Today, the retail industry is going through a major shift as organizations are opting for cutting-edge advertising and promotional strategies for delivering messages to their target audience.

Traditional business models find it hard to fulfill utmost customer satisfaction without embracing technological advancements wholeheartedly. Especially in the post-pandemic world, there is a massive growth of online commerce as security measures have become fundamental to business operations.

The Challenges Faced by the Retail Sector

Physical stores in the modern retail world face many challenges when it comes to competing with e-commerce being one of the most significant ways of shopping. It also became harder for physical establishments to predict changes in consumer shopping habits and trends. In line with that, retail stores are now forced to find innovative ways to communicate to customers and prospects about their goods or services.

So, what is the ideal medium which can effectively communicate all these aspects in a limited physical space?

And, how to avoid the traditional practices like the store staff repeatedly calling out loudly, putting up posters throughout the store and assigning store managers to assist customers on the floor?

Well, retailers can use digital tools, such as digital signage displays, to communicate with their customers. Yes, being digital is the status quo, which is a fundamental shift from mindsets to behaviors.

The Digital Solution That Is Personal to Each Customer

In the current scenario, digital signage can play a very strategic role in inviting customers into a retail store by offering them a comfortable shopping experience, helping them to find the products they are looking for, and guiding them with relevant information. Ultimately, effective digital signage solutions can help build a unique identity of a product, brand and store.

You can display all the necessary information for customers through digital signage that is strategically located at your store. This also will have the same effect with which customers can experience through a website or mobile application, drastically reducing the amount of paper used in making countless information posters.

The Role of Digital Signage in Impulse Purchasing

It is a proven fact that well-placed and designed point-of-sale displays can influence shoppers' spending behavior. Signage with compelling digital content can help increase the chance of impulse purchasing while promoting underperforming products.

3 Ways of Using Digital Signage to Urge Impulse Purchase:

1. Use Complementary Signage & Direct Customers to Add-on Purchases: Customers are more likely to make that impulse buy if the product is right in front of them and they don’t have to walk to a different area of the store.

2. Prompt Customers to Consider Additional Purchases at the Check-Out Counter: Signage at check-out will inspire them to make a last-minute impulse purchase.

3. Use Different Kinds of Signage: For instance, place freestanding signage attached to shelves along with flat countertop displays. Also, set up streaming videos on separate displays to attract the attention of customers as dynamic messages and images increase the number of messages delivered to customers.

The Role of Interactive of Digital Signage in a Retail Space

Interactive digital signage makes the retail space alluring to customers, ultimately leading to deeper consumer education and brand loyalty. Interactive displays craft a specific environment that can collect data from customers visiting a store, evaluate it, process it, and display the most suitable messages, at the most suitable time, to the most suitable audience.

Wisely implemented digital signage makes a brick-and-mortar store closely resemble a website or a mobile app, and this is where digital signage becomes the future of retail. The digital era has already introduced a new term in this regard, the ‘PHYGITAL, which is the concept of using technology to connect the digital world with the physical world, providing unique interactive experiences for the customer.

The In-Store PHYGITAL Experience

Let’s just assume a scenario. You just arrive at a retail store to make a purchase and there is a screen that tells you the available capacity of your desired product.

Inside the store, you ask for a shift on a display by scanning a QR code with your mobile that takes you to a website (or app) informing you of your turn and the average waiting time. As you head towards the section of your interest, you will see digital displays of different sizes (from electronic labels to huge and eye-catching LED panels) that show various promotions, offers and commercial information applicable to your desired product in the store.

Upon reaching the respective section, a display shows you the current turn while your mobile sends you a notification announcing that soon it will be your turn to be served. Once you place the order, you go to the check-out line where the product will be shown to you.

Throughout this process, cameras and sensors collect data about you, legally respecting your privacy concerns. This data will be forwarded to the corresponding departments to analyze how to offer you the best customer experience in the future, just like a website or a mobile app.

Conclusion

Digital signage not only offers data collection capabilities but also incorporates entertaining components that excite shoppers, creating a reason for them to come back. Undoubtedly, digital signage is the future of the retail sector as they blur the border between offline and online business models.

Being the best digital signage supplier in Dubai, we offer a full range of digital signage solutions from prestigious brands like Philips, Absen, DOIT Vision, Peerless, etc., through our stores in the UAE.

For any project-related queries, discuss the details with our digital signage experts as they are always ready to help you out with the right tools and resources to make your projects successful.