Time to revolutionise
2018 was a turbulent year for the high street and saw a number of leading retailers going bust, facing administration and struggling with declining sales. Frustratingly, these tough times are set to continue as the challenges remain and shoppers increasingly change their habits and flock online for their purchases.
All is not lost, and this provides an ideal opportunity for the POS sector to respond positively to the transformation of the retail world”
However, all is not lost, and this provides an ideal opportunity for the POS sector to respond positively to the transformation of the retail world. It is definitely time to revolutionise and to find more ways to engage shoppers at every step of the purchasing process.
At Dufaylite, we are focused on innovation and the continuous development of our products to support our customers. Retailers need to focus more on the customer experience not just the purchase and POS needs to become more creative than ever to support this. For the continued success of POS displays, it’s vital to keep it sustainable, keep it loaded with merchandise and add to the experience at every opportunity. Ultra Board is one of the only materials on the market that allows for high creativity, high strength and load bearing whilst being sustainable and not requiring high minimum order quantities.
Brands are fighting for positioning within a diminishing retail space and so more than ever, creativity is king. Memorable displays matter, so think outside the box, go big, bold and bespoke to engage shoppers.
At Dufaylite we are focused on manufacturing and offer additional services to ensure that our customers get the best out of our products. We have cad cutting tables and a die press for volume conversion of sheet for POS producers to save them time. Our in-house 3D designer is also on hand to provide not only advice, but also solutions to help producers produce displays which will stand out from the crowd. Ultra Board has been used effectively to create football stadiums, giant 3D animals and figures delivering stand out amongst the noise. Producers need to step up, stop shoppers in their tracks and to be sustainable along the way.
Technology is key
Andy Watkins, commercial director, Wrights Plastics Group
One of the effects of the ‘challenging’ conditions for high street retailers in the point-of-sale sector is to drive innovation. Whether using the latest in technology, materials, design or research on consumer behaviour, POS is at the forefront of the drive not only to lure customers away from their computers and back onto the high street but to keep them coming back too.
Technology is key in many ways. Not only is it used to help to deliver more dynamic POS, but technological advances in production processes is also helping manufacturers like us to produce ever more complex POS more efficiently and more cost-effectively.
Digital technology has the ability to create high impact POS but it can also be used to deliver a much more personalised shopper experience”
Digital technology has the ability to create high impact POS but it can also be used to deliver a much more personalised shopper experience – perhaps eventually it will provide the link between the customer’s online activity and their instore behaviour that will further improve the customer’s instore experience.
But innovation is more than technological. Understanding the latest design trends and gaining insights into ever changing consumer behaviour & expectations is also impacting on POS. Consumers love the certainty that brands can bring but they are also looking for the quirky, original and individual so POS can play a role in changing brand perceptions.
We live in the Instagram age, so we are always aware that the impact of POS goes beyond its physical location. Images of POS have the ability to go viral so it better be for the right reasons. Our clients are aware that POS can potentially have the same impact on a brand as their advertising and social media activity, and they expect us to deliver on this potential.