Do Point of Sale (POS) Materials Matter?

Do Point of Sale (POS) materials matter? That’s just one of the questions the Vineyard Team (developers of SIP Certified) wanted to answer during our two years of research under a grant from the CA Department of Food and Agriculture. Our goal was to uncover the most effective ways to increase consumer awareness and sales of SIP Certified wines, so we turned to POS materials – wine neckers, case stackers, and promotional displays – to gain some insight into their effectiveness. For our research, we set up SIP Certified displays at two retail grocery stores, one in San Luis Obispo and one in Pismo Beach. Then, we took consumer surveys, reviewed sales numbers, and analyzed the data.

Ultimately, the study led us to elevate SIP Certified’s marketing strategies. As you consider the importance of POS materials, we wanted to share some tips from our research to help guide your own journey on the sales floor.

Know Your Customer

While the San Luis Obispo store is located near the university and frequented by college students, the Pismo Beach store caters to more mature clientele and tends to sell significantly more wine at higher prices. Considering consumers interested in sustainable wines tend to be both married and college graduates, and SIP Certified wines tend to be higher in price, it’s no surprise the Pismo Beach store saw sales of SIP Certified wines increase 20% during the POS study. Shoppers at the San Luis Obispo location didn’t appear to be a match for SIP Certified wines.

Consider Display Location

The SIP Certified display at the Pismo Beach store was on an end-cap, while the display at the San Luis Obispo store was in the wine aisle. End-caps are valuable shelf space in retail stores due to their visibility, which may have contributed to the Pismo Beach store’s success.

Placement Matters

Consumers surveyed in both locations mentioned the POS materials were too high and above eye level. Most of the time, shoppers are focused on prices and labels, so POS materials need to be sight-level to get noticed. Overall, shoppers liked the displays and appreciated a space dedicated to sustainable wines.

The results of this study will be presented at the 2022 Academy of Marketing Science Conference. For details, click here.

Ready to order your SIP Certified POS materials, including wine neckers, posters, retail displays, and educational materials? Click here.