2021 – Digital Signage and the Re-opening of Retail Brick-and-Mortar Locations

One thing is undeniable! Consumers are excited with the near-term prospects of herd immunity and return to mask-less shopping. Many healthcare experts are predicting that this will occur in the September timeframe. 

Cushman & Wakefield recently published their 2021 U.S. Retail Overview. This report noted that stimulus payouts have increased after-taxable income by double digits and has created the strongest income growth ever recorded. CNBC has reported that household wealth has risen to an estimated record high of over $123.5 trillion at the end of 2020. With this new available wealth, Cushman & Wakefield predicts that consumers will resume spending in 2021 at 3.7% annual growth verses numbers prior to the pandemic. 

While 2020 saw a record increase of 23% in e-commerce sales, Cushman & Wakefield believes that people will return in mass to brick-and-mortar retail locations during the mid-to-late summer months. They believe that e-commerce sales will decline and return to near pre-pandemic levels of around 20% share. At least through 2025, they believe brick-and-mortar will continue to hold on to a 78 – 83% share.

Coupled with the inventory adjustments required to greet customers back into the brick-and-mortar environment, both retailers, as well as individual brands, must ensure that they provide the highest level of customer experience to capture their share of the consumer wallet. A consumer’s experience is one of the most powerful drivers of loyalty and repeat sales. Digital signage is the most effective bridge to connect the consumer to the retailer and the brands they sell. 

UX2D was born out of a retail focused digital signage systems integrator. Our clients had a need for a SaaS Content Management System that could address the unique challenges presented by retail clients that we simply could not find on the market. Our clients’ needs were significantly more challenging due to the demanding environment, which could be unique in each physical location. Additionally, the solutions that were available simple were cost prohibitive. UX2D was built to meet those needs coupled with a solution for creating, building, deploying, managing interactive signage solutions, as well as collecting and reporting analytics. 

 Top benefits derived from digital signage:

• Drive/Pull traffic into your location. Our population has become obsessed with consuming information through digital platforms. We are now naturally drawn to these displays and they capture our attention. Window facing digital signage can have a tremendous impact on increasing foot traffic within a store. Some statistics show that 8 out of 10 consumers enter a store because the content on a digital sign catches their attention. This is a significant increase of potential consumers who may otherwise walk past a store. 
• Immerse the consumer in the brand. Traditional signage can help increase brand awareness, but when digital signage is used in retail, it provides the ability to immerse the consumer in the brand. A single screen can display hundreds of photos or videos that convey branding elements. When used throughout the store the brand becomes ubiquitous and makes a lasting impression. 
• Wayfinding and product locators. Digital signage interactive kiosks provide the opportunity to build a relationship with the consumer by building familiarity with the store. A directory map can mimic the online shopping experience by showing where each department is located. Deploying additional self-serve product location kiosks at a Department level provides consumers with the ability to be self-sufficient and secure more granular information showing the product’s specific location. 
• Increase consumer product knowledge. Digital signage bridges the information that we, as consumers, get today through our computers and cell phones. When retailers and brands provide immersive, interactive experiences, they provide the opportunity for a consumer to learn more about features, benefits, and decisions for buying while in the store. These interactive experiences can now be achieved touchless, yet still deliver an immersive experience.
• Increase purchasing decisions and drive a greater percentage of consumer wallet spend. Numerous studies on consumer buying behavior have shown that when relevant information is served to consumers close to a point of purchase, there is an increase in total wallet spend. 44% of shoppers admit that a combination of social media and digital signage increased their in-store buying decisions. 
• Repurpose e-commerce content as well as increase overall digital presence. Retailers and brands invest a significant portion of their marketing spend on social media. Digital signage provides an opportunity to repurpose content developed for social media and allows you to put this in front of the consumer without external distractions. Delivering this content in-store via digital signage eliminates any competitive messaging that is present on social media. Additionally, creative brand awareness campaigns can be created, providing the experience in both the social media world as well as in the store’s physical environment. In-store digital signage can show anything that is happening in the online world.

Summarizing, UX2D is a comprehensive SaaS content management platform designed for the challenges of the retail environment. Our platform is cost effective and well suited for retail signage, including touch and touchless interactive experiences. Whether you need to integrate pre-built apps or robust integration capabilities, our platform delivers. 

For more information on how UX2D can assist your business, please contact us at [email protected]