WHAT ARE FOLDING SHELF TALKERS?

Folding talkers are what used to be called shelf stack cards. They're similar in function to traditional shelf talkers, but they're much wider and, in some instances, even longer. For example, a conventional talker is anywhere from 3 to 5 1/2" wide. They hang from a neck, with a tab that snaps into the channel on the edge of a shelf. By contrast, folding shelf talkers are up to 13" wide and at least 4" tall. They don't require a neck or tab. Instead, the entire talker folds over the edge of the shelf. That means they can be used on shelving with no channels, making them more adaptable than standard talkers.

They're printed flat and then scored so they can be folded at a 90° angle. The resulting "flap" sits atop the shelf with the message area hanging below. They can either have adhesive added to the back of the flap area to stick to the shelf's top or use the weight of product stacked on top to hold them in place.

Liquid Keratin's™ talker below shows how the top half is folded over the shelf's edge. It's also a great example of how to take advantage of the wider message area. By using the horizontal space to show before and after images, the consumer can see the product's results. Nothing sells merchandise better than demonstrating what it can do. And no other type of talker has the room to include these images in addition to the bullet points on the left, the prominently displayed brand at the bottom, and even a QR code and social media icons. Yet, with all this information, the talker still looks very clean and streamlined. Keeping the background white and using only a couple of colors adds to the minimalistic design.

CUSTOM DIE CUTTING FOR EVEN MORE IMPACT

We know there's a huge advantage to all that extra message area, but there's a way to make it even bigger and more attention-grabbing: with custom die cut folding shelf talkers. When Minta® had us print their folded talkers, they also had us custom die cut them so they were contoured around the top of the bottle and their branding. With contour cut-outs that stand above the shelf's edge, these talkers get noticed. Couple that with the clean design, bright colors and photo-quality images, and it's no wonder they're so effective. Additionally, we added a text box where the store manager can write in the price. Combining all these features in a custom printed folding shelf talker, they took advantage of every bit of shelf space to market their product. Smart. Very smart.

BRIGHT COLORS AND LARGE TYPE ON FOLDED TALKERS

While folded shelf talkers are shopper-stoppers in and of themselves, they make an even greater impact when bright colors and bold fonts are used. Because the message area runs parallel to, rather than standing off, the shelf (like shelf wobblers, aisle violators and aisle blades), folding talkers benefit from anything attention-getting. Make sure your folded talker stands out (no pun intended). If you're offering a limited time special price, make that the biggest message on your talker.

EXTRA TALL FOLDING TALKERS

Another great use of folded shelf talkers is to have the message area drop down farther than typical talkers. Much like the custom die cut varieties we showed you above, long talkers also stand out because, well, they're different. There's also the benefit of a bigger message area; that means you can include more information, bigger branding and fonts, or larger graphics. We'll be happy to give you a quote on larger sizes than those we offer templates for.

HOW FOLDING SHELF TALKERS ARE MADE

Like standard talkers, they’re printed flat. They can be screen, UV offset or digitally printed. Because they require a bit more rigidity, we normally use 15 mil vinyl (the same thickness as we use on aisle violators). I say "normally" because there are exceptions to every rule. For instance, the Mitchell Group had us print their folding shelf talkers on 20 mil vinyl so they would be exceptionally rigid. Conversely, The Alpha Course talkers were printed on 12 point card stock. Card stock has a shorter lifespan, but they are also more economical. Please note: The prices on our folded shelf talker rates page are for 14 point card stock.

After the talkers have been printed, they then receive double-stick adhesive tape on the areas that will be the flaps. This ensures that the folding shelf talkers stay in place, but can easily be removed at the end of the promotion, or when new talkers take their place. Lastly, they are scored and die cut. The score lines are what will make the flaps; where the shelf talkers will be folded when they're applied to the shelves. The end user simply bends the talker 90° at the score line(s) making them fold. The double-stick adhesive tape liner is then removed to affix the flap to the shelf with the message area hanging below it. Merchandise can be stacked both on top of the folded flaps and directly under the talker.

CHOOSING A SIZE FOR YOUR FOLDED TALKER

Given their flexibility in that they don't require shelf channels, and the larger message areas they provide, folding shelf talkers offer many advantages over traditional talkers. As you can tell by the foregoing examples, the size and shape of folded talkers are only as limited as your imagination and shelf space allocation. That's the point of showing you several different versions. When you consider where your merchandise is going and what kind of message you want to share with your customers, you may find that a folding shelf talker works better than one with a neck and tab. And, given that folding talkers are having somewhat of a resurgence (they were big about a decade ago when they were called shelf stack cards), you might be ahead of the curve by using them in your next marketing campaign.