A couple of years ago, Deloitte and Touche released a study that revealed more than a few interesting findings about how people shop. Among them was this gem: over 65% of the people who visited a retail venue during that year's holiday season were not affected by traditional advertising. Their purchase decision was influenced by a number of factors; one of the most significant was the in-store experience. This is thought-provoking for a number of reasons, though we'll focus our attention on how it impacts your digital signage network.

Below, we'll explore how the new shopping generation shops. D&T's study from a couple years back implies a shift in behavior that is likely to become more prevalent over the next decade. I'll also explain how the in-store experience influences purchase decisions and how your signage network can leverage this trend to encourage a response.

How People Shop Today

More than ever, consumers are using pre-shopping strategies to make buying decisions. This can include doing research online regarding brands and models, visiting a number of stores to find the best deals, and actually handling the product. For example, a person who is shopping for a digital camera might search for reviews online. Then, he might visit several local stores in order to uncover sales and to hold a few appealing cameras.

This is pre-shopping. Notice that traditional advertising has not played a major role anywhere in this process. In a moment, I'll explain how digital signage content can be seamlessly integrated into this experience.

The Impact Of The In-Store Experience

The Deloitte study also noted that shoppers are more likely to make a buying decision in a venue that has delivered a consistently good shopping experience in the past. While this includes everything from offering employees who are knowledgeable about the store's products to a well-designed floor plan, it also includes engaging in-store media.

The reason many shoppers come back to a favorite venue is because of their past experience there. Digital signage content that engages consumers and educates them about the products in which they're interested adds enormous value to the in-store experience.

Focus On Product Benefits And Features

Despite a growing number of people conducting online research on different brands and models, studies show that a large majority of shoppers choose brands while visiting a retail environment. This is significant. It suggests that something within the venue has influenced the decision.

To understand how your signage content can play a key role, let's recall our example shopper searching for a digital camera. His pre-shopping activities have likely turned up a number of competitors. By the time he arrives at the store, there's a good chance he has not yet chosen a brand. Your signage content can display a useful comparison between select brands or models, showing the benefits and features of each. If a certain camera is on sale, your comparison can help lift sales of that item by showcasing its benefits over competing models.

Encouraging A Response

In past articles, I've explained the importance of including a clear call to action within your digital signage content. Remember, most shoppers will not act on their own unless they are highly motivated to do so. In the case of our digital camera shopper, he might indeed purchase the item with very little prompting. But, why leave it to chance? When used properly, your network can be a potent force in encouraging a response from motivated pre-shopping viewers.

That might mean lifting in-store sales or generating a text message request for a time-limited coupon. Whatever the case, your digital signage content can play a major role in reaching this new shopping generation.