Most POP display buyers know that a high gloss finish over some kind of exotic imported hardwood is going to have a high-end look….and a high-end cost. However, there are other aspects of a display that can influence its cost in other less obvious ways.
Getting the display into a store, merchandized and then maintained are things that are almost never discussed by a buyer looking for a POP display, yet these needs can substantially affect the overall cost of the display project. Many times displays are designed to be shipped knocked-down or KD for the purpose of saving money on shipping costs. If the display requires fairly complex assembly steps, it may require a profession to install. Professional installation can be pricey with travel time and logistics, sometimes even exceeding the build cost of the display. And, shipping a fully assembled display LTL (standard shipping) can require a full crate so that the display can arrive undamaged. Then, after delivery, you or your customer will have the hassle of getting rid of the crate as well.
Displays that are not designed with ease of merchandising in mind may result in additional expense, either by having to have an outside vendor load and groom the display or from less than expected sales turns when the display goes un-groomed or is not reloaded easily.
Another issue sometimes over looked is the durability need for the display. For example if it is going into a high traffic area or will it be an end cap, or will the display need to be moved often? Also will the display need to last for years? Durability will be a very import aspect of the displays overall cost if in-store repairs need to be made.
All these issues need to be discussed prior to designing the display and can usually be worked out or mitigated in the design process by an experienced design team. Asking the right questions upfront is always vitally important in creating cost-effective, customer-pleasing, sales-producing designs.
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.