When is an element a POS item?

The printing process does not define the element, rather the element and its requirements define which printing process will be used.

Standard universally accepted POS elements

There are a handful of elements that are specific to POS. These elements were designed specifically for the POS environment and they are.

1.    FSU (Free Standing Units)
2.    Blitz Display
3.    PSU (Parasite Units)
4.    Gravity Feeders
5.    CTU (Countertop Units)
6.    Banner Ads on Shelf or Shelf Fins
7.    Shelf Defenders and Shelf Trays
8.    Shelf Headers
9.    Fridge Dividers
10.    Fridge Headers
11.    Gondola End Cladding
12.    Security Covers or Sensormatic Sleeves
13.    Promotional Stands

The grey area items

There is a grey area when it comes to what is considered a POS item and what is not. In this regards location is important. A poster can be considered a POS item if it is found at the point of sale. 

Once this item is, for example to be located in an office, such as a calendar or the Employment Equity Act. 

Then it can be deduced that it is not a POS item. The sae can be said for elements such as decals (Stickers). When in the point of purchase these can be utilised as floor decals, but once this element is stuck to a car, it becomes signage, not POS.

Signage and Display

Banner Ads, such as the ones found on the side of the road is considered signage and display. Although the same media can be utilised in the point of sale, these elements are considered Outdoor, which in essence does not make it POS. 

Because these elements are located outside, the substrate used needs to be durable to withstand the natural elements such as sun and rain. Therefore, it is common practice to produce these elements on a hardier substrate such as ABS, PVC and aluminium composites etc.

Packaging

Packaging at its core is older than printing, it first began in Egypt approximately 3 500 years ago and as it developed, it was influenced by Napoleon’s wars, a Brooklyn printer’s mistake, two brothers named Kellogg and a little help from Inuit tribal knowledge in the arctic.

Corrugated (also called pleated) paper was patented in England in 1856 and used as a liner for tall hats.

Corrugated boxboard was not patented and was used as a shipping material until 20 December 1871. The patent was issued to Albert Jones of New York City for single-sided (single-Face) corrugated board. Jones used the corrugated board for wrapping bottles and glass lantern chimneys.

Scottish-born Robert Gair invented the pre-cut paperboard box in 1890 – flat pieces manufactured in bulk that folded into boxes. Gair’s invention resulted from an accident. He was a Brooklyn printer and paper-bag maker during the 1870’s.

While he was printing seed bags, a metal ruler used to crease bags shifted in position and cut them. Gair discovered that by cutting and creasing in one operation he could make prefabricated paperboard boxes.

Applying this idea to corrugated box board was a straightforward development when the material became available in the early 20th century. The corrugated box was first used for packaging glass and pottery containers. In the mid- 1950s, the case enabled fruit produce to be shipped from farm to retailer without bruising, improving the return to producers and opening export markets.

Packaging, therefore, is considered a branch on its own, and although the history of packaging is far older than that of print, it falls under the umbrella of printing. 

Packaging is not a POS/P item, although since its inception, attempts have been made to make the packaging more appealing to consumers, POS/P is a tool used to elevate the already branded packaging above other branded packages of similar product.

Flat Print

Elements we consider to be flat print encompasses conventional printed elements such as:

1.    Pamphlets
2.    Leaflets
3.    Flyers
4.    Detail Aids
5.    Posters
6.    Decals
7.    Folders
8.    Brochures
9.    Calendars etc.

In Conclusion

At the end of the day, the main focus of any printed matter is communication, as humans we try to label elements in the attempt to organise and define. How we as humans communicate our thoughts and ideas depends on the technologies of the time. 

POSM is a very young aspect of printing, and is continuously evolving, in an attempt to promote above the competition. Although there are standards that are accepted in POSM, the limit of its potential is only limited by the imagination. 

With new processes and techniques becoming available, POSM is evolving to include the more technological advancements, such as 3D projection, and 3D printing. It might be that in the future POSM is not associated with printing at all, for at its core, POSM is a marketing tool, and as the market changes through time, so too do the tools we use to market.