The internet has become such a ubiquitous part of our lives that it's hard to remember how we lived before its debut. Years ago, most people researched brands and products by visiting retailers and speaking with their employees. It was part of the information-gathering process. Today, a large and growing number of consumers are doing their research online. These people are pre-shoppers. By the time they arrive at a store, they have already developed a level of bias for a particular brand or product.



The question is, "if people have already made up their minds by the time they visit a store, what's the point of placing digital signage in a retail venue?" This article will explore that issue. We'll take a look at why your DOOH network must cater to disparate audiences with different expectations. I'll also explain where consumers actually make their buying decisions, and I'll describe how you can influence their biases.

Meeting A Wide Assortment Of Expectations

Not everyone goes online to research, or pre-shop, products. And some product categories (for example, laser printers) are more susceptible to pre-shopping than others. That means your digital signage viewers will be at different stages of the buying process for any given item. Some people will have no idea what brand to buy, or even what product they need. Other customers will already "know" what they want; they simply need to find it. Your in-store media must be able to cater to all of these shoppers.

The good news is that your signage network can have a significant influence on every visitor within a retail venue, regardless of their product knowledge and bias.

Where Purchase Decisions Are Made

Even though a large portion of consumers perform some level of online research into the products they buy, most purchase decisions are made within the venue. This is the reason retailers have increased the volume of in-store promotions (i.e. end-caps, POP displays, etc.), even as consumers are doing more research on the internet. The promotions have an impact on shoppers' decisions.

That means your signage network can play a key role in the brands and products pre-shoppers buy. Even if pre-shoppers enter a retail venue with a clear intention of what they want to purchase, your DOOH content can influence their bias. The key is in your approach.

Using Information To Influence A Pre-Held Bias

Think about the process a pre-shopper goes through when researching an item online. Typically, he'll gather information about the item, including the advantages and drawbacks of using it. Then, he'll visit a store that he suspects carries it in order to make his purchase. When he arrives at the store, he has a bias. If the item he researched were placed in front of him, and there were no alternatives, he would buy it.

One of the most effective ways to use digital signage for the purpose of influencing a pre-shopper's bias is to provide brand-related information and frame it as a comparison. For example, suppose a customer has decided to purchase a DVD player that is made by Sony. If you are promoting Samsung DVD players, your signage content should offer a comparison between the two brands. Ideally, it would frame the comparison in a way that underscores the strengths of the Samsung model.

With today's media players, it's relatively easy to pipe that comparison to a specific screen located near the store's DVD players.

Even though more consumers are researching products online, your digital signage network still has a significant influence on their purchase decisions. If your DOOH content is designed properly, you can sway pre-shoppers to brands and products they may not have otherwise considered.