Point of Sale Display Design: How to Prepare a Useful Brief
TL;DR
In this guide
- Start with the setting. Describe placement, viewing distance and the surrounding retail environment.
- Prioritise the message. Decide what a shopper should notice and understand first.
- Use supplier specifications. Confirm dimensions, templates, production and installation responsibilities.
A point of sale display design brief connects the message with the place where someone will see it. Supply the store context, product information and real production requirements before deciding on the artwork.
At a glance
Three decisions behind a useful retail display
01
Store context
Identify the placement, viewing conditions and the customer task the display supports.
02
Message hierarchy
Put the product, benefit or offer in a clear order using approved information.
03
Production and rollout
Use the supplier’s dimensions and artwork requirements, including variants and proof approval.
Define the role of the display
Point of sale design here means retail communication and display artwork. It might support a counter display, shelf message, freestanding unit, promotional panel or other agreed store application. It is a different brief from software for a payment terminal.
Explain what the display should help someone do: notice a product, understand an offer, compare options or find the next step. State which product or campaign it belongs to and how long the information should remain current. A temporary promotion and a permanent product explanation need different content planning.
Show the actual retail setting
Supply photographs, placement notes and measurements from the store or production partner. Explain whether people will see the display from an aisle, at a counter or close to a product. Include obstructions, neighbouring materials and any placement rules supplied by the retailer.
Those inputs help the designer decide what should be prominent and how much detail is realistic. Do not review the design only as a large image on a laptop; place it in an accurate mockup or proof that reflects the intended context.
Give the message a clear hierarchy
Identify the first thing the shopper should understand, then choose the supporting information. A product name, main message, approved price or offer and next step should not all compete at the same level. Include required conditions and product details early so they are planned into the layout.
Use plain wording and actual content. A longer offer, several languages or multiple product variants may need different space from a short placeholder. If a QR code or web address is included, test the destination and its relevance as part of review.
Confirm the supplier’s production information
Request the final dimensions, artwork template, safe areas and export requirements from the real supplier. Confirm whether the task is graphic artwork for an existing display or includes another stage such as a structural concept. Materials, fixings and installation requirements belong with the appropriate production specialists.
A supplied drawing should have a version and an approval owner. If the template changes, tell the design team before artwork approval. Coordinate across packaging design and print artwork where the campaign shares assets, while keeping the requirements of each application separate.
A fictional point of sale brief
Illustrative example: A retail brand needs a counter panel explaining a new product range. The supplier provides the finished dimensions and print template. The brand supplies three product photographs, approved names, the main message and the current offer wording.
The brief requests a prominent product introduction, a short comparison and a clear route to more information. A mockup checks the panel in its actual counter position. The team records two language versions and the person who approves each. This is a planning example, not a reported sales or customer result.
Review the proof before approving rollout
Check the artwork against the current template and approved content. Review product names, numbers, dates, language versions, contact details and any scannable or clickable destination. Confirm that nothing important falls into a cut, fold or hidden area.
Agree who approves visual content and who approves production output. A design mockup shows an intended appearance; it is not the same as a supplier proof or finished installation. Keep the approved artwork version tied to the relevant store or campaign so staff can identify the correct file.
Plan variants and reuse deliberately
If the display will be used in several stores, list the required variants and which content changes. Store contact details, language, product range and promotion dates can affect the production count. Keep a master list rather than relying on unlabelled copies of the artwork.
Browse relevant display and environmental design work and discuss the point of sale design service with the context and supplier information ready. The branding guide helps when the campaign also needs clearer identity rules.
Put it into practice
Prepare the retail display inputs
- Display purpose, product or campaign and intended audience.
- Store photographs, placement and viewing conditions.
- Current supplier dimensions, template and export specifications.
- Approved message, product details, offer terms and imagery.
- Quantity, locations, languages and content variants.
- Content, production and installation approval responsibilities.
Keep in mind
Context matters as much as the artwork
Review the message at the intended size and in its actual setting. An attractive full-screen mockup can hide practical problems in a crowded retail environment.
Mistakes to avoid
- Beginning artwork before the placement and dimensions are confirmed.
- Using placeholder offers instead of approved product information.
- Treating a visual mockup as a production or installation approval.
- Forgetting store, language or promotion variants in the rollout plan.
Useful answers
Common questions
Can the same artwork be used on different displays?
The identity and message can be shared, but dimensions, viewing conditions and production requirements may need separate layouts. Supply each application before the variants are quoted.
Do we need a manufacturer first?
A production partner is useful when dimensions and templates depend on a specific display. Clarify which parts are already defined and which require a separate supplier or design stage.
How should we judge the design?
Check whether the intended message is clear in the actual setting, whether approved information is accurate and whether the artwork fits the supplier’s requirements. Sales performance needs separate evidence after use.
