Display Performance Metrics: Sell-Through, Stock Turn, Footfall Impact

How to Measure the ROI of Your Visual Merchandising and POP Displays
By Yan Luo | Samtop Display

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

🧠 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):

✅ 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: yan@samtop.com
🌍 Website: www.samtop.com