Digital Window Displays
Gone are days of cutting out coloured cardboard into star shapes then staff sitting around hand-writing promotions to plaster across your store front windows with cellotape or blu-tack. Stores can (and are) blending online presences and digital marketing right into the store front using digital window displays.
The benefits to be had are numerous, including relaying accurate information that’s displayed in real-time. It’s how travel agencies can show real-time currency exchange rates right in their store window and retailers, department stores, and even car showrooms can compel passers-by to stop, look and then make an excited decision to walk through the front doors and explore what’s on offer.
The possibilities are only limited to the creative input for what’s put on display.
Got an online presence? You’ll know the power of reviews. Put them on display on a digital window display. Expand your brand presence by blending your digital customer journey with shoppers on the high street. Last minute promotions of “going fast” flash sales can have a major effect on the amount of (what would otherwise be) passer-by foot traffic. The continual movement on digital window displays draws the eye. LED screens beat posters hands-down because dynamic content is more appealing than static content. Instead of a one-chance to capture the attention then lose people’s interest, the dynamic nature of digital window displays keeps people’s attention. Modernise your display, attract eyeballs and get people’s feet walking through your store doors.
LED or LCD for a Digital Window Display
The choice of screens between LED and LCD will influence the effectiveness of your advertising campaigns. LED stands for Light Emitting Diodes and are cheaper to run and give a better contrast. LCD (liquid crystal display) on the other cost more to run but are cheaper to get up and running. For store windows indoors such as inside shopping malls or exhibitions, an LCD screen could be cheaper to purchase and produce enough brightness for easy viewing. For stores with windows facing outdoors where direct sunlight is likely to impact the viewing experience, LED screens are the better of the two for visibility and are more energy efficient so there’s savings to had in the long-term. Additionally, as there’s no fluorescent tube lighting needed like there is with LCD screens, LED screens are usually lighter in weight and have a thinner profile.
Screen Size Matters
The size of the screens used for digital window displays will impact their effectiveness. The smaller the screen size, the less eyeballs it can attract. But, up close, a large screen may be too large to easily view. In cases where the store windows are large, such as from floor level to ceiling height, it may have more impact to install multiple smaller LED screens, in effect, creating a digital video wall display. The advantage here is there’s more movement going on across the screens, letting your marketing go further by showcasing different departments with dynamic content. The more content on display, the higher the likelihood is that someone passing by will notice the display and at least one of the multiple messages on show would spark enough interest to compel them to explore your store over every other option they have around them.
When considering if one screen is enough to create the impact you want, it’s not always the bigger the better. The bigger the screen is just means that it’s going to be more viewable from a distance. Up close, large digital window displays can be difficult to read contextual marketing messages, and visuals from dynamic content (images and videos) can become pixelated.
For most stores, a 45” screen can work well for a digital window display. Under 45” are better suited to in-store displays as customers are already going to be up close and able to see clearly what’s on show. For the window display, a screen size of 45” can be viewed with ease at distances between 1m and 2m. Increasing the screen sizes to 65” can increase the viewable distance from 2m up to a possible 3.5m. Consider how far or close to your store windows people are when they pass. The closer they are, smaller sized screens will work. If they’re further away, go larger or use multiple screens to put a video wall display in your shop window.
Making Sure People See Your Messages
A digital window display should be giving you the ability to make changes on the fly. You shouldn’t need to be reliant on an IT service company coming around to your premises any time you want to change your display. Most commercial grade LED screens used for digital window displays are designed with ease of use in mind. A media player is required, and they work just as you’d use a computer or laptop by plugging in a USB stick. The plug-and-play approach to digital windows displays is the simplest way for any commercial business space to modernise their store front, grab the attention of passers-by, make an outstanding first impression and get more foot traffic through the doors. Without technology expertise!