Point of purchase (POP) and point of sale (POS) are used almost interchangeably, but they describe two different perspectives on the same in-store moment. Getting them right sharpens how you brief and buy retail marketing.
POP takes the shopper's point of view. It refers to the place and moment where a customer decides to buy — anywhere in the store a product is considered and chosen. POP marketing is therefore about influencing that decision: displays, signage and messaging throughout the aisle.
POS takes the retailer's point of view. Traditionally it means the checkout — the literal place where the transaction is completed. In modern usage, "POS" often also refers to the till system and the impulse zone around it.
If you brief a "POS campaign" when you mean displays across the whole store, you risk a plan focused only on the till. The clearer term for aisle-wide influence is point-of-purchase marketing. Reserve POS for the checkout environment and the transaction itself.
A strong retail campaign uses POP to build desire along the shopper journey and POS to convert impulse at the final step. Designing the two as one connected experience is where in-store marketing pays off. See how we combine them across our competencies and client work.