In the world of retail and club stores, you’ve probably come across simple, non-custom cardboard displays that serve their purpose but lack the wow factor. But here’s the question: How can you expect to meet your sales targets if you don’t invest in the presentation of your products in-store?
You may have an exceptional product and a beautifully designed package, but there’s one crucial component you might be overlooking – your display. A well-crafted cardboard display captures your customers’ attention on the store floor. It’s an aspect that many brands tend to neglect, yet it’s precisely the challenge we aim to address.
In a retail landscape where customers make fewer trips to stores each year, the value of each of these trips has significantly increased. To stand out in this environment, your product needs to make an impact.
A custom cardboard display is not just about showcasing your product; it’s about creating a memorable presence in the aisle, effectively boosting brand awareness. What’s more, your display must not only catch the eye but also be structurally sound to withstand the rigors of grocery, department, or retail stores.
This is where we step in. We specialize in upgrading brands from the ordinary to the premium with our digitally printed custom floor displays. A floor stand, or point-of-purchase (POP) display, is a powerful retail tool designed to promote and sell products.
Cardboard displays are strategically designed to ensure your products are front and center in high-traffic areas. They are optimized for showcasing low to moderate quantities of items, making them ideal for attracting customer attention.
Cardboard displays aren’t limited to a single retail environment. They shine in various settings, including grocery stores, convenience stores, and specialty shops. No matter where your product is sold, our cardboard displays are a perfect fit.
Tailoring the display to your product is easy with our versatile range of options. You can choose from dump bin, shelved, or gravity-fed designs, each optimized to enhance your product’s presentation and accessibility.
Offer full print options, allowing you to create bold, attention-grabbing aesthetics. Your display becomes a captivating canvas for your brand, ensuring that customers not only notice your product but remember your brand.
You can opt for Fully Kitted or Knocked Down Flat (KDF) shipping, based on your specific needs, streamlining the delivery process and reducing costs.
Skip the hassle of navigating retail store requirements. We come pre-approved with most major retail stores, making it a breeze to get your products.
Step 1: Determine Your Needs
What kind of product are you aiming to display?
Are there innovative features you can incorporate into your display?
How many units of the cardboard display will you need?
How can this cardboard display seamlessly align with and extend your brand identity?
Where will your products be available?
Step 2: Crafting Your Cardboard Display Design
Designing your cardboardr display can be a truly exciting process, one that has the potential to leave a lasting impact on your customers. Whether you’re leading the design effort or collaborating with our Creative Services team, it’s essential to consider both your retail display and your customer’s perspective. Here are some key factors to contemplate:
Understanding Your Target Demographic: The first and foremost consideration is your audience. Who are your customers? What are their preferences, interests, and behaviors? Understanding your target demographic will guide your design choices and ensure your display resonates with them.
Dimensions That Fit Your Audience: How tall is your average customer? Consider the ergonomic and visual aspects to ensure your display is at the right height for optimal visibility and interaction.
Single or Multiple Products: Are you showcasing a single product or multiple items? The design should accommodate your product lineup and make it easy for customers to explore and choose from your offerings.
Promotional Focus: Is this display primarily for promoting a specific product, a limited-time offer, or your brand in general? Defining the promotional intent will influence the design’s messaging and aesthetics.
Seasonal and Regional Flexibility: To maximize the display’s relevance throughout the year and in different regions, consider whether you can create alternate designs for different regions, consider whether you can create alternate designs for seasonal or regional messaging. Tailoring your display to specific seasons or locations can enhance its effectiveness and customer appeal.
Step 3: Choosing Your Printing Style
Selecting a printing method is more than a cost consideration; it’s about embracing technology that can revolutionize your approach. While traditional methods have their merits, newer technologies have opened up innovative avenues to conquer the market. Here are three printing options to evaluate:
①Lithography Printing
When it comes to addressing commercial printing needs, lithographic printing emerges as a time-tested solution. It excels when you require the replication of a single design multiple times with minimal customization. However, it’s essential to be aware of the upfront costs associated with printing plates and the time required for project completion. Opting for lithography means committing to an investment of both time and budget before your first box is ready. This method is an ideal choice for high-volume production runs featuring a single design.
②High-Speed Digital Printing
Bennett’s high-speed digital presses are true game-changers in th
e realm of custom retail displays. While some might argue that digital printing isn’t competitive for large orders, what they often overlook is the remarkable flexibility it offers. Digital printing allows you to run a variety of designs cost-effectively, without the need to pay for or wait for new printing plates. The digital revolution has been reshaping the industry, yet only a select few brands have seized this incredible opportunity. With digital printing, envision creating regional-specific messaging, designs tailored to different stores, or variations for seasons and product sizes, all without incurring additional costs.
We were pioneers in investing in a high-speed, single-pass, direct-to-corrugate, 6-color digital press in North America, a testament to our commitment to embracing cutting-edge technology.
③Flexography Printing
Flexographic printing offers a cost-effective solution that can significantly reduce your printing expenses, with lower tooling costs being a notable advantage. This method boasts a quick turnaround time and can utilize both water and oil-based inks. However, when compared to lithography and digital printing, flexography is characterized by a somewhat lower print quality. It struggles to achieve photo-quality images, and the reproduction of smooth colors or gradients may exhibit noticeable banding. The colors might not be as vibrant or crisp as the other options, but flexography is known for its affordability. It requires less meticulous attention to detail and can be produced at high speeds.
④High-Speed Digital Printing
Digital printing has ushered in a new era for brands looking to create cardboard displays. The most significant advantage of digitally printed floor displays is the ability to incorporate alternate print designs. This approach opens the door to crafting seasonal messaging, region-specific targeting, or simply refreshing the display’s look when necessary.
Each new print won’t result in additional costs, thanks to the digital process, as there’s no need for printing plates. This means there’s no slowdown in getting your product to market. Digital printing also eliminates minimum quantity requirements, making it an excellent choice for initial proofs and enabling the creation of multiple versions of a display, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Digital printing has unlocked a realm of limitless possibilities, and our early investment in this groundbreaking technology positions us at the forefront of industry innovation.
Designing an Effective Cardboard Display with Digital Printing
Here are some concise design tips to ensure your cardboard display makes a lasting impact:
Strategic Location
In dimly lit club stores, bright, bold, and contrasting colors are your allies. Make sure your display stands out, catching the customer’s eye.
Information Architecture
Your messaging should be clear and motivational. What do you want your customer to know as they pass by? Keep it concise and focused on highlighting the key benefits of your product.
cardboard Display Product Showcase: High-traffic areas demand a clean and organized presentation of your products. Use the display to showcase new products or promotional offers that drive purchases.
Restocking Ease
Remember that customers interact with the display and need to access the products. Ensure it’s easy for retailers to restock, ensuring a seamless shopping experience.
Color Psychology
Colors evoke different emotions in customers, a well-known fact among designers. Leverage this knowledge on the store floor to create a powerful visual impact that aligns with your brand identity.
Brand Color Matching: Many manufacturers claim they can match your brand colors accurately, but we’re equipped to do it with 100% precision. Your display should perfectly mirror your brand’s identity.
Refreshing Your Look
Consider how frequently you’ll need to replace your display over the year. Each update is an opportunity to attract more customers. Use the power of Digital Printing to refresh your display cost-effectively and without slowing down your market entry.
Turnkey Solutions
A great display is essential, but don’t overlook the logistical aspects like warehousing and fulfillment. We offer turnkey solutions, including Contract Packaging, Shipping Boxes, and Packaging Supplies. Minimize downtime, as it directly impacts your profits.
Retailer Compliance:
When creating a new display or updating an existing one, it’s crucial that your partner understands current retailer and club store compliance guidelines. Ensure your cardboard display meets these requirements to avoid starting from scratch.
Step 4: Budgeting for Your cardboard Display
Establishing a well-defined budget is a pivotal step in the success of your cardboard display program. Without a clear budget or even a rough estimate, the entire process can become inefficient and aimless. Here’s how you can effectively set your budget before diving into the design phase:
1. Understand Your Economics: To create a robust budget, it’s essential to comprehend the overall economics of the process. Take into account the price of your product, your profit margin, projected sales, and the expected duration of your display’s placement. A higher product price often justifies a more substantial investment in your display.
2. Quantity Impact on Cost: After material costs, the volume of your order significantly affects per-unit display costs. Each display design involves tooling, set-up time, and upfront expenses. The longer a manufacturer can run, the more units you can produce to distribute these costs effectively. Thanks to Digital Printing, you can incorporate multiple graphic designs without increasing costs for these changes.
Example:
Ordering 2000 Units at Once: This option requires you to pay all upfront tooling costs, wait for project preparation, and purchase all materials in advance. Additionally, you’ll need to consider the entire supply chain, including storage, for your 2000 displays.
Ordering 5 Runs of 400 Units Over 3 Months: In this scenario, you still pay upfront tooling costs and wait for project preparation, but you only purchase initial materials in advance. Moreover, you have the flexibility to redesign graphics for the subsequent four orders of 400 displays.
Both orders ultimately purchase 2000 units, but the second option offers more design flexibility and lower initial costs to kickstart your market presence. Thanks to Digital Printing, the difference between short runs and long runs is no longer a significant cost factor.
Step 5: Creating the Dieline
With your design finalized, the next step is to translate it into the structure template, also known as the dieline. Here are some key considerations for this critical phase:
Dielines
A dieline is typically generated using design software like Adobe Illustrator, Artioscad, or Adobe InDesign. Precision in measurements is essential, as it not only saves time but also helps manage costs effectively. If you have a designated designer, they should be well-versed in preparing the dieline. However, if you don’t have a designer, your packaging company can handle this vital step for you.
Creating a precise dieline is the bridge that connects your creative vision to the physical structure of your cardboard display. It’s the blueprint that ensures your design seamlessly translates into a tangible, attention-grabbing display.
Step 6: Artwork Preparation
In collaboration with your packaging partner, you’ll need to provide high-resolution, quality artwork ready for printing. It’s advisable to directly communicate with the company to determine their specific CMYK printing requirements. At Bennett, we offer access to our award-winning Creative Services to assist in designing, preparing, and delivering all your artwork to our manufacturing teams. This ensures that your project progresses smoothly at every stage.
If you require further guidance on preparing your artwork, don’t hesitate to reach out to Bennett for expert assistance.
Step 7: Prototype Cardboard Display Creation
Requesting a prototype display is a critical step, particularly if you have a substantial order. Prototypes help confirm the structure and printing quality for final production. Once the prototype is ready, it can be delivered to you in person or via a mail carrier. Our Creative Services Department is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment that matches the exact quality of our High-Speed Digital Printers, allowing for swift prototype creation. This ensures that your project progresses efficiently toward production.
Step 8: Production and Shipping
With all the details finalized, your retail display is ready to move into full-scale production. Sit back and relax while you await the arrival of your display. The timeline for receiving your shipment depends on various factors, including your requested timeline, display size, and the chosen delivery method.
The exact delivery process may vary depending on your unique situation, but your dedicated account manager will keep you informed about the production and shipping progress, ensuring that you remain on track throughout the entire process.
