How to Make Effective Retail Shelf Tags

Shoppers are making 82% of your purchase decisions once they are already inside a store. This means it is crucially important for businesses to get in-store signage right. You want to control messaging as well as exercise some branding control with custom shelf tags and other signage. Here is why it’s important and how to do it right.

Does Anyone Read Those, Anyway?

You might wonder if your customers are really reading shelf tags. In fact, the average customer probably does think that he or she is immune to most advertising. But studies say otherwise. A study out of Brigham Young University showed that when a sign accompanied merchandise, that merchandise outsold the same merchandise without a sign by 20%. Between six and 10 buys that take place in any store are impulse buys, and nearly 70% of consumers in the United States have made a purchase because a ssign caught their interest.

What Do My Shelf Tags Need?

Shelf tags are pretty small, so you need to make sure you’re taking advantage in a smart way. Just because they’re small does not mean they aren’t really useful, and there are some things you can do to make them effective.

  • Have one point and stick to it. Don’t clutter up your shell signage with confusing, cluttered messages. Shelf tags should grab the attention, but they should not try to say everything at once. Highlight the most important idea you want to communicate and concentrate on that.
  • Get a good design. Good design is worth paying for. Invest in a graphic designer who can give you an unforgettable look. This will do wonders to strengthen your brand.
  • Don’t limit yourself. It’s easy to think you must do your shelf tags the same way as everyone else. In reality, what you put on your shelf tags is limited only by your imagination. You can boast of an award or recognition. You can display sale prices. You can link to and promote the mobile app. You can promote products related to the one the consumer is looking at. You can announce new flavors or styles. You can highlight buzz words such as “Made in America,” “gluten-free,” or “vegan.” You can highlight nutritional benefits or design features. You can even use them to respond quickly to changes in your competitor’s prices, which 55% of retailers are concerned with. These are just a few ideas for what you can make of your shelf tags.
  • About a third of all buyers will make a pretty sizable impulse purchase this week, according to a Marketing Support Incorporated study. And while the digital world seems to be taking over everything, 94% of retail sales are still taking place inside brick-and-mortar facilities. Your signage has the potential to grab your customers and influence them, as well but strengthen your brand. Make sure all your signs, from in-store marketing to outside signs, are effective for drawing the purchases you need.

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