Gail Chiasson, North American Editor
The best display at Scala Americas Partners Conference was Scala’s own Connected Store display or what George TerBush, Scala R&D, and Amy Wilson, product manager, described simply as Next. (We understand that it hasn’t been officially branded yet,)
Scala demonstrated this as the whiskey lift display at ISE last February, but has since added a whole new aspect: a sales associate application.
George TerBush demonstrates Next
This display demonstration starts off with a display of whiskey bottles. When one is lifted, information about it is displayed immediately on a screen above. If a second bottle is lifted, the bottles and information appear side-by-side.
The lift solution is actually a current installation, and gives a relevant experience to the customer.
Below each of the bottles is an electronic price tag (in this demonstration by E Ink). Everything is dynamically generated from a back-end point-of-sale system and when a price change is made on a screen, it also changes automatically on the shelf tag and at the register.
Also under the shelf of the display are iBeacons with Bluetooth technology. Working with the retailer’s app, and with Scala at the backend, the consumer’s mobile device will recognize that it is near the display and will be able to see much more dynamic content and information on other products. In fact, it can fling information from the mobile device onto the display screens.
“The ‘fling’ piece of the mobile demo is something we’ve implemented for the client,” said Wilson. “The iBeacon/mobile/tablet app piece is not widely available but we are preparing to enter into some pilots with clients.”
With brand new ‘sales associate application’, a sales associate can see on his/her iPad, for example, people with the application who have entered the store, see a list of past purchases and recommended products, and actually a trigger push notification or email in real time.
“The sales associated might see a customer pick up and mull over a purchase and then put the item down and walk away,” said TerBush. “The sales associate might then trigger a response, such as “Just for you, 15% off that item you just considered if you buy it in the next 10 minutes.”
There was no date given as to when the whole display with all its features would be available generally.
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