Monday 18 November, 2019

Do’s and Don’ts for Interactive Retail Displays, Part 1


At one point or another, most of us have seen an interactive retail displays – though you may not have thought about it. Interactive retail displays are still not all that common, so they tend to attract a lot of attention when they do crop up. It isn’t unusual to find a small crowd clustered […]


At one point or another, most of us have seen an interactive retail displays – though you may not have thought about it. Interactive retail displays are still not all that common, so they tend to attract a lot of attention when they do crop up. It isn’t unusual to find a small crowd clustered around one, thoroughly engaged with the display. Even if a sales associate is nowhere to be found, these customers are thoroughly entertained and are actively learning about the products for sale.

Can’t quite picture what an interactive retail store display looks like? The simplest and oldest examples can be found in the electronics sections of department stores. There customers can watch TV monitors in action, test out desktop and laptop computers, and try out the latest video games.

Now technology is being integrated into other store areas; we are even starting to see interactive retail window displays.

How can you design the best interactive retail display? In this two-part series, I will share some “do’s” and “don’ts” with you. Let’s start with the “do’s,” and in the next article, I will talk about the “don’ts.” Exciting and informative interactive displays can propel your retail store into the future.

When designing an interactive retail display kiosk, DO:

• Showcase your product in action. Obviously you can picture how this is done with electronics, but you can do it with other types of products as well. Video demonstrations make it easy for customers to understand how a product could fit into their lives.

• Provide customization options. Let’s say for example that you run a hardware store and you sell paint. You could have a touch screen which allows customers to see what a particular color would look like in a room or on a building. Or imagine you sell clothing. You could set up a kiosk in the changing room which recommends clothing and accessories throughout the store based on the attire the customer is trying on—and even shows what those items might look like together.

• Allow customers to make purchases on the spot. Self-service checkout kiosks throughout a store are a great way to cash in on impulse buys.

• Make sure that you are using consistent branding throughout your interactive displays—and do not forget about the physical elements of the displays: retail rack systems, cases, shelving, and so on. All of these elements need to work together to create an effective and compelling display.

• Include calls to action and help customers to take the next step. Going back to the changing room example, the kiosk could tell customers exactly where to find the recommended accessories. Or if your interactive displays allow customers to check out, they can (and should) include clear instructions for doing so.

So now you know the basics of putting together interactive retail displays and you know some of the “do’s” associated with doing it right. In the next installment, I will share some “don’ts” with you!

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