5 fundamentals for static POS that needs to compete in store

1. Give your POS one clear job

One of the most common reasons POS falls flat is that it is trying to do too much.

It wants to announce a product launch, explain three benefits, promote an offer, include a QR code, mention sustainability credentials, show a pack shot and add a call to action.

The result is often a piece of print that has too many messages competing for attention.

Before designing anything, get clear on the purpose of the POS.

Is it there to:

• Stop someone as they walk past?
• Promote an offer?
• Explain a product benefit?
• Support a launch?
• Help someone choose between options?
• Encourage a pick-up?
• Drive people online?
• Reinforce a brand message?

Those are all valid jobs, but they are not all the same job.

A shelf-edge piece might need to help someone make a quick product comparison. A strut card might need to explain a benefit in a bit more detail. A hanging sign might need to create visibility from further away. A floor graphic might be there to guide movement or create a moment of interruption.

When the purpose is clear, the design has a much better chance of working.

At Summit, we would rather start with:

“What does this need to help the shopper do?”

That question usually leads to a much stronger outcome than starting with size, stock or finish.

2. Keep the message simple

In store, people are not reading your POS in ideal conditions.

They might be walking past, holding a basket, checking prices, comparing products, managing children, looking for a specific aisle or trying to get through a queue.

So the message needs to land quickly.

That does not mean stripping out all personality or making everything bland. It means being realistic about how much attention you are likely to get.

A good test is:

If someone only takes in one thing, what should it be?

That one thing should lead the design.

It might be:

• A price
• A product benefit
• A launch message
• A reason to choose
• A seasonal prompt
• A simple call to action

Once that is clear, everything else should support it rather than compete with it.

Strong POS usually has a clear hierarchy:

Headline first.
Key message next.
Supporting detail after that.

If the headline, offer, image, logo, product details and CTA are all fighting for equal attention, the shopper has to work too hard.

Digital screens can use movement to attract the eye. Static POS has to use clarity, contrast, format and placement to do the same job.

Simple does not mean basic. It means easy to understand at speed.

3. Design for the space, not just the screen

A piece of POS can look brilliant on a proof and still disappear completely in store.

That is why context is so important.

Before finalising the design, think about where it will actually live.

Ask:

• What height will it be displayed at?
• How close will the shopper be?
• Will they be walking towards it or past it?
• Is the area well lit?
• What colours, products and signage will sit around it?
• Is the space already cluttered?
• Will the POS be viewed from the front, side or above?
• How long will someone realistically have to notice it?

A design that works well on a laptop screen may not work from two metres away in a busy aisle.

A small message might be fine for a counter display, but completely lost on a hanging sign. A subtle colour palette might look premium in a brand presentation, but disappear against shelving, packaging or other promotional material.

Queuing areas are a good example of how much environment changes the role of POS. They often have higher dwell time, which gives shoppers longer to absorb information. A busy aisle usually gives you far less time, so the message and format need to work much faster.

Static POS can compete, but only when it is designed around the actual shopper moment.

4. Make the format do some work

The format of your POS should never be an afterthought.

A wobble, shelf strip, strut card, hanging sign, floor graphic and display unit all behave differently. They also suit different moments in the customer journey.

For example:

Shelf strips can help with product navigation, category messaging or price-led promotions.

Wobblers can create movement and interruption at shelf level, especially for offers or new products.

Strut cards are useful where shoppers have a little more time to read, such as counters, reception areas or display tables.

Hanging signs can build visibility from a distance and help draw people into a section.

Floor graphics can guide movement, create a moment of surprise or support directional messaging.

Display units can bring products together, create a branded space and support impulse buying.

The right format depends on the space, the product and the behaviour you want to encourage.

This is where printed POS can still compete well with digital. It can take up physical space, interrupt a pattern, add texture, guide movement and sit exactly where the decision is being made.

Digital screens are effective, but they are not always close enough to the product, practical for every store, or affordable across multiple sites.

Printed POS can be very targeted when the format is chosen properly.

The question is not just:

“What do we want it to look like?”

It should be:

“What format gives this message the best chance of being noticed and acted on?”

5. Give people a reason to notice it

Static POS has to earn attention.

That does not mean making everything louder, brighter or bigger. It means giving the shopper a reason to look.

That could come from:

• A bold shape
• Strong colour contrast
• A clear offer
• A tactile finish
• A useful prompt
• A clever format
• A strong product image
• A simple comparison
• A QR code with a genuine reason to scan
• A message that helps the shopper make a decision

The important bit is relevance.

A QR code on its own is not a reason to engage. A QR code that leads to a useful guide, product demo, recipe, size chart, installation video or stockist information has a stronger purpose.

A tactile finish is not useful just because it looks nice. It works best when it supports the brand, product or experience.

A bold shape should help the piece stand out in the environment, not make it harder to produce, install or maintain.

The best static POS often combines practical thinking with creative impact. It looks good, but it also understands the space, the customer and the decision being made.

That is where print expertise can add real value.

Not just producing what has been asked for, but helping shape the brief so the finished piece works harder.

Static POS still has a strong role to play

Digital screens are brilliant in the right setting. They allow for movement, changing content and multiple messages in one space.

Static POS brings different strengths.

It can be cost-effective, flexible, tactile, easy to roll out and highly targeted. It can sit close to the product, support a promotion, create consistency across sites and influence decisions at the point of purchase.

The key is making sure it is properly thought through.

Before starting a POS project, it is worth asking:

• Where is it going?
• What is it competing with?
• How long has the customer got to notice it?
• What do we want them to understand?
• What action do we want them to take?
• Is the format right for the space?
• Is the message clear enough?
• Can it be produced, delivered and installed practically?

A good piece of POS does not just look good in the artwork proof.

It works in the aisle, at the counter, in the queue, on the shelf or wherever the shopper meets it.

Static POS can still compete with digital.

It just needs a clear job, a simple message, the right format and a proper understanding of the retail environment it is going into.

Need support with your next POS campaign?

If you are planning a product launch, retail campaign or in-store promotion, Summit can help you think through the practical details before anything goes to print.

From format and materials to production, fulfilment and rollout, we can help create printed POS that is designed to work in store, not just look good on screen.

Considerations for your print marketing campaign..

We’ve compiled a list of questions as considerations when planning your print marketing campaign. Includes: –...

Download.