POS activations in retail: where and when they perform

287 POS activations in Swiss retail. 14 months of data. 1.2 million captured contacts. That's the data base we draw the most important findings from. No opinions, no guesses. Numbers.

Where do POS activations perform best? When is the right moment? Which format delivers the highest ROI? We analysed the data.

Location ranking: where do POS activations perform best?

Not every location is the same. Our data shows massive performance differences by location type. Here's the ranking based on average sell-out uplift:

Location type	Ø contacts/h	Ø conversion	Ø sell-out uplift
Station stores (Coop/Migros)	58	22%	+280%
City-centre stores (>800m²)	45	26%	+310%
Shopping centres	52	19%	+220%
Suburban stores (300 to 800m²)	28	31%	+250%
Petrol station shops	18	15%	+140%

The surprise: city-centre stores deliver the highest sell-out uplift, not station stores. Even though stations have more footfall. The reason: in city-centre stores, people shop more deliberately. They have more time and are more open to new things.

Even more surprising: suburban stores have the highest conversion rate (31%). The customer base is more loyal, the atmosphere calmer, and the promoters have more time for conversations. Fewer contacts, but every contact counts more.

Station stores are ideal for reach and quick contacts. If you need maximum sample distribution, this is where you go. For in-depth conversations and high conversion, choose city-centre stores or larger suburban stores.

Timing: day of week and time of day

When is a POS promotion worth running? Our data gives clear answers.

Day-of-week ranking by contacts per hour:

1. Saturday: 62 contacts/h (avg.)
2. Friday: 51 contacts/h
3. Thursday: 39 contacts/h
4. Wednesday: 35 contacts/h
5. Tuesday: 28 contacts/h
6. Monday: 24 contacts/h

Saturday is the clear winner on footfall. But: Friday has the higher conversion rate (29% vs. 24% on Saturday). On Saturdays the stores are busier, people more stressed, conversations shorter. On Fridays the mood is more relaxed.

Time-of-day performance:

• 10:00 to 12:00: Strong footfall, good conversion. Ideal for tasting and products that need explanation.
• 12:00 to 14:00: Lunch dip. Less footfall, but high conversion for snack and beverage products.
• 14:00 to 16:00: Moderate footfall. Good for family products (Wednesday afternoons particularly strong).
• 16:00 to 18:30: Evening rush. Highest footfall, lowest conversion. People want to get home.

Format comparison: tasting, Sampling, display

Not every POS activation is the same. We distinguish three main formats:

Tasting (at the stand): A promoter offers samples, advises and explains. Cost per location: CHF 800 to 1'200 per day (staff, material, product). Contacts per hour: 15 to 30. Conversion: 28 to 35%. Ideal for: food, beverages, premium products.

Sampling (distribution without tasting): Promoters hand out packaged samples with a short pitch. Cost per location: CHF 500 to 800 per day. Contacts per hour: 40 to 80. Conversion: 15 to 22%. Ideal for: snacks, drinks, non-food (cosmetic samples), product Sampling for launches.

Display with promoter (active merchandising): A promoter stands at the product display, actively advises and draws attention. Cost per location: CHF 600 to 900 per day. Contacts per hour: 20 to 40. Conversion: 20 to 28%. Ideal for: promotion weeks, merchandising actions, new shelf listings.

Format	Cost/day	Contacts/h	Conversion	Cost per trial
Tasting	CHF 800 to 1'200	15 to 30	28 to 35%	CHF 4.50 to 7.00
Sampling	CHF 500 to 800	40 to 80	15 to 22%	CHF 1.50 to 3.50
Display + promoter	CHF 600 to 900	20 to 40	20 to 28%	CHF 3.00 to 5.50

Sampling has the lowest cost per trial. Tasting has the highest conversion. The choice depends on your product and goal. For a product launch we recommend tasting, because the deep product experience increases the repurchase rate.

Seasonal effects in Swiss retail

The time of year massively influences performance. Here's data from 14 months:

Strongest months for POS activations:

• March/April: spring launches. High openness to new things. Conversion +15% above yearly average.
• September: back-to-routine. Ideal for food and household. Conversion +12% above average.
• November: pre-Christmas. Highest footfall. Conversion slightly below average (stress), but maximum reach.

Weakest months:

• July/August: holiday season. Footfall in city-centre stores drops by 30%. Station stores hold up better.
• January: post-Christmas fatigue. Brand budgets are spent. Footfall low.

For ice cream, beverages and sun care, different rules apply. Seasonal products naturally perform best in their season. The numbers above refer to year-round products.

Store size and its impact on performance

An often-overlooked factor: store size correlates strongly with conversion rate.

Large stores (over 1'000m²) have more footfall, but customers move more purposefully. Conversion sits at 20 to 24%. Mid-size stores (500 to 1'000m²) have the sweet spot: enough footfall and enough dwell time for conversations. Conversion: 25 to 30%. Small stores (under 500m²) have low footfall but high conversion (28 to 35%). Problem: the absolute contact number is too low for the effort.

Our recommendation: mid-size stores in city centres or larger suburbs. There you get the best balance of footfall and conversion. Complement with 2 to 3 large stores for reach.

Concrete recommendations for your next POS activation

Based on 287 activations and 1.2 million contacts. Here are the distilled recommendations:

• ☐ Location choice: mix of 60% mid-size city-centre stores, 30% large stores (reach), 10% suburban stores (conversion test)
• ☐ Timing: prioritise Friday + Saturday, 10:00 to 12:00. Evening rush only at high-footfall locations
• ☐ Format: tasting for launches and premium. Sampling for reach and budget efficiency
• ☐ Season: March/April and September are the strongest months. Avoid July/August (except for seasonal products)
• ☐ Measurement: capture real-time data. Define control stores. Compare sell-out before/after
• ☐ Duration: at least 2 days per location. 1-day activations deliver too little data for optimisation

These recommendations are based on averages. Your product, your audience and your retailer influence the results. Want data-driven planning for your specific situation? Discuss your project now and we'll analyse your options with real benchmark data.