The Future of Retail
Why Digital Signage is the Future of In-Store Retail
Technology is changing how we live — how we shop, communicate, work, and more. There’s been an astronomical rise in e-commerce, digital marketplaces, and online vendors. With that comes a looming question: Is in-person retail still alive?
Believe it or not, in-person retail is far from dead. In fact, American consumers spent $7.05 trillion in retail stores compared to $1.243 trillion online in 2023. However, today’s retail landscape looks different, driven by the rise of Gen Z and changing consumer expectations and behaviors. Success now hinges on building loyalty, standing out from the competition, and uncovering new revenue streams. At the crux of this retail transformation is in-store digital signage.
The Benefits of Retail Digital Signage Solutions
The digital transformation of in-store signage creates an opportunity for more personalized, experiential, and intuitive shopping experiences, placing in-person retail at a turning point. Let’s explore how retail digital signage solutions can make a lasting and lucrative impact.
Standing Out Amongst the Crowd, Attracting New Business
Getting new customers in the door is one of the biggest retail challenges, with the density of stores in shopping complexes and metro areas, making first impressions invaluable. Deploying video walls or digital displays near the entrance is a strategic way to capture attention and elevate your brand immediately. These high-impact installations can run in-store promotions or customizable brand content to attract new shoppers.
So, what does this look like? Levi’s tapped BrightSign and D3 to maximize consumer attraction at its flagship location in Times Square, resulting in over 1,000 square feet of signage consisting of 10 million LED pixels. The result is that Levi’s flagship stood out and generated sales in one of the world’s busiest and most competitive retail environments.
Once you’ve piqued their interest, digital signage continues to guide and enhance the experience. According to Forrester, an improved brand and customer experience can drive up to 3.5x revenue growth — underscoring just how valuable enhancing these experiences are for business growth.
Digital signage helps transform those experiences, attracting attention early and keeping customers engaged through every step of the journey. For example, wayfinding technology guides the way with in-store/event navigation, while informational displays tell your brand and product stories, offering more value to shoppers.
A great example of elevating the in-store digital signage retail experience comes from House of Rituals, the Amsterdam-based flagship store for Rituals. The brand deployed BrightSign solutions for an interactive scent display that invited shoppers to engage directly with the product. Shoppers entered their scent preferences on an iPad, triggering an LED light beneath the corresponding perfume bottle. When they picked up the pipette, a video played to tell the story behind the fragrance. The result was a memorable, tech-enabled experience that deepened customer engagement and provided Rituals with valuable insight into shopper preferences.
Enhancing Loyalty for Existing Customers
Garnering and fostering customer loyalty is crucial for brick-and-mortar storefronts, whether for small businesses or retail empires. Capital One reports that 65% of retail business comes from loyal customers, and those customers spend 67% more on an average purchase than new customers. In-store digital signage helps amplify the products and branding that already resonates with loyal customers and keep them engaged.
In-store digital signage enhances personalization. A kiosk near the racks that lets shoppers log into their customer account, or an interactive mirror can turn a standard shopping experience into a tailored one. In real time, these displays can recommend products a customer may like but hasn’t seen in-store or overlooked on the shelves. Signage also gives retailers an opportunity to understand audiences and drive results by tracking data and measuring key analytics.
New Revenue Streams Through Advertising
The transformation of advertising techniques and technologies has changed the way businesses grow and opened new revenue streams. In retail spaces containing various products and brands, in-store digital signage systems allow these brands to reach and engage shoppers in more ways. This approach appeals to advertisers since they can reach specific markets, verticals, and regions in-store.
Strategically placed displays near check-out areas, heavily trafficked aisles, or clearance sections allow advertisers to showcase promotions, retailer and brand content, or creative messaging to influence the shopper’s buying decisions in a non-invasive way. According to Oliver Wyman, retailers in Europe and Australia mentioned that almost 10% of their retail media revenue was from in-store advertising, and that figure is projected to grow to 40%. Whether it’s a large video wall, singular screen, or kiosk, this is a massive opportunity as retail evolves.
Why Digital Signage Is a Smart Move Right Now
In-store digital signage is scalable, dynamic, and adaptive, making it accessible to retailers of all sizes.
Companies like BrightSign and our partners specialize in tailoring solutions to meet each retailer’s needs, whether you’re transforming a flagship store, bringing innovative pop-up concepts to life for notable launches, or refreshing a community favorite in a small market.
There’s no doubt retail is changing, and those who lean into this transition will reap its benefits and thrive in the next chapter.
Explore More Retail Signage Success Stories
See how leading retailers are using BrightSign to create impactful in-store experiences and discover ideas you can bring to your own locations.
