PDQ DEVELOPMENT 101

There is only a 5 second window to grab a consumer's attention walking down an aisle.

PDQ’s must survive the rigors of the entire supply chain from the time it leaves your dock until it’s empty after being aggressively shopped.
Often overlooked, PDQ’s should be focused on as a valuable part of your marketing and sales campaign. After all, it is the first opportunity enhancing the consumer’s shopping experience.
When designing pallet display PDQ’s, ALWAYS work backwards from pallet footprint.
PDQ’s should showcase and differentiate your product providing visibility and accessibility.
The more information and physical product you can provide, the better chance for a successful design that can meet the structural integrity, marketing, total cost and profit goals
Understand what you are buying when you evaluate different PDQ designs.
There typically is a big difference between lowest price and lowest total cost.
PDQ designs should not require a packaging engineer to set them up.
Insufficient amount of product and focus developing your PDQ program exposes risks to many hidden costs:

Structural failure leads to poor product perception, damaged product, increased returns and dissatisfied store buyers.
Lower and slower sales turns. Decreased revenue per square foot.
Inefficient pallet utilization resulting in prorating PDQ costs over less SKU’s per pallet
Extra inserts/fillers being required to fill up empty space, conforming with pallet under hang specs
Unanticipated high assembly labor cost eat-away at profits
Today’s limited and mostly unskilled labor pool can severely increase time to market
Difficult PDQ assembly requires extensive training, retraining and supervision.
Improper assembly risks charge backs, price mark downs, damaged goods, in store PDQ repair and potentially no reorders.
Redesigning structurally poor performing PDQ’s frequently results in “overkill”, over spec materials, new tooling etc. which increase costs drastically in many cases.
Additional design complexity adds more labor costs and adversely impacts sustainability.
Other cost impacts may result due to scrapping previous leftover inventory

Strength where it's needed, not wasted™

PDQ STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS EXIST ACROSS PRODUCT CATEGORIES
REGARDLESS OR WHETHER IT IS A TOP 50 CPG OR SMALLER ENTERPRISE

E-Z Set™ frequently conducts store audits of all major club stores, retailers and D-I-Y stores to stay connected to structural trends and opportunities to present an E-Z Set™ alternative.

Samples and detailed analysis of the current design and E-Z Set™ improvements are provided.

Below are examples of PDQ design styles that could benefit from an E-Z Set™ design overhaul

Below is a video of one of my more recent store audits for PDQ displays that would benefit from using E-Z Set™ PDQ

3D assembly comparison

Original Version of PDQ assembly

With weaker sides and multiple parts, this original design takes longer to assemble, is functional and has some support. However, the support is wasted as it does not address the weakest points of the PDQ. Strength were it is needed, not wasted™

E-Z Set™ Version of PDQ assembly

With E-Z Set™, the assembly time is cut in half and it is a much more well thought out design from start to finish. Also, less parts and stronger support throughout the PDQ.

Top View Comparison of existing tray with divider and E-Z Set™ tray with divider

Angled back panel doesn't get set up properly and serves no function. This also results in the divider not securely locking into it reducing its strength.

Patent pending angled back panel sets up easily and properly. This results in the divider securely locking into it maximizing its strength

Glue tabs increase the corrugated material by 6% adding costs and is less sustainable.

Rounded tops eliminate any stacking strength. Long slots in the front of the PDQ further weaken the weakest part of the PDQ. Only two thickness of corrugated support inside the front rollover. None of which covers the full span of the front rollover.

Square tops provide stacking strength for both front corners where it is needed the most. There are no slots that go through the bottom of the PDQ. This reduces bottom sag which can cause the sides if the PDQ to implode. Four thickness of vertically oriented corrugated support inside the front rollover, the weakest part of any PDQ. The horizontal corrugated full span of the front rollover lip further resist front lip failures.

None if these valuable improvements increase board and allowed for basis weight reductions from 36# medium to 33# and the inner liner from 42# to 35#.