The A-Z of Point of Sale and Why We Need It

So What is Point of Sale?

Point of Sale or 'POS' surrounds us every day, without even realising it you are being influenced in every retailer you visit. POS (Point of Sale) or POP (Point of Purchase) is what drives sales and encourages your customers to spend more and become increasingly familiar with your brand.

It is important in today’s modern retail environment as online shopping is now taking an ever growing percentage of consumer spending. In the retail environment a POS display can be the push your customer needs to make their purchasing decision. 70% of in store purchases are made on impulse. The more you know your customers and tailor your POS to their interests the more likely they are to purchase your product. In this internet generation POS is a driving force for in store impulse purchases. POS is the last advertising point your customer will see before they make a purchase; this is your final chance to give them what they need to know.

How POS advertising can be implemented varies depending on budget and location and comes in many forms from posters to window graphics to FSDU (Free Standing Display Units) and Wayfinding signage. POS will capture your customer’s attention in the retail environment. The possibilities are endless and with a good design agency, working with Ruck Retail Solutions installation teams, your brand will come to life!

The A- Z

A-frame: Typically used outside restaurants, these can be used with promotional posters and are easily re-located and modified. 

Aisle/Gondola Ends: Great for impulse purchases at the end of aisles and most commonly used in supermarkets. These increase brand awareness and impulse purchases. They have great visibility in store and are often used for special offers and promotional items.

Aisle Fins/Blinkers/Flags: Used to advertise product location on the shelves, highlight promotional offers and promote brand awareness. This is usually placed at eye line, capturing the attention of the shopper as they navigate around the store.

Augmented Reality: This is a modern way of integrating online shopping with bricks and mortar. By creating a downloadable app’ customers in store can walk around certain areas and have an interactive experience. Corresponding POS installed in store, usually floor graphics, posters and aisle fins can trigger a response in the app’. This modern integrated system enhances the customer experience by making the store ‘come to life’ and providing more product information. Ruck Retail Solutions have installed POS to support Augmented Reality for various well-known brands. It is important that the POS is installed to a high standard to enable the efficiency of the virtual experience. This leads to longer time in store, increased brand exposure and therefore the customer is more likely to purchase.

Banners: Can be easily installed in any location, moved and re-used. Cost effective and used to communicate brand messages, offers and promotions.

Bay/Aisle Headers: Used to present promotions to customers. These are located above shelving to promote the products below, which is important for keeping continuity within brand sections.

Bollards: Supermarkets use bollard covers to make an impact on shoppers on arrival to store. Great for in store offers, seasonal items, promotions and brand awareness.

Counter Top Displays: Mats, menu/pen holders are great for last minute impulse purchases. These are commonly installed in convenience stores.

Cyclone Boards & Display Posters: These can be moved anywhere in store and displays can be easily and cost efficiently changed regularly.

Decorations: Seasonal decorations increase the in store shopping experience for customers and help advertise seasonal items. Ruck have several major seasonal contracts for decorations and our fast and efficient installers can roll out nationwide within a short time scale to ensure you have placed your product displays to your schedule. They help get your customers in the seasonal spirit and increase sales.

Digital Display Screens: Great for constant updating of brand messages. Promotions and adverts can be equipped with cameras to identify customers and target accordingly i.e. male/female or age related marketing. They can be used with high end products as they can be made secure with alarms systems to prevent theft. Often interactive, integrating online shopping with the in store experience.

Dump Bins: Dump bins have traditionally been used to promote impulse items, typically small and low value or sale items. They can be moved in to high footfall areas like the tills and anywhere in and around the store. 

FSDUs (Free Standing Display Units): These are generally used to display light weight items like food, books, toys or games and can be moved easily around store. These give you the chance to give your customers more information and make your products stand out. Our very first contract 15 years ago was installing and merchandising FSDUs with gravy and stuffing products at key seasonal times in the meat aisles, which resulted in increased sales of 66%.

Floor Coverings: There is no better way to draw attention to your product than advertising on the wide open floors of the aisle. The customer’s eye line is directed to the change in floor covering and they can be lead down the aisle to specific product encouraging purchases. These are especially good for children’s items and can be used as activation points for Augmented Reality apps.

Frieze Headers: Usually above eye level and above shelf displays. They are used to advertise product types and specific items within stores. They are named after focal points in old buildings where they were typically made of plaster and sculptured.

Hanging Wires: These are used for category and section signage across large stores. They are used to hang signs from the ceiling above eye level. You will see them in most supermarkets and are generally used to label aisles and for product promotions.

Hoarding: Often used on building sites to hide the works happening inside. Covers large areas at customer level and makes a great impact for informing customers of a new store opening or refurbishment.

Light Boxes: Graphics are placed in light boxes that are illuminated, most commonly used for menus, beauty products and electrical promotions.

Posters: Communicate your product information in a cost effective and relevant way.

Shelf Strips/Enhancers: Increases brand awareness, conformity of shelf displays and price points.

Wall Graphics: A good graphic display can enhance the environment and transform a blank wall into an advertising space. At Ruck Retail Solutions we have installed wall graphics in offices and hospitality sites with company branding, slogans and images to encourage staff productivity and improve working environments and customer engagement.

Window Graphics: Why not demonstrate your products on your windows? This could be a leading factor on whether your customer comes in or chooses a competitor. Major brands all over the world use window vinyls, Contravision, and window stickers to communicate brand messages and increase awareness at point of entry. How they are installed is as equally important as the content displayed. All the major retailers use their windows to effectively showcase their products and brand.

Wayfinding:  Used to help people navigate around buildings and shops and to stop people from getting lost. This can be implemented with wall graphics, hanging wires, signage and floor graphics. Ruck Retail Solutions have installed Wayfinding signs in locations from offices to shopping centers.

POS on petrol pumps, chip and pin devices and tills can be a great way to gain brand awareness.  There is a chance the customer will be waiting at these locations so it gives them more time to focus on your advertising. The longer your customer is looking at your brand the more they will recognise it in the future.

Getting your brand right is important to you. So making your POS look professional can be the influence your customer needs to decide on their purchase. We take care and time to train all our installation teams to ensure POS is installed to the high standard you expect. Most importantly we understand how you want it to look and the majority of our contracts are rolled out nationally. Understanding your vision is where we pride ourselves. POS is what you need to drive in store and online sales. The more your brand is recognised the more it will grow!