Have you ever walked into a store and seen a group of customers crowded around a kiosk? There are no sales associates around, yet the shoppers are fully captivated with what is in front of them. What are they doing and why are they so engaged?

Interactive retail displays are becoming more and more popular in the brick and mortar retail environment, and rightfully so. With multiple opportunities for their design and function, these displays can alleviate some of the retail associates’ responsibilities while providing education and entertainment for the customer.

Shoppers today have grown accustomed to static displays and tend to ignore their messaging, yet the majority of them feel comfortable interacting with technology, sometimes even more than engaging with store associates. For brands that want to capitalize on this trend and grab the attention of customers, interactive displays provide a way to do both.

Interactive displays can be used to stop shoppers in their tracks, but they can do much more than simply grab the attention of customers – they can improve efficiency, demonstrate products, and educate consumers. As an added benefit, all of these objectives can be achieved with little to no input from an actual retail associate, which means they can be available to take on other responsibilities within the store.

Implementing an interactive display shouldn’t be intimidating. However, if you’re new to this type of display or want some pointers on how to set yourself up for success, we have a few do’s and don’ts to share with you. We tapped into our team to bring you some helpful tips on how to get the most out of your interactive displays.

Do

• Engage customers

This is your chance to truly engage your customers and provide them with an immersive brand experience. Show them what your product looks like in action, allow them to customize a product, or provide the opportunity for self-service and purchasing at the display. The possibilities are endless when it comes to interactive displays, so as you design yours, ensure it will encourage engagement with your brand in a new way.

• Keep brand messaging consistent

Interactive displays are designed to be fun and create a sense of excitement. While you will want to play off the heightened level of shopper engagement, it’s important that your brand messaging remains consistent with other your other displays and signage in store and online. Keeping your messaging consistent will help customers recognize your brand, and in turn make them more likely to interact with your display and trust its message.

• Entertain

Shopping is a form of entertainment that customers can’t get anywhere else. Interactive displays provide brands the chance to create dynamic shopping experiences that are fun, exciting, and offer something that other brands or stores don’t. If you’re going to create an interactive display, make sure that it truly captivates your audience.

• Have a clear call to action

You’ve captured their attention, informed them of what your brand is about, entertained them, and now it’s time to encourage your shoppers take action. Make sure that your interactive display has a clear, concise call to action. Do you want them to purchase the product they just tried? Can they print out the outfit they just assembled in the virtual changing room with directions to where they can find those pieces in the store? Direct them to the next step by clearly spelling out what to do next.

Don’t

• Assume customers will know what to do

With interactive displays, chances are you won’t need to “show” shoppers what to do – that’s part of the beauty of these displays. However, if the display feels too complicated or is not receiving interaction from other customers, shoppers may not understand what the display does. Make sure your display takes all the guess work out of using it with clear signage and easy-to-follow instructions. This way, when shoppers walk up to the display, they know exactly how to interact with it.

• Set it and forget it

No matter the type of retail display, you should never just “set it and forget it”. Displays need to be monitored and updated consistently over time, and they won’t do your brand any good if they don’t have up-to-date content. Assign a team or an individual to make sure all your displays are showing the correct product information, pricing and other required brand messaging.

• Automatically integrate into every market

Because interactive displays are typically more expensive than static displays, it’s important to carefully identify the specific stores and markets that will benefit most from them. Try testing select markets where you feel the displays would perform best and provide audiences the most value, and evaluate their performance. If they are a huge success, add more interactive displays in new markets and continue monitoring their impact.

Interactive displays offer brands the opportunity to wow shoppers and turn them into loyal customers. They engage shoppers, streamline processes, provide virtual sales support, and offer customers the ability to personalize products. Take your brand’s retail displays to the next level and try incorporating interactive displays into your merchandising plan today!

Do you have a Break Fix team in place to support your retail displays? BDS’ dedicated Break Fix associates in every market across the country ensures your displays are working properly and shoppers are engaging with your brand. Contact us today to learn more!