Cardboard POS displays: when they work and when they do not

What we mean by a cardboard display

The term covers quite a range. What they share: all are made of corrugated board, printed, cut to a die line and then folded along crease lines. We most often make:

• shelf displays: small counter or shelf units for a few to a dozen products,
• counter displays by the till: for small impulse items,
• floor-standing displays with shelves: freestanding units for products in the aisle,
• dump bins: for loose goods and promotions,
• cardboard totems and cut-outs: life-size figures, product silhouettes,
• cubes, tables and plinths for events and stands.

When cardboard is a good choice

Cardboard is a campaign material, not a fit-out for years. We recommend it when:

1. The campaign is short. A launch, a promotion, the Christmas season, a campaign of a few weeks. Afterwards the display goes for recycling and nobody has to store it.
2. The display is going to many stores. It folds flat, weighs little and fits in an ordinary parcel. With dozens of outlets, shipping costs matter enormously.
3. Unit price matters. In a run of dozens, cardboard usually works out several times cheaper than PVC or acrylic.
4. The eco argument counts. Cardboard is fully recyclable, and clients in food and cosmetics often ask about it.
5. You need a quick test. We make a cardboard prototype quickly and cheaply, so the shape can be checked on the shelf before deciding on a run.

When cardboard will not work

Sometimes a client wants cardboard because of price, and we advise against it. The most common reasons:

• Moisture. A chilled zone, a store entrance, floors mopped every morning: the bottom edge of the board soaks up water and the display starts to lean.
• Heavy products. Bottles, cans, large household chemicals. Cardboard can cope, but needs reinforcement and well-thought-out construction, and sometimes it is better to use board from the start.
• Permanent display for months or years. Corners get knocked and print wears where people touch it. Then hook displays in PVC, honeycomb board or acrylic are better.
• A premium display. For high-end cosmetics or electronics, plain cardboard can look too modest, though well printed it can surprise.

Material and finishing prices

A single-piece example: a 180 × 60 cm cardboard cut-out is about 1.1 m² × approx. €21 = approx. €23 for the printed board, plus about 5 m of outline × €0.70 = approx. €3.50 for cutting. Total approx. €27 net, excluding the easel back and design.

In a run, the price per metre falls. Twenty such cut-outs are about 22 m², i.e. the 16–49 m² band, where board costs approx. €15/m². That gives approx. €330 for printed material and approx. €70 for cutting, or about €20 each instead of €27.

How to order a display, step by step

1. Describe the product. Pack dimensions, weight, how many units the display should hold, where it will stand (counter, floor, shelf).
2. Construction and die line. We choose the display type and prepare the die line. For new shapes we usually make a prototype first, plain or with a test print, to check dimensions with real product.
3. Artwork on the die line. The artwork is laid out on the flat die line, allowing for folds and which faces will be visible. We can design it in-house or supply a template to your designer.
4. Production run. UV printing directly on board, cutting and creasing on the plotter, folding or packing flat.
5. Shipping. To one address or to many stores, with sets kitted per outlet; more in shipping to multiple stores.

A prototype adds a few days, but it is the best money spent in the whole project. A display the product does not fit by 3 mm is a classic mistake that is easy to avoid.