What about paper cards? Paper cards (greyboard + printing): inexpensive, customisable, environmentally friendly, and suitable for ‘bulk displays’—cosmetics, food, and daily necessities; disadvantages: moderate load-bearing capacity, susceptible to damp. When choosing paper cards, prioritise ‘cost-effectiveness for bulk orders’.
What about acrylic? Acrylic (plexiglass): transparent, high-end, and capable of being shaped into custom forms; suitable for ‘high-end displays’— — perfumes, jewellery, electronic products; disadvantages: high cost, prone to scratches. When choosing acrylic, prioritise ‘transparency and visual depth’.
Structure and prototyping? Structure: base + back panel (for stability), card slots (for insertion), slanted platform (for visibility); after selecting materials, produce a prototype (for test assembly and load-bearing checks) before placing an order. When it comes to prototyping details, the guiding principles are ‘stable, secure and visible’.
The economics of display stands: acrylic stands are high-end, cardboard stands are cost-effective, and thermoformed stands offer a snug fit — once you’ve clearly defined ‘where to display it and at what price’, your investment in the stand will be well spent.
What about vacuum-formed displays? Vacuum-formed (PVC/APET): quick to mould, snug-fitting and stable, suitable for displaying ‘irregularly shaped items’ — such as trinkets, toys and small electrical appliances; drawbacks: generally limited in terms of tiering, and environmental concerns. When selecting vacuum-formed displays, the guiding principle is that ‘irregularly shaped items must be securely held in place’.
First, decide where the product will be displayed. The role of a display stand is to: keep the product upright (for visibility), organise it into tiers (to distinguish main from secondary items), and draw attention (as a visual focal point). Distinguish between ‘shelf displays’ (retail) and ‘gift box inserts’ (unboxing) before finalising your plan — retail stands must be durable, whilst inserts should be elegant.
Display stands are the ‘silent sales assistants’ on the shelves: when products are displayed upright, prices can be set higher — if the wrong stand is chosen, even a good product will fail to convey its true value. This article explains how to select display stands; clients planning packaging and display layouts should refer to it as required.
