FSDU – Free-standing Display Units


Check out this awesome blog post I found on FSDUs

Top tips to bring you success with Free-standing Display Units (FSDU)

Whilst only a part of the retail design mix, free-standing display units (FSDUs) are a really valuable way of getting brands noticed in the retail environment. We often get asked for advice on how to best incorporate FSDU’s into instore marketing campaigns, so let’s look at our top tips for FSDU design as part of retail space design in general.

What is an FSDU?

A free-standing display unit or FSDU is a display unit dedicated to your product that is focused on highlighting a key product. They’re not constrained to a perimeter wall or other fixed display units and are a good flexible solution to use instore. They can either be provided by the brand or the retailer themselves. FDSUs can be made of a wide range of materials, the advantage being that they can often be used in some very interesting and creative ways to add impact to your product launch and the maintenance of your brand awareness, from banner displays and individual shelving units packed full of your product to display ideas beyond your wildest imagination!

So what are those top tips?

  1. Design acumen is key. It’s vital that your free-standing display unit complements your brand and product. Using an “off the shelf” solution might seem attractive at first, but this represents your brand identity in the retail environment. Do you want to look like your competition or better than them? A bespoke, made for purpose, well-designed FSDU will gain far more interaction with your product, and ultimately lead to sales.
  2. When creating your planogram, (whilst it may seem obvious) bear in mind the eye line for key products and the importance of clear messaging on your display. Because it stands alone in the store, the viewing experience is different from a shopper scanning along the shelves. Make sure your message hits them at the optimum point. A good FSDU must utilise the space available well without clogging the message being delivered from the display.
  3. Making the display as attractive and flexible as possible gives you the opportunity to have it moved into premium space within a wide range of retail environments. So make sure that it is designed to be as easy and attractive as possible for the retail store to use.
  4. Consider incorporating electronics and interactivity through LED screen displays and other technology such as screens and even iPads mounted into the display. Use that technology to your advantage to catch the shopper’s eye and interact with the unit.  Shoppers like to see the latest products on display, keen to be intrigued and engaged in exploring new products.
  5. While we’re talking about store location, why not consider encouraging the retailer to use its in-store lighting to highlight a key FSDU – preferably yours! You could discuss providing dedicated lighting to enable both you and the store to shine. Or, the use of lighting within the FSDU can have a big impact on the success of the display unit. You will also need to consider the type of light that will complement your product instore. Many retail environments still use high-UV lighting that gives off a colour that can be uncomplimentary to some products.
  6. Always bear in mind the practicality of maintenance and location of the display, its weight and movability, It has to be sturdy enough to support the product load and to remain located but flexible enough to move and relocate if required. Think about how removable graphics (if appropriate of course) will be managed and updated. Again, designing it to be easy for the store and the staff within it to promote and highlight your FSDU, enabling your brand and products to be highlighted in the retail environment.

Using a free-standing display unit is an ideal opportunity to use the design skills and knowledge of your retail display provider to bring out your brand to its best advantage, and making it easy for the retail store to love your FSDU design will help you achieve just that aim.

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