Trade marketing, POSM and merchandising in UAE retail: a practical guide
Trade marketing is what you do to make a product easy to find and attractive to buy inside a store. It sits between brand marketing and sales, and it depends on what happens on the shelf.
Short answer
POSM, or point-of-sale material, is the signage and display items used in a store to draw attention to a product, such as shelf strips, standees and display units.
The terms, in plain words
- Trade marketing: activity aimed at retailers and at shoppers in store, such as promotions, displays and shelf placement.
- POSM (point-of-sale material): the items used in store to draw attention: shelf strips, wobblers, floor stickers, standees, display units.
- Merchandising: arranging products and displays so they are visible, in stock and priced correctly.
- Planogram: a diagram of where each product should sit on the shelf.
Why execution matters
A good plan fails if displays are not set up or stock is out. Retailers agree displays and promotions with brands, but store teams are busy. Field teams check that what was agreed is what the shopper sees, and fix what is not.
What a store visit checks
- Is the product on the shelf, in the right place and in stock?
- Does the shelf price match the agreed price and the promotion?
- Is the POSM up, undamaged and in the right position?
- What are competitors doing: prices, offers, displays?
Photos with date and store make the evidence usable. See our guide to retail audits and price mapping.
Production: displays that survive a store
POSM that looks good in a design file can fail in a store: it falls over, blocks aisles or does not fit retailer rules. We design and produce displays, kiosks, printing and premiums, so we can check dimensions and materials before production. See exhibition stands and production.
Pair it with activations
Displays and in-store teams work together. A promoter at a branded display lifts what the display alone can do, and the audit then shows whether it worked. For ideas, read brand activation ideas for the UAE and how to measure an activation.
Tell us which stores and products you want covered.
Questions
What is POSM?
POSM, or point-of-sale material, is the signage and display items used in a store to draw attention to a product, such as shelf strips, standees and display units.
What is the difference between trade marketing and brand marketing?
Brand marketing builds awareness and image. Trade marketing works with retailers and in store to make the product easy to find and buy.
What is a planogram?
A planogram is a diagram showing where each product should sit on a shelf.
