By Jen Johnston, part 4 of the At Shelf: Signs blog series

As an 80’s child, I think the title of my blog post is pretty “rad,” but if you don’t understand the reference, look here!

As described in my previous post, you have many options when it comes to marketing your product at the retail shelf, including shelf signs. However there are many, many different styles, and each serves a similar but slightly different purpose. In this post I will talk about the benefits of using shelf wobblers.

Wobblers Defined

A shelf wobbler is a sign that hangs from the shelf below your product. Instead of hanging straight down like a wiggler (aka dangler) it arcs up slightly and then down. The picture below should make that a little clearer!

Wobblers can be affixed with a self-adhesive backing or they can click right into the shelf channel. The other end supports the card which wobbles when it is touched or as air from a passerby moves it. The card at the end can be a standard rectangle or oval, or may be specially die cut in a shape for even greater impact at shelf.

When to Use

Wobblers are action oriented, so use them when you want your message to "leap out" from the shelf. Wobblers are appropriate for products that are placed at waist level or above, and optimal for eye level. As you can imagine, if your product is on one of the bottom three shelves, a wobbler is not ideal. If you do not know where the retailer intends to shelve your product, having wobblers produced is a bit of a gamble.

When Not to Use

If you know your product is likely to be placed on the bottom shelves, a wobbler will not be effective. Instead you might consider an aisle violator or an aisle blade. Wobblers are also not appropriate for pegged items or for items placed on very short shelves as they may cover the products below them which is not desirable to the retailer.

Remember, as previously shared, it is important to work with your retail partner to understand their shelf sign guidelines or recommendations. Every retail chain is different.  Make your buyer a part of the process prior to having signs produced. It can be helpful to present them with digital renderings of different options: wobbler, wiggler, aisle violator, channel strip, and a flat shelf sign.