How to improve the shopping experience by creating an atmosphere related to the product?

How can digital signage be used to improve the shopping experience? Is digital signage just about advertising? No, much more than that, it can also add to the atmosphere in the store.

In the old days monitors used in stores were considered to be ugly, bulky things that were there just to provide some demonstration video of a product or to display security camera images. Today this is different. Now, digital signage, thanks to flat panel displays, can be used as a part of the decoration of a store or any venue. The fact that the monitors are thin and have narrow bezels means that the impression created by the monitor more or less only depends on the screen content.

It is important to remember that digital signage screens can be used to display other things than just commercials and slideshows with arguments on why to buy specific products. Digital signage can be used to relate to a particular environment or activity such as different kinds of sports or perhaps to fashion or other specific interests. This will affect the atmosphere. By adding sound effects and music, customer experience may be further increased.

You can use screens just to create a particular touch to a store. However a common way of using digital signage to add to the atmosphere is to mix commercial messages with video clips containing real action sports and leisure. This can easily be implemented into any kind of store. Sports such as golf, skiing and sailing are perfect examples. The content on the screens is intended to bring inspiration and catch interest. Using screens in portrait mode associates to traditional signs rather than to television.

Especially this strategy is popular in stores focused on a particular brand of a product.

All screens available in the store can contribute to the atmosphere. While not used by a customer, a touch panel monitor may show a “screen saver” that contain some video clips or other images that adds to the impression of the store.

The nice thing about digital signage is the atmosphere created by dynamic messages that can be adapted to the season.

Using digital signage to create an atmosphere can be used in many other areas than just in the sports, leisure and fashion businesses.  Using digital signage for decoration is highly underestimated.
 

Use the opportunity to let digital signage create an atmosphere
that is related to the particular brand or product.

Lars-Ingemar Lundström

Documentation and Training Manager, MultiQ