Sometimes, we find it a little complicated and confused to understand the difference between POP and POS. Not only because they sound really similar, but also, they do have lots of similarities. Normally, POP, that is point of purchase, refers tor the selling area that attract shoppers; while, POS, refers to point of sales, mainly is the checking area or the queuing area before the registers. In this article, we are going to analysis POP and POS separately to better understand the difference between them. 

POP (Point of Purchase)

A point of purchase (POP) is a term used by marketers and retailers when planning the placement of products for consumers, such as product displays strategically placed in a grocery store aisle or advertised in a weekly flyer. The point of purchase is where a buyer is considering purchasing a product, which precedes their actual decision as they head to the checkout counter. Normally, a POP is an area that surrounds the POS, where you often encounter promotional activity or other products. 

In recent years, the point of purchase for products and services has been an area of focus for marketers. POPs may be real, as in the case of a brick and mortar store, or virtual, as in the case of an electronic retailer that sells goods and services online. In both cases, marketers and retailers must determine the best way to showcase their products and services.

Usually, POP often is associated with POP displays, existing separately from a brand’s traditional aisle SKUs, that occupy floor space throughout a retailer in the form of dump bins, standing displays, or clip strips, etc.

POP DISPLAY STRENGTHS:

1.    Larger products or quantities of products

2.    Products already on a customer’s shopping list

3.    Temporary promotions or sales

4.    Raising brand awareness

5.    Versatility and mobility of a display

POS (Point of Sales)

POS refers solely to the customer-product interactions that occur where the actual sale of the product happens. Typically, these interactions take place near the checkout area of a retailer.

POS displays are just as common as POP displays and serve a similar purpose: to draw the shopper’s attention to your product. The difference is that these displays will reside in or near a register. Think to your local grocery store and the cooler displays at the end of the checkout, the magazine racks next to the counter, and the confectionary displays you pass by as you complete your purchase. POS displays are great for pushing products that shoppers are likely to impulse buy rather than a planned purchase. It is worth noting that POS can also refer to a POS system, which is the technology and software a retailer uses to process sales. The most obvious example of this is the card reader at the cash register.

POS DISPLAY STRENGTHS:

1.    Promoting impulsive consuming, increasing sales

2.    Displaying smaller products

3.    Temporary promotions or sales

4.    Raising brand awareness

SUMMARY

l  POP stands for “point-of-purchase” and refers to anything that customers interact with in-store when they are deciding whether or not to purchase a product.

POS stands for “point-of-sale” and refers to the actual transaction that occurs when the customer buys the product.

l  Both POP and POS display function to draw attention to your product and to any promotions or sales that you are running.

l  POP displays are almost always secondary facings to the facings a brand occupies on its home shelf.

POS displays may be secondary or primary facings for a brand.

l  POP displays usually take up floor space within the retailer, while POS displays are smaller and take up space near or on the checkout counter.

engineer@Hshelf.com