Affordable Retail Displays: 5 tips for budget friendly acrylic displays

If you’re on a budget but want to give your products the competitive edge, an acrylic display unit might sound too costly. Whilst plastic is more expensive upfront, its benefits far outweigh those of carton, laminate or corrugated cardboard, and there are ways of getting a bespoke acrylic unit without incurring higher costs.

Getting an affordable retail display doesn’t have to mean compromising on quality – it’s all about keeping costs down and investing on the frills that make sense for your product.

Our 5 top tips below suggest where you can save and where you should spend.

1.    Good design
This is the best way to keep costs down! A well thought out design reduces waste by ensuring you get the best yield of material from the sheet of plastic. Units made from single sheets of acrylic are cheaper than units with multiple parts, as it means a thinner gauge can be used. It also makes use of the best fabrication techniques so you get a great finished product that looks high quality.

2.    Colour incurs cost
Clear and whites are the cheapest materials, so keep colour to a minimum if you’re on a budget. If you’ve got a few extra pennies, do pay the extra to make your branding stand out in colour – it’s more eye-catching and it will increase brand awareness.

3.    Shape adds to the price
Flat rectangular panels are cheaper to process than shapes and curves, so go for simplicity if you’re looking for something low cost. Limiting the use of glue also means a cost saving!

4.    Use your store
Instead of upping the cost with lighting or moving elements (don’t forget the cost of batteries and/or charging), use your floor space or window to your advantage. Keep this in mind during the design phase.

5.    Multipurpose
Design something which can be used again and again – invest a little, get a lot over the course of the unit’s lifetime. Products requiring bespoke display units due to their dimensions should have this cost built into the product’s marketing budget.

The Tic Tac unit below is an excellent example of an affordable retail display, made from a single panel of material. A thinner gauge was used, and limiting the use of glue meant a cost saving and also a cleaner appearance. The quality remained high, but low cost vinyl graphics ensured the project was well within budget.

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Whatever your budget, we’re sure we can help you create a display product that works for you. Find our contact details here and get in touch.