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Are You Maximizing the Perceived Value of Your Products?

How your point of display can drive customer engagement. Part 2.

By Jennifer Roney, Senior Manager, Brand & Creative Strategy,
Staples Promotional Products

In Part 1 of “Are You Maximizing the Perceived Value of Your Products?” we reviewed how careful consideration for decoration and design can add incremental value in the eyes of the recipient. But what comes next?

One of the most overlooked parts of a successful merchandise campaign, and a significant driver of perceived value, is the point of engagement: that moment where someone receives their product.

Most merchandise deserves to be, well… merchandised!

Your beautifully designed and carefully considered product collections are made to be on display.

There is a reason that ‘merchandising’ is a dedicated field in retail: it has the power to change perception and to change behaviour. Have you considered the incremental impact your products could have if displayed in a new way (or displayed at all)? The simple fact of the matter is that tabletops don’t work well for merchandise; and the standard trade show set-ups are designed for branding, not for product displays.

At one of our own trade shows a couple of years ago we designed a pop-up shop that allowed our guests to “shop” for their swag bag goodies. It transformed our customer experience. Instead of simply being handed a bag with their gifts (an expected experience), our guests got to browse products and pick from different designs; they felt they were receiving more value because it is runs counter to the standard shopping dynamic – i.e. where you pay for the merchandise at the end. Your product pieces have a retail value and displaying them in a retail set-up makes that value connection for the recipient in a way the receipt of a “swag bag” doesn’t.

Trade Shows

After the success of this pop-up shop, we knew we had to find a way to draw on elements of this experience for our customer events. Our goals were:

  1. Find a way to beautiful display merchandise within a limited space
  2. Create a unit that can be easily transported
  3. Ensure set-up can happen withh two people in less than an hour

And so, we designed Pop-Up Shop 2.0!

Pop-Up Shop 2.0

With a primary accordion-style unit that has removable fixtures for flexibility in display; the ability to insert custom-signage for the event; and additional table displays and plinths to round out the overall set-up, this modular shop has been a hit at customer events. Merchandise has the space to be shown off and properly seen; and the set-up is reminiscent of in-stadium kiosks. The unit is available to our customers for event rentals when they are looking for a little extra swagger in their swag-bag experience!

But you don’t have to go all-out and build or rent a pop-up shop to achieve an effective or beautiful display. Here is some inspiration for fun ways to display your merchandise to give it that retail flare!

Headware

pinterest.ca

Apparel

displays2go.com

Office Supplies

kreisdesign.com

Interested in learning more about creating fully customized merchandise solutions?

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