Struggling to make your products stand out on crowded store shelves? You're losing sales to competitors who grab all the attention, leaving your great product unnoticed and unsold.

Brands from Coca-Cola to boutique startups have significantly boosted sales using custom retail displays. These displays create unique brand experiences, guide customer decisions right at the point of sale, and can lead to double-digit sales growth by making the product impossible to ignore in a busy store.

Seeing these big brands succeed with custom displays is inspiring. But you might wonder what really goes into a successful display. It’s more than just a pretty stand; it's a carefully engineered sales tool. True success comes from understanding the details that capture a customer’s eye and make them want to buy. Let's explore the key questions you need to answer to create a display that doesn't just sit there, but actively sells your product.

Which Type of Display Attracts the Most Customers?

You have a limited budget for in-store marketing. Choosing the wrong type of display feels like throwing that money away, missing a huge opportunity to connect with shoppers.

The most effective displays are engaging, visually bold, and placed in high-traffic areas. Point-of-Purchase (POP) displays¹ at checkout, large floor displays in main aisles, and endcap displays are proven winners. They grab attention, encourage impulse buys², and make your product the star.

Choosing the right display type depends entirely on your goal, your product, and the retail environment³. There isn't a single "best" one, but there's always a "right" one for your specific campaign. Over my 16 years in this business, I've seen how strategic placement can make all the difference. For instance, a small, well-designed counter display near the cash register can sometimes outsell a massive floor display that's poorly placed. The key is to match the display to the shopper's journey.

Here's a simple breakdown of the most common types and where they work best:

We help clients think through these options. We ask questions like: Is your product an impulse buy or a considered purchase? Are you trying to educate the customer or just announce a sale? The answers guide us toward a structural design⁴ that works.

What Does 'Custom Display' Truly Mean?

You hear the term "custom display" all the time. But you worry it just means a standard, boring stand with your company logo added on as an afterthought.

A true custom display is designed and built from the ground up for your specific product and brand. It involves creating a unique structure, engineering it for stability, using precise brand colors, and telling a visual story that makes your product the only choice for the customer.

"Custom" is one of the most overused words in our industry. For me, it means we start with a blank slate. Every project is a new puzzle to solve. True customization is about diving deep into the three core elements: structure, graphics⁵, and branding⁶.

1. The Structure

First, we look at your product. How much does it weigh? What are its dimensions? How many units do you want the display to hold? The structure must be engineered to hold the product securely without bending or breaking. It needs to be strong enough to withstand the chaos of a retail floor but also designed for efficiency.

2. The Graphics

Next comes the visual story. A custom display isn't a billboard; it's a silent salesperson. The graphics⁵ should do more than show your logo. They should highlight the product's benefits, announce a special offer, or create a mood. It has to grab a shopper's attention from 10 feet away and draw them in.

3. The Branding

This is where precision is critical. Your brand's red is not just any red. It's your red. We use advanced color management systems to ensure the color printed on the cardboard perfectly matches your brand guidelines. When a customer sees that display, the color consistency builds immediate trust and recognition. It makes the display an authentic extension of your brand, not just a box to hold products.

What Do You Call the Process of Setting Up Retail Displays?

Your displays arrive at the stores, but they are flat-packed. Now, busy store employees have to figure out how to build them, which can lead to mistakes and wasted time.

The setup process is called "in-store execution⁷" or "visual merchandising⁸." It involves assembling the display stands and stocking them with products. Success here depends heavily on how easy and fast the display is to assemble, which can save huge costs and headaches for retailers.

I'll never forget a visit to a client's partner warehouse years ago. I saw two employees spend nearly 20 minutes struggling to assemble a single floor display. They were frustrated, the instructions were confusing, and the final result looked a bit crooked. That's a huge hidden cost in both labor and lost marketing impact. A display that is difficult to assemble is a display that is likely to fail. Retail staff are busy, and they don't have time to solve a complex puzzle.

This experience is exactly why my team and I became obsessed with creating easy-to-assemble displays. We invested heavily in structural design⁴ innovations to solve this problem. Our goal is to make in-store execution⁷ foolproof. We've developed patented structures that allow a display to be fully assembled in just a few minutes. Some of our designs are so simple they can pop up and be ready for products in literally two seconds. This isn't just a gimmick; it's a core feature that saves our clients money and ensures their marketing campaigns are executed perfectly every single time.

How Do Point-of-Purchase Displays Impact Retail Sales?

Your product is excellent, but it's sitting next to dozens of competitors. Shoppers are overwhelmed with choice and often default to the brand they know or the one that catches their eye.

Point-of-Purchase (POP) displays¹ directly boost sales by interrupting a shopper's routine at the critical moment of decision. They highlight promotions⁹, trigger last-minute impulse buys², and can increase sales of a featured product by over 20% by simply making it unmissable.

A POP display works because it acts like a final, compelling argument before a customer makes their choice. It breaks the visual monotony of a long aisle of shelving. But for that argument to be effective, the display must arrive in perfect condition. I’ve learned that the journey to the point of purchase begins long before the display ever reaches the store floor. It starts with how we prepare it for shipping. This is a critical step that many overlook. A damaged display is a failed campaign.

That's why we are so focused on transport safety¹⁰, especially for our international clients. We've developed rigorous procedures to ensure every display arrives pristine. This includes:

• Smart Packaging: We analyze whether it's better to ship flat or on pallets. Flat-packing saves space, but palletizing offers more protection. We help clients make the right choice for their budget and needs.
• Waterproof Testing: Before a large order ships, we conduct waterproof tests on the packaging to ensure the displays are protected from humidity and weather during transit.
• Protective Design: For displays shipped fully or partially assembled, we design custom internal supports and protective cards. These hold the structure in place and prevent any crushing or bending, so it looks perfect right out of the box.

A successful POP campaign depends on a display that is well-designed, easy to assemble, and delivered safely.

Conclusion

Top brands boost sales because they treat displays as sales tools, not just product holders. Success hinges on smart design, effortless assembly, and secure delivery to create a powerful in-store experience.