By the design team at The Display Boxes ·
Who decides whether a display goes out?
In an independent shop, the owner or manager decides, often in seconds, when the display arrives or when a rep shows it. In a chain, a buyer or ranging team usually approves displays in advance, sometimes with a written guide, and the store team then decides where it actually stands. Either way, the people deciding are busy and look for reasons to say no.
Your job is to remove those reasons before the display arrives.
It is worth remembering that the shop is not obliged to use your display at all. Even a stockist who has ordered your product may keep the display in the back if it is awkward, so treat the display as something you are selling to the shop, not just to the shopper.
What do shop owners look at first?
Space, tidiness and effort. Does it fit the space they have? Will it still look neat when half the stock has gone? Will it take their staff time to build, fill or clean? A display that is too big, sags after a week, or needs ten minutes and a roll of tape to assemble is the one that ends up in the stockroom.
Owners also judge whether it suits the shop. A loud, cheap looking display can be refused by a smart gift shop even if it would sell.
- It fits the counter, shelf or floor space offered.
- It stays upright and tidy as stock goes down.
- It builds in a minute without tape.
- It looks right for the shop.
- It is easy to refill and clean.
Shop staff matter as much as the owner. If the assistants find a display awkward to refill or clean around, it will drift to the back of the counter whatever the owner agreed.
What do chain buyers check?
Chains have more formal checks. They may set the size of shelf ready cases, how the case opens, the height of floor units, how much a shelf may carry, and what must be printed for the warehouse. Some ask for a sample before approving. They also check the display against the promotion they have agreed with you and the space in their store plans.
Ask your buyer for any guide or rules before the display is designed. We draw to them from the start, which is far quicker than adjusting a finished design.
| Check | Independent shop | Chain buyer |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Fits the space offered | Matches the store plan or guide |
| Build | Quick, no tape | Meets any build or opening rules |
| Strength | Stays tidy for weeks | Survives transit and the promotion period |
| Suits the shop's look | Matches agreed artwork and marking | |
| Arrival | Easy to unpack | Fits delivery and warehouse systems |
Timing matters with chains. Promotional space is often booked well ahead, and displays have to arrive at stores within a set window. Build that into your plans so the display is made, approved and delivered in time.
How can you make the display easy to say yes to?
Each step removes an excuse. Together they make the display easy to accept.
- Ask the shop or buyer what space and rules apply before designing.
- Size the display to that space, and design for the smallest if it goes to many shops.
- Choose a build that assembles in a minute without tape.
- Use a board strong enough for the product and the length of the promotion.
- Keep the header simple and the look in keeping with the shops you target.
- Send the display with stock, or arrange for it to arrive ready filled.
Does the way it arrives matter?
A great deal. A display that arrives in a sensible carton, with stock, and builds in moments is welcome. One that arrives separately, weeks before the stock, or needs instructions read is set aside. For independents, a flat pop up display that opens in seconds or a lidded display that arrives full is ideal. For chains, shelf ready cases and floor units must fit their delivery systems.
Label the outer carton clearly with what is inside. Stockrooms are busy and an unlabelled box can sit unopened for days.
How should you pitch a display to an independent shop?
Show it, do not describe it. Bring a sample, a photo, or a printed proof at full size. Tell the owner how much space it needs, how many packs it holds, and that it builds in a minute. Offer to set it up. Many small brands win their first stockists by turning up with a filled display and a box of stock, ready to go.
Be honest about what you are asking for. A display that takes a small corner of the counter is a modest request; one that takes half the counter needs a stronger case.
If the shop already stocks your product on a shelf, a display is an easy upgrade to suggest. Show them how much faster the product could sell by the till, and offer to swap the display out if it does not work for them.
What happens after the display goes out?
Visit or call after a couple of weeks. Check that the display is still where it was placed, still tidy, and still stocked. If it has moved or been hidden, ask why; the answer will improve your next design. Replace worn displays in your best shops, because a tired display reflects on your brand.
Keep a few spare displays for exactly this reason.
Ask the shop how the display is selling and whether staff have any complaints. Small changes, such as a lower front lip or a narrower footprint, can make the next batch more welcome.
How does the display reflect on your brand?
To a shop owner, the display is evidence of how you run your business. A well made, well printed display that arrives on time with the stock says you are reliable. A flimsy one that arrives late says the opposite, and can affect whether they reorder your product at all.
That is why it pays to choose a board strong enough for the job, keep the print clean and simple, and check the first displays in shops yourself. The display is often the only part of your brand the shop owner sees every day.
What are the common reasons displays are refused?
Too big for the space. Too hard to build. Too weak to stay tidy. Too much text to read. Not in keeping with the shop. Arrived without stock. Each one is avoidable with a little planning, and most come down to asking the shop or buyer a few questions before the display is designed.
When a display is refused, ask for the reason politely and note it. Over a few shops a pattern appears, and that pattern is the best brief for your next design.
How can we help?
Send us the product size, the space the shop or buyer has given you, any guidance they have provided and the number of displays. We email a price within one working day and draw a free proof to those rules. Displays start from £0.25 a box, minimums are low and quoted per job, and after proof approval production takes 5 to 7 working days. Delivery to UK mainland addresses, including several stores, is free and tracked.
