further than Butler Merchandising Systems, LLC From our award-winning design services to printing, assembly, fulfillment, and logistics, we offer a full range of visual merchandising services to retailers looking to build dynamic and engaging point of sale materials that will help local retailers engage customers and drive sales throughout the store towards the bottom line.

Butler MSI Teams Up with PFI, Presence From Innovation

Mon, 15 Apr 2019 22:02:42 GMT

Butler MSI Teams Up with PFI, Presence From Innovation. We’re excited to announce that Butler is now part of the retail store display and fixture manufacturing company, PFI Holding Company, LLC . PFI has been in business since 1956 and is a leading manufacturer and distributor of retail store displays and fixtures. They specialize in creating custom injection-molded single-serve coolers to drive impulse purchases at convenience and grocery stores. They also design and manufacture a variety of specialized retail racks and fixtures made of plastic, wood, metal, or wire. Our sister company under the PFI umbrella is Jahabow , a manufacturer of commercial-grade retail display cases since 1973.

So, what does this mean for our customers? Not much is going to change. We’ll still be known as Butler Merchandising Solutions, we’re staying in the same facility, and the purchasing process won’t change. What will change is that we are now positioned to offer greater value with products and solutions designed to meet customer demands for increased relevancy and creativity. Our customers will benefit from a one-stop shop that can handle all of their point-of-purchase needs.

Now, customers can order temporary displays and permanent and semi-permanent display solutions. Customers from coast to coast will enjoy superior products and cost savings on goods delivered from our centrally located Midwest facilities.

Our president, Kenneth Butler, will join the PFI executive management team, and we’re excited to have the opportunity to leverage synergies in supply chain, production, and management resources to provide additional value to our customers. We hope our current customers – and those we haven’t had the pleasure of establishing a relationship with yet – are as enthusiastic about our new business model as we are. We look forward to serving ALL of your display and fixture needs in the future.

Are Your POS Displays Part of an Integrated Marketing Strategy?

Mon, 15 Apr 2019 22:00:52 GMT

Are Your POS Displays Part of an Integrated Marketing Strategy? Competition in the retail arena is fierce, and the need to attract and retain customer loyalty is vital. To accomplish this, an integrated marketing strategy is required. An integrated marketing strategy attempts to deploy a unified message across multiple channels using advertising, sales promotion, direct marketing, and social media advertising. One avenue retailers can leverage to support this unified vision is to ensure point-of-sale displays adhere to an overall POS marketing strategy aligned with the integrated marketing strategy.

Unique, Targeted POS Signage

One element of an effective integrated marketing plan is to know your target audience and to tailor your efforts to that audience. When you consider that effective point-of-sale signage is to draw attention to the product you are looking to sell, POS design can be a prime opportunity to marry form to function and ensure you’re targeting the right audience. Eye-catching designs linked to the essence of the brand you’re highlighting can go a long way in boosting the effectiveness of a POS display.

Support Promotions

If you’ve gone through an effort in your marketing strategy to use external promotional channels to draw customers into the store, it follows that those promotional items should be easily found once they arrive. Utilize point-of-sale designs and signage to set apart items that are on sale or have been promoted in other channels.

This is also the chance to create secondary POS displays that complement your advertised products and capitalize on customer impulse buying behaviors to increase incremental sales and boost awareness of other products in your store. If a customer finds value beyond advertised products, this will go a long way towards building loyalty.

Collaborate With Vendors

While your POS design and signage should support your integrated marketing strategy, nothing says you have to come up with all of the signage designs yourself. Once you have a strategy laid out, reach out to vendors who might be impacted by it and collaborate with them on the display and presentation of their products. Often, vendors will have several options when it comes to display materials, and they might have alternatives that work better for your space and clientele.

Support Your Loyalty Program

Loyalty programs or rewards programs should be a major component in your integrated marketing strategy, as they are a great opportunity to create a strong customer base and build traffic in your store. Point-of-sale displays are the perfect opportunity to educate and engage customers about your rewards or loyalty program. Rather than rely on employees to engage customers about signing up and then taking the time to give them all of the details, a well-designed display can accomplish this for you, thus supporting the growth of your customer base and leading to repeat customer visits.

We Can Help You Stay On Plan

At Butler Merchandising Solutions, LLC . we specialize in custom retail displays. Our in-house design and manufacturing capabilities mean that we can collaborate with your marketing team throughout the planning phases of creating your integrated marketing strategy and help bring that strategy to life. Contact us today and let us know how our team can best support your marketing needs.

Are you ready for Cooler Season?

Thu, 04 Apr 2019 15:21:00 GMT

Nothing satisfies a customer like an ice cold beverage. The majority of single serve beverages in the U.S. are sold between Memorial Day and Labor Day when Americans take to the road for family vacations. Many in the industry refer to this period of time as “Cooler Season.”

Our extensive product offerings of ice barrel coolers help satisfy your customers! Position them at checkout or in other high volume areas of the store to disrupt shopping patterns and promote that last-minute purchase. We have a variety of cooler sizes and versions to choose from that best suit the needs of your brand and retailer.

At PFI we can make over 700 ice barrel coolers in one shift. As the market leader in the ice cooler category, PFI provides ice barrel coolers to every major beverage company in North America. We understand the production, order, logistical and administrative requirements of the market and remain committed to being the key supplier in this category.

There is still plenty of time to have coolers available for “Cooler Season.” Check out our Cooler Offering today!

Reach out to a PFI Sales Representative today to discuss options for your last minute cooler needs.

Could Digital POS Displays Revolutionize the Industry?

Sat, 30 Mar 2019 22:05:37 GMT

Could Digital POS Displays Revolutionize the Industry? Retailers cashing in on customers’ impulse purchasing behavior has led to the point-of-sale space evolving into a space that must be constantly updated and innovated in order to give the store the intended sales boost. Signage and displays have become increasingly intricate and complex. As digital technology creeps into point-of-sale design, marketing experts point to digital POS displays as the catalysts necessary to change the face of POS marketing. Here are some ways digital POS displays are changing the game.

Digital POS Displays Outperform Static Signage

In a study on the effectiveness of digital displays versus static signage, it was found that digital signage is 2.5 times more impactful than static POS displays. Digital displays in fact were found to have a comparable impact to television advertising and have a significant role in building long-term emotional response and brand recognition for customers.

Promotions On the Fly

Managing promotions with traditional signage methods can be extremely labor-intensive, expensive, and time-consuming. Prior to a promotional launch, there is a need to remove and store day-to-day signage and then assemble and deploy promotional materials. At the end of the promotion, you then have to dedicate the labor to swap it all out again. With a digital signage package, all of this can be accomplished at the point-of-sale display with the press of a few keys. This allows retailers to deploy highly adaptable promotions based on current events, weather, sports, or inventory levels. This allows digital POS displays to provide retailers with an immediacy and relevance in advertising at the point of sale not possible with static signage displays.

Boost Membership Programs

Retailers are capitalizing on brand membership and loyalty program's ability to draw and retain customers, as reports show 77% of consumers cite these programs as influences on the likelihood of being repeat customers. However, at the retail level, educating and engaging customers about your loyalty program can be time-consuming and negatively affect the customer experience, especially during peak hours. Digital point-of-sale displays can address all of these concerns, as well as create a more tailored experience for existing rewards members through the integration of membership data. While a new member is being educated about the rewards program on one screen, an existing member swiping their card at checkout will be shown a targeted promo for discounts on products relevant to their purchase history on another screen.

Enhance the Customer Experience

With the blurred lines between big-box and convenience stores, retailers are doubling down on providing quality in-store customer experiences to draw and retain business. With the advancements in digital point-of-sale signage, retailers can deploy more than smiling faces and knowledgeable staff to enhance the in-store experience. Digital POS displays can be used to create interactive informational kiosks that allow greater engagement and create an overall positive connection between customers and retailers.

Putting It All Together For You

Point-of-sale marketing is key for the success of your retail operation, and you need a partner tohelp bring your vision to reality. Work with our team of professionals to bring your vision for your point-of-sale displays to life, and create the customer experience that will drive sales and keep customers coming back for more.

5 Basic Point of Sale Marketing Tips

Fri, 15 Mar 2019 22:00:06 GMT

5 Basic Point of Sale Marketing Tips. For brick-and-mortar operations, getting customers in the door in the modern era is an expensive and challenging ordeal. While advertising and engagement across social media can bring them in the door, it’s how you engage with shoppers in your retail space that truly provides the personalized experience that will bring them back and build positive word of mouth. Your most powerful tool to accomplish this is in your point-of-sale displays. Let’s explore 5 ways you can leverage pos design and pos marketing to your advantage.

Impulse Items

According to CNBC, consumers dole out as much as $5400 annually on impulse purchases, primarily in food-related items. The key to capitalizing on this behavior is that your impulse display near your registers shouldn’t highlight well-known brands or fast-moving products. Instead, it’s your chance to highlight and offload novelty items, any overstock you might have, or seasonal items. Put it at eye level, and utilize a display that pops, and your impulse item sales will do wonders for your incremental sales growth.

Leverage the Data from Your POS Inventory System

In the world of retail, data is king. Utilizing an inventory control system to establish what items are selling, and where in your store layout they sell best, is the most efficient way to streamline your POS displays to highlight the products your customers are purchasing.

Design POS Around Your Register Space

Whether your retail space has single lines for each register or one big line with multiple registers, you want to take advantage of your customers’ idle time in line with tasteful but attention-grabbing signage. The intent isn’t to crowd, but to ensure your pos displays can’t be ignored.

Micro Promos Catch Attention

Whether it’s the offer of a small gift card for buying a batch of related items or a targeted discount on a receipt, retailers like to utilize small promotional discounts to drive incremental sales. You can highlight these promotions with effective pos design and fold it into your overall pos marketing strategy to build interest and engagement with the customers.

Partner Up with Product Manufacturers

Any second-party manufacturer’s marketing manager will be thrilled if you call them up and tell them you want to feature their product in your retail space. As professionals with significant experience in designing and setting up effective pos displays, they can work with you to provide the best pos design for your space. This can also provide another marketing revenue stream, as some companies will even purchase display space near your point of sale area.

A Full-Service Solution for Your Pos Design Needs

The point of sale area is one of the most important retail spaces in your operation. It’s where your marketing efforts can truly impact the customer and help build sales. You shouldn’t leave the design and implementation of pos marketing initiatives to just anyone. Butler Merchandising Solutions can help at any level of your POS marketing program, from POS design to printing, assembly, and distribution of your POS materials. Take your point of sale space to the next level with help from Butler Merchandising Solutions, and grab your customer's attention.

PFI’s New Injection Press

Tue, 19 Feb 2019 16:02:00 GMT

Watch as our brand new Injection Press is moved into place and installed in our Hazelwood, MO warehouse!

PFI is adding to our large press injection molding capabilities with a new 1,200 ton press. This is our third press larger than 1,000 tons! This new press adds significant production capacity as well as flexibility to manage several key glide products such as Cool Glide 20/20 and ice barrel components for our Iceman retail barrel coolers .

It also allows us to better respond to customer needs while providing better control of overtime and outsourcing which helps us keep costs to our customers low.

The lower floor of the warehouse had to be fortified with additional support beams to withstand the 1,200 ton press moving overhead on the main floor.

The injection press is pictured here just before it enters the warehouse. The garage door had to be widened to accommodate the width of the press. The day of the move also happened to be the coldest day of the year (-5° F) as the "polar vortex" settled over the Midwest.

The heavy lifting was done by a small robot (pictured above under backside of press) that was controlled by someone on the moving crew.

The Injection Press all moved into place.

Close up of the actual press.

3 Strategies for Sparking Customer Engagement with Your End Cap Displays

Fri, 15 Feb 2019 23:33:00 GMT

Sparking Customer Engagement with Your End Cap

Sparking Customer Engagement with Your End Cap. The potential of your retail space depends heavily on your approach to merchandising. A great display can draw attention and spark customer engagement, which ultimately leads to increased sales. When it comes to optimizing the potential of your retail space, end caps are one of your most valuable assets.

End caps should help guide your customer through your location, pique their interests and motivate purchasing decisions. This is a pretty tall order for a few square feet of space, but with a strategic approach to end cap merchandising, it can easily be accomplished.

Here are three tips for sparking customer engagement and boosting sales with effective end cap merchandising.

Keep Architecture in Mind

You’ve probably put a lot of consideration into what type of merchandise makes an effective end cap display, but the work doesn’t stop there. Your display needs to make sense to the customer visually as well. Before you start placing products on your end cap, step back and think about how it will look to the person passing by.

For instance, most people will look toward the top of a display for clues about the overall theme. Maybe an item on the middle shelf caught their eye, but then they’ll visually travel upward to decide if they want to linger and explore. Leverage this by using the top shelf for signage or for products that make a strong visual impact.

Along with this, reserve the middle shelves for high performance merchandise that is easy for the customer to touch and pick up. Keep merchandising on middle shelves as simplistic as possible to encourage browsing. Finally, the bottom of an end cap is a dead zone, but you don’t want to leave the space empty. Use this space to merchandise back stock that ties into the theme.

Have a Theme But Don’t Overcomplicate It

A strong theme is crucial for effective end cap merchandising. You can go in multiple directions with this, such as featuring products that are seasonally relevant or tie in with a local event. You might also feature merchandise that you know is successful in encouraging impulse purchases. The important thing is that the customer can visually spot the purpose of the display almost instantly.

While you want to maximize your space, resist the urge to include too many different products or stuff the shelves to full capacity. The best end cap displays have a clear theme, don’t overstimulate the customer and are easy to shop.

Communicate Quality and Value

End caps give your customers a snapshot of the quality of your retail business. This is especially important considering that most customers don’t travel down every aisle of a store. The quality and integrity of your end cap displays matter and are key in the overall impression a customer forms of your location. For this reason, investing in high quality, professional looking end cap display fixtures is key for building customer interest and encouraging engagement.

Invest in High Quality Displays

Do your end cap display fixtures serve to communicate the value and quality of your retail business? If not, then it’s time to look at new merchandising solutions. At PFI, we’re committed to providing retail business just like yours with the type of high quality end cap and gondola merchandising solutions you need to increase customer engagement. Contact PFI today and learn more about our pre-built and custom made display fixtures.

How to Succeed in POS Design in 2019

Fri, 15 Feb 2019 21:59:29 GMT

How to Succeed in POS Design in 2019. Last year, retailers embraced innovation and creativity in point-of-sale marketing and design. As the online retail market expands and gains traction, brick-and-mortar retailers have to continue to improve upon marketing practices to capture the hearts and wallets of shoppers. We’ve continued to track trends and best practices and feel we’ve got a good handle on what retailers should be focused on to maximize the shopper experience.

Experience Is the New Brand

Attachment to material possessions is becoming less of a driving force for shoppers, as people are focussing more on individual and shared experiences to inform their purchasing decisions. Designing point-of-sale marketing materials around this focus on building experiences with those around us is a great way to draw attention and build rapport with existing and potential consumers. Some retailers are even going as far as opening special locations that only sell the experience of using their products, adding a level of emotional connection to the process.

Incorporating IoT to Mobilize the Experience

Integrating digital elements into your POS display means your display can catch shoppers' attention from beyond your store’s four walls. Combining mobile applications to draw shoppers in with in-store RFID beacons on marketing displays can be invaluable tools in creating and guiding the shopper experience. Once in the store, POS displays can communicate with the shopper through the application, providing product information and convincing shoppers to purchase the product.

Boundary Free Designs with Augmented Reality

Augmented reality is fast becoming a tool for retailers and companies to enhance the online and mobile application experience of customers. However, it can also be integrated into the design of point-of-sale merchandising to enhance the in-store experience and build product interest. Overlaying digital content atop images viewed through the camera of a mobile device can allow retailers to share more information about products and show products in action to better entice buyers.

Appeal to Growing Demographics

Combining technology with experience speaks more to knowing your target audience and trends in the market being driven by the growth of the millennial market segment. In addition to focusing on technology, integrating your online business presence and visual aesthetic into the display, and maximizing the experience of brand engagement, companies need to share their presence and impact on the communities in which they operate. Tying advertising to advocacy and community activism, point-of-sale marketing materials can be leveraged to speak to customers on multiple levels.

Guiding Retailers Into the New Year

Butler Merchandising Solutions provides its clients with up-to-date POS display solutions for the ever-evolving retail marketing industry. Capable of providing even the most complicated deliverables, Butler Merchandising can help your organization from the planning and design phase through the printing logistics and distribution phases. Explore our capabilities and let us know how we can help you reach your customers most effectively.

4 Easy Ways to Generate More Sales from Retail Store Displays

Tue, 15 Jan 2019 23:32:00 GMT

Generate More Sales from Retail Store Displays

Generate More Sales from Retail Store Displays. When merchandising your retail location, you want to maximum impact out of every square foot. Displays are one way for merchants to capture the attention of customers and draw them in. There are dozens of theories on how to effectively merchandise your retail space. Many of these are dependent upon the type of retail location you have and the purpose of the display. Still, there are a few tried and true tips for transforming any retail display space into sales.

If you’re ready to maximize the revenue produced by your retail displays, here are four tips that will do the trick.

Don’t Let It Get Stale

There are few things more boring than a display that never changes, especially in the case of convenience store displays where a good percentage of customers are repeat visitors who have already encountered the merchandise countless times.

As a rule of thumb, change your displays at least once a month. An exception to this might be a themed display that stays relevant through the season, however, the merchandise should still be switched out to freshen the look and reflect the range of your product offerings.

Encourage Interaction

We’ve all seen those displays that contained merchandise we would have been interested in if it felt like it could be touched without the whole thing tumbling down. When creating your displays, it’s important to merchandise in a way that encourages curiosity, touch, and exploration.

Remember to not pack the merchandise in too tightly and avoid the temptation to highlight merchandise that you don’t really want handled on a prominent display.

Break Up the Lines

Often, a display will capture a customer’s visual attention long before they even realize what is on the display. Visual merchandisers know all about the psychology of color and how to use it to encourage sales. When creating displays, an associate might choose to pack a display full of a singular color in hopes of producing an emotional consumer response.

Color as a theme isn’t necessarily a bad idea, but a display that is all one color will look like one large block from a distance. You need to include a little visual contrast to break up the lines of merchandise. This allows the customer’s eyes to rest and refocus on the highlighted merchandise.

Don’t Be Secretive

There are instances when a retail location may want to encourage customers to engage with the sales staff, so they leave the price off displayed merchandise. This is a tactic that only works in certain types of retail environments, and most customers will be put off if they can’t immediately determine how much something costs. Make a point of ensuring all the merchandise on your retail displays are accurately priced to encourage add on purchases.

Contact Us When It’s Time to Upgrade Your Displays

There’s one more important tip for generating maximum sales with your displays – start with the foundation of exceptionally built display fixtures. At PFI , we offer both pre-built and custom display solutions for your retail location. Contact us and let us help you find the perfect merchandising solutions for your store.

5 Things to Consider When Designing Your Next POS Display

Tue, 15 Jan 2019 21:58:34 GMT

There’s so much focus placed on digital marketing channels in the modern economy that it can be easy for some retailers to lose sight of the importance of in-store marketing efforts. With 40% of shoppers recalling seeing in-store advertising , retailers have to embrace effective point-of-sale design and the impact it can have on the bottom line. When we talk about effective POS advertising, several factors contribute to your store’s success, including the types of POS displays you create, how displays are perceived, and their overall impact on your business.

Overhead Costs of POS Marketing Designs

Marketing initiatives have complicated costs that extend beyond a line item on a profit and loss statement. Some of those costs are influenced by the design and structure of the marketing materials created to catch the attention of shoppers. Significant costs can accrue relative to shipping and installation if the intent is to roll out the POS marketing across multiple units. Certain design considerations, including solutions that help reduce setup time and shipping pre-stocked displays, might have increased up-front costs that have considerable cost savings throughout the life of the POS display.

Value Engineering for Success

Down the line, overhead costs are only part of the overall picture of an effective value engineering approach to POS display design . An organized approach to maximizing the design of a project to deliver the most value at the lowest cost, value engineering requires the input of an experienced manufacturer that understands not only the tenants of effective marketing but also ways to effectively execute those initiatives most profitably.

Dynamic Design Considerations

As technology and manufacturing techniques improve, it’s possible to create more complex and interactive POS displays. It’s important to understand how you expect shoppers to interact with the display, what sort of space it will occupy and how it will be approached by customers, whether it will need to be powered and how that power source will be maintained, and how a complicated POS display will be maintained in the retail space by the employees.

Make A Lasting Impression

Durability is a significant consideration in the design of POS displays. It’s necessary from the outset to have a plan at the start for how long the display will be in use, how much it will need to be moved or relocated through the life of the marketing initiative, and how flexible the display, messaging, and product display need to be to effectively support the product display’s goals.

Agile Manufacturing Approach

How quickly your marketing vision can be put into reality is completely dependent on design factors and decisions related to materials and composition. Through informed consultation, POS design specialists like Butler Merchandising Solutions can offer balanced solutions that meet your marketing schedule and help leverage effective POS design to maximize profitability on your company’s timeline.

Informed POS Display Design Drives Profitability

Your in-store marketing initiatives are driven by effective POS design and it requires an understanding of marketing and manufacturing to truly create effective POS designs that will drive customer traffic to the products you want them to buy. Butler Merchandising Solutions offers clients access to full, end-to-end design and manufacturing services that will bring your POS design needs to life.

Successful POS Design Pushes Traditional Marketing Strategies To Another Level

Fri, 11 Jan 2019 12:00:52 GMT

Point of Sale marketing in 2018 took traditional marketing methods – unique design, eye-catching presentation, effective branding with clear messaging, a clear tieback to existing consumer advertising, targeting emotional triggers, and an awareness of the shopper's journey – and pushed them to the limits of creativity. Studies in point-of-sale effectiveness showed that in 2016, properly leveraged marketing initiatives resulted in an average of 9.2% sales lift and that 40% of shoppers recalled the merchandising displays. As marketing has become more complex, these numbers have improved, and it's been found that the most successful campaigns didn’t prioritize one method over any other but rather ensured each factor was leveraged to the fullest to maximize the impact of the overall strategy.

Marketing is More than Matching Form to Function

Across every industry and market segment, setting your brand apart from the competition is a fierce and driving force that informs every business decision. The process of marketing is no exception – companies everywhere have come to understand that customers can get whatever service you offer from a myriad of sources, so a successful marketing plan can usher consumers beyond any concerns of quality and focus their behavior on the one thing you can control: the journey they take in buying your product.

Don’t Think Outside the Box, Leave the Box at Home

Successful creative marketing approaches break down the boundaries around how consumers expect to consume and interact with your brand. Bold, compelling designs, larger-than-life displays, interactive or dynamic displays, and point-of-sale media that not only showcase the product but draw the user into the unique experience your brand has to offer. And don’t stick to only static floor installations. Explore shelf edging, ceiling-hung displays, or signage and displays for register counters. Approach your marketing without limitations on space and location, and open the door to all of the possible ways to engage consumers.

Show and Tell with Clear Branding and Messaging

While creativity is necessary, clarity is just as important. The last thing you want consumers to do is look at your POS branding and either not be able to tie your product to it, or worse, not understand the message you’re trying to get across. Your brand should be front and center, and the supporting messaging or call to action should cleverly play into your brand without straying too far afield. An energy drink display modeled after a refueling jet or a gas station is not only clever and engaging, but on-brand and appropriate. A display focused on your brand’s new chocolate bars combining imagery of clowns having a party on a yacht inviting consumers to dive in? Memorable, sure, but in none of the right ways.

POS Displays are Breadcrumbs on the Trail Back to Your Brand

A cohesive marketing campaign requires your point of sale materials to tie back to your overall brand image and message. As with the example above, great POS displays tell a story and paint a picture consistent with your brand presence across all mediums. Think about it from the perspective of the Apple aesthetic, where you can instantly recognize the sleek minimalistic design of an Apple product. Consumers should be able to see your branding anywhere – the store, online, on a billboard – and instantly recognize consistency in your messaging and presentation.

Disrupt Routine with Emotion

Let’s go back to the crucial element in marketing that successful campaigns take into account: the market is oversaturated, no matter the market niche to which you cater. All of the guidance discussed to this point is meaningless if you’re marketing department cannot embrace this one guiding principle: you’re not selling a product or service. You’re selling what it feels like to engage with your product or service. You’re honing in on the emotions and the place your product should hold in a consumer’s life. Your material must embody that aesthetic, that a lifestyle where your brand plays a role is the lifestyle they would prefer to anything else.

Don’t Be Passive, Take Control of the Consumer Journey

Building effective eye-catching, emotion-inducing POS displays for your product isn't enough in the modern marketplace. Buying and shopping habits have shifted and more decision-making occurs before customers step foot into a brick-and-mortar retail space, requiring a marketing approach that places you squarely into the consumer journey. Engage digital throughout your marketing efforts – from targeted online advertisements that draw consumers to your brand to engaging and digital-savvy store installations that incorporate video and digital POS displays when consumers follow your advertising into the store and complete their journey to where your product is displayed.

A Firm with a Successful Track Record in POS Design

You want your product to stand out and make an emotional impact on consumers. You've created a solid branding and marketing plan and need to find a solutions provider with a track record of success and the ability to bring your visions to life in ways that will draw consumers to your brand and maximize the return on your marketing initiative. Or maybe you're a small business just starting and you could use some help in designing your marketing strategy to support your product. Whatever your needs might be, contact the award-winning team at PFI InStore today to collaborate on your next project.

5 Ways to Maximize Sales with Effective Temporary POP Displays

Sat, 15 Dec 2018 23:31:00 GMT

5 Ways to Maximize Sales with Effective Temporary POP Displays

5 Ways to Maximize Sales with Effective Temporary POP Displays. Point of purchase (POP) displays are important revenue building tools for retail establishments. When customers are in your store, there’s a lot of merchandise pulling them in separate directions. By the time they’ve made their way to register area, chances of encouraging them to add to their purchase are limited. A strong temporary POP display serves as your final opportunity to add value to their experience and increase sales at the same time.

Just like any other type of display, there are a few tricks of the trade that can maximize the performance of your point of purchase displays . Here are five tips for creating temporary POP displays that perform.

Seasonal Trends

It’s tempting to use this display area to feature slow moving merchandise in hopes that a final push will move it out the door. This type of merchandising rarely works, and here’s why. First, POP displays need to have immediate relevancy and the ability to appeal to the current needs or wants of your customer. Using this area to move an overstock of sunscreen during the depths of winter isn’t going to work.

What does work is paying attention to the calendar and seasonal trends. Holiday themed merchandise with impulse appeal works well in temporary displays, as does merchandise that ties into something going on within the community – like a school sporting event or seasonal festival.

Product Launch

The point of purchase area holds incredible potential. This can be a great place to highlight some of your best sellers, but that’s a move that’s better suited for a permanent display. Instead, why not use this prominent space to introduce a new product that might not be getting maximum exposure in other areas of your store?

For example, a pharmacy might display a new immunity boosting supplement at the beginning of cold and flu season, along with other immunity supporting staples.

Timing Is Everything

It’s important to keep in mind that temporary displays are meant to be short lived. In general, you don’t want to run a temporary POP display for more than 4 – 6 weeks. This gives enough time for regular, occasional and new customers to get exposure to the merchandise that you’ve promoted. Going longer than can give the impression that you’ve lost your attention to detail.

Experimentation

We mentioned that the POP area is a great place to feature a product launch, but it’s also a perfect spot to test the waters of product that you’re considering carrying. When you run a short trial in a POP display, you not only have numbers to back up your decision on whether or not to permanently carry the product, but your staff can assess customer engagement as well. Have retail personnel notice how much attention the merchandise is receiving, if customers are asking questions and what type of comments are being made about the display.

Remember the Basics

Temporary displays deserve the same attention to detail as the other display areas in your store. When designing your temporary retail POP displays, keep balance, color and overall aesthetics in mind. Arrange merchandise in a way that makes it easy for the eye to follow along, and resist the urge to include merchandise that doesn’t fit in naturally with the other visual or conceptual elements of your display.

The point of purchase area can be a revenue builder for your retail location, especially if you have the right merchandising solutions to bring your displays to life. Contact PFI today to discover our range of merchandising options for your POP displays.

Is Your Lack of POS Marketing Costing You Sales?

Sat, 15 Dec 2018 21:57:07 GMT

Is Your Lack of POS Marketing Costing You Sales?

Is Your Lack of POS Marketing Costing You Sales? Customer buying habits have changed dramatically over the last decade, and retailers are quickly realizing that while e-commerce behavior is very targeted and product-driven, 75% of buying decisions are made in-store and shoppers browsing behavior at the brick-and-mortar level is the perfect opportunity to leverage in-store marketing channels. One of the most important in-store channels you must learn to maximize to capture sales is Point of Sale marketing . Focusing on placement, display, and types of products offered to customers at this point in the shopping experience ensures engagement that cannot be ignored and in many cases sales conversions that will drive business.

Set the Stage in the Store, Bring it Home with POS Marketing

Point of Sale is misleading, as you should be thinking about your entire retail space when determining a marketing strategy. Customers in your retail space are on a journey, an adventure, and it’s up to you to disrupt and guide that journey with in-store displays and messaging that set the tone for POS marketing long before the customer even reaches the register to check out. By providing an experience with modern 3D displays and interactive merchandising, you’ve accessed the customer’s desire to buy something during their trip and expanded it to be open to other items they might encounter at the end of their journey when they reach the point of sale.

POS Displays Flexible and Reactive Without Disrupting Space

Building up regular business traffic revolves around creating a retail space that provides your customers with a cohesive and consistent shopping experience. However, it’s crucial to have flexible space around your POS to market and pivot advertising initiatives to react to shopper behaviors or even get ahead of seasonal changes you know are coming down the line. Combining impulsivity with very targeted micro-trends in your business can give you the extra sales you need to meet your goals and offload products to make room for incoming seasonal materials. And the same flexibility and responsiveness in the space allows retailers to change or even discontinue initiatives that might not create the expected results.

Mix and Match Complimentary Products to Tap Into Impulse

No matter what your store might sell, the chance for capitalizing on impulsive spending behavior at the POS can be enhanced by simple groupings of complementary products, especially during holidays. This allows you to market to diverse demographics and meet the needs of multiple target audiences in single displays.

Extend Shopping Experience into POS Space, Create Sales

Have you noticed how many retailers have gone over to managing the flow of customers preparing to check out with product-packed queues built around the principles above and mixing in their salesfloor POS display strategies as well? This is because retailers are doubling down on the fact that the customer is already buying something. It makes sense to place products in these areas that are quick solutions to common problems or smaller, more accessible, and enticing versions of products found throughout the rest of the store. This approach takes sales maximization to another level, as it’s leveraging the current visit and planting the seed for future sales by hooking them onto new products.

Partner for Success with Your POS Marketing Strategy

Creating your in-store narrative requires a marketing partnership with a company that understands innovative product presentation and can collaborate with your team to ensure success. Butler Merchandising Solutions offers the best of both worlds in its collaborative design process and through its ideation team, offering creative solutions for your marketing needs.

4 Ways to Get the Most Out of Gondola End Cap Merchandising

Thu, 15 Nov 2018 20:28:00 GMT

Gondola End Cap Merchandising

Gondola End Cap Merchandising. As a retailer, it’s your ultimate goal to optimize every bit of your merchandising real estate, while making sure that you’ve provided an environment that feels comfortable and easy to shop for your customers. From a sales perspective, this means that your merchandising needs to be purposeful while being in a prominent location that naturally catches the attention of passing traffic.

While you have multiple areas in your store that are great for driving sales, knowing how to effectively approach gondola end cap merchandising is a sure way of inspiring your customers to make a purchase.

The quality of your gondola merchandising matters for your bottom line. Here are a few tips and tricks for maximizing gondola end cap display space and making the sale.

Keep a Theme in Mind

Your gondola merchandising should always have a cohesive theme. Think about the customer who happens to wander by when something catches their attention. A themed display that’s visually appealing is going to entice them to browse longer and possibly add several items to their cart. On the other hand, a disorganized display with no common theme will appear to be the place you threw the random merchandise you didn’t have room for.

For example, a pharmacy could merchandise a gondola end with cold and flu merchandise or an auto parts store could feature all the necessities for a do-it-yourself oil change. Regardless of the theme you go with, making it obvious to the customer will encourage sales.

Showcase Your Branding

Gondola end caps are the perfect place to showcase your brand. Many times, a customer will walk into a retail location but really have to wander around if they want to discover what the brand is about. Granted, it’s not a bad thing to encourage wandering, but merchandising a gondola end cap with items that highlight your brand is key for driving interest.

Consider how a local craft store might feature merchandise that goes along with a current class schedule or how a grocery store could feature a s’mores end cap with all store brand items. These types of displays help to establish your authority and give the casual customer a taste of your overall selection.

Highlight New Products with Cross Merchandising

Do you have an exciting new product that you can’t wait to display? You could just stack it on an end to draw attention, or you could be more purposeful in your merchandising design. For example, a shop that features coffees and teas from around the world could merchandise their latest arrival of locally roasted coffee beans with a few accessories, such as brewing devices or mugs.

Entice them Down the Aisle

Merchandising your end caps to feature items from the corresponding aisle is a smart way to subtly remind the customer of something they need or want to look at. The key to making this type of display a success is all about visual appeal. Use color, along with the size and shape of packaging to naturally draw the customer’s eyes in and flow smoothly down the display.

The average customer doesn’t spend a lot of time wandering around a retail location. Each minute is an opportunity to make a lasting impression and gain a sale. Smart gondola end cap merchandising is an important element of your success; however, it all starts with quality fixtures. We have the high quality, pre-built and custom fixtures for your retail location. Contact PFI to learn more about our display solutions.

Why Retail Point of Purchase Displays Are Pure Profit Magnets

Mon, 15 Oct 2018 19:11:00 GMT

Point of Purchase Displays Are Pure Profit Magnets

Point of Purchase Displays Are Pure Profit Magnets. Brick and mortar retail looks drastically different than it did a decade ago. Today, retail locations are often doing battle against a growing trend towards e-commerce consumerism. Current statistics claim that e-commerce is growing three times faster than traditional retail and a little over half of all consumers admit to preferring shopping online.

Does this signal the demise of traditional retail? No, but it does demonstrate the need for retail businesses to be very focused in their marketing strategy. Brick and Mortar retailers need to adapt and learn to appeal to the new consumer mindset that’s focused on convenience, value and relevance. Retail point of purchase (POP) displays have become key for marketing and meeting consumer needs.

In and Out

One of the reasons that retail POP displays are so wildly successful is that they appeal to the quick in and out preference of shoppers. Considering that more and more major purchases are made online, many people only visit physical stores when they need something fast.

This means that they’re not lingering around, so it’s important to not only provide them with options but also convey your brand at the one place you know for sure they’re going to be – the point of purchase area.

Items on point of purchase are easy to find and when they’re optimally merchandised for the core consumer, the products on them essentially sell themselves while leaving the customer with the impression that your retail location easily provided them with exactly what they wanted.

Easy Decision Making

There is an element of urgency with POP displays. Put yourself in the mindset of the typical consumer standing in line. A strategically merchandised POP display catches their attention and they visual linger over the merchandise for a minute. They reach out, pick up an item and hold it their hands as they consider the purchase. This is all typical POP behavior.

However, the atmosphere isn’t like the rest of the store. They have a cashier waiting for them to decide, and possibly customers behind them waiting as well. It’s a now or never moment, especially considering that many retailers frequently mix up their point of purchase displays.

The item they’re considering might be here today and gone tomorrow. When retailers provide quality merchandise that’s of real interest and value to their customers, the decision process at the point of purchase can be nearly instantaneous.

Every Minute Matters

Perhaps one of the most powerful things about POP displays is that they encourage the customer to linger a little longer. Maybe they spotted something right when they walked in and that made them think of something else they wanted, or maybe the merchandise on a POP display served as a teaser for other merchandise that can be found deeper within the store. Whatever the appeal, every minute longer that a customer spends in a retail location increases the likelihood that they’ll spend more money.

Invest in Quality Shelving

When properly merchandised, point of purchase displays can be pure marketing magic. However, it all starts with high quality shelving and display solutions that help your POP area shine. Contact PFI today and let us tell you about our pre-built and custom retail display solutions that will make your point of purchase area more profitable.

5 Tips for Effective Convenience Store POP Design

Sun, 30 Sep 2018 07:15:00 GMT

5 Tips for Effective Convenience Store POP Design

5 Tips for Effective Convenience Store POP Design. Millions of new products are launched each year and customers are constantly bombarded with marketing messages. As such, distinguishing yourself from the competition at a retail store becomes that much harder. To get an edge over competitors, many companies turn to point of purchase (POP) displays.

Retail POP displays can act as a silent salesperson and help establish an emotional connection with specific products. To make an impulse sale possible, the display needs to be targeted towards the end consumer.

Here’s how to create POP displays that will drive more sales.

The Basics of Effective In-Store Messaging

To create effective POP displays, use the 4C’s of in-store activation:

5 Tips for Effective POP Display Design

While convenience store displays vary, there are certain designs that can applied to most. Here are 5 tips to keep in mind as you’re creating in-store displays.

When designing POP displays, also keep in mind that materials matter depending on whether they will be permanent, semi-permanent or temporary.

If you’re looking for high quality racks and shelves for your POP displays, contact us today to learn more about our product offering and how we can help.

What is the Difference Between POP and POS?

Wed, 15 Aug 2018 07:05:00 GMT

What is the Difference Between POP and POS?

What is the Difference Between POP and POS?. The meaning of Point of Purchase (POP) varies according to the context in which it’s used. In a broader sense, POP refers to the physical location where a sale is made, like a retail store. Within a store, however, the term becomes a bit more complicated, since it is often divided into POP and POS (Point of Sale).

Here’s everything you need to know about each.

POP vs. POS: A High Level Overview

Traditionally, POP is the area in a store where the customer pays for their purchase and the seller provides a receipt for the transaction. These days, however, many retailers refer to this area as POS and use the term POP to reference point of purchase displays that showcase a product.

POP Displays

POP displays are dedicated sections in a store where certain products are promoted and/or sale items are showcased. These retail POP displays highlight products by removing them from shelves and placing them in a more prominent place where the best features are also highlighted.

POP displays are placed at different locations in a retail store, with the entrance and checkout area being two of the most popular. Many large retailers meticulously plan product placement for their stores and see an increase in sales , simply by using large displays in prominent locations. In-store promotions like this typically have an impact on consumer behavior. In fact, in a 2017 survey , 42.4% of respondents said that promotions influenced their decision about what groceries to buy.

POS Systems

POS systems are used to accept payments from customers. While some retailers may still prefer cash registers, many small and large retailers use sophisticated point of sale systems, which consist of hardware and software components that are often designed to fit the requirements of the business sector or retailer. Typical POS hardware components include a cash drawer, credit card reader, barcode reader, printer, and screens (standard or touch-screen).

POS systems are either on-premise or a cloud-based (SaaS) solution. With on-premise systems, retailers purchase licenses to use the software on their computers. With a cloud-based solution, the transaction occurs via the Internet. It’s important to note, however, that most SaaS systems can track transactions when offline as well. Compared to on-premise models, SaaS systems offer the benefit of low upfront costs.

Businesses use POS systems in different ways. For example, many retailers have installed self-checkout systems, where the customers weigh, scan, and pay using a touch-screen interface.

Besides logging purchases, POS systems perform many other functions as well. They help retailers:

POP displays and POS systems work in tandem. While one is designed to help sell more products, the other is required to actually process the financial transaction. If you’re looking for ways to increase your business’s revenue and are interested in using POP displays to do so, contact us today for a free quote.

5 Tips for Planning an Effective C-Store Layout

Mon, 30 Jul 2018 10:44:00 GMT

Planning an Effective C-Store Layout

Planning an Effective C-Store Layout. There are several things to think about when designing a layout for a convenience store. You want the space to be attractive, efficient, easy to browse, and most of all convenient for the quick in and out shopper.

Since most convenience stores (or C-stores) don’t have sprawling retail space, what you do with every square foot matters. To help design the most effective layout for your C-store displays, we’ve highlighted five display principles that are known performers.

Personalize the Space

The art of branding is important for any business, but convenience stores have the advantage of being able to easily tie in their brand image throughout the entire store. This is a case of small spaces equaling big opportunity. As soon as a customer walks through your door, they should immediately feel immersed in your brand.

One of the best ways to accomplish this is by personalizing your shelving. While shelving normally stays in the backdrop, the right colors and materials can make displayed merchandise pop. Think about your brand image, including your logo and bring in shelving and other fixtures that bring it to life.

Avoid the Straight and Narrow

Consider arranging shelving fixtures in a diagonal pattern throughout the store rather than along the traditional straight grid for two reasons. First, diagonal placement usually allows you to either fit in more shelving or give customers extra aisle space to browse. Secondly, it’s a great layout for protecting your inventory.

It’s a fact of doing business that occasionally someone will try to sneak something out without paying for it. Diagonally placed shelving often gives employees a better overall view of what’s going on in the store, causing would-be shoplifters to think twice.

Go Deep

Placing the most popular merchandise in the center of your store means that customers need to go deeper and pass more merchandise to grab the one thing they wanted. This strategy can be complimented by strategic displays placed along the way.

For example, if your store’s top sellers come from the convenience food cooler, locate it deep into the store with endcaps featuring chips and other accompanying snacks along the customer’s path from the cooler to the register.

Think Convenience

It seems like such a logical concept, but many C-store designs are set up for poor results from the very start because they didn’t focus on customer convenience. For example, beer is ranked among the top 5 biggest sellers for convenience stores, but accessing it isn’t always easy.

If you have a devoted beer cooler, install shelving that’s easy to shop so they can quickly get out of there. If you offer a non-chilled selection invest in a shelving unit that holds and properly displays the sometimes odd sizes of 6-packs and larger cases.

A Great Final Impression

As customers approach the point of sale area, this is your last chance to influence their buying decisions. If at this point they happen to think of something else they wanted, they’re more likely to just leave it behind than travel back through the store.

Install versatile shelving near the register area that’s designed to hold a variety of impulse items, and then stock them with merchandise that you know would compliment many of your customer’s purchases.

Shelving Solutions for Your C-Store

You can’t have a fabulous C-store design without high quality shelving fixtures to support it. We supply the shelving and merchandising solutions that modern C-stores need. Contact us at PFI today to discuss our premade and custom-built options.

Cross Merchandising in Your Retail Displays

Sun, 15 Jul 2018 10:33:00 GMT

Cross Merchandising in Your Retail Displays

Cross Merchandising in Your Retail Displays. Cross merchandising is a great way of introducing customers to the breadth of merchandise in your store. When done right, cross merchandising is a great tool that easily increases sales. It’s a straightforward concept, but there are also plenty of ways that it could go wrong.

It’s just as easy to overwhelm and confuse customers with cross merchandising instead of encouraging add on sales. The right approach is essential, especially to high impact areas like a store’s point of purchase displays.

For retailers that would like to get better acquainted with cross merchandising and understand why it’s an important strategy that benefits both you and your customers, we’ve put together a quick guide.

What Is Cross Merchandising?

Cross merchandising is a display tactic that places different, but complementary, types of products together in one spot to influence customer purchases. Great cross merchandising introduces new products to the customer, but also makes their shopping experience easier by displaying complimentary merchandise together.

Effective cross merchandising provides added value to the customer while encouraging the additional sales that retailers love.

Top 3 Benefits of Cross Merchandising

Sometimes, creating display areas with multiple types of merchandise is challenging. It involves planning, finding just the right products that work together and possibly reconfiguring the display space to accommodate different types of merchandise.

In retail, the costs to your business are measured in more than just profit from sales, but also in how efficiently work hours are allocated. It’s fair to ask if the effort put into cross merchandising is worth it.

The answer is without a doubt, yes. Here’s 3 reasons why.

Cross Merchandising Increases Sales

We’ll start here because this is the benefit that retailers are the most interested in. If a customer comes into your store for just one thing, but finds complimentary items displayed with it, they are more likely to make an additional purchase. Let’s look at a mobile phone display for example.

A customer might come in looking for a new phone, or maybe a protective case. When they reach the display they also find paid cards for pay-as-you-go plans, chargers, screen protectors, selfie sticks, etc. The customer was already planning on purchasing, so it’s easy to encourage an add on sale with complimentary merchandise.

Attract Customers Further into Your Store

Cross merchandising works especially well for stores that have an incredible selection, but customers that don’t spend a ton of time browsing. An attractively designed display grabs attention and introduces customers to the fact that you offer more than they realized. Cross merchandising encourages customers to go deeper, browse and eventually buy.

You Value Your Customers

Customers appreciate displays that are designed with convenience in mind. For example, if a retail POP display features flashlights, adding batteries to it means that the customer doesn’t need to wander back through the store. This is the type of convenience that customers appreciate and come back for.

Cross Merchandising Shelving Solutions

High quality shelving and display fixtures will make your cross merchandising efforts more impactful, and effective. We offer a range of solutions for your retail space. Contact PFI today to learn about our prebuilt and custom designed merchandising solutions.

3 Reasons to Consider Custom Retail Point of Purchase Display Cases

Sat, 30 Jun 2018 05:33:00 GMT

Custom Retail Point of Purchase Display Cases

3 Reasons to Consider Custom Retail Point of Purchase Display Cases. You’ve put a lot of effort into building the image of your retail location. You’ve invested time and energy into choosing just the right products and thinking about how to provide an excellent experience for your customers. You’ve done all of this with the goal of providing a service that stands out in your customer’s minds.

This is why so many retailers are left disappointed when they start looking at point of purchase display options. After looking at catalog after catalog, they find that everything is the same, and falls short of meeting their unique needs.

While prebuilt point of purchase display cases are a great option in some situations, they can present a challenge to retailers with unique spaces, products that are difficult to merchandise or just want something a little different.

There are times when point of purchase custom built units are the best option, especially for point of purchase displays. Here are 3 reasons why point of purchase custom displays might be the right choice for you.

Prebuilt Fixtures Just Don’t Work in Your Location

When you go with prebuilt retail POP displays, you’re completely at the mercy of the limited options a manufacturer feels like providing. Even suppliers that pride themselves on their variety of selection are limited in their options. The reason for this is simple. They also need to make a profit, so it only makes sense to mass produce units that the most businesses will be interested in.

Unfortunately, this means that many point of purchase display cases look the same. They’re the same sizes and shapes with a limited range of colors. If this presents a problem for you because standard cases just don’t work in your location, then it’s time to invest in custom units.

Point of purchase custom display cases can be built in any size or shape to accommodate your location. Plus, colors are customizable for when the standard black, white or woodgrain just won’t provide the visual appeal you’re looking for.

Quality Matters to You

Yes, you can find plenty of mass produced POP display cases that are built with integrity. However, you can also find plenty that aren’t. The fact is, and this is true for whatever you’re purchasing, custom built almost always comes with a higher level of craftsmanship.

Mass produced cases are usually built on an assembly line with random quality checks. This means that occasionally, flaws and defects in manufacturing get missed and sometimes these aren’t always visible until the unit has been in use for a while.

Custom units point of purchase units are built individually with attention to detail through the entire process, providing you a display with exceptional quality.

Your Unique Product Requires a Unique Solution

Standard sizes, especially for point of purchase displays, don’t always do the job. When product doesn’t fit properly into a display there’s a higher risk of it becoming damaged or losing the interest of customers.

A custom display case, built specifically for the product you have in mind, can solve these problems and make sure that your merchandising is on point and targeted towards generating revenue for your retail business.

When you have unique merchandising needs, we’re here to help you with point of purchase custom display solutions. Contact PFI today, and let’s talk about specialized display options for your business.

The 3 Advantages of Investing in New Display Cases for Your C-Store

Fri, 15 Jun 2018 05:26:00 GMT

Investing in New Display Cases for Your C-Store

The 3 Advantages of Investing in New Display Cases for Your C-Store. As a convenience store owner, purchasing new retail displays isn’t something that makes it to the top of your list very often. Typically, display cases only catch the attention of retailers when they’re opening a new location, remodeling their current spot or bringing in a new product line with unique display needs.

When these occasions do arise, it’s tempting to take the less expensive route and try to make the best out of what you already have or purchase second hand display units that have been “gently used”.

It’s understandable that you want to save costs where you can, and display cases can seem like a major investment, especially when you’re coming from the perspective that it’s the products that sell, not the display units that they’re on.

Still, there are some very good reasons to consider investing in new convenience store displays. The money you spend now can be an investment in your future, and here’s why.

You Can’t Argue the Visual Appeal

In the realm of retail, C-stores are a little different. Customers stop because they want something specific. It could be that they’re thirsty or need a snack, want to quickly grab something for their headache on the way to work or they’ve just ran out of windshield fluid. Regardless of the reason they’re there, most customers don’t spend a ton of time browsing in C-stores and some retailers have let this affect their approach to merchandising – in a negative way.

Just because your customers are in and out doesn’t mean that they aren’t still influenced by the visual appeal of your store. A location that’s merchandised with new, modern professional looking display cases is going to make them feel more comfortable plus it adds visual value to your merchandise, making it more interesting to browsers.

You Get What You Pay For

Used fixtures or finding ways to repurpose the ones you already have does save you money – right now. However, every convenience store display has a lifespan and there’s a lot of foot traffic in and out of your location, meaning that there’s also a lot of wear and tear on your display units.

The fact is that old fixtures just aren’t going to perform as well. They’re going to break or just fail to hold the merchandise properly. Not only can this eat up money in one small repair after another, but it also poses a safety risk to your customers. Buying new display units is an investment that actually saves money.

New Fixtures Are Built with the Modern Consumer in Mind

As modern convenience stores are become more customer focused, it’s important that your display cases are able to keep up with the trends. For example, self-serve food centers today are very different from the snack racks of the past. Plus, features are built with customer comfort in mind with elements that keep prime merchandise at eye level and provide more room to make for a more pleasant and comfortable shopping experience.

New display cases can instantly elevate your convenience store. Today, you’re competing on a different level as a C-store. We have the custom display options that will add instant appeal and a modern look to your location. Contact PFI today to learn more.

How Springtime End-Cap Sales Can Help Move Merchandise

Wed, 30 May 2018 20:20:00 GMT

End-Cap Sales Can Help Move Merchandise

How Springtime End-Cap Sales Can Help Move Merchandise. As a retailer, you probably spend a decent amount of time planning and strategizing how you’ll successfully merchandise your location during the power buying seasons of the year. Then once the hustle and bustle quiets down, you can finally take a moment to breathe.

But, then comes spring and all the new merchandise that you need to find a place for. With warmer weather comes a unique mindset to buying habits. While spring and summer means people will be shopping for weddings, graduations and Mother’s Day, they’re also more likely to have a little extra money to spend on themselves.

So, how do you optimize your retail space during the spring to appeal to customers and move the most merchandise? Start looking at end caps to be your merchandising powerhouses this season, and here’s why.

Leisurely Shoppers Go Deeper

Let’s talk for a minute about the mindset of consumers in the spring. The days of being elbow to elbow in the overcrowded stores of the holiday season is over and they can finally walk around a store without being weighed down with heavy outerwear. Spring is the time when they can finally be comfortable while shopping and it gives them a feeling of freedom.

This means that shoppers are more likely to take the time to linger rather than just run and grab something that caught their eye on a front-end display. It’s important to think about how you’re going to merchandise your entire location to optimize sales from leisurely shoppers.

End caps are prime real estate for capturing the attention and encouraging sales from your customers. Attractively displayed end caps keep their attention, introduce them to the breadth of your merchandise and invite them to walk down aisles that they otherwise might have passed over.

Make the Most of Your Space

You only have so much room in your retail location for displays, and if you try to pack too much in, it becomes overwhelming and uncomfortable for the customer. This is the last thing you want, but you also need to showcase your merchandise. End caps are the solution.

End caps are display opportunities that already exist. Whether you’re working with a slat wall or adding a sleek end aisle display, this is an area that can be merchandised with minimal impact on space or customer comfort.

But, don’t make the mistake of thinking because an end cap isn’t a huge display that it doesn’t deserve attention to detail. Customers are attracted to end caps that have been beautifully merchandised keeping color, symmetry, theme and even props in mind.

End Caps that Are User Friendly

For an end cap to be effective at moving merchandise it doesn’t need to contain a display at all. Sometimes, end cap space is best dedicated to making the customer’s experience easier or more enjoyable.

For example, a boutique might arrange a mirror and a place to hang a purse while the customer plays around with a new scarf, or a book store might set up a space for a customer to browse a book without standing in the middle of an aisle.

The right display features can enhance the customer experience, even without any merchandise.

The Future C-Store

Thu, 17 May 2018 20:15:00 GMT

In a day and age where technology constantly changes and improves the greatest competitive advantage is to be technologically ahead of everyone else. New store openings such as Amazon Go, a new cashier-less convenience store in Seattle that uses artificial intelligence and sensors to track which items consumers take off shelves, are changing the way […] The post The Future C-Store appeared first on Presence From Innovation (PFI).

Gondola Merchandising 101: Optimizing Your Retail Space

Tue, 15 May 2018 20:19:00 GMT

Optimizing Your Retail Space

Gondola Merchandising 101: Optimizing Your Retail Space. Gondola shelving is a merchandising powerhouse for many retail locations. It’s sturdy, versatile and easy for customers to shop. Go into any retail space and chances are there will be at least one gondola shelving unit.

Maybe this is why many retailers don’t give much thought to gondola merchandising. Rather than looking at the incredible potential, gondolas are often thought of as clunky, boring necessities of retail space.

The fact is, nothing could be further from the truth.

Gondola shelving can look classy, sophisticated and elevate your retail merchandising strategy. Here’s what you need to know about these versatile display units.

What is a Gondola Shelving Fixture?

A gondola is a merchandising fixture that can stand independently with displays on either side. Picture walking down an aisle of the store. What you’re seeing is a row of gondola fixtures that have been lined up next each other.

While lining them up to create aisles is one way of using gondolas, they can also be placed as a stand alone display feature in your store.

Gondola fixtures typically contain removable shelving with slots or pegboard on the back supporting panel. The general design makes gondolas extremely versatile and suitable for displaying any type of merchandise.

Optimizing Your Retail Space with Gondola Shelving

Gondola units are key to maximizing your retail display space. By adding just one, or several units, you instantly expand the square footage of the available area to merchandise your products. Gondolas make especially smart additions as point of purchase displays where space is often very limited.

For example, with removable and adjustable features, a gondola can be used as seasonal retail pop display by highlighting the impulse buy merchandise that’s most likely to move at that moment.

For example, a convenience store might choose to merchandise small last-minute stocking stuffer ideas for overburdened holiday shoppers in December. Then, once the holidays are over, the unit can be easily re-configured to hold travel blankets, flashlights and bottled water when a major snow storm is on its way.

Increasing the Versatility of Gondola Shelving

As stand-alone fixtures, gondolas are very versatile, even without some extra help. But, some retailers aren’t aware of all the merchandising solutions that are available to compliment gondola shelving.

For example, merchandising options can be expanded with just the addition of a gravity feed or anti slip shelving solution. These types of shelving, made from various high-quality materials, fit naturally into gondola shelving and make it possible to merchandise a greater variety of products.

These types of additions also help to organize merchandise and give displays a more cohesive look. Plus, they also make shopping and browsing easier for your customer.

The High-Quality Merchandising Solutions You Need

If you’re considering gondola shelving or looking for ways to optimize the units you already have, we offer solutions that will make the most of your retail space. Contact PFI today to learn more about optimizing gondola shelving with our high quality pre-built and customized merchandising solutions.

7 Things to Consider When Designing Your Custom POP Display

Mon, 30 Apr 2018 14:46:00 GMT

Designing Your Custom POP Display

7 Things to Consider When Designing Your Custom POP Display. Point of purchase displays are more than just another merchandising opportunity. They’re an opportunity to optimize the customer experience and create memorable retail moments. There’s incredible potential in the POP retail space, and how you use it can directly impact the lasting impression your customers are leaving with when they walk out the door.

Maybe you already know that this is one of the most important retail areas in your location but aren’t sure how to get the most out of it. The good news is it really isn’t that difficult. It’s all about keeping the customer in mind through the design and merchandising process.

Here’s seven tips to get you started.

Incorporate Brand Awareness

This isn’t the spot to throw in random merchandise in hopes of a few impulse sales. Creating a brand presence is important here because it’s the one spot in your store that every paying customer visits before they leave.

When designing your retail POP displays, consider your brand image and merchandise. What type of display is going to best convey your brand message and showcase the merchandise that will make your brand more memorable?

Customer Habits

Point of purchase displays are notorious for holding merchandise that make great last-minute add-ons. But, you should consider what that means to your customer. For example, if you’re a C-store that caters to travelers, you’ll want a POP display to hold maps and other travel accessories.

Material that Stands Out

POP displays need to capture your customer’s attention, so a visual wow factor is a must. This doesn’t mean bright lights and obnoxious colors, but you do want it to offer a pleasant visual contrast to the rest of the retail area. For example, a nice wood finish would stand out against a dark counter space.

Be Realistic About Space

If you’re redesigning your POP space and are considering new fixtures, be realistic about the space you have. It might be possible to fit larger fixtures in the space, but you don’t want to completely overwhelm the environment. Choose displays that fit naturally into the space you have and complement the design of your retail location.

High Quality Always Wins

The point of purchase area is one of the most heavily trafficked in your store. It’s worth it to pay a little extra for high quality materials that are going to stand up against above average wear and tear. This isn’t the place to cut corners with materials.

Make it Easy for Customers

Consider display designs that make it easy for customers to shop. Displays that make the customer reach too high or crouch low, aren’t doing anything to provide ease or comfort. Displays that promote merchandise at eye level or provide for an easy reach and grab are customer friendly, especially in an area where they’re expecting a speedy checkout.

The Intention Is Obvious

Nothing looks worse than a POP display that’s thrown together without a second thought. Choose display designs that you know will be easy to effectively merchandise and look great holding the products you’re promoting.

Are you ready to create an amazing point of purchase experience for your customers? Contact PFI today, and let’s talk about what custom POP displays can do for you.

Create space and save on restock time with Stockmaster IMC Cart

Thu, 19 Apr 2018 19:46:00 GMT

The PFI Stockmaster IMC Cart creates vertical space in any storage room or walk in cooler to store anything from candy boxes to single serve beverages. This cart lets any store take advantage of additional backroom storage. With vertically adjustable shelves this cart can be configured to hold any sized product allowing for inventory control with for overflow. This cart also features wheels on the bottom for mobility. This mobility not only allows the cart to be moved where space is needed but also provides an additional use for this cart as a restocking cart. The Stockmaster IMC cart allows stores to restock more items in less time and with less effort. Place all kinds of products on the Stockmaster IMC cart from gallon sodas, boxes of candies all the way to bags of chips. All these items could be restocked in one trip with the Stockmaster IMC Cart. This lets employees spend less time restocking and more time interacting with customers.

Find out more here .

Also check out the Stockmaster Singles Cart . Perfect for merchandising premium craft beers and wine.

Which C-Store Designs Attract More Customers?

Sun, 15 Apr 2018 14:44:00 GMT

Which C-Store Designs Attract More Customers?

Which C-Store Designs Attract More Customers? It costs less money to keep the customers you already have than it does to try and attract new business. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t put any effort into attracting new customers, however. For convenience stores in particular, it’s important that any efforts to try and generate new business focus on driving repeat business since it’s an extremely competitive industry.

Often times, convenience stores pop up in clusters, which causes fierce competition. In an industry where it’s difficult to really differentiate in the product and service you offer, the small details – like store design – really matter.

So, what does winning convenience store design mean for today’s customer? Let’s take a look.

Open Space with Optimized Displays

Most C-stores aren’t sprawling landscapes with vast amounts of space. In fact, the opposite is usually true. C-stores are generally trying to pack as much convenience merchandise as possible into a small space. But, trying to cater to every possible need can backfire.

Today, customers are looking for a different experience. They want wide aisles that are easy to navigate, and self-service stations that don’t come with the risk of bumping into someone standing in line. Smart C-store design recognizes that open space is a win in customer’s eyes.

The problem with this is that more open space means less merchandising opportunity unless you optimize display space for maximum impact. For example, custom display spaces designed to fit with your location, and product, help you get the most out of each square foot while still appealing to the customer’s need for simplicity.

A Food Focused Experience

Once upon a time, the only “fresh” food options at a convenience store were roller dogs, stale nachos and fountain soda. This is no longer the case.

Customers have begun looking at the C-store as a real fast food option. In fact, many convenience stores far exceed the selection you’d get from a fast food drive through. They’re featuring fresh food choices, gourmet kitchens and drink stations that are the envy of every professional barista.

C-stores designs that place a high value on food service are preferred. But, it isn’t just the food that matters. It’s also the look of the displays. Customers expect convenience store display fixtures to be a visual representation of the elevated level of food choices available. Higher end finishes and design add instant appeal.

The Point of Purchase Experience

The final landing point in a convenience store is the point of purchase. Some customers will come in for a quick grab and won’t make it far past this point, so you need a winning POP design that sells your brand image as well as merchandise.

When customers know they can find what they’re looking for easily, and find value in POP offerings, they’re more likely to make a return visit. POP displays that leave a lasting visual impression because of their quality and updated appearance attract more sales and make you stand out in the crowd.

It’s time to crush the competition, and it all starts with store design. Contact PFI today, and let’s start talking about C-store display designs that are going to keep your customers coming back.

How to Decide What Material Is Right for Your POP Display

Fri, 30 Mar 2018 19:57:00 GMT

How to Decide What Material Is Right for Your POP Display

How to Decide What Material Is Right for Your POP Display. Retailers know there are certain points in the customer journey that are prime opportunities for increasing sales. Impulse and last-minute purchases are one of the best ways to boost your overall transaction average, plus when done right, these additional purchases add value to your customer’s experience.

Optimizing point of purchase displays helps you capture more of these add on sales. It would be great if tossing some merchandise near your registers was good enough. Unfortunately, it takes more than that. The products you choose, and how they’re presented, make all the difference in if the customer even looks at your merchandising.

Why Display Material Matters

For successful point of purchase displays, you should be thinking about more than just the merchandise. How you display the merchandise is just as important. Take for example, the corrugated cardboard displays that so often litter prime retail real estate. These displays serve a purpose of providing a quick merchandising option, but they aren’t exactly relaying the value of the product.

The same product displayed in a wire, plastic or wood POP display will get a lot more attention. Permanent displays look purposeful, and encourage interest, especially when the product is level with the customers eye instead of their waist.

Choosing the Best Point of Purchase Material

There’s no one size fits all answer to the best material for point of purchase displays. It all depends on your merchandise and your needs. Pre-built and custom displays are available in wire, plastic and wood.

Wire Rack Displays

Wire racks are durable, adaptable and generally less costly than other display options. You’ve probably noticed that some stores use almost entirely wire rack displays. This is because they can easily be maneuvered around the store and fit a huge variety of merchandising needs.

Wire racks accommodate most types of merchandise included refrigerated items that come with a condensation or spill risk. It’s easy to clean and maintains it’s structural integrity. This is a great choice for POP displays when you know you’ll be displaying a variety of merchandise and want something that can be easily moved from one spot to the next.

Plastic Displays

Plastic is a great option for displays because it allows the merchandise to speak for itself. The right plastic display blends into the product so that it almost seems invisible. This is ideal for larger or colorful merchandise that should shine on its own without competition form the display unit. Plastic is durable and strong enough to hold heavy items. Look for plastic displays that are resistant to scratches and chips.

Wood Displays

If you want a display that looks high end, then wood is your ideal choice. It’s classy, clean and makes a great backdrop for showcasing any product you want to move fast. Wood displays are great for holding large or standard size boxes that might not fit so nicely into other types of displays.

We’d love to talk and answer your questions about the best materials for your point of purchase displays. We offer pre-built and custom display options in all materials. Contact PFI today, and let’s start talking about adding a little wow to your POP.

How Bag-In-Box Stockmaster could bag you major profits!

Mon, 19 Mar 2018 15:51:00 GMT

By using a Bag-in-Box Stockmaster, C-stores are able to maximize profits on sales of beverages.

Our Bag-in-Box Stockmaster moves labor and potential injury from retailer to the beverage supply company all the while making order taking easier and more accurate because of every box being visible. Back stock is placed behind the bags attached to the pump which creates a clear view of stock. Maximize your beverage sales today!

Reach out today to speak with an expert about how a Bag-in-Box Stockmaster can significantly improve your store's bottom line!

Optimizing C-Store Space with Creative Displays

Thu, 15 Mar 2018 19:55:00 GMT

Optimizing C-Store Space

Optimizing C-Store Space. For decades, convenience stores have been the place to maybe grab a quick drink or snack. Nobody really expected anything substantial from the C store experience. It was what it was. Nothing less, nothing more.

But, time changes everything, and convenience stores are no exception. Customers aren’t just looking for a quick stop and grab. They’re also after an experience. Their expectations in product selection and quality are changing, and retailers are adapting their convenience store displays by using smart merchandising strategies that make more creative use of available space.

High Traffic Equals High Sales

There’s incredible opportunity in the front area of most C stores. This is the highest traffic area, and merchandising efforts have long been focused on small impulse items. This is a good strategy, but retailers could make even better use of this space with a little creative merchandising and display fixtures.

Many C stores have expanded their fresh food and drink selections. It’s not uncommon to see a coffee station that looks like it needs a barista, a hot food station or even a juice bar. Here, we have all these conveniences that rival coffee shops and restaurants, but we’re still using prime retail space to sell a pack of gum.

C stores can increase revenue by optimizing high traffic areas to showcase items that customers normally find on the perimeter of the store. For example, a display of fresh food selections or a small refrigerated display of fresh pressed juices.

The key here is that these items are still impulse purchases, but they’re different. You can get a pack of gum anywhere. A new drink or signature brownie is something else entirely. Customers associate the store with a satisfying experience, and the C store makes a larger profit from an improved selection of impulse items.

Reinventing the Station

Whether it’s a frozen drink, fountain soda or hot dog, customers love to make a straight line to food beverage stations. These stations are fast and easy to use, but there’s still an element of personalization because the customer made it themselves, just the way they wanted it.

C stores can take advantage of these profit goldmines by becoming a little more innovative and creative in merchandising these areas.

For example, a C store might feature a small rack of locally crafted chocolates or pastries next to their coffee station. It’s a suggestive selling technique, but it’s also offering selections that are elevated above the typical candy bar or mass-produced donut.

We’re also seeing a trend in how smart C stores are capitalizing on station space by removing attempts at standard impulse buys and replacing them with an extension of offerings. For example, the hotdog station with standard condiments might be upgraded to include toppings for a New York style Coney Dog and a display of flavored bottled seltzers right next to it.

The only thing that’s keeping your convenience store from becoming the favorite neighborhood spot is a little creativity and some innovative display options. We have the variety of display options to help you make more profitable use of your C store space. Contact PFI for more information custom merchandising solutions today.

Making the Most of End Cap Merchandising

Wed, 28 Feb 2018 20:54:00 GMT

Making the Most of End Cap Merchandising

Making the Most of End Cap Merchandising. So many businesses put an incredible amount of time and energy into organizing and reorganizing the shelves throughout their stores, which oftentimes means that the end caps can get overlooked. These shelves at the ends of rows are incredibly valuable pieces of real estate, however, and end cap merchandising can go a long way toward presenting certain items to customers that may not have seen those items otherwise.

Of course, making the most of end cap merchandising takes pointed, deliberate planning by the store manager, so consider these tips when maximizing your own store’s end caps:

Be Aware of Item Size

Generally speaking, this is true for all shelves, but with end caps it is especially important to locate larger items lower on the shelf to anchor the display from a visual standpoint, while also keeping the smaller items at eye level to ensure they also get noticed by customers looping around to the next row of products. These shelves are adjustable, so change the height between shelves as needed to make the most of your end cap display space.

Focus on Impulse Buys

End caps also are great for the small, inexpensive sorts of items that customers may buy impulsively while in your store. It’s something not on their list but something fun or delicious enough to warrant a try because it doesn’t cost that much to toss it into the cart.

Use Bold Signage

It’s actually fairly easy for someone to cruise right by an end cap without even looking at it, so make sure to use big, bold signage to draw in customers’ attention, even if they are far away from the display. Drawing their attention to the end of the row can get them focusing on those items and potentially pull them into new areas of the store with those end cap displays serving as anchors.

Consider Cross-Selling

Oftentimes businesses use end caps as a way to supplement the purchases a customer may have made in an aisle they just left. For example, accessories would go on the end of an aisle with clothing on sale, or batteries would go at the end of an aisle selling electronics. These are the sorts of items that encourage buyers to purchase more as a way of accompanying the purchases they already have made.

Highlight Unique Items

Sometimes items just don’t fit in with some of the larger clumps of merchandise in your store, and since end caps are isolated and not competing with anything else, they can be a good place to plant these items that can’t find a logical home anywhere else in the store.

While all of these represent great uses of your end cap space, don’t forget that it’s important to swap out your end caps fairly frequently, though how frequently depends on your store, your customers, and the type of merchandising you’re displaying. Here at Presence from Innovation , we want to help our customers make the most of their end caps with the bigger plan focusing on selling more merchandise to customers who just need a little more help locating items they sometimes didn’t even know they wanted.

The post Making the Most of End Cap Merchandising appeared first on Presence From Innovation (PFI) .

Success in the Cold Vault

Wed, 28 Feb 2018 19:41:00 GMT

Success in the Cold Vault

Success in the Cold Vault. The cold vault competition is a never-ending battle. C-Store retailers that want to optimize sales of high margin products must be willing to take the necessary steps to ensure that their cold vault is stylish, easy to use, eye catching, and welcoming to shoppers.

Merchandising equipment in the cold vault puts product literally at the customer’s fingertips. For sales of cold vault beverages to be at their highest, the presentation and ease of use must be at its best. Equipment that does not allow products to easily glide to the front, make it difficult for customers to get to a product or even know that a product is available. Combining the correct type of merchandising at the correct angle, packages should systematically glide to the front. The angle is very important; Too little angle and products won’t slide forward, too much angle and products fall over. C-Store retailers must be bold and decisive when making decisions on how to outfit their cold vault. Proper equipment and subsequent use can directly affect the performance of their C-store. The right merchandising solutions paired with the right products creates success.

PFI can help create success in your cold vault.

We invented the glide category and our experience and capabilities ensure products are where they need to be when customers are looking for them, while also reducing the time and labor needed for merchandise restocking during peak hours. With multiple glide options: Cool Glide, Eco+ Cool Glide, Modular Glide and the Intelli-System, we have solutions that fit every need of retailers. Our merchandising solutions help all kinds of packaging find their way to the front of the shelf for easy grabbing and purchase while creating a uniform look across your store.

Click here to review all of our glide options

To review options with an expert give PFI a call today!

Five Ways Creative POP Displays Can Increase Sales

Thu, 15 Feb 2018 20:53:00 GMT

Five Ways Creative POP Displays Can Increase Sales

Five Ways Creative POP Displays Can Increase Sales. Any business owner that has done even an iota of homework about how to increase sales inevitably has run into the concept of point-of-purchase, or POP, displays in their store. These displays serve a variety of purposes for the consumer, but each of these purposes works in conjunction to encourage customers to spend more while they’re in your building. That’s why, done the right way, creative and informative retail POP displays can seriously increase sales at literally any brick-and-mortar store.

The following are five ways in which creative POP displays can boost sales for your business:

1. They Attract Impulsive Buyers

One of the most obvious ways in which point-of-purchase displays can boost sales is by encouraging customers to make impulsive purchases beyond whatever they may have on their lists. Placing a display of chapstick or candy or soda near the register is one way to encourage impulse purchases, but those aren’t the only options. Other accessories or small last-minute items can convince customers to spend just a little more than they planned to. If that happens several hundred times in a month, the added profit is rather noticeable.

2. They Remind People to Buy Things They Forget They Needed

By that same token, sometimes the purchases aren’t necessarily impulsive but just something the shopper forgot. Items like batteries, for example, are easy to leave off a shopping list, so putting those types of items in retail POP displays can encourage more spending, too.

3. They Introduce Customers to New Products

Putting together attractive and unique point-of-purchase displays for new or unique items is often the best way to single out that particular product so shoppers have the best chance of feasting their eyes upon them. Businesses want customers to see the newest, most exciting items, and the right POP display obviously can help with that.

4. They Please Customers by Saving Them Money

Putting a display at the register with coupons give shoppers an immediate sense of saving money at the last minute. While helping them save money on the way out the door may not seem productive, those customers that feel like they are getting great values at a certain store are more likely to come back. Generating that sense of money saved is a great use for point of purchase displays.

5. They Help Customers Make Purchasing Decisions

By giving shoppers some direction in the store or even going the extra mile with things like QR codes that lead to more information online, customers have more options than ever at their disposal in terms of getting help with making a decision. Bright, clear posters, mobiles and other visuals work together to make shopping easier than ever, which is great for the retention of long-term customers.

Here at Presence from Innovation , we want businesses to make the most of their profitability, and the right kind of creative POP display can help greatly with that. Done right, this type of visual merchandising can go a long way toward boosting the profitability of a store.

The Principles of Lean in Your Cold Vault

Fri, 09 Feb 2018 10:25:00 GMT

The Principles of Lean in Your Cold Vault

The Principles of Lean in Your Cold Vault. Industries all across the world have used the assembly line methodology of Lean production, or simply Lean, to improve overall business and their bottom line. In any business, the greatest enemy of profitability is waste. Typically this waste takes form in time or money. Lean feeds off the idea of reducing waste to maximize value. So what is waste? Waste is defined as anything that does not have perceived value by the customer. When implemented correctly Lean prevents waste from happening. Below are some benefits of implementing the basic principles of Lean in your cold vault.

Improved Visual Management

When done correctly, your cold vault will be set up so you can evaluate an entire area with a visual scan. This creates the ability to better assess inventory and make more informed decisions on future vendor orders.

Increased Restocking Efficiency

All products will be placed so that the least amount of time and movement is needed to restock a item. This leads to increased efficiencies that can be repeated.

Manpower Reductions

One of the major benefits of Lean is getting more done in less time with less people. The idea of Lean would have any freed up time dedicated to perform activity’s that bring value to the customer, such as interaction.

Maximized Storage Space

As part of the waste reduction process, space will be created. This will save space vertically in your racking as well as horizontally across your floor. This creates more room in your cold vault.

Safer Work Environment

An organized work environment is a safe work environment.

Improved Employee Morale

Employee’s will spend less time restocking in the very chilly and windy cold vault and will spend more time interacting with customers. This will create happier employee’s and even happier customers.

Implement the principles of Lean using PFI’s Stockmaster and Stockmaster IMC Cart.

The Stockmaster transfers labor from store management to distributors, saving approximately 4 hours of labor per week. The Stockmaster has the ability to safely organize full and partial cases allowing for complete cooler inventory to be taken in 30 minutes or less. The front mobile section manages broken and partial cases for easy access to load glides for consumer sales. This minimizes the overall movement and lifting of cases because of the ability to stock shelves directly from the mobile cart section thus resulting in fewer work related injuries, a 1 hour reduction in restock time per shift, and the potential for retailers to reduce insurance premiums. All this can mean a larger bottom line!

The Stockmaster IMC cart supports the role of the Stockmaster by taking advantage of additional backroom storage and creating a mobile solution to restocking. The Stockmaster IMC cart holds 390 20oz bottles or 160 2L bottles per unit. The Stockmaster IMC cart puts large amounts of single serve products at arms length away of an employee. In addition, the IMC cart’s mobility allows it to move throughout the cold vault and sales floor reducing the time it takes to restock many items at once.

PFI’s capabilities paired with the principles of Lean will maximize the success of your cold vault and store overall.

How Data Has Transformed Modern-Day Visual Merchandising

Tue, 30 Jan 2018 18:30:00 GMT

How Data Has Transformed Modern-Day Visual Merchandising

How Data Has Transformed Modern-Day Visual Merchandising. It’s a little surprising to consider how new visual merchandising really is, but in terms of retail design as a movement in American shopping, we really have only begun to scratch the surface. For years, most consumers did their shopping in large specialty stores, department stores, or local mom-and-pop general stores, but in the 1960s and 1970s the idea of the boutique store came into existence, setting the stage for what would evolve over the course of the next two decades into what we now recognize as retail merchandising strategies that have real positive effects on sales.

In current times, though, we still are seeing change in the way visual merchandising works, due in large part to the data that businesses are generating in regard to the way that their customers shop. Here at Presence from Innovation, we help businesses sift through this data to determine the best ways to approach visual merchandising in the modern world. In terms of what has changed from the 1970s, consider the following data-driven approaches to visual merchandising:

Tracking Movement

Many businesses track the movement of people in their stores to get a sense of what directions they naturally head in so that they can organize goods around those routes. Data allows these business to plan their store layout incredibly carefully, making sure to focus on where items are located when compared to the direction that customers travel while inside the store. Visual merchandising strategies absolutely can help maximize profit using data to track these types of things.

Sales Per Area

One of the best metrics for gauging the performance of a brick-and-mortar store is sales per area, which lets business owners know how efficient they are being with the use of their space. Sales per area is determined by how much money in sales is brought in over the course of a year compared to the size of the store, and visual merchandising allows these business owners to earn more money in smaller spaces by making better use of that space and arranging profitable items in ideal locations. Retail analytics software absolutely can help with this.

Baskets and Basket Sizes

Data also can track what sorts of items people are buying at the same time. It can be nice to get a sense of whether people who buy one thing also are buying another thing, as that could affect how a store gets laid out. Basket sizes help in terms of tracking how many items people are purchasing, and knowing that data is a key aspect of improving sales.

Applying All of This to the Internet

Of course, the biggest change from the 1970s to now is that visual merchandising must also be applied to vendors who sell via the internet. While there are an entirely different set of rules for selling things online, the same basic principles exist about using data to improve the look and functionality of a website in an attempt to boost sales.

Here at PFI, we want to help businesses use data to improve their own visual merchandising. As this data continues to prove, knowing how and why things sell is every bit as important as determine what to sell and where to sell it.

How the Right Merchandising Can Reduce Out-of-Stocks

Tue, 16 Jan 2018 18:29:00 GMT

How the Right Merchandising Can Reduce Out-of-Stocks

How the Right Merchandising Can Reduce Out-of-Stocks. If businesses themselves are annoyed by the occasional stockout, then imagine how frustrating it must be for customers who are struggling to track down an item the very much want or need. These out-of-stocks can occur at any time throughout the supply chain, but consumers notice them more quickly on the retail end of things, which is why those business owners experiencing them need the help of Presence from Innovation to help eliminate them and improve their overall retail merchandising experience.

Reducing out-of-stocks starts with the following changes:

Move Focus Toward Merchandise Availability

It used to be that having accurate counts of a certain item was enough to meet the demands of customers, but these days the reality of inventory management is a little more complex. It is a bit of a mindset change to shift away from straight-up inventory management and toward merchandise availability, but doing so is a much more effective way of ensuring customers have access to the items they desire.

Work to Decrease Theft

One problem businesses have had since the dawn of commerce is a discrepancy between what the inventory says should be available and what actually is available. Theft, naturally, is big cause for this, but that doesn’t make it any less frustrating for potential buyers that believe an item is in stock, only to be turned away because of inventory numbers not matching up. Even worse, the items that are stolen most often tend to the best most profitable items for stores and retail pop displays , so investing in proven theft solutions can help decrease the likelihood of shrinkage.

Embrace Data

Here at PFI, we do most of our best work through the analysis of data, which is one of the best ways to reduce retail out-of-stocks. There is so much data available these days thanks to some really incredible software, but sifting through that data and determining what to do with it can be incredibly challenging for those who don’t know what to look for. That, of course, is where we can be of assistance, since using that data is a great way of cutting back on those stockouts.

Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment

One thing we are seeing through the use of this data is businesses experimenting with test systems designed to get a hold on out-of-stocks, both in custom retail display cases located in brick-and-mortar stores, and within the individual departments of those stores. Analytics can help people determine what sorts of things are and are not working, so playing a few different options and keeping meticulous records of the results is one excellent way to get the information a business needs to see the changes they desire in terms of tracking inventory and decreasing out-of-stocks.

There is no question that out-of-stocks are a constant annoyance both to business owners and their customers, but here at PFI we want to help reduce these stockouts through an analysis of usable data. Businesses looking to solve this problem need only contact us here at Presence from Innovation for the sorts of solutions that could help make out-of-stocks a thing of the past.

Merchandising Tactics to Drive Impulse Purchases

Sat, 16 Dec 2017 23:33:00 GMT

Merchandising Tactics to Drive Impulse Purchases

Merchandising Tactics to Drive Impulse Purchases. It’s ironic that something called “unplanned purchases” accounts for almost 80% of retail purchases. But unplanned purchases, also termed “impulse purchases”, are something for which every company must develop a sound strategy, utilizing the most effective retail merchandising tactics in order to optimize their share of this weighty percentage.

Low Risk + Low Price = High Reward (For You)

Everyone has made impulse purchases. Think about the items you’ve “impulse purchased”: gum, a magazine, pop, baseball cards, a small toy, the list goes on. Different products, with one common denominator: they don’t cost a lot, they’re easy to grab off the shelf or from a display, and there’s zero risk associated with buying them.

Of course, there are countless companies looking to make their impulse item stand out. So which merchandising tactics work best?

Find a Need and Fill It

The phrase “Find a need and fill it” has been around since the dawn of time. In its most basic interpretation, you find out what your customer needs and fulfill that need. Nowadays, the process of determining and fulfilling needs is quite complex. With so many companies vying for a consumer’s attention, the axiom “knowledge is power” has never been more relevant.

Before you develop merchandising tactics to drive impulse purchases, you need to know everything there is to know about your target audience:

Armed with this data, you should have no problem creating a highly effective POP display/merchandiser that provides you with a juicy slice of the “80% pie” mentioned above.

Cross-merchandising/transaction-building for Increased Impulse Purchases

Why compel the customer to make one impulse purchase when they could make two, or three? This is where cross-merchandising and transaction-building are key. One great, well-merchandised product is, well, great. But three great products are even better, especially if you can convey the message that all three products are the sum of a whole. Or, put another way, the consumer must understand that buying one of your products is fine, but buying all three is mind-blowing. For example, if you were to design a POP display to sell stationery, your display would integrate paper, envelopes, and pens/pencils. All three products are linked together: each one has a use on its own, but the “total package” is what the consumer really needs.

Test and Retest

Even when armed with copious consumer data and a knockout merchandising display idea, you still don’t want to cannonball into the pool right away. Dip your toe in first by testing your approach at one or two stores to see how consumers respond. Set a minimum baseline for the amount of impulse purchases you’d like to accrue, and tweak your merchandising display/product mix & look until you’ve blown through said baseline. Then expand the concept to additional stores.

How to Measure Your Retail Display’s ROI

Tue, 28 Nov 2017 23:15:00 GMT

How to Measure Your Retail Display’s ROI

How to Measure Your Retail Display’s ROI. As with anything in life, you get out of it what you put in. This axiom is particularly relevant in the marketing world, where ROI is key and directly related to the quality of the marketing tactic and the thought put into the design and execution.

Today we’re talking about retail POP displays and how to measure the ROI of these potential-laden but sometimes-polarizing sales tools. Why polarizing? Because most brand marketers see POP displays as a cost (burden) instead of an investment (opportunity). Consequently, those who find them “burdensome” tend to put less effort into the display’s design, with the end result not performing to its maximum. Sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

So how can you measure the ROI of your retail displays and become a believer?

Promotion Program Value (PPV)

As the name implies, PPV measures a promotional program’s value. How does it do this? With a simple formula

A recent study conducted by an established industry research company cites $53.76 as the average cost of a POP display, with every dollar spent yielding around $4.99 in incremental sales. The resulting PPV is close to 499%, which is fantastic.

Net Revenue Divided by Investment Cost

A more traditional way to measure your POP displays’ ROI is to divide net revenue by investment cost. This is typically done on an annual basis. For example, in one year you spent $5,000 to execute all of your POP display initiatives. Your net annual profit was $50,000. This translates to an ROI of 90%, or a return of $9 for every $1 spent on your POP displays. This is a compelling number, especially if your POP program for year two mirrors that of year one. Everything is designed the same, which means your tooling costs are nil, resulting in an even greater ROI in year two.

Why POP Displays Should be Viewed as Investments, Not Costs

Along with the math laid out above, there are several other reasons why you should consider your POP displays as investments and therefore put full effort into their design and function:

When you consider that the average consumer is exposed to 3,000 marketing messages every day, and that 30,000 new SKUs hit the market annually, competition is fierce. Plus, retailers are increasingly selective about a POP display’s design and quality, wanting it to be the right fit for their store’s layout and customers. The right display can impact a consumer in as little as 3 – 5 seconds. Is the argument in favor of the “POP displays = an investment” airtight? You bet.

Generationally Speaking: Shopping Habits

Thu, 16 Nov 2017 23:08:00 GMT

Generationally Speaking: Shopping Habits

Generationally Speaking: Shopping Habits. PFI’s custom-branded display and merchandising solutions are used by Fortune 50 B2C companies, small independent retailers, and craft consumer brands. We work closely with our customers and strive to add value by following and understanding the issues and trends that affect them. In this blog post, we take a closer look at the differences among the five main retail shopping generations.

With five generations making up most businesses’ customer base, it’s important to realize that one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to retail practices and point-of purchase displays. When considering your retail displays you should take into consideration the makeup of your store’s unique clientele. Here, we’ll give a brief description of what some of your customers might “look” like.

Silent Generation (72 and up)

Not surprisingly, this generation, who grew up following the Great Depression and experienced World War II, is the most frugal of the bunch. You won’t catch them “wasting” money dining out or making frivolous or impulse purchases. They tend to shop with brands they know and trust. To engage these shoppers, you should appeal to their practicality and focus on value. Unlike other generations, who prefer shopping online or self-checkout, the Silent Generation relies on the expertise of a sales associate. They are also more responsive to print ads rather than mobile.

Baby Boomers (53-71)

You might expect this segment of shoppers, raised by the Silent Generation, to have inherited their parents’ frugality. Well… yes and no. Boomers are famous for their tendency to save and spend wisely. They have a difficult time understanding why the younger generations wastefully spend on unnecessary things such as dinners and coffee. They care more about product quality and value than brand. While many are completely comfortable shopping on their laptops, technology isn’t a top priority for them. Boomers (and their grandchildren, the Millennials) are greatly influenced by in-store promotions.

Gen X (36-52)

This is the first group to grow up with email, the internet and, later, e-commerce. Now, they’re employed and likely have a family with children, so they lean toward quick and efficient shopping experiences. They want what they need when they need it. Retailers should focus on solutions that save time for these shoppers, like the options to order online and pick up curbside.

Millennials (21-35)

Numbering more than 83 million, Millennials are the fastest-growing, most diverse generation of consumers in the United States. They’ve grown up being advertised to more than any generation before them. Most importantly, however, Millennials have grown up with more ways to buy and pay for products and services than any previous generation. The way in which they shop is forcing retailers to re-think the rules for sales and marketing. They use technology in practically every aspect of their lives. Their mobile devices are always handy for price comparisons and product reviews, and they rely heavily on word-of-mouth marketing via social media. The overall brand experience matters a lot to Millennials; they want to feel connected. To win Millennials’ dollars, brands should have strong social networks.

Generation Z (20 and under)

The people who make up Generation Z have never known life without the internet. So, while it might be tempting to think this new generation of shopper would strictly be online only, that assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. They’re true “brick-and-mobile” shoppers, meaning they do their research online and purchase in store. According to Chadwick Research an amazing 70% of iPhone owners reported using web access or a specific mobile app for assistance while shopping. The importance of a retailer’s online and mobile presence cannot be overstated here. This new generation of customers is very technologically savvy and is estimated to account for more than 40% of all consumers by 2020.

Here at Presence From Innovation, we know what it takes to drive sales using product merchandising. Let us help you with our vast collection of well-developed, effective retail displays. Contact us today and let us help you to bring your retail business’ earnings to their full potential.

The Important Role of Retail Displays in Visual Merchandising

Tue, 29 Aug 2017 16:43:00 GMT

The Important Role of Retail Displays in Visual Merchandising

The Important Role of Retail Displays in Visual Merchandising. Visual merchandising is something that retailers can find to be a challenging task. What should you display where to attract customers? This is the main question retailers must ask if they want to make their brands consistently understood by customers. It’s also an important question when it comes to increasing and maintaining sales. From the moment your customers walk in the door, they are surveying the area and making sense of your brand. The retail displays you use play a big part in telling that story of who you are and what you can offer as a business.

Everything from retail shelving displays to gondola shelving style is a part of your brand. You don’t want any part of your store to seem inconsistent. A forgotten display is a missed opportunity for a sale.

The retail display style sets the tone for the store. Is it serious? Is it fun? No matter what type of merchandise you sell, there’s a retail display scheme that’s perfect for your store. Bright colors, for instance, draw people towards a display. Fun fonts also draw people in with intrigue.

Retail displays definitely take a certain amount of planning. That’s where experts like PF Innovation come in. We already know what works for many different types of businesses. Themes help to unify an idea. Even when it comes to the types of retail shelving you’re using, it matters within the greater theme. Using imaginary settings like a nature scene, for instance also help to engage your customers imaginations. Summer signifies the beach. Fall signifies pumpkins. Keep within a theme. Remind your customers why they have come into your establishment in the first place. Whether it be for a seasonal shopping trip or quick convenience stop for water and a candy bar, everything in your store says something about the shopping experience your customers will have.

Keeping this in mind, choose your props wisely. Using a focal piece will help to catch the attention of your customers. Displays should also be at eye level whenever possible. This way, displays can be viewed from many different angles. Remember also that too many patterns and colors is distracting to the average consumer. Be sure that you know your focus when you go into building a display. These same rules apply when it comes to display cases as well. Bring a focal point into the picture to bring your in-store marketing efforts all together.

Things to avoid:

Things to consider:

Use High-Impact Visual Merchandising To Increase Your Bottom Line

Wed, 14 Jun 2017 14:40:00 GMT

Use High-Impact Visual Merchandising To Increase Your Bottom Line

Use High-Impact Visual Merchandising To Increase Your Bottom Line. In a world taken over by e-commerce, it is more important than ever for retail stores to use visual creativity and design to engage shoppers and encourage sales. You can create a strong presence from innovation, design, and purpose within your store.

First Impressions are priceless, especially now that consumers are finding much of their product information long before they reach your store. Shoppers are either visiting your business because they need a specific item or because they want to shop. You can easily take advantage of either by making a good first impression. Many will return to your store simply because they enjoy the atmosphere, others will return because they know they can easily find the items they need. Just remember to keep displays fresh and offer new items regularly.

Innovation and design are essential to retail stores today because everyone is competing now on multiple levels – e-commerce, technology, big brands, and more. To attract more customers and sales you need to know your consumer base and ensure that you are relevant and cutting edge to get ahead of your competitors. The right retail display can transform an entire section of your store and catch the eye of an otherwise oblivious shopper.

Don’t forget – possibly the most important part – function. Use retail displays to upsell products, highlight brands or sales, and to offer convenience in every department. By doing this, you will please your customers and encourage them to return.

How To Capitalize With Point Of Purchase Displays

Mon, 29 May 2017 14:32:00 GMT

How To Capitalize With Point Of Purchase Displays

How To Capitalize With Point Of Purchase Displays. Point of purchase, known as POP in retail, is a crucial place where sales are made. Originally, POP displays were only located around or within the checkout area, meant to encourage shoppers to make impulse buys on small but high-margin items while they wait in line. Now, POP has evolved and retailers are beginning to use these displays in many areas of the store to increase basket sales.

POP displays bring attention to a brand, product or need through custom graphics and the impulse experienced with the shopping display . By showcasing the product or brand and highlighting the advantages of the sale, POP displays can make a huge impact on consumers at the moment they are making a buying decision. For instance, when a customer is in the produce section, he or she is obviously looking for produce. Product displays can be changed to highlight fruits and vegetables that are in season and on sale, including complimentary products (i.e. caramel for caramel apples in the fall). This idea can be carried over into other departments based on seasons, holidays, events, and more to attract customers who are looking for products that pair nicely.

The key to capitalizing on point of purchase displays is constant evolution. In order to stay relevant and impactful, you must change your displays continuously. Many of your in-store visitors will be repeat customers, so a display that has remained the same for weeks becomes ineffective. PFI has the POP solutions to increase your ROI and advance your sales.

Why You Need a Total-Store Approach?

Mon, 17 Apr 2017 14:30:00 GMT

Why You Need a Total-Store Approach?

Why You Need a Total-Store Approach?. Consumer purchasing habits have drastically changed over the last few years. The internet now offers a plethora of options for seeking out products including price checking, coupon clipping, and more – all which can be done from home before the customer even walks in your door.

A total-store approach essentially maps out your entire selling strategy by meticulously planning your merchandising solutions for each and every department. This means knowing which displays should go where and carefully planning end caps and fixtures with consumer needs in mind.

A store should have a flow, silently encouraging shoppers to move from section to section seamlessly while drawing them towards particular products or brands. The secret to doing this is to prominently display the things that they want, making them appealing to the eye through innovative merchandising choices. A certain cohesion should be present, making your space feel complete while directing customers throughout. This will encourage shoppers to walk through your entire store, rather than only specific departments. As they follow the flow of the store, customers are more likely to buy additional products or realize some they may have forgotten. This is a simple way to increase sales exponentially and organically.

A total store approach will change your store for the better in a number of ways, not only by creating a comfortable cohesion, but also encouraging shoppers to stay in your store longer while being exposed to the maximum amount of items. Pave your path with us!

Cabinetry Tailored To Your Store’s Needs

Sun, 26 Mar 2017 14:27:00 GMT

Cabinetry Tailored To Your Store’s Needs. Choosing fixtures and a design for your retail space is not only important, it can change the way your business runs and your customers shop. Being aware of your own needs and the consumers’ wants is the key to a successful store. Cabinetry can add style and function to your space.

The Look

Cabinetry offers a sleek yet soft look, with wood facades for a homey feel. This will transform your display into a welcoming area rather than the rigid atmosphere some metal fixtures can create.

Function and Storage

Depending on the fixture you need, cabinetry pieces can come with a sleek countertop, a shelving section on top, and other useful features. This allows for functionality while also offering storage space within the cabinets for extra supplies, inventory, or to keep trash bins out of sight. This makes restocking a cinch while keeping things cleanly.

Simplicity

Customers want a smooth shopping experience, not a hassle. If you’re using cabinetry to set up a coffee space, an end cap of popular brands, or anything else, make it simple for customers to find what they need quickly, and always offer corresponding items to take advantage of a possible upsell opportunity. The easier it is for customers to grab and go, the more items you will likely sell.

Keep your store inviting and clean, with cabinetry that combines style and function for the perfect selling section.