Leading industry magazine “ Marketing” requested comments from SMP Group, regarding the last 4 feet, for POP feature. the last 4 feet comments on shopper behaviour, see comments from the article below;

Finding new ways to reach shoppers at the point of sale (POS) has never been so important. With more media options and more competition to overcome, brands are paying close attention to shoppers’ in-store behaviour.

Business Development Director, at point of purchase (POP) company SMP Group claims 46% of decisions change in-store and 55% of shoppers leave without buying anything.

This means that innovation within POP is crucial, as companies look for new ways to engage shoppers, attract their attention and give them the information they need to make a purchase decision.

‘POP businesses will try to wow clients with the most exciting new piece of machinery, new material, new ways of applying ink to board and so on, but this is not in tune with the increasingly sophisticated area of in-store communication, because it takes no account of what shoppers are actually responding to. ‘ Innovation should be focusing on how to increase the average transaction value, and reduce the 55% of people leaving empty- handed, Marketers don’t want POP for clever designs, or innovation for innovation’s sake.

Full article 11 July 2007 Marketing page 35-36 The price of progress, feature by Jane Bainbridge