01 Our process
From brief to rollout, in four phases.
Custom retail displays move through four phases at arX: design (brand-voice concepts and shopper story), engineering (prototyping, materials testing, validation), production (fabrication, QA, kitting), and fulfillment (shipping, install support, multi-store rollout). Temporary corrugate programs ship in 4–8 weeks; semi-permanent in 8–14 weeks; permanent fixtures in 12–20 weeks including prototyping. Rollouts add 2–4 weeks.
02 Why the process matters
The displays you remember had a process behind them.
The retail displays that survive a year in service — and the ones that don't — usually come down to the decisions made before fabrication starts. Materials get specified. Tolerances get set. Failure modes get caught in a prototype or in a store.
We run every program through the same four phases so the decisions get made in the right order, by the right people, before the fixture is on a truck.
03 The four phases
The phases, at a glance.
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Phase 01 Design
- What happens
- Discovery, concept boards, refinement, sign-off
- Output
- Approved concept package
- Duration
- 2–6 wks
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Phase 02 Engineering
- What happens
- Materials, CAD, prototype, testing, retailer review
- Output
- Approved engineering + signed prototype
- Duration
- 3–6 wks
-
Phase 03 Production
- What happens
- Tooling, pilot run, full production, in-line QA, kitting
- Output
- Packed, labeled, inspected units
- Duration
- 3–10 wks
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Phase 04 Fulfillment
- What happens
- Logistics, shipping, install support, reporting
- Output
- Installed displays, close-out report
- Duration
- 2–4 wks
Total · 4–28 weeks depending on program
What to expect on the calendar.
Lead times by program type:
| Program type | Design | Engineering | Production | Fulfillment | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary corrugate | 2 wks | 1 wk | 2–3 wks | 1–2 wks | 4–8 wks |
| Semi-permanent | 3 wks | 3 wks | 4–6 wks | 2–3 wks | 8–14 wks |
| Permanent fixture | 4–6 wks | 4–6 wks | 6–10 wks | 2–4 wks | 12–20 wks |
Lead times assume responsive client approvals at each phase. Add 1–3 weeks for retailer review when required.
The same team from kickoff to install.
You don’t hand off between sales, project management, design, and production teams every time a phase ends. arX runs a primary and secondary contacts fully engaged with your project across the full program — and the designers, engineers, and production leads are reachable directly when you need them.
Why prototyping matters.
Prototypes catch problems before they ship. We’ve caught field failures, retailer compliance issues, and assembly time problems in a prototype that would have cost six figures to fix in a national rollout.
07 Process FAQs
Process FAQs. Direct answers.
All FAQs01. How are retail displays designed and engineered?
Brief → Concept Design → Engineering → Prototype → Production. Five linked stages, each feeds the next, none get skipped. At arX, designers and engineers collaborate from kickoff — concept boards include hierarchy maps and shopper-decision flows, and engineering signs off on what’s buildable before the design is approved.
02. What is a typical lead time for a custom retail display?
Temporary POP typically run 4–8 weeks from approved design to in-store. Semi-permanent: 8–14 weeks. Permanent fixture programs: 12–20 weeks including prototyping and engineering review. Rollouts add 2–4 weeks.
03. Do you handle rollouts to multiple stores?
Yes. arX manages multi-store rollouts via DC distribution or store-direct shipping, with per-store kitting, install instructions, and post-install audits. Programs run from 5-store pilots to 500+ store national rollouts.
04. How long does a custom retail display last?
Temporary POP last 4–16 weeks. Semi-permanent: 1–3 years. Permanent fixtures: 3–7+ years, sometimes longer with refresh-in-place.