For many product vendors, just getting on the shelves of a retail store is a major achievement. Doing so puts their products front and center with the consumer. While certain products are now more frequently bought online – like books, movies and music, many people still want to head to a store to make vital purchases. A PWC Global study found that more than half of the global shopping population still preferred to buy household appliances in stores. Nearly three-quarters of the populace also feels more comfortable buying food in person.
Regardless, once a customer is in the store, all products are viable. Shelf space still matters but just getting there does not guarantee a sale. As a retailer, there is so much more to be done to increase the likelihood of the point of sale occurring.
Highlighting with aisle violators
Part of successful retail marketing involves thinking like a consumer. As shoppers enter the store, they are confronted with a multitude of aisles, usually organized by product category for convenience. However, as the customer turns, these aisles become perpendicular, meaning the shopper is just walking by the entrance of each aisle. While some customers will walk up and down every aisle in the store, this behavior cannot be counted upon.
Aisle violators are shelf signage designed to catch the customer’s eye by sticking out right into the consumer’s vision, allowing them to see the brand, the product and promotional material as they approach the product shelf. The best aisle violators are double-sided and made of thick, sturdy material. A polystyrene or rigid vinyl retail display is less likely to be damaged by over-excited shoppers.
As always, image quality matters. Sellers can pay for a large aisle violator that sticks out and captures attention, but if all customers see is a blurry mash of hard-to-read messages then they will be less likely to buy. On the contrary, such an inferior product may even damage the brand.
When choosing a partner to print this essential shelf signage, be sure to select a company with experience and a reputation for creating quality products and invests in their equipment and process.
Informing with channel strips
An aisle violator is only the first phase of marketing initiative. It stops the customers and draws them into the aisle. Once there, well made channel strips can help drive the sale home. Channel strips are graphics positioned along the edges of shelves, highlighting the products above. A good channel strip can promote the brand. This is vital as Nielsen data has consistently found that consumers are more likely to buy items from brands they trust and are familiar with, particularly in North America.
Once again, however, quality matters. Even if the channel strip exists only to alert the shopper to a sale, it cannot be a haphazard graphic. Channel strips are how the retail location communicates directly with consumers. Quality shelf signage comes across as professional while an inferior product is simple yelling for attention.
Hopkins Printing has more than 15 years of experience in creating professional quality point of purchase graphics. We print direct to quality materials like acrylic, polystyrene, cardstock, rigid PVC, pressure sensitive vinyl, polycarbonate, and much more. Contact us today to find out how effective signage can drive in-store revenue.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
