How to Measure the ROI of Your Visual Merchandising and POP Displays
By Yan Luo | Samtop Display
Table of Contents
The ROI of a display isn’t just visual — it’s measurable. Key performance metrics like sell-through rate, stock turn velocity, footfall engagement, and return on display investment (RODI) show whether a POP display drives real business outcomes. Smart brands track, compare, and optimize every rollout.
Beautiful displays might win awards — but if they don’t drive results, they won’t get repeated.
“The display looked great, but no one bought the product.”
“We didn’t track what worked better — floor vs. tester.”
“Marketing spent $50K, but we don’t know if it moved stock.”
At Samtop, we help brands connect visual investment to commercial outcome. Below are the 5 performance KPIs you should track to measure (and prove) the ROI of any display rollout.
📊 Why Display KPIs Matter
Stakeholder | Needs to Know… |
---|---|
Trade Marketing | Did the display convert into uplift? |
Procurement | Was the cost justified? |
Retailer / Channel | Should this display format be repeated? |
Global Brand / HQ | Which country or VM type worked best? |
🧠 Display ROI isn’t subjective — it’s scoreable.
📈 5 Display Performance Metrics You Must Track
✅ 1. Sell-Through Rate
Formula:Units Sold ÷ Units Shipped to Store (%)
Why it matters:
- Shows how fast product moved
- Especially useful for launches, promos, and LE formats
- Compare “with display” vs. “no display” stores
🎯 Good Benchmark:
→ 15–25% higher sell-through with display
→ 50%+ sell-through in 4 weeks = strong result
🔁 2. Stock Turn Velocity
Formula:Units Sold ÷ Average Units Displayed
Why it matters:
- Reveals speed of product rotation
- Helps identify SKU over-assortment or underperformance
- Great for hero SKUs or daily-use items
🎯 Good Benchmark:
→ 2–4 turns/month for hero products
→ 6+ for testers or GWP-focused trays
👣 3. Footfall-to-Engagement Rate
Formula:# Interactions ÷ Store Footfall (%)
Why it matters:
- Shows how well your display pulls shoppers in
- Ideal for tester trays, mirror counters, sampling zones
- Can be measured by sensors or manual staff tracking
🎯 Good Benchmark:
→ 3–7% footfall engagement = strong in-store attraction
🎯 4. Campaign Execution Score (Display Compliance)
What it is:
A rollout success score based on:
- Correct setup location
- All parts attached (header, tester, logo)
- Product visible and stocked
- Cleanliness & consistency
🧾 Scoring Tip:
→ Use a 10-point checklist for VM teams
→ Collect photos and audit in real time
💰 5. Return on Display Investment (RODI)
Formula:Incremental Gross Margin ÷ Display Cost
Why it matters:
- Shows ROI on visual investment
- Helps justify scaling or cutting back formats
- Great KPI for Procurement & CMO alignment
🎯 Good Benchmark:
→ RODI > 3.0 = high performance
→ RODI > 1.5 = acceptable for new formats
🧩 Real Use Case: ROI from Lightbox Tester Display
Brand: Premium Haircare
Display: LED Tester Tray
Test: 300 stores A/B format comparison
Results (6 Weeks):
Metric | With Display | Without Display |
---|---|---|
Sell-through Rate | 36% | 18% |
Footfall Engagement | 6.2% | 2.9% |
RODI | 4.6x | N/A |
✅ Client expanded globally the following quarter.
💬 FAQ
Q: What if I don’t have store-level sales data?
Start by collecting store photos and feedback. Then build in POS and display-specific tracking (e.g., QR scans) in later campaigns.
Q: Can I compare formats like floor vs. tester?
Yes. Use the same KPIs (sell-through, RODI) across formats, ideally in similar-store A/B tests.
Q: Can Samtop help track display performance?
Yes — we build displays with performance tracking in mind: compliance cards, QR codes, store IDs, and photo prompts.
✅ Conclusion: What Gets Measured Gets Reordered
- ✔️ Define success before you ship the first unit
- ✔️ Track sales, interaction, compliance — not just design
- ✔️ Use results to inform your next production run
- ✔️ Communicate impact to buyers, marketing, and retail teams
🌟 A great display does more than look good — it performs.
📩 Want a Display That Proves ROI?
At Samtop, we:
- Define KPIs with your team before sampling
- Integrate tracking elements (QR, store tags, checklists)
- Build visual compliance kits with photo-based auditing
- Help brands make performance-based display decisions
📧 Email: [email protected]
🌍 Website: www.samtop.com