Corrugated displays are often a viable alternative to permanent displays in many retail situations, particularly when budgets are tight and the product is a lower value-added item, promotional in nature, or highly seasonal. Many customers mistakenly think that because corrugated displays are generally cheaper than permanent or semi-permanent POP displays, the y will save money by deciding to go with a corrugated display. But, in many cases, a corrugated retail display program will end up costing more because they typically have a shorter lifespan than a permanent display and will likely need to be replaced within a few months to keep the merchandising program going. Because of their temporary nature, corrugated displays also don’t enable you to lock in store real estate on a longer-term basis.
So let’s assume you have decided to go with a corrugated display, there are a number of things to consider in planning for the design and execution of your display program. Here are some key questions you may be asked by your corrugated display supplier:
1. How much product would you like to fit on the display?
Be prepared to know how much product you need to fit on the display to have the economics work. If you have multiple SKUs it will be helpful to your corrugated retail display supplier to share your plan-o-gram ideas or at least provide an idea of basic layout for your products.
2. What would you like the display dimensions to be?
Let your POP provider know if there are any restrictions on footprint or height for the corrugated display and if you have any preferences on dimensions that should be taken into consideration during the design process.
3. What are the weights and dimensions of your product?
It is important to share the specific dimensions of your product as well as the weight of your product. This will help your display provider determine the overall display dimensions as well as make proper material choices. For heavy items such as glass jars or water bottles, it is likely that the corrugated POP display will need to incorporate metal support bars or another type of reinforcement to bear the weight.
4. What type of graphics do you envision?
Graphics tend to be one of the biggest drivers of cost, particularly in lower quantities. Think through whether or not you would like full color graphics on your entire display or if you can live with a 1-color flood coat with a full-color litho header. You’ll need to decide if you want graphics printed on the front of the base and if you want graphics on the sides of the display. You may decide you want to use white corrugated with your white logo reversed out on a flood coated treatment. There are lots of combinations to consider, all of which involve tradeoffs and have cost implications.
You’ll also need to decide if you want to go with a matte or a glossy finish. You should be prepared to discuss all of these issues with your display provider. Be sure to insist on UV coating if you expect your display to be in stores for any length of time. UV coating will prevent the colors from fading over time. Also, make sure you understand any one-time charges that you might be hit with such as die-cutting fees and plate charges. These can sometimes be higher than you might expect, and they need to be amortized across your order quantity to get a true picture of your average unit cost.
5. How do you plan to ship the display?
You’ll need to determine if you want to ship the display unassembled in a flat box and have the display assembled at the store level or if you want to send the display fully assembled or partially assembled. You’ll also need to figure out if you want to send you display with your product packed in the display. If you plan to send your display unassembled, then you will need to request an outside shipped box that fits the unassembled parts. If you are sending the display partially assembled, then it will require a larger outside shipper box, and you need to make sure your POP display provider understands your plan.
Sending your display partially assembled with product included is often a good idea since it makes it easier for the retailer and reduces the setup risk. In many cases, a partially assembled display means the body of the display is fully assembled and the base and header are folded flat in the outside shipper box. Be sure to discuss your options with your display provider.
6. What other considerations are important?
There may be a number of other factors that can affect the success and economics of your corrugated display program. For example, you might find that requesting a clear PVC base tray that your corrugated POP display sits in will increase the longevity to your display. A PVC base tray can protect the base corrugated material from moisture that can creep into your display when the store mops the floor.
Similarly, production quantities can have a big impact on your unit price, much more so than with a permanent display so make sure you ask for price breaks to see how volume impacts your price. Be careful to watch for quotes that indicate that the quantity you will be charged for is +/- 10%. This method of pricing is commonplace in the industry and often results in higher quantities than you might need.
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.