A typical point-of-purchase display is customized for the specific product. There are many competent design firms that will do the job if asked by a client, however a design fee will be charged and the client will still need to get bids to produce the design. To get an accurate apples-to-apples cost bid, engineering, materials and technical drawings will also need to be done, for another fee. Manufacturers have in -house design teams that are very good. They design POP displays only all day and can, with the right information, design great and effective displays to fit almost any budget.
The key is that last thing, the budget. Often POP display buyers think that if they don’t disclose their budget they will see great designs for even less than they’d hoped. This just never happens. Most of the time they see a design they love, but the cost is much higher than their budget. At this point they may finally disclose their budget to help the designers come up with something that works. However, by now time and money has been wasted and expectations are now, sometimes, unrealistically high after seeing a design they loved but could not afford for the project.
Designers are creative problem solvers and POP specialists who really know their stuff. Have you ever seen that TV show “Design on a Dime?” Designers start with a seemingly restrictive budget for a furniture or decor project and all ways come up with solutions that are beyond expectations. It is to your great advantage to discuss not only the logistical and product requirements but the wished-for budget as well with your designers. These creative people will in most cases exceed your expectations too. These are only a few of the advantages of sharing information when creating your POP display.
Next time we will discuss some of the things that affect point of purchase display costs that are not always obvious.
Jim Hollen is the owner and President of RICH LTD. (www.richltd.com), a 35+ year-old California-based point-of-purchase display, retail store fixture, and merchandising solutions firm which has been named among the Top 50 U.S. POP display companies for 9 consecutive years. A former management consultant with McKinsey & Co. and graduate of Stanford Business School, Jim Hollen has served more than 3000 brands and retailers over more than 20 years and has authored nearly 500 blogs and e-Books on a wide range of topics related to POP displays, store fixtures, and retail merchandising.
Jim has been to China more than 50 times and has worked directly with more than 30 factories in Asia across a broad range of material categories, including metal, wood, acrylic, injection molded and vacuum formed plastic, corrugated, glass, LED lighting, digital media player, and more. Jim Hollen also oversees RICH LTD.’s domestic manufacturing operation and has experience manufacturing, sourcing, and importing from numerous Asian countries as well as Vietnam and Mexico.
His experience working with brands and retailers spans more than 25 industries such as food and beverage, apparel, consumer electronics, cosmetics/beauty, sporting goods, automotive, pet, gifts and souvenirs, toys, wine and spirits, home improvement, jewelry, eyewear, footwear, consumer products, mass market retail, specialty retail, convenience stores, and numerous other product/retailer categories.