Technology
Why digital signage is more critical than ever in post-COVID retail
A Sharp NEC Display leader shares insight on digital signage trends in the post-COVID retail environment and the role a mobile device will play going forward.
May 27, 2021 by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com
With vaccinations well underway in the U.S., consumer foot traffic into physical stores is on the rise after a year of COVID-19.
For retailers, it's a time of resurgence in the brick-and-mortar environment which means back to business and deploying technology to spur business, attract customer attention and boost customer loyalty.
One such technology is digital signage and displays. To get insight on what retailers should be doing, what trends are likely to come into play and how the technology can be a differentiator, Retail Customer Experience reached out to John Moezzi, national account manager for Sharp NEC Display solutions. Here's the edited interview conducted via email.
Q. The pandemic has clearly impacted in-store consumer traffic but now as more shoppers are feeling comfortable about going back into physical retail stores will signage and displays take on a stronger and more critical aspect?
A. Digital signage within brick and mortar retail stores is more important than ever. Digital signage will continue to be used by retailers to promote product and service offerings and increasingly for informational purposes to communicate current policies and expectations for in-store shoppers. The ability to quickly change messaging from a centralized location in real time makes digital signage ideal for these use cases.
Q. Do you think the changing consumer behavior, primarily due to the pandemic, will impact the direction of signage and displays — trigger new strategies or approaches?
A. I think we will see new approaches to interactive digital signage as a result of changing consumer behavior. There will likely be less interactivity through the use of touchscreen displays. Rather we will see much more interactivity with digital displays through a shopper's mobile device. There are a number of digital signage software platforms that currently support this type of interactivity.
Q. When it comes to in-store signage and displays are there any common misconceptions among retailers about embracing such technology?
A. The most common misconception is that all commercial displays are of similar quality. This couldn't be further from the truth — and it's why we encourage and support side by side comparisons of display technology. Another common misconception is that consumer TVs are similar to commercial displays. This is also incorrect. Choosing products strictly on the basis of price is invariably the wrong approach that will lead to a much higher total cost of ownership over the lifecycle of a digital signage program. Unfortunately, many retailers learn this lesson the hard way.
Q. What do you expect to come in the next year and next five years in terms of signage and display technology?
A. We'll see advancements in technology of course. This will include ever greater resolutions in large format displays. Sharp/NEC is offering Sharp branded commercial displays that boast 8K resolution. The bar will continue to rise in the future. We'll also see similar advancements in direct view LED and a rapid adoption rate of this technology as prices continue to come down.
About Judy Mottl
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