What is a POP Display?

Many product buyers feel lost when a retailer asks for a POP display, because the term sounds simple but covers many structures, materials, and in-store strategies.

A POP (point-of-purchase) display is a branded temporary or semi-permanent structure that holds and presents products inside a store, close to where shoppers decide to buy, so it pushes faster and clearer purchase decisions.

I run a cardboard display factory, so I see every day how the right POP display changes sales numbers, especially in busy supermarkets and warehouse clubs. In the rest of this article, I share how I explain POP to my own buyers, using simple language and real projects from my workshop.

What is the difference between POS and POP display?

I often hear buyers mix up POS and POP, so they get confused quotes, wrong structures, and displays that do not match the shopper moment they target.

POS displays sit at the point of sale, usually at the cash desk, while POP displays cover any promotional structure across the store that supports the shopper's buying decision from aisle to checkout.

How I explain POS vs POP to buyers

When a new client visits my factory, I always start with the shopper path. I draw a simple line: entrance, aisles, category shelf, and checkout. Then I place small icons for displays. This picture helps the client see why POS and POP are not the same.

POS means "point of sale¹". So I tell them to imagine the last step before payment. This is often the cash desk², the self-checkout zone, or a service counter. Cardboard displays in this area are usually small countertop units, side wings on the checkout lane, or narrow floor displays that fit into tight spaces.

POP means "point of purchase³". This is a wider idea. It includes the whole in-store journey where the shopper decides what to buy. So a big floor display⁴ at the aisle entrance, a pallet in a warehouse club, or an endcap display all count as POP.

I see this difference clearly in my orders. For example, a candy brand asks me for light countertop POS units near the cashier, while an energy drink brand asks for bold floor POP displays with strong graphics at the aisle entrance.

What is an example of a pop display?

When I design for a new product launch, buyers often ask for real examples, not theory, so they can picture their own brand on the floor.

Classic POP displays include floor-standing cardboard stands, pallet displays in warehouse clubs, and countertop units that present products in branded trays near the main shopping path or category aisle.

A real POP display⁷ from my factory

One of my favorite projects was for a hunting equipment brand from the United States. The owner wanted to launch a new line of crossbow accessories⁸ in big-box retailers. He did not want his products to disappear on a crowded metal shelf, so he asked me for a POP display that felt strong and bold, like his brand.

My team and I proposed a tall floor display made from high-strength corrugated board. The structure had four shelves, each with clear weight tests, because crossbow accessories are heavier than candy or cosmetics. We used dark background colors, strong product photos, and simple callouts like "Ready to Hunt" so the message was clear from three to five meters away.

We also designed the display to ship flat and assemble without tools, because his team needed fast setup during peak season. After the launch, he told me that stores which used the POP display sold through stock faster and asked for repeat orders. This is a common pattern I see with good cardboard POP designs.

What is pop-in display?

Sometimes buyers ask me about a "pop-in display" when they plan a mini brand zone inside a larger store. They want strong visibility but do not want to rebuild the whole shop.

A pop-in display is a branded mini environment that fits inside an existing store, using modular displays, headers, and back panels that "pop in" to create a small shop-within-a-shop.

How pop-in display¹¹s work in real projects

In my experience, a pop-in display is like a small brand island inside a host retailer. The shopper stays inside the main store, but for a short moment, the shopper steps into a branded world. For cardboard, this often means back panels, side walls, arches, floor stands, and header signs that work together.

I built such a pop-in zone for a personal care brand that wanted to test new markets in Asia-Pacific. The retailer did not want permanent fixtures, so we used strong corrugated board with special coatings for better moisture resistance. We designed modular wall panels¹², a hero floor display, and a few trays that sat on existing shelves.

The pop-in set traveled from one store to another, so we kept each part flat-pack. Store staff could assemble the zone in less than one hour with clear printed instructions. This flexible system helped the brand run seasonal campaigns and collect sales data without heavy capital spend.

I see more pop-in projects now because brands want impact without long-term store changes. These displays fit well with sustainable goals too, since we can use recycled board and water-based inks. They also travel well between regions like North America and Europe, as long as we follow strength standards and packaging tests for ocean freight.

What is the advantage of pop display?

When a buyer thinks only about unit cost, they may ignore POP displays and rely on plain shelves, but then the brand loses visibility and shoppers pick the competitor instead.

POP displays increase product visibility, tell a simple brand story, support fast launches, and, when made from cardboard, give a cost-effective and sustainable way to win space in retail.

Why I rely on POP displays¹⁵ to grow brands

From my factory floor, I see three main types of value from POP displays: sales, branding, and operations. Sales value is simple. A clear, well-placed floor display or pallet gives the product a new home outside the normal shelf, so it catches the shopper's eye. Many of my customers in food, beverage, and cosmetics see higher uplift when they combine a strong offer with a bold display at the right spot.

Branding value comes from design freedom. Cardboard is flexible, so I can cut almost any shape, print full graphics, and match the brand's tone. Gen Z shoppers care about design and sustainability, so brands that invest in smart artwork, clean lines, and sustainable messages¹⁶ stand out on the floor.

Operational value is just as important. Cardboard POP displays are light, flat-pack, and fast to assemble, so they reduce shipping and handling costs. Digital printing lets me do small runs or test designs before a big rollout. Recyclable materials and water-based inks help my clients meet retailer and government rules on sustainability.

In one recent project for a beverage launch in North America, we used a mix of pallet displays for warehouse clubs and compact floor units for convenience stores. The brand accepted small upfront design and sample costs, because they planned repeat orders for several seasons. This strategy matched my own business model, where I often absorb some early cost in design and prototyping, and then recover profit through stable long-term orders that use the same tested structure with new artwork.

Conclusion

POP displays turn retail spaces into simple and strong brand stages, and I design cardboard solutions that help buyers launch fast, sell more, and keep sustainability goals in sight.