Dibond was used to create this Simmons Mattress display. The unique shape is appealing to the eye and attracts attention. (Photo courtesy 3A Composites.)

In the retail environment, competition is fierce while the economy is still lagging. With these factors working against many retail products, store managers have to come up with ideas to promote sales and engage customers—and sometimes the tried and true methods are the most reliable. In-store displays have long been proven to be an effective sales tool, and rigid plastic substrates are an especially popular building block. 

 

WHAT MAKES AN EFFECTIVE DISPLAY?

The ultimate goal for any in-store display is to capture attention, enhance brand awareness and increase sales. Though it may sound simple, there are certain elements that should be prevalent for the most effective display, particularly vivid graphics, says Jessica Olff, marketing and communications manager for Laminators Inc. 

 

“Walking through stores and malls today, we’re seeing so much coming at us all,” Olff says. “If you want to attract a lot of attention for an effective display, it’s really important to have a high-impact visual. You need graphics that are brilliant with a lot of color, which creates a lot of visual interest.” 

 

Plastic is especially ideal when working with unique shapes for an in-store displays, says Jerry White, national sales rep for Kommerling USA. Earlier this year, White was exhibiting at Global Shop, a trade show for the retail market. Kommerling created an entire beach scene—complete with chairs, tables and a tiki hut—out of plastic. 

 

“It’s up to your imagination of what you want to get out of the product,” White says.

CNC routing technology has improved over the recent years, which has allowed such unique rigid plastic shapes, Olff says. Most CNC systems are automated, cut down on labor and have a wider capability than hand cutting. 

 

Photos courtesy Laminators, Inc.

“You can pretty much throw an EPS file into a CNC router, and it will print out any shape you can imagine, versus when we were just using saws and hand tools,” Olff says. “Before, it was a little more difficult to put something together that was as curvy or interesting.”

 

The quality of products used can also make a difference. Recently, Walmart replaced its old in-store displays with higher-quality products, which, White says, helps revamp its image. Instead of being associated with cheap cardboard-looking signs, Walmart now displays a PVC material. 

 

“You go to Dillards, Macy’s, any of those high-end stores, and they want you to remember your experience shopping in their store. The nicer the retail interior looks, the more often you’re going to come back; it’s a mental thing.”

 

IN-STORE DISPLAY TRENDS

Electronic interfaces are becoming popular complementing components for rigid plastic in-store displays, notes Joe Masters of 3A Composites. With electronic signage, the messaging can be updated more frequently, and audience engagement becomes deeper.  

 

“We’re really getting more into digital,” Masters says. “I think we’re seeing more incorporation of electronics—a lot of video, a lot of audio. They have a really cool thing now where you have a digitally printed pad, and you can scan it on your smart phone, and it will take you to the website, and you can engage the audience a little more rather than just a static display. There’s more of a drive for a rich media.”

 

On the same line, says Bruce Merklinghaus, outside sales rep for Vycom, interactive formats are found on rigid plastic in-store displays and have become a trendy option.

 

Photo courtesy Vycom

“These days, there seems to be many interactive displays where you’re actually bringing people to physically do something with the system itself, so they gain insight to a particular product,” says Merklinghaus. 

 

In particular, cell phone and video games are often part of these interactive displays, Merklinghaus explains. Though the machines are tied down by cables, a trial software program is loaded, which attracts attention and encourages participation. 

 

TIPS FOR IN-STORE DISPLAYS

When creating an in-store display using plastic rigid substrates, there are tips you can follow to make the most effective presentation. For example, take careful consideration of store placement to capture the shoppers’ attention, Merklinghaus says. Naturally, shoppers in the market for a TV may also consider complementing purchases, and you want to capitalize on those impressions. 

 

“You want Blu-rays and DVDs in the electronics but you also want them relatively close to the TVs and play the DVD through the TV,” Merklinghaus says. “If it’s an impulse item, you may want it near the check-out stand. If it’s directed at a specific demographic it may be well suited to move it to a specific geography for that they’ve done research and see demographics will be in that area.”

 

When storing the plastic rigid substrates, be sure to keep them clean, dry and flat, especially if they are to be screen printed, White says. The grime and moisture interfere with the printing process, making it nearly impossible to work with.

 

If you are working with a new ink, always test it on the substrate before sending it to clients, Masters recommends. Unlike some components of the printing process, ink can behave unpredictably, depending on a number of factors.

 

“Inks are a crazy deal,” Masters says. “There are so many variables that go on with inks: Is it aqueous? Is it solvent? Is it latex? Different printers respond and react differently to different materials. For your specific environment, they can optimize their equipment in their warehouse, but that doesn’t mean it will perform the same way in your neck of the woods. You can have high humidity; you can have different temperatures that affect it.”

 

This display was created using Omega TerraMax, a paper-based substrate.

GOING GREEN

Many clients are requesting sustainable products in today’s eco-conscious world, and there are several options for rigid plastic in-store displays, Masters says. 

 

“The environmental issues are real driver today,” Masters says. “More and more companies wherever possible are trying to find ways to ensure that they are doing things that are sustainable and have the least amount of impact on the environment.” 

 

From the plastic manufacturer side, many substrates are more focused of its makeup, Masters says. While plastics of the past have been made from harsh substances, many of today’s plastics engineered from recycled products, such as wood fiber. 

 

“We can’t control what the end user does, so we do what we can to present a product that ultimately addresses a lot of the sustainability needs from the upstream,” Masters says.  

 

Some plastic manufacturers even offer sustainable products that aren’t plastic. For example, Laminators Inc. makes a paper-based substrate, made from recycled materials, that handles similarly to plastic, Olff says. 

 

Though there are many environmentally friendly products on the market, beware of green washing, which is hyping a product for its sustainability when it doesn’t truly live up to its reputation, Merklinghaus advises. 

 

“People need to do homework and make sure they understand positive and negatives of materials,” Merklinghaus says. “I think you basically have to really examine the marketing information. There are a number of environmental groups and trade organizations that have a lot of information. Become involved in those organizations so you have a better understanding, and, like anything else, if it sounds too good to be true, it’s probably too good to be true.”