By Yan Luo | Samtop Display
Table of Contents
Why Choosing the Right Display Type Is More Than Just Semantics
You’re planning a new retail campaign, and the agency asks: “Do you need POP or POS displays?” You pause — aren’t they the same?
Actually, no. And if you choose the wrong one, you might lose a chance to catch your customer’s eye right before they decide to buy — or worse, confuse their journey entirely.
At Samtop, we’ve helped global brands align their display types with shopper psychology. This guide walks you through how POP and POS displays differ — and how to use them together to drive real in-store results.
- POP Displays: Drive product awareness anywhere in-store — aisle ends, entry points, category sections.
- POS Displays: Sit at checkout to drive quick add-on sales and last-second upsells.
- They differ in placement, size, shopper mindset, and function.
- Choosing correctly depends on product type, price point, and customer behavior.
📌 POP is about exploration. POS is about action.
🧠 1. Definitions & Functions
| Display Type | Meaning | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| POP Display | Point of Purchase | Inspire discovery, inform choices |
| POS Display | Point of Sale | Trigger impulse buys, support final decisions |
📌 Think of POP as building desire early, and POS as converting action at the end.
🧱 2. Placement and Shopper Mindset
| Attribute | POP Display | POS Display |
|---|---|---|
| Placement | Store entry, endcaps, category zone | Checkout counter, cashier path |
| Shopper Mood | Curious, browsing | Task-focused, low attention span |
| Typical Product Role | Educate or compare | Reinforce or upsell |
| Engagement Time | 5–20 seconds | 1–5 seconds |
✅ POP captures attention when the shopper is open to discovery
✅ POS wins when the shopper is ready to decide
🎨 3. Design Characteristics & Materials
| Design Feature | POP Display | POS Display |
|---|---|---|
| Size & Format | Floor standees, risers, glorifiers | Counter trays, hanging clips |
| Materials Used | MDF, metal, acrylic, corrugate | Cardboard, PET, thermoform plastic |
| Messaging Style | Story-driven, branded, informative | Urgent, promotion-led |
| Interactivity | Testers, lighting, QR codes | Usually static, high turnover |
📌 POP is immersive. POS is fast-moving.
🛍️ 4. Use Cases by Product Category
| Product Category | Best Display Format & Reason |
|---|---|
| Fragrance (EDP, EDT) | POP glorifier — highlight luxury image & scent story |
| Lip balm, mints | POS tray — capitalize on impulse purchases |
| Chargers, cables | POP riser — enable product comparison & education |
| Batteries, gum | POS hooks — low-cost, high-velocity |
| Gift sets / holiday packs | POP floor units — seasonal presence, storytelling |
📌 Fragrance brands often use both: a POP unit to establish image, and a POS tester to nudge decision.
🧩 Case Study: FENDI New Season Launch
In FENDI’s APAC seasonal rollout, the brand wanted to launch new fragrance variants in high-traffic duty-free locations.
Challenge:
- Product needed storytelling at entry, testers near checkout, and modular fixtures adaptable to different store sizes.
Solution by Samtop:
- Designed a POP floor unit made of brushed metal + acrylic with soft LED lighting to showcase the “core message.”
- Created POS trays using recyclable PET with secure tester slots and QR scan code links to product stories.
- All displays shipped flat-packed with drop shipping across Singapore, Tokyo, and Dubai.
💡 Outcome:
POS trays delivered a +28% uplift in tester conversion, while POP units helped FENDI reinforce its luxury positioning across mixed store environments.
💡 5. When to Use POP, POS, or Both?
| Ask Yourself… | If YES → Choose… |
|---|---|
| Is the product > $10 or premium positioning? | POP Display |
| Does it rely on visuals or sampling? | POP Display |
| Is it priced <$5 and near checkout? | POS Display |
| Are you upselling near payment areas? | POS Display |
| Is the display part of a brand campaign? | Both |
📌 High-performing campaigns mix both to educate + activate the shopper.
💬 FAQ
Q: Can one display be both POP and POS?
✅ Not usually. They serve different stages of the shopper journey and require different placements and formats.
Q: Which delivers better ROI?
✅ POS is better for low-cost, high-turn items. POP is better for premium items or new product launches with longer decision cycles.
Q: Which is more expensive to produce?
✅ POP displays are generally more costly due to size and materials. POS displays are lighter, smaller, and cheaper to replicate at scale.
🎯 Final Takeaway: Let the Shopper Moment Guide Your Format
✔ POP = Attention + Education
✔ POS = Timing + Conversion
✔ Each display type supports different psychological moments
✔ Your best ROI comes from aligning the format to the shopper flow
At Samtop, we help brands across fragrance, fashion, and electronics develop display systems that match store realities and consumer behavior — without compromising speed or aesthetics.
📩 Talk to our team about POP vs. POS strategies
- Internal Links:
/contactfor inquiry/portfoliofor case studies/blog/sustainable-display-materialsto link related articles- External Links:
- Retail POP Display Design Insights
- Consumer Behavior in Store
