by Mark Lopez | Sep 13, 2022
Digital experiences in retail stores have become more common, and shoppers expect and prefer smart technology to help them make more informed purchase decisions. Yet, many product companies don’t use their digital displays to their advantage. Some product companies opt for displaying ads on new digital screens, and others place screens on existing displays– neither of which provides helpful product information or a cohesive experience for the shopper.
Creating a unified display strategy that supports the shoppers’ journey can offer the retailer greater opportunities.
1. Virtual Shopper Assistance
With the limited availability of sales associates in-store, digital displays can provide a wealth of information to shoppers on screen. The ability to provide helpful product information in a relevant way is endless. Digital displays can:
Share a quick view of product benefits and how-to instructions
Present the product relatable to the shopper’s way of thinking and show how it can impact their life
Provide expert advice or tips from social influencers to provide credible product information
Integrate mobile device capabilities to deliver portable content the shopper can take with them to retain product benefits, how-to’s, and service support
2. Associate Product Training Display screens can also educate store associates. Properly training associates pose a challenge for retailers due to a shortage of qualified managers, the large number of SKUs, and the complexity of some products on the shelves.
Providing relevant information on screen for shoppers can also be used to educate associates. This can also serve a dual purpose by providing associates with key selling points to better serve shoppers.
3. Product Visualization Shoppers may need the tools to help them visualize the product in their homes or on their bodies. Virtual reality (VR) tools enable shoppers to see how glasses, makeup, and hair color look on them before buying. This visualizer help creates confidence for the shopper to purchase.
Demonstrating special technical product features like WIFI, convection cooking, self-cleaning, and other smart features may be hard for the shopper to understand. Providing shoppers with VR tools will give them the education they need to appreciate these hard-to-demonstrate features.
Each of these digital opportunities can provide the shopper with the tools to make critical purchase decisions while meeting their current retail expectations. Ultimately, the in-store digital experience creates confident purchasers that build brand loyalty and spread the word about product preferences.
