In a modern retail environment where brick and mortar stores are not only competing against each other but their cheaper, younger online counterparts, an alluring storefront has never been more important.
Whilst the Internet has made some rather significant gains in the last 20 years, retail sales were still able to reach a quite staggering $6 trillion last year. However, sales in brick and mortar stores of non-food items still fell by around 3% from the year previously and that is certainly due to the allure of the internet and shopping at home, in your pyjamas on the sofa.
So, retailers are not only now being tasked with drawing potential customers away from the outdoor billboards and displays vying for their attention (not to mention their smartphones) but to offer them something that online shopping can’t. In order to make an impression strong enough to draw their attention (and their custom), they need to start thinking digital.
Digital signage in retail
Digital signage has steadily evolved over the past decade, with the DVD-driven displays of yore giving way to more sophisticated, computer-led systems that can be updated on the fly. Digital displays can be used to reach customers before they even set foot in your store and can even be set to target specific market segments depending on the promotion. These are high-tech, engaging and immersive shopping experiences that tap into the millennial audience’s familiarity and fascination with technology.
Why are digital window displays so effective?
Flexibility – Modern LED window displays can be either suspended or floor standing and as they are supplied as a modular system they can be incredibly flexible when it comes to less conventional shapes. This is evidenced by the major LED display at Primark on Oxford Street in London (pictured), which is made up of a number of displays tiled around the central elevator shaft. It’s a true show-stopper designed with over 6.9 million LEDs and providing the store’s undeniable focal point. Modern displays can also be controlled remotely, which is particularly beneficial if you’re managing various locations and want to make sure your signage is consistent between them.
Persuasion – As the old saying goes – a picture is worth a thousand words but a video is worth a thousand pictures. When setup alongside more conventional window displays, they can be set to complement the style whilst also offering something fresher and more creative. Visual and video content is around 43% more persuasive than other methods, so it surely makes sense to utilise them when you’re trying to grab the attention of a busy shopper?
Impact – Digital displays are almost unparalleled when it comes to making ‘big impact’ statements. Picture the likes of New York’s Times Square or London’s Piccadilly Circus, for example, without the glitz, glamour and ambition of the moving displays made possible by the shift from old fashioned neon to modern LED displays. Particularly on a bustling high street or in a major shopping centre, where you’re up against so much competition, making a major statement can be the difference between customers popping in (and spending their hard-earned cash) and walking on by.
What to consider
Location – It’s vital that your window displays are easy to see at all times. Even if you’ve set up an entire LED video wall, you’ll need to make sure there is no glare from nearby streetlights. However, when it comes to the sun, Spectra can provide LED displays that are strong and bright enough to remain visible even in direct sunlight.
Timing – The flexibility of being able to utilise a combination of hardware and software to schedule content to display at different times of day is a major benefit when it comes to drawing in customers.
Interactivity – Via a combination of camera placement and motion tracking software, certain window displays can interact with passing consumers and quite literally draw them into the story of the brand.
Ultimately, digital window displays are far more cost-effective and flexible than they were even a few years ago. They also offer a dynamic platform from which retailers can experiment with different strategies. The idea is to create an experience that couldn’t possibly be replicated online, to keep physical retail locations from becoming relics and to keep the high streets and shopping malls so many of us still frequent from turning into ghost towns.
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