When shoppers enter brick-and-mortar stores, they expect their in-store interactions to be more fulfilling than online shopping. Stores that use interactive retail displays can upgrade the consumer experience, allowing customers to enjoy an engaging, interactive shopping experience. New digital innovation options not only meet the evolving needs of today’s shoppers but also encourage them to make larger purchases by reaching them at the right moment with the right message.
Following years of online sales growth, people are returning to brick-and-mortar stores, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). In fact, 72 percent of consumers rely on physical stores as all or part of their primary shopping method, as stated in the second annual retail study from IBM and the NRF. Hybrid shopping is another expectation among consumers. “They expect stores to be digitally enabled and for brands and retailers to support hybrid shopping journeys, which blend physical and digital channels,” notes the report.
Retailers can leverage digital displays to allow consumers to engage with products in a more tactile way, resulting in a multi-sensory experience where the consumer can fully immersive themselves in the store with the touch and smell of the product. This is especially impactful in beauty and personal care, according to retail innovation agency Outform, which finds that 59 percent of consumers today prefer in-store shopping. At beauty supply stores, in-store displays help 38 percent of customers discover new products, whereas just 16 percent feel that social media updates are useful for the same purpose.
Seamless, immersive, interactive shopping experiences
Brick-and-mortar stores remain vital for retail, but shoppers want in-person shopping to be more like it is online: easy, personalized and entertaining. Widespread internet access also impacts in-store sales and in-store consumer behavior: Deloitte’s Navigating the New Digital Divide report found 34 percent of shoppers will use their own digital resources (namely smartphones) while shopping in person.
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This raises the stakes on how retailers leverage digital solutions to create a more valuable interactive store experience. Interactive retail technology can customize the shopper journey, and better inform shoppers along the way — creating convenient and engaging experiences that encourage return trips to the store.
On interactive screens, retailers might encourage customers to interact with the display and post to social media. At Fashion Show, a large shopping mall on the Las Vegas strip, for example, one initiative allowed shoppers to take a selfie and be featured on displays at the center’s entrance — giving every person a chance to see themselves made larger than life on the big screen.
And at SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, a multilevel entertainment space and New York City landmark, visitors are surprised and delighted when their photos are transformed and uploaded onto a cloudscape Wall display.
These social media integrations can benefit a retail brand’s bottom line. Deloitte found that people who use social media while they shop are four times more likely to make larger purchases as a result of a digital shopping experience.
Curating customer journeys
To customize and guide the in-person shopper journey, retail stores can implement interactive displays such as Samsung Interactive Display. Linked to Bluetooth-based location services, the displays can greet customers with a personalized message when they enter the store, as Panico Salon does. Meanwhile, window displays can allow shoppers to make purchases and get their questions answered even when the store is closed.
These displays are more than just convenient; they’re efficient, interactive store experiences, too. Alongside a “choose your own adventure,” interactive shopping experience, customers get user-friendly wayfinding — even step-by-step directions to a specific section of the store, or to specific products — almost like a store-within-a-store. Samsung’s QBR-T Series displays provide a small 13-inch display, ideal for placing screens throughout a retail environment; while the QMR-T Series allows stores to showcase the excitement of their brands on larger displays (32-inch, 43-inch or 55-inch).
Self-service kiosks can also streamline the shopper journey with an intuitive all-in-one payment and ordering system. Creating an “endless aisle,” retail devices like the Samsung Windows All-In-One Kiosk allows customers to order products that aren’t currently on the shelf, and the same kiosk can be used for quick self-checkout and more. Retailers can optimize their inventory via interactive displays, showcasing extended product ranges they may not have the space to keep on hand in-store.
Touchscreens provide a hands-on experience, which shoppers can use to look up additional product information and reviews or customize their desired merchandise. At stores like Saatva, new “lift and learn” technology senses when a customer picks up a product and automatically shows them important product information and promotional videos.
Tech drives tangible experiences
Shoppers that choose to shop in-store rather than online are looking for enjoyment and as well as convenience. Stores that make use of interactive retail displays, self-service kiosks, sensor technology and social media integrations can better engage with their customers. Guiding them through the store and informing them about the products they’re interested in, these display solutions give brick-and-mortar stores the opportunity to create more fulfilling, memorable retail experiences that are as seamless as today’s digital consumers have come to expect.
Find everything you need to know about choosing your store’s LED displays for optimal viewing indoors and out in this free guide. Or, discover a versatile range of signage options in the full lineup of Samsung’s interactive retail displays.
