Why in-store advertising works
Decisions about low-priced products are often made inside the shop. Someone comes in for bread and water and leaves with chocolate and a new juice because something caught their eye. Instagram and Telegram can bring a customer through the door, but what ends up in the basket is decided at the shelf.
That is why advertising here works differently from a social feed. There is no time to explain: the shopper is walking past with a basket or a phone in hand. A good material reads in a couple of seconds and suggests one action.
Types of point-of-sale materials
The mix depends on the format: a grocery store, pharmacy, electronics shop, café or market stall. The most common options are listed below.
- price tags and information signs, including promotional ones;
- wobblers, small signs on a flexible stem that stick out from the shelf;
- shelf talkers, strips fixed to the shelf edge;
- stands and displays for a single product;
- posters and banners on walls and windows;
- floor stickers and department signs;
- screens with short video clips.
One message and no visual noise
A typical mistake is to hang everything you have: a wobbler, a shelf talker, a poster and several stickers on one shelf. The shopper ends up noticing none of them. Pick one message, such as “New”, “Best seller” or “Offer until Sunday”, and use a large font, strong contrast and a recognisable logo.
If it is a promotion, the benefit should be clear at once: the old and new price in som and the end date. The material should never cover the product or make it awkward to pick up.
The till, the entrance and the window
At the till people wait, so their eyes look for something to land on. Cheap impulse products sell well here: gum, batteries, chocolate, small accessories. It is also a good place to mention a loyalty programme or that you accept Click and Payme, which answers the question “can I pay by transfer?” before it is asked.
The window and entrance create the first impression and attract people walking by. Fresh design, a seasonal accent (Navruz, back to school, hot summer) and a clear offer in the glass beat a faded banner from last year.
In your own shop you control the whole space, so plan the customer’s route: entrance, key products, related items, till. Floor arrows and department signs keep people from getting lost.
If you are a manufacturer or distributor
Your materials then stand in someone else’s shop, so the question is not only design. Each chain and owner has its own rules on where materials can go, which formats are allowed and how long they can stay, and some charge for placement. Agree in advance and put the terms in writing, or your display may be removed on day one.
The second risk is that materials are printed but never reach the shelf, or sit in the stockroom. Sales reps and merchandisers should check that everything is installed, undamaged and removed when the promotion ends, and send photos as proof.
How to test whether it works
You do not need complex analytics. Compare sales of the product before and after placement, or better still, in shops with the material and without it. Choose similar shops and keep everything else (price, shelf layout) unchanged, and it becomes clear which format has an effect.
In your own retail space, try a new material on one shelf for a week and compare it with a neighbouring shelf. Write the results down so you are not guessing next time.
Keep it fresh and know where to start
Materials fade and shoppers get used to them and stop noticing. Change them together with promotions and seasons, and take them down as soon as the offer ends: a sign for a discount that finished long ago erodes trust.
In-store advertising works best as part of a wider strategy: the same messages as in your Instagram and targeted ads, one visual style and a clear goal. markdev helps businesses in Uzbekistan build that strategy and connect online advertising with what the customer sees in the shop. If you want to review your own store and decide where to start, get in touch and we will talk through the task.
FAQ
What should a small shop start with?
Start with the simplest things: clear price tags and one promotional sign next to the product you want to sell faster. Then add a material at the till and measure the result.
How many materials can go on one shelf?
One or two is enough, carrying a single message. With more, you get visual noise and the shopper notices none of them.
Do I have to pay a shop for placement?
It depends on the shop or chain. Many have their own rules on location, format and duration, and some charge a fee. Clarify and record the terms before printing anything.
How do I know shelf advertising worked?
Compare sales of the product before and after placement, and between shops with and without the material. Other conditions should stay the same.
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