What are Called Cardboard Displays?

Cardboard displays are versatile, cost-effective, and eco-friendly merchandising solutions widely used in retail environments to enhance product visibility and boost sales. They are typically made from corrugated cardboard, which is durable, lightweight, and recyclable, making these displays both practical and sustainable.

What are the Common Types of Cardboard Displays:

There are several common types of cardboard displays used across retail and promotional environments. Each type serves different merchandising purposes and suits various product types and store layouts. Based on the latest industry insights, here are the main  Cardboard Display Types and Their Applications, Ideal For, Key Features and Photo For reference. The main categories for cardboard displays primarily fall under Point-of-Purchase (POP) displays and can be classified based on their structure, placement, and retail function. According to multiple industry sources, the key categories include as below table 

Display Type	Description & Best Uses	Ideal For	Key Features	Photo Reference
Cardboard Countertop Displays	Small, compact units placed on counters or checkout areas for impulse buys, samples, or small products. Easy to assemble and transport. Ideal for cosmetics, snacks, or small electronics.	Small displays placed on checkout counters or service desks to promote impulse buys.- Ideal for small products like cosmetics, snacks, or accessories.	Compact and portable- Easy to assemble and restock- Eye-level placement for visibility- Customizable graphics and branding
Cardboard Shelf Displays	Designed to fit standard retail shelves, maximizing product visibility and organization. Common in pharmacies and convenience stores.	Designed to fit on retail shelves to organize and highlight products.- Useful for product launches or seasonal promotions within existing shelving.	Fits standard shelf dimensions- Dividers or compartments for product separation- Durable cardboard or plastic materials- Attractive printed designs
Cardboard Dump Bins	Open-top bins placed on the floor to hold bulk or small packaged items like snacks or accessories. Flexible placement encourages impulse purchases.	Large open-top bins for bulk or clearance items.- Encourages customers to browse and pick products freely.	High capacity and sturdy construction- Open design for easy access- Often placed in high-traffic areas- Custom printed to attract attention
Cardboard Pallet Displays	Large displays built on or around pallets for bulk product presentation in warehouse or big-box stores. Pallet skirts can be added for branding.	Large floor displays built on pallets for heavy or bulk products.- Used for warehouse clubs or large retail stores.	Strong corrugated cardboard or corrugated fiberboard- Easy to move with forklifts- Multiple product layers or tiers- Bold branding for visibility from distance
Cardboard Pegboard/Hook Displays	Cardboard units with hooks for hanging small packaged goods like accessories or tools. Efficient use of vertical space.	Displays with hooks or pegs to hang packaged products like tools, accessories, or toys.- Maximizes vertical space and organizes small items.	Pegboard backing with evenly spaced holes- Durable hooks or hangers- Customizable size and layout- Clear product visibility
Cardboard Pop Up Displays	Portable, quick-setup displays for events, exhibitions, or seasonal promotions. Lightweight and reusable.	Portable, foldable displays that pop up for quick setup at events or retail.- Ideal for temporary promotions or trade shows.	Lightweight and collapsible- Quick assembly without tools- Printed with high-quality graphics- Reusable and recyclable
Cardboard Custom-Shaped Displays	Unique die-cut or 3D structures tailored for thematic campaigns, product launches, or brand storytelling. Highly eye-catching and interactive.	Displays cut into unique shapes related to the product or brand (e.g., mascot shapes, product outlines).- Creates strong visual impact and brand recognition.	Die-cut cardboard or corrugated material- High-resolution printing- Structural integrity despite unusual shapes- Attention-grabbing and memorable
Cardboard Display Trays	Shallow trays used on shelves or pallets to organize and showcase products neatly.	Shallow trays for organizing and presenting small products on counters or shelves.- Useful for samples, cosmetics, or confectionery.	Easy product access- Can be stackable or nested- Custom printed with branding- Lightweight and cost-effective
Carboard Tiered and Stackable Displays &PDQ	These are used to showcase smaller items like magazines or collectibles, often folding flat for easy storage and transport	Multi-level displays that showcase multiple products or variations.- Useful for organized product presentation and maximizing shelf space.	Tiered steps or platforms to enhance product visibility- Durable construction to support product weight- Customizable tiers for different product sizes- Attractive design to guide customer focus
Cardboard Free Standing Displays (FSDUs):	Larger floor units with high graphic impact and good product capacity, often custom-shaped to match branding	Large floor displays placed strategically in stores to grab attention.- Ideal for seasonal promotions or new product lines.	Tall, stable structures made from corrugated cardboard- Can include shelves or compartments for multiple products- Eye-catching graphics and branding- Designed for easy setup and breakdown
Cardboard Custom Display Boxes	Counter display boxes can be custom-designed in various shapes, sizes, and finishes (matte, gloss, embossing) to attract customers and encourage grab-and-go purchases	Tailored packaging that doubles as a display for product launches or retail shelves.- Can be designed to fit specific product dimensions and brand aesthetics.	Fully customizable shapes, sizes, and graphics- Lightweight yet sturdy cardboard material- Easy assembly and transport- High-quality printing for brand visibility

These types allow brands and retailers to select the best display format based on product size, weight, promotional goals, and store layout. Cardboard displays are favored for their customizability, cost-effectiveness, and eco-friendliness, making them adaptable to diverse retail and event needs.

 What are the Key Benefits to Use Cardboard Displays

 Cardboard displays are effective in a wide range of retail settings including grocery stores, convenience stores, toy and gift shops, hardware stores, trade shows, and charitable events, The main benefits of using cardboard displays include:

• Cost-Effectiveness: Cardboard is an economical material compared to plastic or metal displays, making it ideal for short-term promotions or seasonal campaigns without large upfront investment.
• Lightweight and Easy to Handle: Cardboard displays are lightweight, which facilitates easy transportation, setup, and repositioning within retail spaces.
• Customizability and Branding: They can be fully customized in shape, size, and printed graphics, allowing brands to create eye-catching designs that enhance product visibility and reinforce brand identity.
• Eco-Friendliness: Cardboard is recyclable and biodegradable, supporting sustainability goals and appealing to environmentally conscious consumers.
• Versatility: Suitable for a wide range of display types—from countertop units to large free-standing structures—and adaptable to various products and retail environments.
• Marketing Impact: Quality cardboard packaging and displays can improve customer satisfaction and marketplace ratings by providing attractive and functional presentation, as seen in specialized packaging solutions for products like second-hand books
• 

Who Are The Major Producer and Providers for the Cardboard Displays?

Companies like holidaypac,and others specialize in custom design and manufacturing of cardboard displays, offering expert support to tailor displays to specific retail needs and branding goals

In summary, cardboard displays are a strategic retail tool combining affordability, customization, and sustainability to enhance product presentation and drive sales at the point of purchase.

How to Developing a Cardboard Display ?

When seeking a custom cardboard display, the focus should be on tailored design, quality materials, and professional manufacturing processes that ensure your display stands out and supports your product effectively. Here are expert recommendations to guide you in choosing or creating a custom cardboard displays:

Prioritize Professional Custom Design and Sampling

Custom cardboard displays begin with a detailed design phase where dimensions, product weight, and branding needs are integrated. Look for manufacturers who provide 3D design visualization and physical sample production before mass manufacturing. This step ensures the structure’s strength and visual appeal meet your expectations and product requirements. Companies like Holidaypac emphasize this iterative design and sampling process, which minimizes costly errors and optimizes functionality.

Choose Durable Corrugated Cardboard with Appropriate Flute Type

The structural integrity of your display depends on the cardboard’s flute type—commonly A, B, or C flute—with B-flute (approximately 1/8 inch thick) being a popular choice for balancing strength and print quality. This thickness supports product weight while allowing precise die-cutting for slots and folds. Selecting the right flute ensures your display can hold products securely without compromising portability or ease of assembly.

Incorporate High-Quality Printing and Finishing

Customization is not just about shape but also about visual impact. Opt for full-color printing with options like lamination, gloss or matte finishes, embossing, and spot UV to enhance your brand presence. This elevates the display from a simple holder to a compelling marketing tool. Trusted manufacturers use advanced printing and post-processing techniques to ensure vibrant, durable graphics that attract customer attention and withstand handling.

Consider Ease of Assembly and Transport

Custom cardboard displays should fold flat for efficient shipping and storage, then assemble quickly on-site without tools. This feature is crucial for seasonal campaigns or trade shows where time and logistics are critical. Reinforcement at weak points during manufacturing further improves durability while maintaining lightweight convenience.

Work with One-Stop Providers Offering End-to-End Services

To streamline the process, choose suppliers that handle everything from design consultation, prototyping, printing, to packaging and delivery. This integrated approach reduces miscommunication and accelerates turnaround. Providers like Holidaypac and offer such comprehensive solutions, ensuring your custom display aligns perfectly with your marketing goals.

Balance Cost with Quality and Branding Needs

While cardboard displays are inherently cost-effective, investing in custom features and quality materials pays off by enhancing brand image and customer engagement. Avoid the cheapest options that may compromise durability or print fidelity, especially if your display will be used repeatedly or in high-traffic areas.

In summary, the best custom cardboard displays are those thoughtfully designed to your product’s specifications, made from suitable corrugated materials, and finished with high-quality printing—all produced by experienced manufacturers offering prototyping and full-service support. This approach guarantees a visually striking, sturdy, and practical display that elevates your brand and drives sales.

What are the Main Industries to Use the Cardboard Displays 

      Cardboard displays are suitable for virtually any industry due to their versatility, customization options, and cost-effectiveness. They serve as effective merchandising and promotional tools across a

      wide range of sectors, including but not limited to:

1. Retail industries: Grocery stores, convenience stores, toy shops, gift shops, hardware stores, stationery, and book stores use cardboard displays for product launches, seasonal promotions, and impulse buys
2. Food and Beverage: Displays are used for snacks, beverages, and packaged goods, often placed near checkout counters or in high-traffic areas to boost sales
3. Consumer Electronics and Cosmetics: Countertop and floor displays showcase small electronics, cosmetics, and accessories with high-impact branding
4. Trade Shows and Exhibitions: Portable and customizable cardboard displays help companies present products and branding effectively at events
5. Promotional and Seasonal Campaigns: Cardboard displays are ideal for themed promotions like holidays, back-to-school, or product launches due to their quick production and easy assembly
6. Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Markets: Many cardboard displays are made from recycled materials and are fully recyclable, appealing to environmentally conscious brands and consumers
7. High Customizability: They can be shaped, sized, and printed to match any product or brand identity, making them adaptable to different industry needs

     Cardboard displays are not limited to any single industry but are widely used across retail, food and beverage, electronics, cosmetics, trade shows, and promotional sectors. Their adaptability, affordability, and sustainability make them a universal solution for product presentation and marketing. If you want to target a specific industry, cardboard displays can be custom-designed to meet the unique presentation and branding requirements of that sector, making them a highly flexible marketing tool. The main customers who use cardboard displays span a wide range of industries and retail sectors, primarily those focused on in-store merchandising and point-of-purchase marketing. Some of the key types of customers include:

     Summary Table of Main Customer Types for Cardboard Displays

   These customers rely on cardboard displays because they provide cost-effective, customizable, and eco-friendly merchandising solutions that enhance product visibility and encourage impulse purchases in diverse retail environments. In essence, cardboard displays are widely used by consumer brands, large retailers, grocery stores, specialty shops, event organizers, and charities to effectively

   showcase products and promotions.

What Are the Typical Process to Order Custom Cardboard Displays?

      The typical process to order a custom cardboard display involves several key stages from initial concept to final delivery. Based on industry-standard practices and insights from manufacturers like Holidaypac,            the  process is as follows:

     1. Design

• The process begins with understanding your product, marketing goals, target audience, and retail environment.
• Designers create a 3D structural design considering product size, weight, and display capacity to ensure functionality and stability.
• Graphic design is developed to incorporate branding, colors, and promotional messaging.

    2. Sampling / Prototyping

• A physical sample or prototype is produced using unprinted corrugated cardboard based on the design.
• This sample is assembled and tested for fit, strength, and visual appeal.
• Adjustments can be made to the structure or graphics before moving to mass production.

    3. Printing

• Once the sample is approved, printing plates or films are prepared.
• The design is printed on flat sheets using methods like offset or flexographic printing, often with CMYK or spot colors.
• Special finishes such as lamination, varnishing, or foil stamping may be applied to enhance durability and appearance.

    4. Post-Processing

• Printed sheets are laminated onto corrugated cardboard for strength.
• Processes like creasing, cutting, and folding are done using die-cutting machines to achieve the final shape and structure.
• Additional treatments such as oiling or varnishing may be applied.

    5. Packaging and Delivery

• The finished displays are folded flat or partially assembled for efficient shipping.
• They are carefully packed to prevent damage during transport.
• The displays are shipped to the client or retail locations ready for assembly and product placement.

   This process ensures that the cardboard display is both visually appealing and structurally sound, tailored to your specific retail and marketing needs. If you are ordering from manufacturers like Holidaypac, they typically guide you through these steps with professional consultation, design support, and quality assurance to deliver a custom display that meets your goals.

In essence, the order process is: Design → Sampling → Printing → Post-Processing → Packaging & Delivery.

What Factors Influence the Durability and Degradation of Cardboard Displays

        The durability and degradation of cardboard displays are influenced by a combination of environmental, material, and biological factor

1.  Environmental Conditions:
   • Humidity and Temperature: Fluctuations in relative humidity and temperature cause dimensional changes in cardboard, leading to warping, weakening, or visible damage over time. These changes can accumulate and cause irreversible deterioration 
   • Light Exposure: Ultraviolet (UV) light and visible light can degrade the cellulose fibers in cardboard, causing discoloration and loss of mechanical strength
   • Air Quality and Pollutants: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), organic acids, and other pollutants present in indoor air or emitted by nearby materials can accelerate chemical degradation of cardboard fibers
2.  Material Properties:
   • Paper Composition and Quality: The type of paper used in cardboard (e.g., recycled vs. virgin fibers) affects its long-term strength and resistance to aging. Acidic or lignin-containing papers degrade faster due to acid hydrolysis and oxidation
   • Additives and Coatings: Some cardboard displays may have coatings or additives that can either protect the surface or, if unstable, contribute to degradation through migration or chemical reactions
   • Structural Design: Perforations, folds, and the thickness of corrugated layers influence mechanical durability. Improper design can weaken the cardboard and make it more susceptible to damage
3.  Biological Factors:
   • Microbial Growth: Inappropriate storage conditions with high humidity can promote fungi and mold growth, which biodegrade cellulose fibers and cause staining or structural failure
4.   Interaction of Factors:
   • These factors do not act in isolation; for example, high humidity can enhance microbial growth and accelerate chemical degradation, while pollutants can worsen the effects of light and moisture3.

        To maximize the durability of cardboard displays, controlling environmental conditions (stable temperature and humidity, low light exposure, and clean air), using high-quality acid-free cardboard, and applying protective coatings or functionalized packaging materials (e.g., anti-biodeterioration coatings with nanoparticles) are recommended. 

What Is The Price Range for The Cardboard Displays?

       The price range for cardboard displays varies widely depending on factors such as size, complexity, printing, materials, and order quantity. Here’s a detailed overview to help you understand typical costs:

Here are the main Cost Factors. 

1. Material choice: Single-wall corrugated cardboard (B-flute or E-flute) is most common; double-wall or reinforced materials increase cost.
2. Printing and finishing: Full-color CMYK printing, spot colors, lamination, gloss/matte finishes, embossing, or UV coating add to the price. Printing costs can range from $0.3 to $1.5 per sheet depending on size.
3. Design complexity: Intricate shapes, multiple compartments, or special features increase tooling and production costs.
4. Quantity: Larger orders significantly reduce per-unit costs due to economies of scale. For example, a custom floor display might cost around $11.87 per unit at 1,000 pieces but much more for small runs.
5. Additional costs: Tooling/setup fees, die-cutting, packing, and shipping also affect the final price.

       Holidaypac Cardboard displays offer flexible pricing that can fit a range of budgets—from affordable small displays to premium custom units with advanced features. Your final cost will depend on your specific product dimensions, design requirements, printing quality, and order volume. When planning your budget, consider all factors including design, materials, printing, assembly, and shipping to get an accurate estimate. Working closely with manufacturers like Holidaypac can help optimize costs while ensuring quality and branding impact.

Why Holidaypac's Cardboard Display Stands Out In The Retail Industry?

        Holidaypac’s cardboard displays stand out at retail primarily because of their combination of innovative design, customization, high-quality production, and eco-friendly focus. Key factors that make their displays effective and distinctive include:

1. Eye-Catching Customization: Holidaypac specializes in creating bespoke, seasonal, and holiday-themed cardboard displays that are tailored to fit any brand’s identity and marketing goals. Their advanced visualization tools allow clients to perfect designs with detailed 3D models, ensuring the displays attract maximum customer attention and align perfectly with brand aesthetics
2. Boosting Brand Exposure: Their displays are meticulously crafted to capture shoppers’ interest and maximize in-store brand visibility, helping products stand out from the competition and driving sales effectively
3. Versatility and Product Fit: Holidaypac offers a wide variety of point-of-purchase display styles designed to enhance the customer shopping experience and suit different product types and retail environments, from small countertop units to large floor displays
4. Sustainability: The use of eco-friendly, recyclable materials and lightweight corrugated cardboard aligns with growing consumer and retailer demand for sustainable packaging, helping brands reinforce their environmental responsibility while reducing costs
5. Ease of Setup and Portability: Their cardboard displays are designed for quick and easy assembly, often shipping flat-packed to reduce logistics costs and simplify store deployment
6. Enhanced Customer Engagement: Holidaypac’s displays use vibrant colors, novel patterns, and unique ideas to attract customers’ attention, encourage product interaction, and stimulate impulse purchases. This also helps create a positive shopping atmosphere and improves corporate image
7. Strong Customer Support and Communication: Holidaypac is praised for its seamless, efficient collaboration, responsive communication, and thorough project management from design through production, ensuring clients get exactly what they need
8. Proven Results: Customer testimonials highlight significant sales boosts and positive feedback following rebranding and deployment of Holidaypac's custom cardboard displays, demonstrating their effectiveness in real retail scenarios

    How to Contact With Holidaypac for Cardboard Displays

Phone/Mobile: +86 136 5233 6188

Address：No.53, Tongan Park, Tongan Industrial Concentration, Xiamen City, Fujian Province, China

Room 306, 6th building, TongFuYu Industrial Area, Dalang Street, LongHua District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China

Email/Inquiry Form: You can send questions or request quotes via their contact form on their website at Holidaypac's contact page. They encourage inquiries about samples, pricing, lead times,      customization, and product details

Website: Visit their official site at www.holidaypac.com for more information and to access contact forms or additional details about their products and services

Email: cassie@holidaypac.com

Holidaypac specializes in eco-friendly cardboard displays, paper packaging, and related products, with over a decade of experience and a focus on customized solutions For direct communication, calling  the provided mobile number (+86 136 5233 6188) is a straightforward way to reach their sales or customer service team.