Modern Retail: Guide to Shopfitting & Display 2018

GUIDE TO SHOPFITTING & DISPLAY

2018

-5 VM trends for 2018 -How lighting can beat a refit -6 VM props to up impulse buys -5 customer journey errors -How digital signage can help

GUIDE TO SHOPFITTING & DISPLAY 2018 CONTENTS 5 Visual Merchandising trends changing the retail landscape in 2018

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How pop-ups are taking over the retail world

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6 Visual Merchandising props for prompting impulse purchases

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5 Signs your customer journey isn’t delivering the sales you need

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How the right lighting can be as good as a refit

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Unibox outline the benefits of their Kontakt shelving system

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How digital signage is helping shoppers on the high street

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Digital signage and its role in modern retail environments

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CREDITS Editor: Rob Gamage - ​rob@modernretail.co.uk Advertising: Emma Mjekiqi - ​emma@modernretail.co.uk Client Services: Beki Rodrigo - ​beki@modernretail.co.uk

Modern Retail is published by Ricochet Media Services Ltd (Registered Company: 6043446).

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THANKS Many thanks to all those who provided editorial content or images for helping us put together what we hope is a useful and informative read! Please send any comments or suggestions to ​rob@modernretail.co.uk​.

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5 VISUAL MERCHANDISING TRENDS CHANGING THE RETAIL LANDSCAPE IN 2018

The UK’s retail industry continues to evolve at breakneck speed, and staying ahead of the curve is becoming increasingly difficult. ​Visual merchandising in particular is having to adapt to an ever-changing landscape; the result of growing online sales and the influence of social media.

Brick-and-mortar retail businesses that want to thrive in this new world need to innovate and evolve — through, among other things, a creative approach to visual merchandising. Here are five visual merchandising trends that are helping independent retailers to grow in 2018:

1. Instagram Zones

High-profile public places such as theme parks and sports stadiums have long had their own “Instagram zones”. These photogenic spaces create images that prompt online discussion and sharing on a mass scale — two events that are always good for business.

Create an eye-catching corner that allows your customers to capture the essence of the shopping experience you deliver. Fill the space with your most alluring products, and include your store name or logo if possible. You should find that your customers soon become your most valuable marketing weapons.

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2. Whitewashing

Shoppers no longer want to sift through hundreds of products in order to find what they’re looking for — they can do that at home on their tablet computers. In the e-commerce age, shoppers want to be inspired, and they want to discover products in all of their natural beauty.

One way to make top products inspirational is to make them the star of the show. Remove all other distractions — including colour, furniture and repetitious items — to make the best products stand out. The likes of Issey Miyake in London’s Mayfair has succeeded in the use of whitewashing as a way of showcasing premium products.

3. Dynamic Lighting

Most retailers have specific products that deliver better-than-average margins — and these are the products that need showcasing in a brick-and-mortar store. Dynamic lighting has the power to influence the purchasing decisions of buyers like very few tools at the average shop-owner’s disposal. Indeed, according to the ​International Journal of Science and Research​, a fourth of shoppers make impulse purchases because of stylised lighting.

By experimenting with different colours, intensities, direction and movement, store owners and managers can use light to accentuate specific design details and motifs. And the use of dimmed lighting in areas without products keeps the shopper’s attention on what’s really important.

4. Interactive Merchandising

Rather than trying to differentiate their stores from online competitors, retail entrepreneurs are now beginning to embrace digital tools and Internet-enabled technology. Take Mac Cosmetics’ “​Virtual Try-On Mirror​”, for instance. Consumers can get an idea of how various cosmetic products will look on their face simply by looking at a screen. Other retailers are offering customers the chance to search for the products they want using in-store computers and mobile apps.

Even the smallest retail operations can usually stretch to a tablet computer or two. It’s possible

to allow customers to browse a store’s entire inventory without taking a step. This type of virtual merchandising display saves space, makes inventory control easier and, most importantly, improves the shopping experience.

5. Creating an Experience Despite the ease at which consumers can now buy almost anything online, there’s still a lot to be said for the tactile, hands-on shopping experience. More and more independent retailers are creating a “third place”, where consumers can relax for a while, spend time with friends and generally relax.

This type of experience can be delivered with something as simple as a seated area, a coffee machine and a select selection of products. People need an incentive to visit brick-and-mortar stores these days, and the opportunity for a day out is just that.

Visual merchandising in the UK’s retail industry is constantly evolving. If you can stay ahead of the curve, you can make your own retail proposition stand out from the competition.

Author: Rob Gamage Rob Gamage is Managing Editor of ​Modern Retail​. Combining many years of experience in publishing with a keen interest in small business and entrepreneurialism, Rob is passionate about sharing interesting and inspiring content with retailers to help them grow. You can subscribe to Modern Retail, for free, ​here​.

NORTHBANKS​ EXPLORES HOW POP-UPS ARE TAKING OVER THE RETAIL WORLD...

Pop-ups are taking over the retail world, they’re shaking up traditional bricks-and-mortar and big-box stores and it’s a hugely exciting retail culture that’s here to stay. Retail design agency Northbanks explores the trend...

Northbanks is finding that more and more of our clients are focusing on pop-ups rather than traditional retail spaces and we’re experiencing great results not only with established brands but also independent and emerging brands.

We’re such supporters that we’ve even coined a new phrase that we call ‘Manifest Retail’ - it’s all about creating short-term customer experiences that help create long-term lasting impressions with customers, whether it’s helping temporary location retailers manifest their physical experiences, getting online retailers to expand into offline or enabling physical retailers to expand their presence.

Brands that are showing success online and through wholesale are coming to us for the next step, they’re asking for a turnkey service that includes finding a location, we’re listening and delivering…

From finding a temporary location to providing bespoke fixturing, lighting, visual merchandising [VM], logistics, install / de-rigging and nomadic pop-up cycles, we offer a comprehensive retail service that ensures our client’s physical retail experiences are successful in communicating their brand and driving sales.

We can also offer insight into the results of the pop-up so that our clients can get the most out of their efforts and investment.

Northbanks evolves with our clients to help them survive and thrive. We are a full turnkey Retail Design & Shopper Insight agency partnering with start-ups and established brands to create shopper experiences that better your brand. We help our clients to create, develop, design, build and install retail environments.

Northbanks is a new kind of agency, nimble, flexible and well suited to react to the needs of retailers. In this time of challenging physical retail we like to think we’re the Necrolestes - the mammal that survived the extinction of the dinosaurs.

A combined experience of over 40 years in retail / event design, activation and VM, and an ability to keep pace with retail evolution helps us understand what makes your customers tick - what they think and feel - and we use this to design and deliver retail environments that encourage shoppers to shop.

Our shopper insight research allows us to look beyond what shoppers buy, to what they buy into. We uncover the drivers of shopper behaviour, to recognise what truly motivates and influences their purchase decisions and what forms their brand perceptions.

We work with you to make a difference – to stand out from your competition and engage your customers through captivating and provoking retail environments.

Pop-ups / Concessions / Kiosks / Stores / POP / Fixtures / Displays / Retail VM / Shop-fit

Call us on 0207 993 8066 or drop us an email to ​hello@northbanks.co.uk

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Retail Display Systems Offering full fit out from back-of-house to front-of-house with interchangeable components for seasonal change.

Based on our Boltless Shelving systems the Easy ShopSystems provides a diverse range of accessories and components to fit out ANY shop with attractive modern and practical displays, counters and shelving solutions in limitless combinations.

The biggest advantage of the Easy ShopSystems is the adaptability and ease-of-use that enables you to reconfigure your retail space quickly and easily to meet changing needs of your product range due to seasonality, a sale or promotion.

Choose from plastic, chrome wire, galvanised, or our range of wooden shelves, or if you prefer select pegboards, bars, or chrome mesh backs with an array of hooks. We can supply garment hanging bars for clothing retail or partitions and pigeon holes. Add signs to the shelf ends and/or tops of the displays to guide people to your product, raise your brand awareness or signpost to your sales promotion area to build your ideal Easy ShopSystems.

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6 VISUAL MERCHANDISING PROPS FOR PROMPTING IMPULSE PURCHASES

According to ​recent research​, around 80 percent of all retail purchases are made on impulse. In brick-and-mortar stores, this percentage has risen sharply in recent years — thanks to the functionality and speed offered by online shopping.

To succeed on the High Street or in out of town shopping developments these days, your store has to inspire impulse purchases subtly. Thankfully, there are six tried-and-tested tools that make this objective relatively easy to achieve — with the expert help of ​visual merchandising specialists.

1. Tables and Islands Tables and islands allow you to present anything from sweaters to books in an eye-catching highly visible way. Products that are displayed at waist height are easy to see and handle, and they grab the attention of shoppers in a way rails and shelving can’t. Ideally, choose products to display on your tables and islands that are likely to prompt spur-of-the-moment purchases.

Both sale items and your premium products can be promoted using a neat and well thought out table display.

2. Point of Sale Displays Once a customer reaches your ePOS area, they’re obviously in a buying mood. Not only have they been inspired to buy something, they also have their method of payment ready. This is the perfect time to sell them smaller, cheaper products that complement their main purchases. A countertop or freestanding point of sale display grabs the attention of buyers and displays impulse purchases in a tidy and impactful way.

3. Signage Nothing draws the attention of shoppers to specific products like effective signage. The right font, colour combination and message can grab the attention of consumers and solicit purchases that may never have otherwise been made. But it’s important to position signage according to the customer journey. And when it comes to ​instore messages, less is definitely more.

4. Tablet Computers In the past, retailers have viewed retail in binary terms: it’s either online or offline. But more and more shop owners are coming to the conclusion that it’s a bit of both. The ​latest technology can be used to enhance the in-store shopping experience — giving customers access to more information than ever before. One way you can achieve this is with the use of tablet computers. Complement your sales displays with interactive POS that includes quality images, product information and availability.

5. Mannequins It’s very difficult for customers to assess an item of clothing if it’s folded away or on a hanger.

While mannequins have had their critics in recent years, they serve an important purpose for fashion retailers. They demonstrate how clothes “hang” on the body, and when used in context they create a story that is perfect for prompting impulse purchases. It’s important not to stuff your store with mannequins, however. Use them sparingly and in the right places, and clear excess stock from the shop floor if necessary.

6. Furniture and Everyday Items Visual merchandising is all about telling customers a story. By showing how your products can enhance the lives of ordinary people in ordinary situations, you can plant a powerful image in the head of the average shopper. For example, by depicting a family breakfast table you can showcase a range of products, including dining tables, crockery, tablecloths and cutlery.

It’s important not to stuff your store with too many visual merchandising props. But a few here and there can tell a story that persuades your customers to make valuable impulse purchases.

Author: Rob Gamage Rob Gamage is Managing Editor of ​Modern Retail​. Combining many years of experience in publishing with a keen interest in small business and entrepreneurialism, Rob is passionate about sharing interesting and inspiring content with retailers to help them grow. You can subscribe to Modern Retail, for free, ​here​.

5 SIGNS YOUR CUSTOMER JOURNEY ISN'T DELIVERING THE SALES YOU NEED

Have you ever taken the time to think about the service provided in your store from the customer’s point of view? And if so, have you recorded the experience in an easy-to-understand way. If you haven’t, you could be missing out on vital sales. The process is called ​customer journey mapping​, and it can be a crucial tool for delivering an in-store experience that drives your business forward.

Of course, you have a customer journey in your store already — whether you know it or not.

Every business does, and understanding it is the key to improving the service you’re delivering.

There are some telltale signs that a customer journey isn’t fit for purpose, but first it’s important to understand the basic principles involved.

A customer journey is pretty self-explanatory. It’s the journey each customer must take in your store in order to make a purchase. In retail, it often starts with a shop window, an advertisement or some form of online message. In many cases, the journey ends when the customer leaves with their purchase. However, this may not be the case if there is a problem with the product.

Ideally, the customer journey should be as pleasant and frictionless as possible. But if any of the following signs relate to your business, it may be time to intervene.

1. You Aren’t Receiving Feedback or Requests from Customers A good customer journey in the world of retail usually involves several opportunities for customers to provide constructive feedback, complaints and requests. If you find that these interactions are few and far between, mapping your customer journey will help you to identify where opportunities are being lost.

2. You Don’t Have Many Regular Customers Regular customers are usually the lifeblood for small, independent stores. In fact, the most successful local retailers know most of their regulars by name (this is particularly true in the catering industry). If you’re struggling to recognise faces in your store, there’s a chance that a lack of repeat business could be to blame.

What is stopping people from returning to your business after making an initial purchase?

While this phenomenon might be related to prices or product quality, the ​customer journey may be the root cause.

3. Footfall Rates Don’t Aren’t Reflected in Your Sales According to ​ShopVisible​, the average in-store conversion rate is around 20 percent. This means that you should be aiming to persuade one in every five customers in your store to make a purchase. If your actual footfall conversion rate is well below this level, map your customer journey and search for opportunities to improve it.

4. You Created It It’s important to let your customers dictate the shopping experience in your store. An effective customer journey evolves over time, according to the needs of customers. If you have put in place a stringent, formulaic customer journey, the chances are it’s not delivering financially.

Adapt everything from your store layout to the final purchasing process according to the needs of consumers, and your shopping experience will be conducive to driving sales.

5. There’s Just Too Much Interaction When it comes to customer service, you can actually have too much of a good thing. While customers will always want advice and an element of human interaction in brick-and-mortar stores, they don’t want to feel pressurised or crowded by over-zealous sales assistants. Assess your customer journey, and look for unnecessary interactions that may be sending people away.

Create a customer journey map of your own with the help of ​retail specialists​. Once you know what your customers face when they enter your store, you’ll be able to identify opportunities for improving service and growing sales.

Author: Rob Gamage Rob Gamage is Managing Editor of ​Modern Retail​. Combining many years of experience in publishing with a keen interest in small business and entrepreneurialism, Rob is passionate about sharing interesting and inspiring content with retailers to help them grow. You can subscribe to Modern Retail, for free, ​here​.

HOW THE RIGHT LIGHTING CAN BE AS GOOD AS A REFIT

Whether you’re running a restaurant or a fashion boutique, you don’t need to rip the guts out of the place to improve how it looks. In fact, the addition of some quality lighting here and there could be all that is required for a complete retail transformation.

Forget about costly refits and disruptive decorative works. When the ​right lighting is used effectively, you can trick your customers into thinking you’ve just spent a fortune on a major shop refurbishment.

Ways the Right Lighting Can Make a Difference Create a Warm Welcome You don’t need to redecorate or remodel in order to improve the welcome you give to your customers. With the right lighting solutions in the right places, you can create a warm welcome before people even enter your store. This starts with quality window lighting, as well as a well-lit entrance area.

Create the Right Atmosphere for Browsing The ​atmosphere you create in your store is crucial to the overall shopping experience. For example, if you’re selling premium clothing, you might want to encourage shoppers to hang around for a while. You can do this with the use of subtle and soothing lighting, rather than by making wholesale changes to your store’s layout and decor.

Enhance Your Existing Decor Certain products require a luxurious, well-appointed store environment. But you don’t necessarily need to decorate to create the illusion of a premium shopping experience. A combination of pendant, spot and mood lighting can create the ambience you’re looking for. If your store is lit in all the right places, you may not need to decorate at all.

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Create a Functional Shopping Space By identifying the customer journey in your store, you’ll be able to spot problem areas that have the potential to adversely affect your sales. For example, A dark area of your store may be making shopping difficult for your customers. Bathe the area in light, and watch your sales skyrocket. Larger stores can also benefit from well-lit thoroughfares, and more subtly lit product displays.

Highlight Key Products By bathing certain items in light, you can make them the star of the show. Perhaps you have a line that hasn’t been performing well. Or maybe you want to point your customers in the direction of high-margin purchases. Whatever your reasons, you can use lighting to give certain products priority in your store.

How Lighting Increases Sales Take a look at a large online retailer, and you’ll notice that all of their products are lit beautifully. Lighting products for e-commerce websites is a surprisingly time-consuming and laborious process, but retailers invest in quality photography because it showcases products and inspires impulse purchases.

And the same principles apply to brick-and-mortar retail stores. Make finding products as easy as possible for your customers. And once they’ve found what they’re looking for, make sure there’s enough light in the right places for customers to inspect your products. The easier and more enjoyable you make the shopping experience, the more people will buy.

Create a Bespoke Lighting Solution for Your Store The one-size-fits-all approach rarely works when it comes to store lighting. ​Visual merchandising specialists can assess your premises, and identify exactly where different lighting solutions can transform the shopping experience. In all likelihood, this will mean installing several different types of light, including pendants, track lighting, surface-mounted lighting and LED spotlights.

The best lit stores are often divided into zones. There are browsing areas, purchasing areas, buying areas and multi-purpose areas, and all of them have their own unique lighting requirements. Accent, ambient and high-activity lighting are all usually required. But when they’re used effectively, they can — in an instant — transform a relatively run-down shop into something very special.

Author: Rob Gamage Rob Gamage is Managing Editor of ​Modern Retail​. Combining many years of experience in publishing with a keen interest in small business and entrepreneurialism, Rob is passionate about sharing interesting and inspiring content with retailers to help them grow. You can subscribe to Modern Retail, for free, ​here​.

UNIBOX OUTLINE THE BENEFITS OF THEIR KONTAKT SHELVING SYSTEM Shelving systems have traditionally been a thorn in the side of visual merchandising teams. While they’re perfect when first specified, as soon as seasons changes - where sandals are swapped for winter boots, the system looks outdated and present layout problems for VM teams.

It’s also no secret that while shelving systems do an important job, they’re limited in terms of product choices.

Unless all of your products are a similar size and shape, displays can be limited and some products might even have to be excluded.

This demonstrates that the importance of shelving systems couldn’t be more significant. POPAI report that 82% of purchase decisions are made in store, which means that a well-designed shelving system can lead to more high-margin/feature product sales.

Retailers large and small are facing the issue of developing a shelving system capable of adapting to their needs. Two have succeeded, with River Island and Clarks working with display manufacturers, Unibox, to create a movable shelving system with integrated illumination and custom finishes.

Initially River Island contacted the Unibox team, who already supply their global store portfolio with LED Lightboxes, with a concept that needed a manufacturer to nurture towards a final solution. Working together to realise River Island’s brand vision, this collaborative process saw Unibox involved in the design process from the start, creating prototypes before the final concept was executed and installed at River Island’s Gateshead store, before a full launch into the Birmingham Bullring Flagship.

The Gateshead launch allowed River Island to display the system to its full strength, combining multiple bays of womens footwear shelving that merged flat-soled / heeled shoes and knee-high boots.

Each one of the individual shelves requiring a larger amount of space were evenly spaced out between the regular-sized bays, however following the close of Autumn/Winter, these shelves were simply aligned by in-store teams creating a homogenous aesthetic.

In contrast, Clarks were looking to move away from multiple product shelving displays, instead focusing on the individuality of each shoe they create, and giving each the platform to be seen in its own right.

Again, Unibox, alongside architects Stiff & Trevillion and global contractors IDX, put the Kontakt system to use in a new, innovative format.

Spearheaded by Clarks in-house design team at Street, the internationally-renowned footwear brand was embarking upon a full store update, with a trial to be launched in their London-based showroom.

Unibox began the process by undertaking trials within Clarks’ Street headquarters, where old boiler rooms and galleries were transformed into mock retail spaces. Unibox fitted these rooms with an integrated shelving system based on the existing Kontakt solution, which was adapted to meet the needs of the client by Unibox’s in-house manufacturing team.

After approval of the initial design, Unibox developed the solution further, integrating a slimline linear light, featuring custom colour temperature and output.

The result is an entirely modular, mobile shelving system which perfectly illuminates each individual shoe shelf.

After launching to great success, the concept has been rolled out to the vast majority of Clarks’ estate.

The reason both projects were successful is the simplicity of the system itself.

The shelving system is infinitely flexible. With a UK design and manufacturing team, the system can be configured to a specific store or product layout. This results in a shelving system that fits into existing stores without compromising on features or floor space.

Plus, Kontakt is incredibly easy to manage. In-store teams can simply pick up a shelf from the flexible track system and place it into a new position. When the shelf meets the track, an integrated linear light illuminates. No wires, no fuss.

This flexibility means shelving layouts are easily updated, and products merchandised in a far less regimented way than ever before.

An integral part of Kontakt is the quality of LED lighting within the system. Developed by Unibox’s in-house lighting division - Lumenal, Kontakt integrates custom LED illumination designed to perfectly complement products. By taking this into consideration, retailers can achieve a display that brings out the best in their products, revealing the true colour to customers that then catch more attention.

This lighting powered from a bespoke track system mounted onto the back-panel of the shelving system, the shelf design allows power to flow in either direction across the LEDs. With powder coat based technology that gives the perfect level of insulation, the result is elegance of design, without bulky plastic extrusions. Using specialist alloy brackets to allow maximum current into the electrical cables and luminaires, as well as being super conductive, Kontakt is also designed to support heavy products.

Taking Aesthetics into account, shelving systems have a limited range of options. With Kontakt, you can choose from a range of wood, glass, stone and printed materials to wrap your shelf, meaning you no longer have to pick the closest match to your store, it can be made using the exact same material.

Looking at River Island as an example, we matched a concrete finish backdrop to a slim-profile concrete infill that was used within their shelving.

This flexibility and ingenuity has been recognised on multiple occasions. Following its launch, Kontakt won a Lux Award for Interior Luminaire Product of the year. The system was shortlisted from over 200 nominations by Lux’s judging panel, it was then put to the test and projects using the system were visited to see it in action. This rigorous judging process is the reason why the Lux award is becoming one of the most prestigious trophies of the lighting industry.

Following this, Kontakt won a second award at the Creative Retail Awards. This award win demonstrates that the shelving system not only delivers in terms of technical performance, but also appeals to the creative industry.

For more information on Kontakt, visit the Unibox website on ​www.unibox.co.uk​, call their team on 0161 655 2100, or email on ​sales@unibox.co.uk​.

HOW DIGITAL SIGNAGE IS HELPING SHOPPERS ON THE HIGH STREET

The UK High Street is under constant threat and retailers need to innovate to succeed. The rise of Internet shopping, business rate hikes and changing shopping habits have all taken their toll on town centres. Retailers of all sizes are fighting to persuade consumers to move away from their screens and into brick-and-mortar stores — and one of the weapons being used is digital signage.

Rather than fighting back against the digital world, more and more shop managers and owners are embracing it. Whether it’s through the use of everyday tablet computers or sophisticated digital signage​ screens, the retail world is using technology with increasing success.

Building Brands In an increasingly cutthroat retail environment, the need to build recognisable and trustworthy brands has never been greater. Everything from your store’s logo to the messages you send helps to build a strong brand, which is why digital signage has become so important on the High Street.

Owners and managers can reinforce their brand principles through changing sales and customer service messages. This is much easier and cheaper (in the long run) with digital signage that can be changed several times a week. How does this help customers? Well, consumers like to spend their money in shops they trust. And strong brands make this trust easy to manage.

Handing the Power to the Shopper If the Internet has done anything for consumers it has put them in full control of their own shopping experience. Anyone can now research products, compare prices and look for inspiration from the comfort of their own home — or on the move. To compete with this level of convenience, brick-and-mortar stores are now using digital signage to give their customers the

power to shape their own shopping experiences.

Interactive touchscreen kiosks are being used to allow customers to check availability and prices. This allows people to check a store’s inventory before they commit more time to the shopping experience. Smaller stores are using tablet computers along with sophisticated ePOS systems to deliver a similar experience at a fraction of the cost.

Improving Customer Service

Issues such as out-of-stocks and returns can adversely affect customer service, and slow down the purchasing process significantly. But such issues can be managed and improved with the use of digital signage. A sign might spend most of the day communicating messages about key products and sales, but when a customer touches the screen, it can become a very useful customer service resource.

Analytics

The more you know about the needs and habits of your customers, the more you can tailor your in-store experience to generating sales. ​Digital signage records a range of data that can be used to guide your future retail offers. The most sophisticated systems offer eye-tracking technology, so you can see exactly what they’re looking at. And facial recognition software can help you to identify everything the sex of your average shopper to their age.

There is also an interactive element involved in the use of digital signage, and it’s surprisingly simple and affordable. For example, a customer can use the Bluetooth functionality on their phone to receive messages and offer feedback.

Visual Storytelling

Have you ever wondered what a garment will look like once you put it on? Of course, the easiest way to find out is to try it on, but that takes time and effort — and not all stores offer this service. But digital signage allows products to be displayed in context, whether they’re clothes being worn or a household gadget being used. The great thing about digital solutions is that they allow for several stories to be told in a single day.

Consumers are still looking for the interactive, tactile and human experience brick-and-mortar stores deliver. By consulting with visual merchandising specialists, you can choose and implement the ​digital signage that will enhance real-world shopping experience for your customers.

Author: Rob Gamage Rob Gamage is Managing Editor of ​Modern Retail​. Combining many years of experience in publishing with a keen interest in small business and entrepreneurialism, Rob is passionate about sharing interesting and inspiring content with retailers to help them grow. You can subscribe to Modern Retail, for free, ​here​.

WINDSOR DISPLAYS DISCUSS DIGITAL SIGNAGE AND ITS ROLE IN MODERN RETAIL ENVIRONMENTS The big brands in retail have been transitioning to digital signage over a number of years now and by way of confirmation that this is no passing fad, our company has been seeing signage becoming larger and more complex, but what is interesting is how this is now influencing smaller retailers.

This is encouraging news, which is possibly driven by two key factors; pricing being one combined with the desire to stand out from the crowd and their competitors.

There are of course many other considerations and these include the ease by which modern digital displays can be updated with content and the fact that in today’s modern digital world many consumers, especially young ones, are tuning out of traditional posters which are beginning to look very outdated.

Today’s consumers, both young and old are now well connected with tablets, interactive phones, interactive watches and the expectation of engagement and interaction is really a given.

So, if you are a small retailer new to digital signage, what should you be looking for, here are some key tips: 1) TV or commercial screen? We often get asked will a TV do the job? Here you simply need to enter this into a search engine and you will have your answer. There are pages on the subject. If your screen is to go in a window, definitely not, if your screen is to deep inside your shop, then maybe, but bear in mind hours of usage and warranty restrictions. Commercial screens are generally designed to operate continuously 16/7 or 24/7 with an expected life of around 50,000 hours, they are brighter and standard warranty tend to be 3 years. These are all areas where TVs will fall short.

2) If your screen is to go in a window you need to be aware of sunlight. If you have sunlight then you may need to consider a High Bright screen which unfortunately cost quite a lot more than standard screens.

You would just need to weigh up cost versus the time of day you want to create the most impact.

3) If going in a window, how are you going to support your screen? This is often overlooked by the retailer. We cannot “attach” screens to windows – you either suspend the screen from the ceiling or from a floor standing pedestal 4) How are you going to update your content? There are two main methods, “plug & play” using updates through a USB or through a remote CMS system, which means you can change content remotely from any PC with an internet connection. Sounds complicated and expensive, but it is not, we have some very affordable packages for easy to use systems, proving very popular.

5) This is not an exhaustive list, but finally, it’s all well and good investing in digital signage but remember that content is KING! Make your content eye catching and colourful, engaging, inviting, and as dynamic as possible and change it frequently. Don’t simply put up 6 images and let them loop slowly for ever and ever!

Windsor Displays is a major Digital display integrator with nationwide coverage, offering individual digital displays and a full range of video wall solutions. We have helped many small and large high street retailers maximize their entry into digital signage and see this as part of the evolution of making the high street an engaging place to visit. ​Call us today on 01252 560 911.

©MODERN RETAIL 2018