Anyone who designs, manufactures, and sells product to retailers, whether it be big box or independent shops knows that timing is everything. Making sure your product is delivered on time and ready to sell is one of the most critical components in determining the success of your product’s sales.
Unfortunately, what often happens is that the product launch doesn’t always go according to plan. Your product gets held up in customs, port authorities go on strike, rainfall in China slows production, or your retail point of purchase display doesn’t arrive in time or quite how you had expected. With a limited amount of time to make or break forecast, every day your product sits on the shelf without proper marketing support is a potential dollar loss.
I’d like to give you a realistic timeframe of what to expect when it comes to managing your retail marketing display within the larger scope of your product launch, so that you don’t find yourself in the above situation.
So when is the right time to approach a design group for your retail display? At Concept Designs our timeline varies depending on the scope of a project and the point at which we are brought into the process. For the sake of this article I am going to assume that the reader is approaching us looking for design direction and innovation vs. placing a reorder.
In (Figure A.) I show a basic outline of the product development cycle. The appropriate time to involve your retail display company is during the development phase. We have been approached during various stages of the development phase, but usually our clients like to have retail display concepts ready to present when approaching their prospective retailers. These can take the form either of prototypes or renderings and are extremely helpful as a visual aid when working to get retail placement.
If you have a product launching to market, you and your team have spent the past year or more developing this product and are intimately connected with all of its intricacies and differentiators. Sharing this with us can help drive the creative process and spark innovation. If however, you are uncertain about key elements to communicate, or how you can differentiate the product, then talk to us early on in your development process.
Our first step before beginning the design process is to research and understand the competitive landscape of our clients. It’s easy for our clients to develop blinders when working closely on a project. By inviting an outside partner, such as Concept Designs, you are likely to get a fresh perspective on your merchandising plan.
Whether you are approaching us with an instantly recognizable brand or you are struggling to establish yourself in the market, opening up a dialogue early in the development process allow us to better serve you.
In (Figure B.) I have provided a timeline showing each stage along with a general timeframe. When planning for your retail display, allow approximately 17-19 weeks plus shipping. Allow 4 weeks for offshore ocean shipping, and a maximum of 5 days for domestic ground shipping within the United States.
It’s never too early to start thinking about your product’s retail POP display. In fact the earlier the better! Don’t let your product sit on a shelf like an unarmed soldier in the battle otherwise known as retail.
