With our consumer culture becoming more and more technology crazed, it’s no surprise that brands are finding innovative ways to bring selling into new spheres, especially in retail stores. We’re seeing an influx of “smart” merchandising to attract shoppers’ attention, facilitate meaningful connections, collect customer information to personalize the experience, and ultimately influence the sale.  

The stats supporting the shift to from static to digital signage show this high-tech trend is here to stay. According to Digital Signage Today:  

• 63% of people report that digital signage catches their attention. 
• Digital video in general reaches 70% of the public. 
• 42% of retail video viewers would prefer to shop at stores that have video displays. 
• Digital signage reduces perceived waiting times at checkout by as much as 35%. 
• Digital signage adds an upswing in overall sales volume by 31.8%. 

With so many creative options out there, where do you begin when making the shift from static signage to something more engaging? Here are a few options to consider:  

Augmented/Virtual Reality 

Thought AR/VR tech was in decline in the wake of the Pokemon Go phenomenon? Think again! This interactive technology can definitely be repurposed to create an entertaining and even informative brand experience at retail. That’s exactly what cosmetic powerhouse MAC Cosmetics did when they implemented an augmented reality try-on mirror that allows customers to see what products would look like on their own faces before purchase. 

3D Rendering Tools 

Allow consumers to develop their own, customized version of your product with displays that feature an interactive 3D rendering experience. Nordstrom is just one of the latest to test the 3D rendering waters. In a partnership with Comme des Garcons, the beloved retailer will be implementing a shop-in-shop that features a made-to-order suit visualizer tool, which “will let customers scan fabric swatches and pull up 3D renderings of what their full suit would look like, and then swap in new features. The digital screen will then send the final suit to be made.”  

Smart Shelf Capabilities  

Wouldn’t it be great if your display could actually do all the work for you? With the rate that tech is evolving, you could soon be automatically receiving real-time customer information, restocking updates, and broken display notifications, among so many other amazing integrations. Tech giant, Intel, predicts that over the next few years, we will see an influx of smart shelves that can do a number of things, such as “deliver personalized experiences to the shopper, reward shopper loyalty, create data-led sales and marketing opportunities for manufacturers, and maximize profit for the retailer by optimizing pricing dynamically.”   

Retail definitely isn’t dead, but having a static experience is. Ultimately, evolving your on-shelf product experience is one of the major ways you can win in an increasingly personalized, interactive, and digitized world. Ready to meet the challenge? Our display experts are here to guide you through which tech trends are right for your brand, develop a customized display lifecycle plan, and ensure your highly interactive displays are in tip-top shape to meet your customers. Contact us today to learn more.