Many Holiday Shoppers Plan to Make In-Store Buying Decisions; Increased Need for Retailers to Promote Specials and Stand Out

Online, December 5, 2012 (Newswire.com) - Once again, the holidays have arrived. With budgets on the minds of shoppers, businesses need ways to grab customers' attention this holiday season.

According to the National Retail Federation, 45.2% of shoppers surveyed said they would decide what gifts to buy their loved ones this year simply by walking through a store. This fact could mean that signs and graphics will have a large effect on the shopping decisions made this year.

"For many businesses, the holiday season is typically the highest grossing time of year. This is particularly true for retail establishments," said Drue Townsend, Senior VP of Marketing for FASTSIGNS International. "Competition for the consumer dollar has never been greater, so it is important for stores to set themselves apart from their competition with the right messaging and the most appropriate signs and graphics."

Townsend suggests that retailers use unique and eye-catching point of purchase, or 'POP', signage this year as it can be one of the most effective ways to engage customers. POP signage includes floor graphics, banners, aisle displays, menu boards, shelf signs, posters and even digital displays.

Townsend's examples for effective in-store holiday signage include:

- Using holiday-themed promotional decals in unexpected places, such as on ceiling tiles, along the sides of escalators or stairways, or even on the floor.

- Creating an entire winter wonderland scene with fabric backdrops, temporary wallpaper, canvas art prints and three dimensional snowflakes that hang from the ceiling.

- Using digital signage to promote specials to help customers identify the perfect gift or find their way around your store.

"According to a study by Miller Zell, more than 90% of shoppers make unplanned purchases, and 51% of those decisions take place in the shopping aisles. Numbers like these make a difference throughout the year, but are even more powerful during the holiday shopping season when you take into consideration the increased number of shoppers," explained Townsend. "POP signage, floor decals, digital displays - all of these visual communications solutions can mean the difference between shoppers selecting their gifts in your store or going to your competitor to find those special presents for the people on their shopping lists."