The Ultimate Guide to Choosing POP Displays

04, Aug. 2025

 

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Retail POP Display — Bennett

A pop-up display is essentially a way to promote one product or brand to consumers. It's designed to catch the eye of someone walking by your products and attract attention with taglines, logos, pictures, etc. The goal of a pop-up display is to get the customer to stop in their tracks long enough to check out what you're selling and, hopefully, make an impulse purchase.

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POP Displays are typically used in retail stores like convenience chains, pharmacies, supermarkets, gas stations, dollar stores, and big-box retailers (like Target). They're meant for impulse buys because people usually don't plan to stop when they walk into these stores. However, that's not always true nowadays, so they could be more useful in some cases than others!


Raise Awareness About Your Products


POP Displays are also great at raising awareness about upcoming products or products you might launch soon. They can do this because people are more proactive when they see something interesting in the store. For example, if your POP Display showcases a product lineup for the future, then customers will go to stores looking for these items while they're not available.


This works especially well for seasonal items that coincide with the holiday shopping season. For example, let's say you have some gorgeous Christmas gift baskets on display. People who walk by might stop and ask about them even though it's not close to Christmas yet! That means one less person leaves empty-handed during the holidays, which makes for happy customers who come back to buy your products later.


Enhance Your Marketing Campaign


POP Displays are also great for enhancing your marketing campaign. A POP Display can help promote brand awareness, communicate brand values, reinforce your message, and attract attention. We'll break each of those down individually, starting with brand awareness.


For example, you could be working on a project with an event planner to host a company expo at their venue. It would be really helpful if you could provide them with some signage they could put up around the exhibition space that somehow promotes your business or product line. You might have something on display that helps tell visitors more about what your company does or who you are as people. That way, when attendees leave the expo, they have more information about who hosted this event so they can give their business to you over your competitors.


Organize Your Products For Easy Shopping


Another significant factor with POP Displays is organization. It's best if your products are organized so that people don't have to dig around on your display or look at multiple items before they can make a purchase. You want your POP Display to help create an easy shopping experience for customers.


For example, let's say someone wants to buy new running shoes but is overwhelmed by the number of options available on some random wall at the mall. They might not find what they need and leave without buying anything since it took too long to see what they want. That doesn't look good for you as a retailer! But if you put those same shoes in a nice, well-organized display next to other popular items, it will be easier for them to shop.


Increase Sales By Attracting More Customers


POP Displays are best used to show off your product. Sometimes, consumers will notice the products on your shelves or tabletop displays, but for some reason, it just doesn't entice them to buy. That's where POP Displays come in! These types of displays draw attention and can help convince customers that they should try out your products.


This way, more people will try out your product, giving you a better chance of making a sale. Each type of POP Display has different strategies for drawing customers in.

The type of POP Display you will need depends on several factors, but knowing them will make the entire process much more manageable.


How Much Does The POP Display Hold?


How many products can your POP Display hold? Depending on the display type, your options could be very limited. To determine this, it is best to visit retail stores and examine other displays on the store floor. The number of products that fit on the display also impacts how often they need to be restocked.


The biggest enemy of a POP Display is downtime. Without a product on the display, there is nothing to sell!


Where Will The Display Be In The Retail Store?


It is important to consider the location of your POP Display in the retail space. Ask yourself if you want people to be able to get close enough to see your product. Talk with your retailer about what options are available to you.


Displays on shelves typically have more standard sizes and limitations, while displays directly on the floor simply need to fit within the general aisle dimensions.


What Is The Size Of Your Products?


Each point-of-purchase display has its general practices for product sizes. That's because you want to make sure the products are easy to shop for and the display is never empty.


For smaller, lightweight products, you will typically want a Sidekick, Counter Display, or Endcap. Larger products will use Pallet Displays, Floor Displays, and Dump Bins.

PDQ Trays + Shelf Displays


This is the largest capacity (easily holds larger quantities of product). It is commonly used in gas stations and convenience stores, where there is usually more space available. People don't typically go into the store with a planned list of items they're looking to buy. Smaller products, like candy, can fit nicely on counter displays, whereas apparel may not.


These displays are all about impulse purchases, so fill them with lightweight, low-cost items to draw customers in.


Sidekick Displays


Similar to counter displays, sidekick-style POP Displays tend to be a bit smaller. They make good use of a little-used corner or alcove to attract customers' attention as they walk by. These can also be used in the center checkout lane for impulse buys.


These displays can be in the middle of an aisle, near the register, and anywhere in between. Sidekicks are focused on new items, trying items in different areas of the store, and even sales.


Endcap Displays


Endcap displays are similar to Sidekicks but slightly larger. Like Sidekick Displays, they work great for impulse buys, new items, and sales. They pop up at the end of an aisle (hence the name). Some retailers like these because they break up the flow of traffic from one side of the store to another.


Customers typically don't go out of their way to look at Endcaps; however, you can still give them a reason to do so with good copy or eye-catching graphics. If you design them as a store-within-a-store, you can start educating customers and getting them to learn more about your brand.


Floor Displays


The most versatile category of all POP Displays. Floor Displays come in various sizes and typically hold the most products. They can be anywhere in the store, from the entrance to the edge of an aisle. Floor Displays can be designed around any style of product.


A great way to use these displays is to include a header with graphics that changes throughout the year depending on the season. This allows you to keep the display fresh without breaking the bank.


Dump Bin Displays


Dump Bin Displays are usually located at floor level or slightly below (often on a pallet for easy moving). The point is to invite people to dig around for deals, but be careful not to lose money by having too many items here. The more focused on a category these displays are, the better they perform.


If you have a bulk inventory of products that are ready to sell in an organized pile, these are the best-performing displays.


Pallet Displays


The big brother of Dump Bins, and too many items can hurt your brand's image (especially if it is a high-end brand). These displays put more focus on the products than the display itself. You'll find these in wholesale clubs or industrial/warehouse stores.


Whether you're using a Full-Panel, Half-Panel, or Quarter-Panel Display, these displays have a few advantages. They can include a Pallet Skirt with large text that outlines product benefits and draws customers in. But these displays are all about a premium look that enhances your brand's image.

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The Ultimate Guide to Point of Purchase (POP) Displays - Repsly

The point of purchase, or POP, is any part of a store where a customer engages with your product. POP displays themselves are displays that exist separate from the standard aisle shelf, effectively inserting a product into a shopper’s path through the store. Incorporating POP displays into your retail execution strategy enables memorable interactions between shoppers and your products that otherwise wouldn’t occur, and gives your product the opportunity to stand out among the competition.

In this post, we will first give a brief overview of what POP displays are, how POP displays differ from POS displays, and the benefits of including them in a retail execution strategy. We will then go into detail on guidelines for implementing the right POP display for your product, followed by different examples to help you get started.

What Is a Point of Purchase Display?

A POP display exists separately from traditional aisle shelves in order to provide extra facings and more exposure for a product. These displays often appear in the middle of large store aisles called “action alleys,” or anywhere else in the store where there is open space.

There are many benefits to utilizing POP displays. First, they remove your product from the clutter of your home aisle and spotlight it in a way that prevents “analysis paralysis” — the feeling a shopper gets when the options they have are overwhelming. POP displays also provide you with more facings, which ultimately increases the likelihood a shopper will choose your product over a competitor’s.

Additionally, POP displays are extremely versatile and come in many shapes and sizes. Many types of POP displays can be set up in one retailer for a period of time and then easily be broken down and reassembled in another.

They’re also more customizable than your standard store shelf.. This means brands can design them to coordinate with a promotion, a season, or a holiday. There is no limit on creativity when it comes to POP displays, which you’ll see later in the examples section of this post.

What Is the Difference Between POP and POS?

While POP and POS are similar, understanding the difference is important when deciding which to use to display your product. POS stands for “point of sale,” and both POP displays and POS displays serve the purpose of drawing extra attention to your brand. The difference between the two is that while POP displays can occupy floor space throughout the retailer, POS refers solely to the area near the register where the actual sale of the product happens.

Common POS displays include the magazine racks and shelves of candy leading up to the register, or the refrigerated displays at the end of the checkout lane. Usually, individually packaged products such as confectionaries and beverages fare the best in these locations, provoking last-minute impulse buys as the customer finishes up their shopping trip. Brands with smaller products that might not always be at the top of a customer’s shopping list should definitely consider investing in POS displays.

Guidelines for Implementing POP Displays

So now that you are ready to put a POP display into action, there are a few guidelines to follow before committing to a strategy and following through with it. We've outlined below three questions to ask and answer when planning to incorporate POP displays into your retail execution strategy.

"What is my intent with this display?”

The first question to ask yourself is, “what is my intent with this display?” For example, if you are planning to roll out a “buy one, get one” deal or a bundle pack of your product, the intent of the display should be to communicate the promotion to the shopper. This is often done through signage, so selecting a POP display that provides surface area for a promotional design is the top priority.

“Who is my audience for this display?”

Another question to ask yourself is, “who is my audience for this display?” The answer to this depends on a variety of factors — the type of retailer the display will appear in, where within the retailer the display will go, and your target demographic.

If your POP display is going in a convenience store instead of a grocer, this affects both who the buyer is as well as their reason for shopping in that location. A shopper in a grocery store with the goal of purchasing a large quantity of products would be more likely to encounter your product while browsing shelves than a shopper that is only intending to purchase an item or two in a convenience store.

"What will be the location of my POP display?"

Considering the type of retailer is also important to answering the question, “what will be the location of my POP display?” Going back to the example of the grocery vs. the convenience store, it would be best to score floor space near the front of a convenience store, since the convenience store shopper is less likely to browse the entire retailer than the grocery store shopper.

Another reason location matters is that if the retailer your display is going in has limited space, you wouldn’t want to use a massive display that would obstruct the aisle. Likewise, if the retailer is sizable with ample floor space, choosing a small display might cause your product to get lost in the crowd.

After determining the answers to the above questions, you will also have to consider where to purchase your POP display. While there are countless online retailers to choose from, not all are created equal. Some sell plain displays with no customizations — others allow you to design the display entirely online. Additionally, there are retailers that specialize in cardboard displays while others sell displays made out of more durable material. Be sure to assess your different options and make an informed decision.

POP Display Examples

Gondola Display

Gondolas are two-sided, standalone shelving units that also appear in larger, more open areas of a store. They have adjustable shelves, which makes them customizable to accommodate different sized products. While they typically are made with steel frames and pegboard, there are options for brands to promote their product through graphics and an attractive color scheme.

Dump Bins

Dump bins certainly live up to their name — they are literally giant bins in stores that are commonly stocked with individually packaged products. You’ll often see them full of candy other small products that provoke impulse buys.

A great advantage of dump bins is that they are standalone displays, and can be strategically placed to be seen or interacted with from all angles. They are also usually made out of cardboard or are otherwise customizable, so bins are not only a great opportunity to get creative with how you project your brand’s image, but they’re also easy for your field team or distributor to ship and set up.

Freestanding Display

Freestanding displays are similar to dump bins in that they are also standalone displays and can be interacted with from 360 degrees. That being said, they are more organized in appearance than dump bins, and often neatly display slightly larger products on shelves or hooks. Like dump bins, freestanding displays are also commonly made out of cardboard, so they are a great chance to experiment with some attention-grabbing shapes or designs.

This free standing Stella Artois display is a fantastic example of the ingenuity and versatility brands can capitalize on when figuring out what type of display will be most effective for both grabbing attention, creating buzz around a product, and increasing impulse buys. 

Display Cases

Retail display cases are a type of standalone display that is closed in on all sides by glass or clear plastic. To access the products, shoppers may have to speak to a store associate to retrieve the item from the case for them. Other times, if the case is serving an ornamental purpose, shoppers can find the product on its home shelf. Because of their security, higher-end products will often find their way into these displays.

Brands can design unique cases by displaying their product in a nontraditional way. For example, if you are selling perfume or lotion, including objects that represent the fragrance of your product will present an aesthetic that is simultaneously attractive and informative to the shopper.

Banner Stands

Banner stands are standalone signage that brands can place throughout the store to feature their product or announce a promotion. Banner stands are inexpensive, mobile, and effectively catch shoppers’ attention. When creating a banner stand, always remember that less is more — you don’t want to overwhelm the shopper, so avoid using too many colors or providing more written information than what the shopper would be willing to read. If your banner stand is not located next to your product, you can include a message within the graphic on where it can be found in the store.

Endcap Displays

End caps, as you probably inferred from the name, are displays that are placed at the end of an aisle where two aisle shelves sit back-to-back. Like free standing displays, end caps allow you to place your product in relevant areas without needing aisle shelf space. They also give you a prime location to attract a lot of eyes -- shoppers can see your display without even going down the aisle.

Best Practices for Point of Purchase Displays

From banner stands to gondolas to display cases, the return on investment a brand can generate from proper POP display implementation is well worth it. As a quick refresher, we’ve compiled these best practices as key takeaways from this post to help you move forward with your POP-focused retail execution strategy:

  • The point of purchase is anywhere in the store a customer interacts with a product; the point of sale is where the actual transaction occurs.

  • POP displays are versatile, create more facings for your product, and save the shopper from “analysis paralysis.”

  • Deciding on a POP display should be based on the audience, retailer, and location of the display.

  • Not all POP displays are created equal, so be sure to invest in one that will achieve the specific goals of your retail execution strategy.