POP vs. POS: What’s the difference?

Point of purchase and point of sale.    They sound kind of like the same thing, don’t they?  But they’re not.  While they’re both fundamental components of the consumer journey, they’re different stops along the way.

Regardless of the retail environment, you’re in, from women’s wear to kid’s toys, the consumer journey is the reality running through all retail sales experiences.  It’s how your customers get from browsing to buying.

Let’s unpack these two weigh stations on the consumer journey and answer the question “POP vs. POS:  what’s the difference?”.

Buying decisions go “POP”.

The term “point of purchase” refers to a specific place, but that place isn’t consistent in terms of a location within a store.  The POP is where consumers encounter your products and services.  At the POP, consumers find out about the product and decide if they’re going to buy.  This is where the rubber meets the road.
A POP display highlights a given product or products, whether that’s hair shampoo, or laptop computers.  The point of purchase is wherever that display is set up, from the center aisle to just inside the entrance.  But “point of purchase” has another meaning – the point at which the consumer decides to buy.  That’s the intersection that turns the wheels of commerce.

POS – where the deal is sealed.

The point of sale is where the consumer has made all the buying decisions he or she is going to make and arrives at the cash register.

Whether shopping on your website or in your retail outlet, here’s where consumers are done deciding and are ready to pay.  The point of sale, then, is where shoppers either take their purchases out of the cart and put them on the belt, or click the “go to checkout button”.

The POS is where the consumer journey concludes with the sale itself – at the cash register.

Getting the POP to the POS.

Part of greasing the wheels of commerce in your store involves POP displays that work for you.  Your displays are where the magic happens on the consumer journey.  POP displays drive your shoppers to the POS, helping them decide what to buy.

At DisplaysMarket.com, we’re in the business of creating innovative, effective POP displays and accessories that guide and direct your customers, featuring your products in eye-catching, attractive ways.
From floor signs that get your customers’ attention and direct them to featured products, to stanchions which protect fragile products or intricate displays, Displaysmarket.com offers a wide range of POP supports, customizable to your store’s needs.

We’re your one-stop, online shop for all you need to make your sales floor merchandise POP, assisting your customers on their journeys with clarity, professionalism and consistency across your outlet.
“POP vs. POS:  What’s the difference?”, is a brief primer on the roles of these two points in the consumer experience.

Sales don’t just happen.  You make them happen by creating an environment that models understanding of your shoppers and consideration for their needs.  Contact us to source a world of quality marketing display supports.