The in-store shopping experience has changed. Your advertising should, too.
With eCommerce adoption at an all-time high – further accelerated by the pandemic which saw 67% of consumers change the way they shop – retailers have to rethink their physical store experience, and what this looks like in the end-to-end omnichannel shopping experience.
According to Shopify, physical stores are as important as ever, with 81% of Gen Z consumers preferring to shop in stores to discover new products and more than 50% stating that in-store browsing is a way to disconnect from the digital world.
The key to maximising the in-store experience is understanding how shopper behaviour has changed and what customers expect in the post-pandemic landscape.
Now, shoppers expect immersive, experiential in-store and online shopping, and creative advertising solutions that personally connect them with a brand with little to no friction and in a format that makes sense to them.
Like digital screens.
As it says on the can, digital screens are signs and screens throughout a retail store that display ads, videos, promotions or any other message you want to relay to customers.
Zitcha partners with Mercato Digital Signage (MDS), the most advanced retail media signage product in market, to offer digital screens for retailers. Leveraging a plug-and-play solution, our digital screens provide unparalleled speed to market and immediate scale. Through unique targeting and data collection, brands are given ultimate control and can track campaign results via detailed reporting capabilities.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg with digital screens. Here are another three reasons why digital screens should be a core component of your retail media mix.
Digital in-store signage has been found to increase brand awareness by 48% and foot traffic by 33%.
ENGAGE + INFORM + ENTERTAIN = $$$
Did you know the average attention span of a person is only eight seconds? Wild, we know, but as 24/7 connectivity continues to become the norm, it’s no surprise our bandwidth for uninterrupted focus is rapidly decreasing.
Which is another reason why digital screens are an effective advertising medium. Capable of delivering multiple ads with eye-catching visuals and messaging in just seconds, digital screens are more engaging than traditional in-store signage, with video proving to be the preferred advertising medium due to its ability to deliver relevant messaging that’s easily digestible.
Digital screens are also a great tool for entertaining people waiting for assistance. And in staff-reduced stores. They’re also more likely to drive impulsive spending, with 1 in 5 people reportedly making an unplanned purchase after seeing a product promoted digitally.
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SPACE SAVER, MONEY MAKER
Despite a rise in online shopping, retail spaces still remain one of the most effective ways for eCommerce businesses to grow brand awareness. In fact, digital signage has been found to increase brand awareness by 48% and foot traffic by 33%, with many shoppers preferring flexible omnichannel experiences like buying online and picking up or returning in-store, as well as trying on products in person.
Digital screens are a great solution for retailers with smaller physical spaces who need to make an impact without taking up too much real estate.
Smaller, showroom-style stores are also on the rise, with many retailers choosing to downsize their space and collection to offer more curated and interactive shopping experiences. Target and Walmart are two global examples of this, as well as Coles and Woolworths on a local level, whose ‘local’ and ‘metro’ concept stores offer a curated product selection tailored to the surrounding demographic of shoppers.
Brick and mortar is also an effective way for online businesses to get direct contact with and feedback from their customers, which they can then leverage to improve their offering, scale and expand into new markets.
Pair the concept store approach with digital screens which are proven to drive 32.8% growth in repeat buyers, and it’s clear to see that when used effectively, digital screens are a great space saver and money maker.
GET CONTROL, STAY FLEXIBLE
Digital screens offer greater control and flexibility than traditional in-store advertising.
Where in the past retailers had to manually coordinate signage across multiple stores and departments, now, through an intelligent digital screen solution, they can create, edit, remove and refresh campaigns from one central location, ensuring marketing is relevant, consistent and efficient at every touchpoint.
They also can be agile and reactive to consumer behaviour or viral trends for increased engagement. Retailers can leverage trending topics and build campaigns around them in a matter of moments. Like meme marketing, which continues to grow in popularity.
Want to learn more about digital screens and how you can utilise them to your advantage? Book a demo now.
