This page is about specifying a display. To order, see cosmetic display. Displays differ from cartons in one important way: the retailer usually has a say, and finding that out after you have tooled a unit is expensive.
Count the facings first
Every display is really a grid. Decide how many units face forward and how many sit behind each facing, and the footprint falls out of the multiplication plus the divider thickness. Doing it in that order stops the common mistake of designing a handsome unit and then discovering it holds an odd number of products, which leaves an obvious gap as soon as the first customer takes one.
Counter or floor
| Type | What decides the size | What to confirm with the retailer |
|---|---|---|
| Counter display, sometimes called a PDQ | Available counter space and how much a staff member can lift when full | Maximum footprint and whether counter space is granted at all |
| Shelf tray | Shelf depth and the allocated facings | The planogram and the height clearance to the shelf above |
| Floor display | The store footprint allocated and the pallet it ships on | Footprint, aisle position and whether assembly is done in store |
| Endcap unit | The endcap dimensions, which vary by chain | Exact dimensions from the buyer, never a general figure |
The parts of a display
- Base tray. Takes all the weight and defines the footprint. Board here is a structural choice, not a print one.
- Risers or steps. Lift back rows so the products behind are visible. They cost internal height and gain visibility.
- Dividers. Keep columns upright as they empty, which is the difference between a full display and a tidy one at eighty per cent sold.
- Header card. Read from several feet away, so it needs large type and a strong image, not detail.
- Front panel. Read at arm's length, so it can carry the detail the header cannot.
It still has to ship
A display is a structure that has to survive a supply chain before it performs. Decide whether it ships assembled, knocked down flat for in-store assembly, or pre-packed with product inside. Pre-packed is easiest for the store and hardest on the packaging, because the unit carries product weight through a courier or pallet journey. If it ships flat, the assembly has to be obvious without instructions, because nobody in a stockroom reads them.
Print quality on corrugated
Displays usually want photographic quality, and that normally means litho lamination, where a printed sheet is laminated to the corrugated board. Direct flexo printing onto the liner is cheaper and right for bold graphics and solid colour but will not hold a beauty image. See what litho lamination is for how the process works and what it does to lead time.
Ordering
Minimum order is 100 units. Pricing starts from about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes and is confirmed on your written quote, with the die, the plates, design support, US shipping and a digital proof included. Because displays are almost never a standard shape, included tooling matters more here than on a plain carton. Three lanes are available: rush (expedited production plus air freight), standard (air) and cost saver (sea), from about 7 business days, plus 2 to 5 for delivery, and specialty imported constructions can run up to about 12 weeks. We make these at West Chicago and at Guangzhou.
Order from the cosmetic display page, or send your unit dimensions, the facings you want and any retailer specification through the quote form. If the project is a shelf case rather than a display, read what shelf ready packaging is first.
