Making a Point Wisconsin

When is the last time you stepped foot in a mall? For some of you, I imagine, the thought of going to the mall is somewhat on par with a trip to the dentist. Honestly, I can relate. While I love a good sale, unless I need something I'd rather avoid malls like the plague. Although, as of late, the home stores are providing more of a lure thanks to a brand new apartment and the need for some new "stuff".

Stuff. We all seem to have too much or not enough of it; always on the look out for the right piece at the right price. And while the flyers in the Sunday papers help to steer most consumers in the right direction, it's really the in-store marketing messages that tip most over the edge into buying. According to some studies, as pointed out by Dan Halkyard in his article about "Fueling the Impulse Buy Phenomenon", up to 70 percent of buying decisions happen at the point of purchase. So those window graphics screaming "End of Season Sale" or the floor graphics or banner stands scattered throughout the retail store provide more than just pertinent information about the product or price—and a good excuse to make that purchase—for consumers. Those POP or POS signs can help to increase more than just the retail store's revenue. For wide-format print providers, POP/POS signage can mean big bucks.

Just think about the retail sales cycle. From new arrivals to sales, retail shops are constantly refreshing their in-store graphics to entice the buyer to make that purchase. Digital printing is ideally suited for these kind of quick-turnaround, short-term graphics. More graphic changes, leads to more printed pieces and even some manufacturers have begun catering new products to this market to help shops provide these much-needed graphics. According to Inca Digital, the new Inca Onset, distributed by Fujifilm Sericol here in the US, was created with the POP/retail markets in mind. For some insight into this huge printer, make sure you turn to the article on page 62 to see why SP Group, one of the UK's largest point-of-sale and retail graphics printer, purchased the new Onset.

But UV flatbed printers aren't the only ones making inroads into the POP/POS space. Some wide-format print providers are also turning to low-, mild- and eco-solvent printers to provide graphics both indoors and out—even replacing aqueous printers in some markets. Bill Schiffner takes a look at some of the trends impacting that segment in his article beginning on page 22.

So, if you find yourself heading to the mall to look for some more stuff, do what I do. Instead of focusing on the merchandise take a look at the graphics. My friends and family razz me about it all the time, but it might give you some ideas for retail signage for some of your customers and instead of spending money, it might help you make a little.

And, hey, while you're there, pick up something good for me.