Whether planning and executing merchandising strategies for a retailer, a supplier, a distributor, or a broker, an off-shelf merchandising display is one of the most important sales drivers in any retail toolbelt. A merchandising display is a strategic retail fixture or product presentation placed outside of a brand’s standard in-line shelf merchandising to drive incremental display sales. These merchandising displays in retail support new product launches, promote seasonal items, showcase everyday low price items, and latch on to local market trends.
The unique value of off-shelf placements is significant, and identifying the best visual merchandising displays ensures each execution reaches its full sales potential.
What is an Off-Shelf Merchandising Display?
Off-shelf placement refers to any merchandising display executed at a retail location outside of your brand’s “normal” inline shelf merchandising placement.
While inline placement helps to drive consistent, long-term sales with customers who are already familiar with your product, off-shelf merchandising is the best way to drive incremental display sales with new customers or on new SKUs.
Off-shelf displays help you engage with shoppers where they are not necessarily seeking your product specifically and give them the opportunity to try something new. Think of it as a billboard for your brand that can catch the eyes of new shoppers. Securing off-shelf merchandising displays in retail helps you trial new products, take advantage of seasonality, build awareness for your brand as a whole, and drive incremental sales in strategic locations or during high-value times of the year.
Top 7 Best Visual Merchandising Displays for FMCG
In the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, the battle for attention is won in the aisles. Utilizing a strategic merchandising display allows brands to break away from the “noise” of the standard shelf and meet shoppers at high-intent decision points. From permanent high-traffic fixtures to temporary promotional units, these seven formats represent the best visual merchandising displays for driving incremental display sales and improving brand recall.
END CAPS
End cap merchandising displays are found at the end of the aisle and are visible from the store’s perimeter. They range from four feet to eight feet wide and are generally merchandised with high-value products. These locations may host sale items, seasonal products, or even high-volume, everyday value items that simply require more holding power than inline sets can provide (think: cases of bottled water in the summer).
While retailers generally get the final say on which products go on an end cap, suppliers and distributors can and should make recommendations for merchandising displays in retail based on their expertise for their products. Securing this type of merchandising display is a primary driver for incremental display sales due to its high-visibility location.
Tips for Merchandising End Caps
Keep a Limited SKU Count
Offering too many choices on an endcap will cause shoppers to be indecisive and move on from the display. For most items, include no more than four different SKUs to give shoppers a choice without overcomplicating things.
Merchandise SKUs Vertically
Let’s say you have four SKUs of condiments on an endcap – ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, and barbecue sauce. If you devote an entire shelf to each condiment, at least one of your SKUs will be out of reach or out of sight for customers. However, if you merchandised SKUs vertically (also known as “striping”), every item has a presence on every shelf, and you’re more likely to pick up sales on multiple items.
Plan for Jumper Shelves
Jumper shelves help retailers increase overall basket size by merchandising complementary items together. For example, if you are building a tortilla chip display, plan for a jumper shelf in the middle of the endcap for a side of salsa.
SIDE CAPS
As the name suggests, side cap displays live adjacent to (or on the side of) the end cap. This specific merchandising display is often only one to two feet wide, but they have the advantage of being seen by perimeter and aisle shoppers. These best visual merchandising displays are highly efficient for utilizing vertical space in high-traffic areas.
Items featured on side caps are often on sale, but don’t hold the same weight as items on the end caps. A side cap merchandising display gives retailers an opportunity to build basket size and fulfill a blended margin strategy. So, while retailers and suppliers may have a smaller margin on value items merchandised on end caps, they might balance (or blend) their overall margin by using side caps to feature full-price items. Utilizing this type of merchandising display in retail ensures that high-margin impulse items are always within the shopper’s line of sight.
Tips for Merchandising Side Caps
Consider Pack Size
Side caps tend to have limited holding power — so to reduce out-of-stocks, consider only merchandising items with smaller pack sizes here. Think six-pack of soda on an end cap, individual bottle on a side cap.
Adjacencies Matter
An adjacency refers to any nearby display that is also visible to a shopper. For a side cap, this includes products on an end cap just around the corner or those inline down the aisle. Consider what other items your products are most relevant to when considering adjacency recommendations for your side cap display.
Limit SKU Count
Given the overall size of this display, it is best practice to limit SKU count to two unique items per side cap. While there is always an exception to the rule, fewer and more focused SKU counts will both drive impulse buys and be more likely to be executed consistently at the retailer.
CASE STACKS
Case stacks are exactly what they sound like—cases of your item cut open and stacked on top of each other. This type of merchandising display creates a high-volume, value-oriented impression for the shopper.
Because a case stack merchandising display doesn’t require a fixture to be executed, it is generally simpler to coordinate logistically with retailers. This format also serves as an effective line of goods display, giving the supplier and the retailer the option of positioning products outside of the center of the store to drive incremental display sales.
Tips for Merchandising Case Stacks
Consider Traffic Patterns
Side caps tend to have limited holding power — so to reduce out-of-stocks, consider only merchandising items with smaller pack sizes here. Think six-pack of soda on an end cap, individual bottle on a side cap.
Play with Seasonality
What goes best with pumpkins in the fall? Pumpkin Beer. Or Pumpkin-Flavored Soda. Or Pumpkin Spice for lattes. Hit seasonal trends hard for cross-sells when possible!
Go After Complementary Items
This is where cross-merchandising gets fun. Case stacks give you the option of putting your crackers right next to the main cheese display, or your guacamole mix right next to the avocados. What are the fresh items that are commonly purchased with your products?
PALLET DROPS
Pallet drops are the simplest merchandising display to execute — in most cases, you can pull the pallet right off the truck, wheel it to the sales floor, and put a sign on it. Voila! Pallet drops tend to be the best visual merchandising displays for high-volume items that are physically large and relevant to the season or current events.
In the summer, you might see a series of pallet drops that include cases of potato chips, 12-packs of soda, and charcoal for the grill. This type of merchandising display in retail highlights must-have items for the season that are going to make it into the majority of carts that pass by. Because they are positioned in high-traffic power aisles, they are a primary driver of incremental display sales for large-format goods.
Tips for Merchandising Pallet Drops
Consider the Weight of the Item
While pallet drop items tend to be physically large, you should avoid items that are too heavy here. If the pallet gets shopped to a level that is below the knee, you don’t want customers breaking their backs to try to lift it. So, a case of variety pack chips might work well, but cat litter would not.
Think About Your Exit Strategy
Pallet drops require a high level of inventory to be merchandised effectively. What happens if you don’t sell as much as you had hoped? Consider this when drafting your promotional calendar — it may be worth it to plan for a secondary promotion immediately following your pallet drop to help you sell through any remaining inventory that is left on hand.
MERCHANDISING SHIPPERS
A merchandising shipper is a temporary, branded merchandising display sent from the supplier or distributor to a retailer for use, often during a promotional period for the brand. Shippers give suppliers a branded way to execute incremental display strategies without relying on the retailer to provide fixtures or shelf space.
These merchandising displays in retail are often custom-designed and fabricated to fit a supplier’s products specifically. They are most often made from substrates that can ship flat and be easily assembled by retailers or reps in the store, making them one of the best visual merchandising displays for localized or short-term product launches.
Tips for Merchandising Shippers
Understand the Retailer's Guidelines
Sending merchandising shippers can be effective but expensive for brands. Before you make the investment, make sure you are clear on each retailers’ policies. Some retailers may not allow them in stores, while others will use them every chance they get. Make sure you come to a clear agreement with a retailer before sending them to stores; the last thing you want is for your displays to end up in the trash without even making it to the sales floor!
POS VISUAL MERCHANDISING DISPLAYS
A Point-of-Sale (POS) display usually refers to a merchandising display that is at or near the checkout area of a store. These merchandising displays in retail take advantage of high-traffic zones where customers are most likely to make unplanned purchases.
In a grocery store, you’ll often see everyday shelf merchandising for magazines, candy bars, and gum here — but you will likely also see seasonal or promotional displays in this location as well. POS units are some of the best visual merchandising displays for seasonal impulse buys and everyday items that a customer may have forgotten to grab while shopping, serving as a powerful tool for driving incremental display sales at the final stage of the customer journey.
Tips for Merchandising POS Displays
Hone in on Messaging
There are few places in the store where you have a captive audience that is eager to read signs. However, the checkout line is one place where you have a good chance at getting your message across. Shoppers will likely glance at the magazine covers, their cell phones, or POS signage while they wait. This is your opportunity to tell your brand story! Yes, the messaging should be brief, but you have a better chance of being memorable here than in most locations in the store.
Perfect Your Positioning
Speaking of waiting in line, consider targeting the second person standing in line with the placement of your display. While the first person in line is getting their payment ready while their items are being scanned, the second person in line is loading up the conveyor belt with items from their cart. They have just read about your brand on your well-placed signage, and now they are in the process of lifting items and loading them onto the belt. A POS display makes it easy for them to load items from the display onto the belt.
RETAIL DUMP BINS
Retail dump bins or baskets hold individual items that are quite literally ‘dumped’ into them. This type of merchandising display is intentionally disorganized to create the impression that the items within are a great deal.
Shoppers sift through these merchandising displays in retail to find different flavors or varieties of items, which gives them the feeling that they are on a treasure hunt for the best deal or flavor. Because they encourage high-volume interaction, dump bins are among the best visual merchandising displays for clearing seasonal inventory or driving incremental display sales on small, low-cost products.
Tips for Merchandising Dump Bins
Price in Multiples
If items are priced in multiples (like 5 for $5, 8 for $10), shoppers will likely sort through the dump bins to find multiple items.
Increase SKU Count
This is the place where it’s good to bump up your SKU count. If the items are priced in multiples, this is a great way to drive a trial of several flavors of your product. If a customer has already tried three flavors, they are much more likely to add a fourth or fifth using this type of merchandise display.
Choosing the Right Merchandising Display for Your Strategy
Remember, not every merchandising display type is right for every type of product. Consider the specific goals of your business to determine which format represents the best visual merchandising displays for your needs during the promotional planning process.
Executing a successful merchandising display in retail is most effective when retailers, suppliers, and distributors work hand-in-hand to determine the best strategy given the products, the timelines, and the retail locations involved. By focusing on a coordinated incremental display strategy, brands can ensure maximum visibility and ROI.
For more on how to plan for and negotiate for off-shelf placement, check out our articles on New Product Launches, Promo Planning, and POP Signage.
FAQs about Merchandising Displays
Why are merchandising displays in retail important for new products?
A merchandising display acts as a billboard for your brand. It engages shoppers who are not specifically seeking your product, providing an opportunity for trial. Securing off-shelf placement is one of the best visual merchandising displays for building brand awareness and driving volume during a new product launch.
What is the difference between inline and off-shelf merchandising?
Inline shelf merchandising refers to the product’s permanent home on the store shelf, which drives consistent sales from loyal customers. Off-shelf merchandising displays are temporary or secondary placements (like end caps or pallet drops) designed to stop foot traffic and encourage impulse purchases.
How do you choose the best visual merchandising displays for your brand?
The right merchandising display depends on your product size, inventory volume, and goals. High-volume items are ideal for pallet drops or case stacks, while smaller impulse items perform best on side caps or POS merchandising displays in retail. Coordinating with retailers on an incremental display strategy ensures the chosen format matches the store’s layout and traffic patterns.
