With decades of experience helping brand managers get their products through the obstacle course of retail campaign success, the TPH Global Solutions® team has seen more than a few of the ways that things can go wrong.
The good news is that most problems fall into the category of avoidable missteps. The proverbial “ounce of prevention” in this context pays off in stress relief alone.
The bad news is that continuing supply chain obstacles are less avoidable, and likely to shrink your margin for error. While best practices have always meant keeping logistics as streamlined as possible, in the current environment, inefficiencies multiply quickly.
Here are some best practices for steering your next retail campaign around the pitfalls.
How to Boost Retail Display Performance
Thoroughly Understand Retailer Guidelines
This is the single most important factor in the success of your retail display. What works for Costco is significantly different from Walmart and what another retailer expects. One thing they have in common: very little tolerance for getting their requirements wrong. From pallet and packaging specifications to sustainability requirements, it’s important to do your homework or you could face onerous chargebacks, fines or lose the opportunity to sell to them again.
Design Your Packaging to Reduce Waste
Retail sustainability initiatives are only going to grow and they’re good for your business as well. Look for a packaging and display partner with the expertise to reduce packaging and corrugated waste and make sure your practices align with the retailers you are working with.
Think Outside of the Box
Consider the use of flexible display design to save time and money. A universal design that works for multiple products, or multiple retailers.
Design Your Display Count Strategically
Be sure to consider more than just the footprint your display will occupy. Small changes in design can yield big changes in profitability. At the same time, it’s important to think strategically. Sometimes, a smaller product count and greater sell-through is a better strategy for boosting your retail credibility.
Design Your Display for Efficient Transportation
Freight is expensive and good display design can ensure that space in overseas and overland shipping containers is maximized. For example, shipping commodity products in bulk from Asia and having them co-packed on the West Coast can be more cost-effective than shipping them as pre-packed displays.
Ensure Display Durability
Diligent planning and third-party durability testing pay for themselves at every step. There are no small miscalculations when your display is traveling hundreds or even thousands of miles over land and sea.
Remove Supply Chain Waste
Don’t get stuck with all of your supply chain options dependent on overseas partners. It’s never a bad time to update your relationships to include partners who can do fulfillment in the U.S., including source-to-customer delivery for B2C campaigns. Domestic fulfillment options can save you time, money and headaches.
Work With a Nimble & Experienced Partner
A reliable partner that is both a retail channel and supply chain expert can steer you around numerous obstacles and troubleshoot unexpected situations as they occur.
Partner with TPH Global Solutions
TPH Global Solutions offers decades of experience helping our clients succeed, with support and project management at every step of the retail campaign. To learn more about the packaging, display and supply chain solutions that TPH can provide for your next retail campaign, contact one of our retail display experts.
