Merchandising POP Still Moves the Needle in 2025 (and Will Even More in 2026)

If you judge retail by headlines alone, you’d think the store is fading. The reality in 2025 is the opposite: physical retail remains central to discovery and conversion, especially when brands use point-of-purchase (POP) displays to cut through the noise.

Retail leaders expect mid-single-digit growth in 2025 as they double down on loyalty, omnichannel, and better store experiences—areas POP directly amplifies. At the same time, shoppers are flocking back to stores for “discovery” (Gen Z leading the way), even if some purchases later close online—proof that in-store influence drives the entire funnel. 

(National Retail Federation)

Why POP is still critical in 2025

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• Attention is the new shelf space. Retailers and brands continue to invest in displays because they work: 87% of organizations invested in temporary in-store displays in 2024, underscoring POP’s role in engagement at the point of decision.
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• Retail is omnichannel, not either/or. U.S. shoppers still spend far more dollars in stores than online (roughly $5.9T in-store vs. $1.3T online as of 2025), so optimizing the store environment—and the content within it—remains a high-ROI move.
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• E-commerce keeps rising—but so does the bar. U.S. e-commerce is forecast to grow in 2025 (about 5% YoY under a moderate-tariff scenario) and continue expanding into 2026, while global e-commerce CAGR through 2026 remains strong. Your digital content must connect to what shoppers see in-store for consistent conversion. 

Bottom line: POP is not a 2010s tactic—it’s a 2025 and 2026 essential that powers omnichannel journeys and unlocks sales in aisle and online.



What “good POP” looks like now

Modern POP is less about cardboard presence and more about purposeful experience:

1. Clarity at a glance. Tight messaging hierarchy, benefits first, simple path to pick-up.
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3. Brand consistency. Visual language that mirrors your site and ads—so recognition compounds.
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5. Retail reality. Form factors that suit entrance zones, endcaps, and checkouts where traffic (and impulse) spike.
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7. Conversion cues. QR to PDP, short how-to loops, UGC snippets, and spec highlights that remove friction.

2026: What’s next

Analysts expect retail to keep evolving around personalization, AI-enabled experiences, and tighter privacy standards—a context where brand-safe, informative POP will matter even more. Deloitte+1 As holiday growth moderates into early 2026, efficient, high-impact in-store storytelling becomes a competitive edge.

Case Study:

How a POP Render Helped Lutec Lighting Sell Into Home Depot

When Lutec Lighting needed to show how their products would live in the aisle—not just on a spec sheet—RRDG built a photoreal 3D render of the proposed in-store set. The result was simple and powerful: the Home Depot buyer didn’t have to imagine the execution, they could see it exactly—signage, shelf layout, color balance, and shoppable messaging. According to the team, Lutec subsequently sold millions of dollars in product, are still doing really well in-store, and the buyer asked who created the render because it made the decision clear.

Why it worked:

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• Visualization reduces risk. Buyers can say “yes” faster when they see real-world fit.
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• Perfect alignment. We matched brand guidelines and retail constraints precisely—no surprises in rollout.
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• Omnichannel continuity. We built asset kits from the same design system for web, retail media, and social.

The Full Package: From POP to PDP (and everything in between)

RRDG is built to take you from store to screen with one integrated team:

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• Retail + POP Design
  Endcaps, shippers, shelf trays, signage systems, planograms, and spec sheets designed to move product.
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• 3D Renders & Buyer Decks
  Photoreal in-store visuals and turnkey sell-in presentations that help you win placements.
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• Video & Photography
  Lifestyle reels, demo loops for displays, and platform-optimized assets for PDP and retail media.
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• Packaging & A+/B+ Content
  Clear benefits, conversion-ready imagery, and copy that aligns across Amazon, Lowe’s, Home Depot, and more.
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• Production at Scale
  In-house crew plus a vetted global network to handle one product—or two hundred—without bottlenecks.

       (Check out our services or click the Get Started button to get the ball rolling)

How to Activate (Fast)

1. Discovery & Retail Fit – Objectives, retailer specs, and placement targets.
2. Creative System – Messaging hierarchy, visual language, and compliance.
3. POP Concepts & 3D Renders – Multiple options with real-store context.
4. Asset Production – Print-ready files, demo loops, QR content, and PDP kits.
5. Rollout & Optimization – Print proofing, pilot learnings, and iteration for scale.

Final Word

In 2025—and heading into 2026—merchandising POP is still one of the fastest ways to impact sales, enhance discovery, and strengthen your omnichannel story. Pair it with cohesive packaging, product video, and e-commerce content, and you don’t just get a display—you get a retail growth engine.

Ready to see your product on the shelf (and in more carts)?
Let’s build the POP—and the content—that sells.

Click the button below to get started!

Sources

• Deloitte, 2025 US Retail Industry Outlook. Retail execs expect mid-single-digit growth, prioritizing loyalty, digital, and omnichannel. Deloitte
• National Retail Federation (NRF), What to know about the consumer in 2025. In-store discovery surging, led by Gen Z; purchases may finalize online. National Retail Federation
• Path to Purchase Institute (via iPrint360), 2024 Trends: 87% of organizations invest in temporary in-store displays. iprint360.com
• Capital One Shopping Research, Online vs In-Store Shopping Statistics (2025): in-store sales still dominate overall retail spend. Capital One Shopping
• eMarketer, US Ecommerce Forecast 2025: ecommerce growth moderating to ~5% in 2025 under moderate tariffs. EMARKETER
• U.S. Dept. of Commerce / trade.gov, Ecommerce Sales & Size Forecast: global ecommerce growth trajectories through 2026. Trade.gov
• Deloitte, Retail trends 2025: personalization at scale and innovation themes shaping store experience. Deloitte