What are some examples of products that are traditionally merchandised in POP and POS Displays?

Many buyers feel stuck when they must choose which products go into POP and POS displays. The launch date is close, but the display plan still feels vague.

Products that are traditionally merchandised in POP and POS displays include snacks, drinks, confectionery, cosmetics, personal care, small electronics, toys, seasonal items, gift packs, and low-price add-ons like batteries, lighters, and travel-size products.

I run a cardboard display factory in China, so I see these products every day on my clients’ order sheets. Most of them sell into North America and Europe. I know buyers care about very simple things here: will this display move product fast, will it ship safely, and will the worker in the store understand it in three seconds. In this article, I share the product types I see again and again in real POP and POS programs, and I connect them to clear examples that you can copy for your own brand.

What is an example of a pop in merchandising?

Sometimes I speak with a buyer who says, “My boss wants a POP display, but I do not know what a real example looks like in store.”

A classic POP example in merchandising is a freestanding cardboard floor display that holds bags of snacks or bottles of drinks in the aisle, away from the normal shelf, to grab attention and drive impulse sales.

Typical POP display examples I see in projects

When I talk about POP with clients, we usually stand in front of a floor display¹. This is the hero of POP merchandising². It sits in the main traffic flow, not on the regular shelf. It often holds one lead SKU, maybe with one or two support SKUs. The goal is simple: make shoppers stop, look, and load more units into the cart.

Here are some common POP examples that I build again and again:

One of my favorite POP projects was for an outdoor brand that sold crossbow accessories in the US. Their old products sat flat on a long shelf. We moved them into a tall floor unit with hooks and bold lifestyle images. After that, the client told me their sell-through jumped during the hunting season because shoppers could finally see the full range in one place and connect it with a strong brand story.

Which is an example of a pop point of purchase display?

Many people also mix up POP with “just a sign.” They think POP only means a header card, so they miss big sales chances in the aisle.

One clear example of a POP point of purchase display is a pre-packed pallet of drinks or snacks, wrapped with printed cardboard, placed in a high-traffic area of a warehouse club store to sell straight from the pallet.

POP display formats I see most often

When buyers ask me for “a strong POP unit⁵,” they rarely want a single shelf tray. They want a display that can land in store fast, hold a lot of units, and still look clean after many shoppers touch it. This is why I often guide them toward a small set of proven POP formats⁶.

Here is how I explain it in simple terms:

In one project with a US retailer, I produced a set of pallet displays for a new energy drink. The buyer cared a lot about speed. The displays had to move from trailer to floor with almost no extra work. We designed a full corrugated pallet wrap with bold graphics and simple tear-off doors. Staff only cut a few lines and rolled the pallet into position. Because the display was both transport unit and sales unit, it saved labor and helped the brand get a huge wall of product in front of shoppers in the first week of the launch.

What is pop merchandise?

Many brands think only about the display, not the product inside it. They design a nice unit, but the packs do not fit well or do not match the story.

POP merchandise is product that is created, packed, or bundled specifically for a point-of-purchase display, often as a special pack, multi-pack, or limited promotion that supports an in-store campaign.

How I plan POP merchandise with clients

When I work on a new display brief, I never start with the artwork. I start with the merchandise plan⁹. I ask the buyer simple questions. How many units per store. Which SKU is the hero. Which SKUs support. Is this campaign price-driven or story-driven. Only when we answer these questions can we choose the right POP packs¹⁰.

Here is a simple view of common POP merchandise types:

I once helped a cosmetics client who wanted a floor display for a new line, but their normal single packs looked too small on the structure. We changed the plan and built gift sets with small added value items and a clear “only here” claim. The updated merchandise filled the display, reduced the number of SKUs we had to manage, and gave shoppers a very clear reason to pick up the pack. The same logic works for hunting products. A display that shows a full crossbow “starter kit” with bolts, wax, and safety gear often sells better than many single items spread across one shelf.

What is POS merchandising?

Many buyers use “POS” in emails but still feel unsure what lives under this word. They know it links to checkout, but they also link it to general retail.

POS merchandising is the way products are arranged, promoted, and managed at the point of sale, usually at checkout areas or service counters, using displays, signage, and small fixtures to drive last-minute purchases.

POS merchandising¹³ in real projects and how it differs from POP¹⁴

When I visit stores to study displays, I always spend extra time at the checkout area. This is where POS merchandising lives. The space is tight. The shopper’s mind is half on payment and half on quick treats and forgotten items. So POS merchandising must be simple and fast.

Here is how I explain the difference between POP and POS to clients:

In my own factory, POS projects often come from brands that sell small add-ons. For example, a hunting brand may use a thin cardboard countertop unit to hold wax, strings, or small tools next to the cash register in an outdoor store. The display footprint is small, but the margins are high. When we design these units, we think hard about how a cashier will live with the display every day. It must be stable, easy to refill, and it must not block the payment device. When POS merchandising respects store staff and checkout flow, stores keep the display in place longer, and the brand sees better long-term results.

Conclusion

POP and POS displays work best with clear product roles, simple packs, and strong basics in design and merchandising that match real shoppers and real stores.