As the holidays approach, retailers are preparing for a season like none they have ever seen with social distancing, hand sanitizing and mask wearing in full effect. On top of these safety measures comes the ever-present pressure for brick-and-mortar retailers to deliver an experience that rivals that of online shopping, which is especially challenging in a time when many are opting for e-commerce in lieu of heading to the store.
Wondering how can they make this happen, while delivering a safer retail experience than ever before? Digital signage can help – here’s how.
Controlling the Flow of Customers
In the age of COVID-19, one of the biggest concerns in retail is overcrowding. With so many customers showing up to shop, it can be challenging to keep capacity in check and enforce social distancing. To protect employees and customers, digital signage that reinforces social distancing precautions, rules and restrictions about shopping and more can make a huge impact on the safety of the retail experience for everyone involved. Signs that are clear, bright and engaging are bound to be noticed more readily than traditional paper-based signs or TV screens, and reduce the need for employees to be on the store floor to disseminate this information to customers face-to-face. Digital signage can also be useful in monitoring the flow of customers in and out of a store, by displaying real-time wait times for entry, and information about the store’s capacity or regulations around shopping.
A great example of a product designed with social distancing and public health in mind are Safety Motion Signs – unique, animated ePaper displays from Motion Display. These signs are easy to install and capable of lasting 12 months with 24/7 animation, ensuring customers are reminded regularly of what’s expected of them while they shop.
Image from Motion Display website.
Reducing Face to Face Contact
To reduce face-to-face interactions in the customer experience, digital signage has proven itself as an effective solution, enabling smooth shopping and checkout experiences for retailers of all kinds.
While browsing, customers may have questions about the store’s layout, available products or even the establishment’s hours. For questions like these, digital signage throughout the store offers easy-to-read, up-to-date information that can be managed from anywhere in real-time and can even share QR codes or other touchless tools that bring product information right to the customer’s mobile device. These tools reduce the need for customer assistance, ultimately streamlining the shopping process.
Electronic Shelf Labels (ESLs) are another great way for retailers to streamline the shopping process without manually updating shelves throughout the store or engaging face-to-face with customers on a regular basis. These labels can display prices, product details or promotions, and streamline inventory management.
This year, and for the foreseeable future, retail is one industry that has to adapt greatly to the current state of our world to keep workers and customers safe and healthy. Luckily, these technologies are here to stay.
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