Digital signage has many homes, but nowhere does it find as comfy of a home as in retail. The approach of retailers to provide fresh and engaging customer experiences is always changing, as is digital signage! The two combined not only elevate the customer experience but also provide plenty of valuable information to retailers to optimize their business strategies.
Digital signage is here to stay and we will certainly see further development in all of its aspects, including implementations in retail. Here are the main reasons why it belongs to and will continue to be a growing part of this fast pacing industry.
1. Retail digital signage is a proven investment
The simplest and most important fact about retail digital signage: it works! The retail industry is always trying to connect to consumers in new ways and build new experiences. It started with ads, but digital signage in retail has gone to a new level.
Retailers use it for ads of a more advanced kind, but also for entertainment, videos, special offers, decorations, or even just positive messages. All of this contributes to a more satisfying retail experience. Its power and popularity is validated by the fact that the majority of customers find digital signage would make them more likely to buy the advertised product.
2. Retail digital signage is adaptive
Retail is a huge industry, and these days brands have much more to their identity than merely the type of merchandise they sell. For any clothing shop selling, let’s say jeans, to stand out, they’d have to do a lot more than say “we sell jeans.” Instead, they’d have to highlight what they stand for and what makes them better than the rest. The identity of each store is unique, and digital signage can adapt and show that uniqueness.
This concept is easily applied not only to brick-and-mortar stores, but to whole industries. If you sell something, really anything, digital signage can make it look better. But it’s especially important in a versatile industry such as retail. Customers buy based on their desire for quality, price, taste, style, status, or simply because they like the brand. Whatever the reason may be, digital signage can bring out their desires and communicate to them you have what they want. The challenge lies in creating quality content. If you succeed in that, digital signage can take care of the rest.
3. Interactivity is the future
It used to be a new and unusual thing, but with applications like self-service checkouts and ATM machines, we’re pretty used to interactive technology in public spaces by now. From the customer perspective, interactivity is a big plus as it provides an on-demand engaging experience. In the digital signage world, it is becoming a standardized component and is expected to continue its growth.
The demand from customers in retail is pointing at the do-it-yourself approach. Interactivity allows customers to look up the inventory and browse product features like sizes and colors. More advanced interactivity can even allow customers to try on an outfit in a virtual mirror without having to physically put it on.
Having the option to interact with the technology feels faster and more satisfactory if the customer can get what they want, when they want, and do so conveniently. Additionally, interactivity with self-service kiosks, registers or even entertainment is valuable for retailers. Nothing provides an insight into the customers’ mindset more clearly than their direct interaction. This can provide accurate information which in turn leads to more solid business decisions.
4. Powerful impact during peak days
Throughout the year, across the globe there are annual events which bring a spike in customer spending. Events like conventions, concerts, local gatherings, or most importantly holidays always push more people into spending! Some events or holidays are more important than others, depending on the country they’re celebrated in. And if you’re a retailer, digital signage can bring you a boost during those times.
High traffic locations can be optimized with high-resolution displays to get your special offer and messages across. Your content should certainly be unique for the holidays, but also consider the location of your displays in your store.
Store entrances and end-caps of isles are a good start. Add interactive kiosks to the mix and your customers will certainly notice the change. You could even consider placing displays on ceilings to draw more attention and optimize the floor space. If it’s supposed to be a one-time all-encompassing store design, consider renting digital signage services for this purpose just during the special event. During holidays, digital signage can make for great decorations too. It’s quite easy to make it snow inside with this amazing tool.
And even if you decide against renting digital signage for these uses, you can always invest and buy it. Your displays will find a use after the holidays as well.
5. Digital signage standards are rising
When you have expectations and your standards rise as time passes, it means you care about something. Digital signage is the embodiment of this correlation. At the beginning of its existence in its rawest form, it was appealing. The standard has risen since then, and there is no more room for mistakes which were tolerated in the past.
Your digital signage must be on the top of its game to be effective. Errors are not forgiven by the audience, and these days when people see a display with glitched content, they’ll usually laugh about it, and not in the way you’d like. They won’t really sweep it under the carpet as it feels very amateurish in this day and age. That’s what digital signage software is for and it can notify you ASAP when mistakes like this happen!
With the rising standards and demand for the presence of digital signage in retail, its applications and new forms of use will evolve further. Digital signage in retail today was unimaginable in the past. Retail stores provide their users the ability to order out-of-stock items, study the inventory and even try out an outfit without actually changing into it. We’re all looking forward to see what else awaits on the horizon.
