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For a brand whose products are touted as being able to take a licking and keep on ticking, point-of-purchase displays would need to be just as durable.
Recognizing that existing oval-shaped display shelves in Timex discount arm Time Factory Watch Outlets were not fully using their marketing potential, Kurt Rutka, marketing specialist for the retailer, wanted the powerful impact of shelf talkers. He envisioned clear slatwall shelves with lips into which graphic signs with product information—shelf talkers—could be inserted. Rutka turned to P-O-P designer APEC Display Inc., which specified CYRO Industries’ ACRYLITE® FF acrylic sheet for the job.
“The shelf graphics can be easily changed to reflect our current marketing strategies,” notes Rutka. With a wide variety of watches in its inventory, Time Factory Watch Outlets targets a diverse demographic and needs changeable signs with varying messaging. “However, we expect the display cases to last for years,” says Rutka.
To meet the demand for long-lasting shelves, the units needed to withstand the weight of the watches, many of which contain metal parts and can be heavy. The retailer provided sketches of its display vision, and APEC chose the material and structure. ACRYLITE FF sheet was selected for its high-quality look and its rigidity, which allows it to support the merchandise.
The displays’ clarity also facilitates long-term use by allowing them to aesthetically complement designs of any color or fashion. If a store revamps its look or receives new products for sale, the shelves will not clash and the colorful graphics can be redone to match.
Fabricating the lips for the shelf talkers required precision and care. Because the shelves would be placed adjacent to one another on store walls, the bend angles had to remain uniform. “You can count on the quality of ACRYLITE sheet and know that it will be consistent all the way through,” says Joe Ganguzza, president of APEC.
The ability to be flame-polished further enhanced the appearance of the ACRYLITE sheet shelves. After acrylic is cut, the edges remain unfinished. Flame polishing eliminates this, leaving a clear, clean edge. “This is where ACRYLITE sheet shines,” says Ganguzza. “You can cut, glue, and flame polish it with minimal imperfection.”
After the acrylic was bent and glued to the slatwall adapter, the next step was outfitting the 24 Time Factory Watch Outlets and Timex Stores with the 2,700 marketing-enhanced shelves. Given the large number of units and the geographically dispersed stores from Florida to Las Vegas and upstate New York, this was no easy task. “In the footwear industry, I remember these displays breaking all the time. However, we experienced very minimal breakage,” thanks to the material’s durability and APEC’s careful packing, recalls Rutka.
Now in stores, the displays have not experienced any erosion of quality, despite frequent handling and exposure. Easily cleaned, the shelves emit no visible markups and scratching is not an issue, CYRO reports.
“There has been an amazing response to the new shelves,” says Rutka. “Customers love having the product information at their fingertips, and we love how the signs support our brands. The enhanced presentation has had a huge impact on overall sales.” |
