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5 Retail Signage Trends Shaping the Future of the Industry

Signage shapes our interests, shopping habits, and the future of the retail industry.

People walk down a crowded street, with shops and signage lining both sides of the road.Brick and mortar stores are becoming tech-driven shopping hubs built on advanced retail signage. Propelling this shift are personalized recommendations, augmented reality experiences, and creative 3D signs, which are now important parts of brick and mortar retail’s journey to the cutting edge, shaping shopping as we know it today. It’s important for building owners to step back and evaluate such changes to the retail environment from time to time, so they gain a better sense of where the industry is headed. With that in mind, here are the most significant retail signage trends impacting stores.

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Interactive digital experiences are shaping retail signage trends

Try-on tech could eliminate fitting rooms

3D signs allow for stunning creativity

QR codes offer easy access to information

Augmented reality is creating the ultimate digital experience

Resonai is helping building managers provide their clients with incredible experiences. To learn how, download our ebook “The New Digital Infrastructure for Shopping Malls and Commercial Retail Properties” today. 

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Interactive digital experiences are shaping retail signage trends 

80% of consumers are more likely to do business with a brand if it provides a personalized experience. In response, many retailers are including digital signage in their stores that offer personalized recommendations via interactive displays. These signs are typically able to answer common questions, act as a concierge, update customers about products, share information on stores, and highlight exciting experiences. Research shows that 65% of people are visual learners; digital signage provides information in an effective format alongside ad material and building information.

Try-on tech could eliminate fitting rooms

Part digital signage and part mirror, try-on tech is gaining popularity with retailers — and solving a major consumer problem. Today, 70% of people have issues finding the right size clothes while shopping online, fueling “a $550 billion problem for businesses,” according to Carolina Arguelles, the ‎global product marketing lead of augmented reality at Snap. Virtual try-on tech solves the issue, allowing customers to find the right fit for clothes through digital mirrors or on smartphones that use augmented reality. Research into try-on tech has shown that try-on tech can reduce returns by 27%.

As try-on tech becomes more common, retailers may begin to cut fitting rooms from their strategy. A world without fitting rooms would present an advantage for retailers, allowing space for stock, and by extension, letting more stores be shipping hubs. Best Buy has proven the value of turning stores into warehouse hybrids, allowing the company to compete with Amazon more effectively by lowering shipping times.

3D signs allow for stunning creativity

One of the decade’s most noteworthy retail signage trends has been the adoption of 3D signs, which are artistically stunning and provide an immersive experience. 84% of companies that work to improve the customer experience report an increase in their revenue — and 3D signage certainly contributes to a better experience, often feeling more like a theme park attraction than an ad.

Netflix’s 3D Resident Evil ad is a blueprint for effective 3D signage design, using scale to show a monster break free from the glass confines of a cage, crawl out onto the sign, and leap away. Netflix’s 3D ad has to be seen to get a feel for just how impressive it is, but it’s indicative of where digital signage is headed. And it isn’t alone, either. Coca-Cola, cats, and Nike are all getting in on the trend. Retailers are also using 3D signs to signal that entire buildings have immersive, digital elements, which can attract a greater number of customers.

QR codes offer easy access to information

Whether you run a small store or a mega-shopping center, QR codes can be used to give your visitors information about products, events, floor maps, and virtually anything else they might find valuable. They also take far less space than traditional retail signage. Today, consumers are interacting with marketing-related QR codes on a semi-regular basis. A 2021 survey found that 45% of shoppers used at least one QR code within three months leading up to the survey. And Abu Dhabi has even implemented QR codes to make traveling around the emirate easier.

QR codes’ small size are an advantage for building owners, allowing them to print QR codes on podiums, pieces of paper, or other convenient locations to preserve additional space for larger digital signs. With space for additional digital signage, building owners can capture more impressions, advertise a more diverse suite of products, and telegraph interesting locations found around the mall.

Want to learn more about how your approach to retail signage can improve foot traffic, increase revenue, and more? Be sure to check out Retail Store Signs: The Ultimate Guide.

Augmented reality is creating the ultimate digital experience

All retail signage trends point to one conclusion: buildings are becoming digital assets. Building owners can provide richer experiences by leaning into the digital revolution, and augmented reality is the most effective way to do that. AR tech can boost online sales by 200% and increase customer engagement time from 30 seconds all the way to 8 minutes. Brick and mortar stores can take AR beyond just shopping, providing digital exhibits, navigation services, and concierge recommendations that enhance the experience.

Resonai’s Vera platform helps building owners equip their facilities with AR technology and other types of digital signage. Vera provides building managers with data-driven insights into their customers and their interests that will help optimize layouts, promotions, and other offerings. Are you ready to learn more? Get in touch with Resonai today and set up a free demonstration.

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