POS SOS?

We live in the age of the internet. Over the past few decades it has grown exponentially and is now a crucial tool in modern day society. Although the world wide web has only been available to the public for twenty years, it has already revolutionised almost every area of life; be it communication, fact finding, banking, transport, or simply ordering a takeaway, our everyday activities are all made easier by the internet.

And nowhere is this truer than in retail. Online shopping has taken the world by storm; why would you trudge down to your local high street when you can have everything you need delivered right to your door? So, the question remains to be asked, does the pressure this places on the retail sector present an opportunity or a threat to sign-makers?

Shops are having to offer customers something different, having to give them a reason to leave their house rather than make a few clicks online. Is this something suppliers of point-of-sale (POS) signage and graphics can capitalise on, by selling more interesting and eye-catching signage to draw customers in? Or will the financial pressure this internet climate is putting on retail stores mean their budgets are lower, making gaining their business even tougher for sign-makers?

Falling footfall
 
Debra Jamieson, director of UK Point of Sale, does not say whether this situation is an opportunity or a threat to sign-makers, but simply argues that it makes point-of-sale displays even more essential to retail owners.

She explains: “The British Retail Consortium’s latest report highlights the ever increasing economic pressures retailers face, with news that the sector could experience the loss of 900,000 jobs and thousands of shops by 2025. With the added financial pressure of the living wage coming into play, it’s imperative that retailers of all sizes, from independents to large supermarkets, take action to ensure their store environments are working as hard as possible to attract, engage and convert consumers into sales.

O Factoid: During the 2015 Christmas period, 90 percent of shoppers did at least part of their purchasing online. O

“Visual display and POS plays a critical role in this, from directional signage to increasing basket spend through well placed promotional messaging. As consumers, we digest information visually, and understanding shopper habits and how best to draw their attention through affective POS will be the difference between those retailers who survive and those who don’t.

“As retailers will have to reduce staffing, the implementation and use of innovative, bespoke visual display solutions will maximise footfall and consumer spend, whilst driving down overhead and efficiencies to increasing potential profits.”

UK Point of Sale has been supplying POS for over twenty years, with over 47,000sq ft of manufacturing facilities. The firm claims this means it can react quickly and create bespoke solutions to order—something that may become even more key as retailers look for more innovative and unique ways to catch the customer’s eye.

One of a kind

Indeed, it is the growth in demand for this sort of bespoke, custom-made POS display that Gabriela Parish from Spandex identifies as one of the challenges for sign-makers moving into this sector.
 
She explains: “One of the challenges for companies is that we are seeing a need for standard display products to be developed in non-standard, custom-made sizes, colours and formats. Whilst there is a huge diversity in display products, customers can find it challenging to find innovative and cost effective custom-made options. Spandex understands this and can offer displays systems in bespoke formats, sizes and colours (subject to minimum order quantities and extended lead times) to allow sign-makers to respond to these non-standard requirements.”



Parish does, however, see the development of new styles of POS as an opportunity for sign-makers, as she explains: “With the growing demand from retailers there is no doubt that the POS market will continue to evolve.

All it takes is a trip to your local supermarket or high street to see the volume of POS material on show, and as retailers go ‘omni-channel’ the challenge to make the physical retail space more appealing and engaging for shoppers will create more opportunities for innovative POS. To this end, our customers have begun to look at other opportunities to enhance the retail space with graphics that go beyond POS displays to include new, impactful applications such as wall and floor coverings.”



Indeed, as Parish points out, this diversification of the POS sector creates numerous opportunities for sign-makers to expand their offering, and it is relatively easy for them to do so. This is especially relevant to suppliers like Spandex, which can supply a range of display systems as well as the appropriate media, ink, and accessories all delivered next day.


“This allows our customers to change their displays more frequently and, more importantly, they don’t have to keep a lot of stock on the shelf,” says Parish, who adds: “With a wide range of solutions and materials on our portfolio, we advise our customers on the best format, presentation systems, and substrates to suit any POS brief.”

A helping hand

Indeed, choosing a supplier that can guide your way into the sector can be a way of reducing the risks and hassles of diversification. Mike Collins, product manager of sign and display at Antalis UK, explains the key role such companies can play in the POS sector: “In addition to Antalis’ market-leading range of POS materials, our customers benefit from our national logistics network for guaranteed next day delivery, as well as having access to expert advice and consultation from our team of highly experienced sales specialists.

“Through their understanding of the market and appreciation of sector needs, our team can introduce customers to the very latest products, provide input to challenging applications and deliver the tools to make selection easier, such as our new Sign and Display Catalogue and Easy Reference Guides available for many of our product ranges including Priplak and 3A. All are available either hard copy or downloadable from our website, as well as via the Antalis app (available on the Apple and android app stores) for use on phones and tablets.”



Parish from Spandex is also keen to assert the firm’s capacity and willingness to assist sign-makers in the POS sector, commenting: “Spandex is equipped to serve both large customers with demand for high volumes (sometimes bespoke products) as well as medium and small graphics producers ensuring all of our customers can buy everything to get the job done under one roof from materials and inks through to displays and sign making tools.

“In the vast majority of cases we will deliver the products next day. At the same time, we are constantly analysing the market and latest products developments to ensure our portfolio is always up-to-date. To take advantage of the growth in soft signage, we offer a range of Fabric Frames which looks very sleek and our high quality pavement signs continue to offer an attractive solution to our customers.”

Parish continues: “Another technology that is at the forefront of the display market is LED, with more and more retailers and brands adopting it. LED and illuminated displays are a big focus for Spandex in POS. Illuminating your sign gets it noticed and offers a completely different dimension to the display altogether while also giving it an altered appearance from day into night.”

A greener future

Commenting on the continued pressures facing the retail sector, Antalis’ Collins does see this adversely impacting sign-makers, but is positive about an upturn in the not too distant future.

He explains: “The main challenge that is currently facing the POS sector as a whole is that many of the larger retail chains are cutting back on store development and branding, which is starting to have a knock-on effect within the print and supply communities.

“There is, however, certainly a good deal of positivity in the market and I believe that this sector will continue to see further growth, especially as market conditions and confidence improves. And, as the market develops, Antalis will continue to invest in bringing new and innovative solutions to extend its POS offering further for a diverse range of applications.”



Another factor that cannot be ignored when considering the future of POS is the environment.

Collins explains: “There is a clear move towards seeking more environmentally-friendly ways of producing point of sale signage. Retailers want to be seen to be taking a proactive approach in the selection and use of eco-friendly products. In addition, they have also started to realise the additional benefits of moving away from PVC-based products to the use of polypropylene, which offer cost savings, not just in the purchase of substrates, but also in terms of the disposal and recycling of waste.

“At Antalis, we are constantly monitoring the market to anticipate trends and therefore ensure our product portfolio caters for current and future demand.

“As a result, we have expanded our range of environmentally-friendly materials, which now comprises the largest stocked range of Polypropylene products from Priplak and Mapal, which we offer in many different sizes, colours and finishes.”

Antalis has also recently launched 3A Dispa board, which is a 100 percent FSC-certified product with a unique internal structure. This makes the board light, strong, and very flat, which together with its smooth double-sided print-optimised surface makes it an ideal POS board for premium hanging signage.

So it seems that despite all this swirling innovation into materials and products to supply this sector, there can also be no doubt that changes in the way people shop is having a knock-on effect on the POS market. Yet all is not lost; the need for new and innovative retail signage can be seen as an opportunity for those dynamic enough to attempt it—and with plenty of trade suppliers on hand to support you, there seems to be every chance of
success.

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