What’s Now, What’s New, What Should Be, What Could Be At #GlobalShop
Since the time digital signage became an industry (whenever that was), the focus of events, workshops, webinars and so forth has seemingly been, primarily on the retail industry – and of course, the opportunity for large-scale, retail digital signage networks is there.
We all see it, whether it be in traditional retail environments, QSR or even retail banking.
GlobalShop (Visual Merchandising & Shopper Marketing Expo) mind you, has always provided a slightly different view, a perspective that I believe shows how much more work digital signage pundits have to do in order to gain much more traction in this vertical sector.
Of the 648 listed exhibitors her in Las Vegas, 28 are labeled as digital signage providers. Some names you will instantly recognize, some you won’t – saving you the math, that’s less than 5 percent of the total exhibitors, Ed.
So who else is there? Think of every tangible item in a retail store and there was somebody exhibiting, selling and educating on that product; from price tags to baby-changing stations, from aisle markers to full blown alarm and security systems.
This demonstrated to me yet again, that digital signage is just one of thousands of decisions retailers must consider AND this is why the digital signage industry must continue to educate the retail industry and all who play in it.
I found this week, that even the most sophisticated retailers asked very basic, yet highly intelligent questions about the possibilities of what digital signage could do for their business and perhaps more importantly, what it should be doing for them.
Retailers are visual people. They get it. They usually understand what the value of an enhanced customer experience is but what’s left to grasp is what role digital signage plays, whether it be traditional signage, interactive or integrated with mobile.
Being able to demonstrate real-world scenarios played out in the retail space are key, especially if showcasing ‘new’ technologies like BLE or even (not so new) NFC.
Global Shop is a three-day event that hits home all of the options and considerations retailers must make, to not just enhance the customer experience, but also simply to run a store!
The good news for the digital signage industry is that they (retailers) get it and want to understand more about we can offer. If you are into retail then you should have been there.
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