After four decades in packaging, I’ve learned that the difference between a high-performing display and a retail disaster often comes down to a few overlooked details.

I’ve seen retail POP display executions that go smoothly. They clearly follow processes, such as our 8 steps to successful custom pop displays.

But other times, the process is painful.

In this article, I’ve included 10 potential potholes and 10 expert tips to:

• Help you stay within your budget
• Stick to your timeline
• Sell your products

1

Accelerate your speed-to-market by collaborating on design from day one.

We offer expertise that can help steer you in the right direction. One of our core services is point-of-purchase displays.

Additionally, our structural and graphic designers are specialists who work with us to ensure your point-of-purchase displays are both aesthetically pleasing and structurally sound.

Packaging Pothole: Lack of Communication

A printer came to us about a display his customer needed for a big-box retailer. Unfortunately, it turned out that the printer and the customer were also working independently toward a design. The customer’s budget was for a compact economy car, but they wanted a luxury vehicle. The entire project ended up being delayed and over budget.

2

Deliver a high-quality brand experience without sacrificing structural integrity.

Aesthetics Alone

A common pitfall I’ve seen is an aesthetically pleasing visual that literally won’t stand up to the job it’s meant to do.

Collapsing

Let’s say a POP display needs to hold 140 lbs. of pet food or gallons of juice. In those cases, it needs to be built structurally so it doesn’t collapse under the product’s weight.

Tipping Over

Likewise, you can’t have a display that is only reinforced in the back. Yes, you want to showcase the product in front. But you don’t want your display to tip over.

Structure Alone

At the same time, you don’t want to have a structurally sound POP display that’s boring. We’ve been working with a variety of substrates for years.

Corrugated displays don’t need to look like plain kraft shipping boxes.

Many different printing techniques and substrates can be applied to the corrugated structure.

Printing on Corrugated

Of course, we can print on kraft paper, oyster white, bleach white, or Kemi (white corrugated board with an enhanced printing surface).

We can also use:

• Flexographic printing (often used for food packaging)
• Digital print direct to corrugated
• Lithographic (glossy finish like a magazine) printing.

Substrates and Techniques

What’s more, we can enhance the feel of your display or marketing kit with:

• Soft touch (similar to that on the iPhone® box)
• “Linens”
• Leatherette
• Embossing
• Debossing
• Foil Stamps

Or we can add:

• Matte or gloss finishes
• Spot varnishes
• Holographic designs

The “right” substrate and technique for you are the ones that fit your budget and create a POP display that will hold up under use.

In-House Capacity + Industry Relationships

We’re a one-stop shop for creating almost any type of corrugated packaging or POP display you need. We have in-house and national capabilities, plus industry relationships, to complete your job at a competitive price. Those relationships and capabilities have expanded even further since we joined SupplyOne in January 2026.

We can help your display get noticed.

Packaging Pothole: Sizing and Substrate Issue

A cosmetic company wanted a light laminate on a long and narrow pad, a strip of an E-flute corrugated. Once applied, the ends of the E-flute curled and the boards warped. We were able to catch the problem and salvage the job. But the project became a rush job, and it became a more expensive project.

3

Partner with a provider dedicated to your bottom line.

It’s important to understand what’s “doable” within your budget.

• What’s your product’s unit price?
• What will you sell it for?
• Will the display you want be available within your budget?
• How many units of product will each display hold?

Customer Value

The nice thing that I’ve noticed about my years at Wertheimer Box is that we’ll work with our customers. Additionally, I’ve been impressed with our pricing. It’s very competitive. We provide great value to our customers.

Growing With Your Business

Furthermore, no job is too small or too large. We enjoy many, many clients with household names. At the same time, we love helping smaller entrepreneurial companies just starting out. We help their businesses grow.

Packaging Pothole: The Lowest Bidder

I’ve seen competitors bid lower on a project and win the business. But the product’s weight crushes the POP displays. Customers would be furious if they saw their products scattered across retail store floors.

4

Design for real-world assembly to ensure your display reaches the floor.

The in-store staff may have limited skills for putting complex displays together. In that case, your product may not have the exposure you want. Keep in mind that a 16-year-old kid may be putting together your display. 

If you are paying a company to place your displays in the stores, this does not apply.

Packaging Pothole: Improperly Constructed Displays

I visited a retailer to check on a floor stand we created. The display was missing the header. When questioned, the employee said he didn’t notice it.

5

Avoid costly store rejections by ensuring designs align perfectly with retailer specifications.

We manufacture nearly all types of corrugated displays. Moreover, individual retailers, club stores, and chains each have their own unique and specific requirements.

Wertheimer Box knows these requirements, enabling us to consistently design displays that meet specifications.

Packaging Pothole: Know the Retailer’s Footprint

A condiment company approached me about a display but was unaware of the retailer’s specifications. The intended design structure wasn’t sound.

It could have been a disaster, with shards of glass strewn across supermarket aisles.

Fortunately, the customer came to us early enough that we avoided any problems. The display was manufactured on time and within budget.

6

Avoid hidden logistics costs by planning your display footprint before production.

When thinking about your budget, consider warehousing capabilities. Wertheimer Box is one of the few packaging companies that will warehouse and inventory your POP displays or cartons. It’s a nice service for customers.

It may also help you avoid inflationary price increases by locking in today’s production costs.

Packaging Pothole: Not Getting Retailer Commitment

A common issue arises when a retailer reduces the footprint (or the number of stores) in which it will allow the display. A sudden shift like this can affect your volume cost. It’s helpful if retailers give an advance commitment in writing. 

7

Access end-to-end design and manufacturing support under one roof.

Keep in mind, we’re accustomed to working with outside graphic designers and ad agencies. We enjoy working with them.

Of course, as we mentioned, display projects go most smoothly when the packaging company is engaged alongside the agency from the get-go.

However, if you don’t intend to engage an agency, that can work, too. We have in-house graphic design support.

Packaging Pothole: Corrugated Manufacturers With a Weak Industry Network

Not all corrugated manufacturers have the industry network to coordinate all aspects of a turnkey display program. For a non-U.S. company that wants to sell products in the United States, this can be especially difficult.

8

Eliminate costly last-minute risks with proactive scheduling.

Yes, Wertheimer Box can produce POP displays and packaging within a very short turnaround time. If at all possible, we’d prefer more lead time.

In general, I believe last-minute rushes are more likely to lead to errors. I guess that’s why the saying “haste makes waste” has been around since before the 16th century.

Ideally, we appreciate 3- to 4-week lead time for production. Fulfillment adds one more week.

When the packaging company is involved at the get-go, the entire process flows smoothly. In that way, the structural design, budget, and timeline are all reasonable.

Packaging Pothole: Errors

We’re not perfect. In my experience, errors typically occur when people are rushing.

9

Protect your brand reputation by verifying your display’s performance in the real world.

Don’t just check out the packaging display in the store nearest you. Check out a few others.

Ask yourself:

• How does it look?
• Is the product displayed well?
• Does the design look enticing? Or is it easy to miss?
• Is the POP display holding ample product?
• Is the display collapsing or tipping under the weight?

When my customers’ displays go to market, I go out and take pictures.

Packaging Pothole: Overpromised and Under-delivered

I’ve seen competitor-manufactured displays that underbid me and got the job. But the product in the stores is on the ground. They used the wrong substrate. They overpromised and under-delivered.

They make an undersized base on a floorstand display. The display tips over easily. This results in:

• Damaged product
• Need for cleanup
• Risk of injury to employees or customers

10

Gain a competitive edge by leveraging decades of proven packaging expertise.

I’m never trying to gouge customers on pricing or provide unnecessary materials. Instead, our goal is to deliver the best design and value, with the best return on investment.

Integrity is an important value at Wertheimer Box. We want to ensure your product looks spectacular on shelves and flies into people’s shopping carts.

At Wertheimer Box, we’ve been in business since 1939. Our sales reps are seasoned packaging experts with decades of experience.

Additionally, our structural and graphic designers are specialists who work with us to ensure your point-of-purchase displays are both aesthetically pleasing and structurally sound.

Packaging Pothole: Not Trusting Us

I recently had a customer who insisted that:

• They didn’t need to follow retailer specifications: “We’ll get an exception.”
• They insisted on a higher-end display than necessary: “The retailer will split the cost with us.”

Both turned out not to be true. 

They ended up wasting time and money before they realized that neither scenario would become a reality.

Ready to pressure-test your display concept before you commit to a run? Let’s discuss your requirements.

At Wertheimer Box, we are a resource of knowledge and experience in the POP and corrugated world. Our resources, capabilities, and network have expanded even further since joining SupplyOne.

It is our privilege to help customers maximize the return on their products in any situation.  No job is too big or too small.