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"To be or not to be shown? That is the question.
Whether 'tis nobler, on the counter, to suffer
these things of horror or outrageous manufacture or — to take them in arms — this sea of rubble — and by disposing — end them?"

If Hamlet were a shopkeeper instead of the Prince of Denmark, and lived today, this would be his soliloquy. The dilemma would be how much valuable floor and counter space to give up to the myriad cardboard cutouts, vacuum formed and paper signs that descend without end upon the shopkeeper?

Let's talk counters. On that narrow space — often not more than 24 inches wide by six to eight feet long — a commercial battle rages between the product manufacturers and the Point-of-Purchase (POP) creators versus the consumer, and it is the shopkeeper or retailer who must, with the wisdom of a Solomon, decide to whom to give up the space or which of the cardboard constructions to slice in half. On that shallow battlefield, the retailer must, first and foremost, serve his customers' needs: take cash, show samples, and advertise the featured items. Is the problem really such an unsolvable one or does it really come down to a simple, single and logical word? That word is "image" and it is all about the retailer's and his store's image and the brand's image — and which is more important. The retailer must do what is right for him and what his customers expect from him. It is not unlike visiting someone's home or office for the first time and how we are impressed by the artwork, the photographs, the awards, mementos, and souvenirs; and by how these items are arranged and shown. We evaluate what we see and form an opinion about the person or company based on what is shown. From the "portraits" and "signatures" swarming and swallowing up the counter — the materials that were used to construct these POP items — the customer is making a decision on who the retailer is and what he represents. They are basing their opinion on the "company" the retailer keeps. Who he sells, how many lines he sells and what he sells all make an image statement. If the retailer presents a bewildering collection of anybody and everybody — all price ranges and all fashion statements — he is basically saying, "I'm anything to anybody and not anything or anyone special." The image is cloudy, muddled and confusing. The counter is not really a Point of Purchase but a battleground where the shopper ends up the victim: visually "shocked" and maybe fatally "wounded" by the barrage of posters, packages and persuaders thrown at him or her.

The suppliers and manufacturers of Point-of-Purchase materials are not the "enemy." They are not the "bad guys." Bad taste or lack of a distinctive taste is the villain, as is the desire to over-saturate the retailer with "the message": too much, too many and too often. Then there is the lack of selectivity on the part of the retailer. Just because it doesn't cost anything does not make it a bargain. It may be a costly mistake in that it detracts from who you are trying to be. If the POP material offered by your suppliers is not who you want to be seen as being — if it is too strong in color, too forceful, too domineering or demanding — and usurps too much space for what benefits it can yield, then do not use it! Remember, the manufacturer selects a design which will do the most for his product and his company or brand image and then hopes for the widest distribution and acceptance. If the retailer has spent a considerable sum and made an investment in fixturing and fitting out the store, then he has to be very protective about who and what he lets share that space. A manufacturer may offer the retailer a free stock holder to put out on the floor, but will it blend with the other fittings or will it jump out and overwhelm the shopper and visually hurt the overall look of the store? Consider that old story of "Greeks bearing gifts" and "The Trojan Horse." Sometimes, the price for something "free" is really very costly.

There is no doubt that most stores can profit from the advertising promotions sponsored by manufacturers. It is great to get in on the publicity and product exposure on TV, in nationally circulated publications, and the daily newspapers and, of course, from the POP material that goes with all of that fanfare. But, be careful about which of the proffered POP materials you use, how much of it you use and where you use it. You don't have to put up the whole package — pick and choose from the floor units, counter units, signs, displays, displayers and giveaways. Show enough for product recognition but not so much that you are no longer recognized as the retailer. Whatever you bring into the store, whatever is shown in the store — whether it is on the counter or behind the counter, in the aisles, at the end of a gondola, off a column or around one — is all a reflection on who and what you are. It affects your image.
I started with a paraphrase of one of Hamlet's speeches and, for those of you who don't remember your Shakespeare all that well, let me end with how Hamlet might have ended his famous soliloquy if he were a shopkeeper today:

"Thus profit does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied over with the pale cast of
'How much will I lose?'
And merchants of great pith and moment
With this regard — their IMAGES turn awry."
Don't be one of those merchants. Stand up for your Image.

The Gourmet Retailer is the exclusive sponsor of gia USA. The Global Innovator Award program honors housewares retailing excellence in more than 20 countries around the world. Its global sponsor is the International Home & Housewares Show which honors this year's gia winners at its fair, March 16-18 in Chicago.