When Urbanpulse, a Lithuanian retailer, reached out to Holidaypac about shelf pushers for their refrigerators, it sounded like a straightforward hardware request.

In reality, it turned into a great case study in listening carefully, designing the right solution, and handling sample pricing without killing the deal before it even started.

1. Client Background

Urbanpulse operates refrigerators where they display:

• Multiple beverage formats (including standard 330 ml cans)
• Protein bars in different sizes
• Small carton boxes with fresh food

Each refrigerator has:

• 5 shelves
• Shelf size: 540 mm deep x 560 mm wide

Their vision was clear:Use one refrigerator to showcase several product dimensions, while keeping everything front-faced, organized, and easy for shoppers to see.

To do that, they needed adjustable shelf pushers from Holidaypac that could handle:

• Narrow protein bars
• Slim cans
• Tilted carton boxes for better visibility

2. The Challenge

On the surface, “I need pushers for my fridge shelves” sounds simple.

But once we at Holidaypac started asking questions, the real challenges appeared:

Multiple product sizes on the same shelf

      Protein bar 1: 33 mm width x 19 mm depth

      Protein bar 2: 39 mm width x 15 mm depth

      Can: 65 mm diameter

      Carton box: 150 mm x 102 mm

That’s a big spread in dimensions for one system to cover.

Visibility requirement for cartons

     Urbanpulse didn’t just want boxes to sit flat.
     They asked if the carton boxes could be slightly tilted so customers could more easily see what’s inside.

Low-volume, high-impact stage: Proof of Concept

    This was only for a POC (proof of concept).

    If everything worked, they would roll out to many more refrigerators.

    But for now, it was a small test order — meaning:

         Sample costs and shipping had a huge impact on their decision.

         Any mistake in design would be expensive and slow.

For Holidaypac, this was not just a hardware quote. It was a chance to prove we can support smart merchandising and long-term rollouts, starting from a tiny pilot.

3. Our Approach: Holidaypac’s Step-by-Step Method

Instead of throwing a generic solution at the client, Holidaypac walked through a structured process.

Step 1 – Clarify the scenario

We asked Urbanpulse to:

      Share pictures of their products (bars, cans, carton boxes)

      Confirm how the products would be packed:

             Would cans have outer boxes?

             Would protein bars be in display cartons or loose?

             Would carton boxes be sealed with stickers so they don’t accidentally open?

This helped us understand not just “what size,” but also:

• How products are handled
• What shoppers will actually see at shelf level

Step 2 – Match each product type to a Holidaypac pusher

Based on the dimensions provided, the Holidaypac engineering team:

    Recommended a pusher width range that could be adjusted to fit:

        Protein bars

        Carton boxes

        Cans

We suggested:

• One pusher per product lane(If Urbanpulse wanted four drink SKUs, they would use four pushers in a row.)

This modular approach gives:

• Clean planograms
• Easy replacement or repositioning
• Flexibility when SKUs change

Step 3 – Test tilting for carton boxes

The client asked:“Is it possible to position carton boxes a bit tilted so customers can see easier what’s inside?”

At Holidaypac, we:

• Tested carton boxes on the pushers in our sample area
• Explored whether the pusher track could support a slope

The conclusion:

    Standard pushers are not designed with an internal slope

    Boxes could be placed in a sloping orientation, but:

        Too much tilt risked ruining the composition inside

        There was a trade-off between visibility and product stability

That’s why we recommended:

• Sending physical samples so Urbanpulse could test the “real-world” behavior in their own fridge setup.

4. The Sample Pricing Objection

Once the technical side looked promising, the conversation shifted to money.

For the POC, the client wanted Holidaypac to provide:

• 4 pushers (for different products)
• Shipped to Lithuania

Our initial rough breakdown:

• Sample pushers cost (higher than bulk, because of setup and handling)
• International shipping cost, which was a large share of the total

The all-in number:

• Around USD 150 for 4 pushers including shipping

For the client, this triggered two issues:

     Sample price felt too high compared to bulk

     From their perspective, the sample unit cost was about 5x the projected bulk price, which didn’t match their past experience with other suppliers.

    VAT applied on total cost

    In the EU, they had to pay 21% VAT on the full invoice amount – including shipping.

    That made the landing cost for a small test set even more painful.

They gave clear, professional feedback:

• Samples are usually only 20–30% higher than bulk price
• Sometimes sample cost is credited on the first bulk order
• A 5x markup on the product line was a real barrier to moving forward with R&D and validation

5. How Holidaypac Responded: Transparency + Flexibility

Instead of becoming defensive, Holidaypac:

    Explained the reality behind the cost

        For special samples, the actual production cost per unit is higher:

            Small quantity manufacturing

            Extra manual work

            Time spent on engineering and testing

            Shipping for a small box internationally is relatively expensive per unit.

    Confirmed the long-term intent

        We recognized that:

        This wasn’t a one-off curiosity purchase

        Urbanpulse was considering these pushers for larger volume deployment across more refrigerators

    Adjusted the pricing model

        To align better with the client’s expectations and industry practice, Holidaypac:

              Anchored the price to a realistic bulk unit estimate of about USD 2.51 / pc

              Offered sample pricing at only 30% higher than bulk:

                  USD 3.26 / pc for samples

                  For 4 pcs: USD 13.04 (excluding shipping)

This moved the conversation from:

“Why is this 5x more expensive?”

to:

“Okay, this looks fair for a sample that reflects the bulk price structure.”

The client’s response was positive: they asked Holidaypac to redo the proforma invoice with the revised sample pricing.

6. Outcome: A Better Foundation for a Long-Term Deal

Even though this stage was “just for samples,” the outcome was meaningful:

    The client felt heard and respected on pricing concerns

    Holidaypac protected realistic cost structure (instead of dumping samples at a loss)

    Both sides aligned on:

        A fair logic for sample vs. bulk prices

        Next-step testing in the client’s real refrigeration environment

Just as importantly, we:

• Clarified exact product dimensions and shelf conditions
• Confirmed that adjustable Holidaypac pushers could support their mix of bars, cans, and cartons
• Identified the design limit around internal slopes for carton boxes

This sets up the project for:

• Better POC results
• Faster scaling if the test goes well
• A stronger relationship built on transparency, not guesswork

7. Key Lessons for Retail Hardware & Display Projects

This case taught (or reinforced) a few practical lessons that apply to many B2B projects, especially when working with a manufacturer like Holidaypac.

1. Get real numbers early

• Shelf size
• Product dimensions
• Packaging format (boxed, unboxed, sticker-sealed, etc.)

The more detail you share, the less risk there is in engineering the wrong thing.

2. Use samples, but be honest about their cost

Samples are not “free mini bulk orders.” They:

• Take engineering time
• Interfere with normal production flow
• Cost more in handling and freight per unit

However, if you:

• Tie sample pricing logically to bulk pricing
• Keep the markup reasonable (e.g., 20–30%)
• Clearly explain shipping and VAT impacts

you reduce friction and build trust — which is exactly what Holidaypac aims for in every pilot project.

3. Treat price objections as collaboration, not conflict

Urbanpulse’s objection to the sample cost wasn’t an attack. It was:

• Market feedback
• A reality check on how the pricing felt on the customer’s side

By listening and adjusting:

• Holidaypac kept the door open
• We showed that we care about long-term partnership, not just one invoice

8. How Holidaypac Can Help with Your Next Project

If you’re a retailer or brand planning to:

• Upgrade fridge merchandising
• Test new display hardware (like pushers, risers, hangers, or organizers)
• Roll out multi-SKU solutions across a network of stores

this case highlights a simple roadmap:

1. Start with real data – dimensions, photos, and use cases
2. Prototype smartly – test a handful of well-chosen Holidaypac samples
3. Negotiate transparently – align on sample logic vs. bulk
4. Think in terms of partnership – both sides invest a little more up front to avoid costly mistakes later

If you’d like a similar consultative approach for your own shelf or display project, Holidaypac is ready to help. Bring clear measurements, real products, and honest budget constraints — and we’ll work together from there.