Creative Ways to Use Digital Displays for Retail

Digital signage displays have become the gold standard for many retail outlets, with their vibrant displays and ability to capture passersby's attention. But the practice has moved beyond simply setting up a screen inside your retail store and expecting the sales to roll in.

Businesses have had to get creative with their retail screen usage, whether it’s displaying exclusive limited-time promotions, setting up social media walls to drive engagement or even incorporating screens into self-checkout kiosks.

So, what are some spectacular ways to use retail screens to increase footfall and potentially boost sales in your retail store?

What are retail display screens?

Display signage for retail usually refers to digital signage displays which are used in a retail environment to improve the customer experience in various ways.

While they are often used for advertising, especially in the shop window, they have a much broader scope of applications, which include:

• Visual merchandising to promote specific products
• Introducing customers to ongoing discounts
• Helping customers find useful information
• Providing directions and self-service options
• Advertising new products or services

In fact, digital signage has as many benefits for retail as it has uses. For example, businesses that use digital window displays to showcase products increase foot traffic and sales by around 30%.

Digital signage screens can also help reduce checkout times and improve the overall in-store experience through self-checkout kiosks powered by digital signage.

As if to highlight that benefit, 71% of customers believe that digital signage advertising stands out more than online ads. And 8 out of 10 customers say they have walked into a store because of the attention-grabbing digital screens. (source).

Types of retail digital signage displays

Here are some of the most common kinds of screens you'll find in a retail store and how they help engage customers.

Self-checkout kiosks

Self-checkouts are popular additions to retail stores because they keep things moving. Nobody likes being stuck in the checkout queue. In fact 86% of shoppers will avoid a store if the queues are too long.

You don't want to invest in campaigns and strategies to attract customers, only to lose them to long wait times.

Self-checkouts allow most customers to speed up their checkout process. Many kiosks can serve additional purposes such as to promote discounts, encourage loyalty program sign-ups or collect emails/leads.

These kiosks can be highly effective in areas with high foot traffic, where they can help customers learn about product features and discover new promos.

Point of Sale (POS) displays

Point of Sale displays are excellent opportunities for retail stores to upsell and cross-sell customers, and it only makes sense to put your best digital signage assets in this area. POS displays are useful and versatile for many reasons, especially as stores can replace their content as easily as clicking a few buttons in their content management software.

These screens can display everything from real-time promotions and discounts to new product launches, seasonal campaigns, and even social media feeds.

Studies show that up to 80% of customers in brick-and-mortar stores shop impulsively (source), which makes point of sale marketing displays a no-brainer for promoting products and impulse purchases at the point of sale.

Read more: Point of Sale Digital Signage.

Interactive touch screens

More than ever, shoppers expect to be able to find what they want at the touch of a button - which is where signage incorporating interactive touch screens is useful.

Whether it's a tablet for customer use which allows them to search for a specific product, or a standing signage board for directions, there are many uses for these versatile digital displays. This could include:

• Click and collect orders
• Requesting assistance
• Ordering items which are out of stock
• Signing up for newsletters or discounts
• Locating specific areas or brands within your store

Find out more about setting up touch screens: ScreenCloud Touch.

Wayfinding displays

A simple LED display can make a great wayfinding tool, especially in large retail environments like shopping malls and big-box stores. They are important because they help customers find their way, which is often very important for a seamless and pleasant shopping experience.

Of course, the beauty of wayfinding displays is that they are linked to a digital signage solution. That means retail businesses can add other kinds of content, from product promos to brand story insights.

Read more: Uses for Retail Wayfinding

Video walls

Video walls require some work to set up, and the right retail digital signage solution is needed because they are essentially several screens linked together to form one cohesive LED display. However, video walls are often visually stunning and ideal for product launches and perhaps some brand storytelling.

Shelf edge displays

These displays are strategically placed on the edges of store shelves to highlight specific products and promotions. Shelf edge displays are usually small digital screens, and stores may use them for visual merchandising or to display pricing information and special product offers.

Shelf edge displays are particularly effective in environments where they can influence impulse buys and provide additional product information at the point of sale.

End cap displays

The beauty of end cap displays is that they’ve become such a huge part of retail shopping today that shoppers have gotten used to them. Like other screens in the retail environment, they are perfect for showcasing products. 

Window signage

Window signage is arguably one of the most important retail screen signage displays. These screens are designed to attract attention, whether that's window shoppers or people walking by the store, and draw them in. These displays are most effective in high-traffic areas because the more people see them, the more they can be influenced.

Here are some figures from a study published by the European Union Digital Library that highlight how effective window displays can be:

• 31.2% of people say that window displays are the most influencing factors to visit a store
• 70.4% of respondents make impulse purchases based on the interest they developed from window displays

These statistics and more are why window displays feature vibrant and dynamic content that showcases some of the store’s best products. 

Read more: How to Create a Digital Signage Window Display

Digital menu boards

Menu boards are very helpful in the food and beverage industry. Big box retailers that have food sections can use display screens to showcase prices, promos, and new arrivals. Their flexibility and visual appeal mean that you can load up a rotating playlist of different attractive offers.

Read more: How to Set Up Digital Menu Boards

Fun retail signage use cases to drive sales

Now that we've established the benefits of digital signage in retail, let's look at some creative ways to use increase retail sales with screens.

Immersive product experiences with AR

Augmented reality can be used to help customers experience even more of a product or product line in your store. QR Codes, for example, can lead to web pages containing more info on the product, explainer videos, use tips, or even frequently asked questions.

Another less common but highly effective augmented reality feature is virtual try-on mirrors. To a great extent, these let customers see how clothes and accessories will fit them without actually trying or wearing them.

A great example of this is the AR Mirror at Sephora Times Square. Launched by Makeup by Mario, it offers a digital experience by allowing customers to scan their appearance and try on different makeup products and shades to see which fit their skin.

Upsell at checkouts

Self-checkout kiosks speed up the checkout process and offer businesses an amazing opportunity to upsell and cross-sell customers.

Retailers can use a screen display on these digital kiosks to display last-minute promotions or suggest complementary products based on the items in a customer’s cart. For example, a customer buying a pair of shoes could use socks and shoe care products and is more likely to buy with a discount!

Introducing this approach means businesses can potentially increase sales by pairing the right digital signage solution with an interactive checkout display.

Captivating window displays

The key with window displays is often to make them as eye-catching as possible. Sometimes, that might mean telling a story that gets passersby and window shoppers curious and draws them into your store. 

One great piece of advice comes from TheBoutiqueHub, which recommends having different instances of the same product. In a physical window display, that means having different mannequins showcase the same outfit.

But, places with a screen based display in-store can create multiple slides that reflect the product differently. Combine these with vibrant images and text, and you could create the ultimate walk-in magnet.

Visual merchandising

Visual merchandising has seen a lot of digital transformation, thanks to digital signage. Your retail business can create a compelling digital experience by using a digital display to improve traditional merchandising displays.

The screens can show real-time promotions, dynamic visuals, and product highlights that change based on seasonal demands or other factors.

Read more: How to Use Digital Signage for Visual Merchandising.

In-store social feeds

Product videos are excellent content for your video walls, but do you know what can bring a different level of customer engagement? Social proof through social media feeds.

In-store social feeds are an excellent opportunity to build a community around your brand and engage with customers. You can use apps like A and B to showcase everything from simple posts to photos and videos. You can even create a live feed with a social media wall so brand mentions pop up in real-time, encouraging customers to join the fun.

Maximize the social proof aspect of this by highlighting reviews where customers talk about specifics like product features and their in-store experience.

DIY and how-to guides

DIY and how-to guides are perfect for stores that sell products requiring some level of assembly or usage knowledge. Your digital screens can easily be set up to display step-by-step instructions, diagram directions, or even QR codes that lead to detailed guides online.

This can make it easy for customers to understand how to use or set up their purchases and increase their chances of buying the product. Additionally, readily available guides can reduce the likelihood of returns due to improper usage.

Launch your retail digital displays with ScreenCloud

Retail stores use a host of strategies to improve the customer experience and drive sales. In addition to this, the benefits of digital signage make it easier for the customer to find what they're looking for, and for the business owner to improve sales and footfall.

While there are many digital signage solutions on the market, ScreenCloud presents the best option for retailers thanks to:

• An intuitive and easy to use dashboard
• Design templates make it easy to create professional digital signage - no design skills needed!
• App integrations with 80+ popular software tools for eye-catching, dynamic and effective signage (find out more)
• Remote content management - no need to be on-site to change, update or even launch your digital displays
• OS and device agnostic: Run digital signage with your choice of consumer grade or professional hardware and operating systems (find out more)
• Remote device and power management (find out more)

ScreenCloud is the choice of big retail brands across the globe. Find out how you can embrace the power of digital signage in your retail store with a free trial to learn more or book a product demo here.