Inside the store, signs do the selling a salesperson would do if there were one in every aisle.
Retail signage increases sales when it answers a shopper’s question at the moment they’re asking it. Is this store for me? Where’s the thing I came for? Is it on sale? What goes with it? A sign that answers none of those is decoration, however good it looks.
The outside sign gets people through the door, and our guide to retail storefront signs covers that part. This guide is about what happens after the door opens, where most buying decisions are actually made, whether it’s a mall unit in Elizabeth or a store on a highway strip.
Below are the six places inside a store where signs earn their cost, what each one should say, and the New Jersey pricing rule that applies to shelf signs.
In this guide
Where Retail Signage Sells
The six steps of a New Jersey sign project
The Front Window
The window is the one sign that works on people who haven’t decided to come in yet. A window that shows what’s inside, the current offer and the hours does more than one covered edge to edge, because shoppers like to see into a store before they commit.
Keep promotional graphics to the lower half or a band at eye level and leave clear glass above. Many New Jersey towns also limit how much of a window signs can cover, so check your local rule before printing. See our window decals page for cut vinyl and printed options.
The Entrance Zone
Category and Department Signs
Category signs save shoppers from having to ask. Hanging or wall signs that name each section, readable from the entrance, let people head straight for what they came for, and a shopper who finds it fast has time left to browse.
Name sections the way customers talk, not the way your stock system does. “Phone Cases” beats “Mobile Accessories” for most stores. Our wayfinding signs page covers hanging and wall mounted options.
Promotional Signs
Promotional signs work when they’re specific and few. A sign that says what the offer is, what it applies to and when it ends sells better than a wall of competing “SALE” posters, which regulars learn to ignore within a visit or two.
Rotate promotions on a schedule and take expired ones down the day they end. Printed posters in reusable frames, tabletop signs and vinyl banners for seasonal events all make that easy. See our poster printing page for short run sizes. If you’re weighing paper, vinyl or corrugated plastic for a promotion, our sister shop has a handy comparison of paper signs, vinyl and coroplast.
Shelf and Price Signs
Price signs are where trust is won or lost. A shelf price that doesn’t match the register is the fastest way to lose a customer, and in New Jersey it can also be a legal problem.
The state’s Unit Price Disclosure Act requires larger stores to show unit prices on consumer goods. In practice it covers stores over 4,000 square feet that are part of a chain, or single stores that size with more than $2 million a year in consumer goods sales. Smaller stores are exempt, along with stores where those goods are only a small share of sales. The standard is a unit price label directly below the item or a tag on it. A nearby sign or list is only allowed where labels or tags are impossible or impractical.
The rule is enforced. In June 2024 the Division of Consumer Affairs announced a $1.64 million settlement with Walmart over inaccurate unit pricing at 64 New Jersey stores.
Lit signs get powered up and checked before they leave the shop
The Checkout
The checkout is the last decision point and the place shoppers wait. Small signs here sell low cost add ons and explain loyalty programs, the returns policy and payment options. Clear checkout signs also cut down the questions staff have to answer during the busiest minutes of the day. A printed counter wrap or a feature wall behind the register helps too, and Pixel Wraps, our sister shop, shows how wall wraps work on retail feature walls.
Writing Signs People Actually Read
- One message per sign: a sign that tries to say three things usually says none of them.
- Lead with the price or the benefit: “Two for $10” is read faster than the product description.
- Size for distance: a hanging category sign seen from across the store needs far bigger letters than a shelf talker. Our guide to sign letter height and viewing distance shows how to work it out.
- Use contrast, not decoration: dark text on a light background reads best under store lighting. See how color affects sign visibility.
Keep It Consistent With the Brand
Shoppers judge a store by whether its signs look like they belong together. The same typeface, colors and logo treatment on the window, the category signs and the price tags makes even a small store feel organized and trustworthy. A patchwork of fonts does the opposite.
A short sign standard that lists the fonts, colors and sizes for each sign type keeps new signs in line when the team changes. Our guide on how consistent signage builds customer trust covers what to include.
Measure What the Signs Are Doing
Signs are easier to judge than most marketing because the results show up at the register. When a new promotional sign goes up, compare sales of that item for a few weeks before and after. When category signs change, ask staff whether “where is” questions drop.
Keep what works and replace what doesn’t. A sign that hasn’t changed in a year has usually stopped being noticed by regular customers. Our guide to retail store graphics shows how to refresh a store without a renovation.
Common Questions About Retail Signage
Does in store signage really increase sales?
What is the most important sign inside a retail store?
How often should promotional signs change?
Do New Jersey stores have to show unit prices?
How much window space should graphics cover?
What materials work best for in store signs?
Plan Your In Store Signage
Gogi Signs designs, prints and installs retail signage across New Jersey, from window graphics and category signs to promotional posters and floor graphics. Browse our sign gallery to see retail projects, then request a free quote and we’ll help plan the signs for each part of your store.
