Over 70% of today’s consumers expect retail stores to offer immersive experiences through AR and other technologies. Here’s a list of outstanding AV solutions to meet these expectations, elevate experiential retail, and grow your customer base.
Key takeaways:
- Most modern shoppers prioritize authentic and immersive shopping experiences.
- With AV solutions, your retail store can create immersive experiences to increase customer attraction and retention.
- Depending on your business’s needs, you can create immersive experiences using various AV solutions, from project mapping technologies to directional audio.
- The best AV solutions will eventually encourage repeat buying and drive profitability and growth.
Customer expectations today are nothing like in the past — a lot has changed. Gone are the days when shoppers simply wanted to browse shelves and make straightforward purchases. Instead, today's consumers expect retail stores to offer more immersive experiences incorporating advanced technologies like augmented reality (AR), virtual try-ons, and digital signage.
And this isn’t just a statement — it’s a fact. According to the MuleSoft 2022 Connectivity Benchmark Report, over 70% of customers now seek interactive elements to enhance their purchasing journey. This has compelled businesses to move beyond basic transactions and instead focus on delivering immersive, tech-driven experiences.
High-quality AV solutions, such as projection mapping, digital signage, and AR mirrors, can address these needs, helping retailers create tech-driven, memorable shopping experiences that resonate with the modern consumer.
Such solutions also allow retailers to elevate their experiential retail game and capture consumers’ attention with captivating audio and videos. This will further ensure that your business is empowered to create immersive experiences, attract more paying customers, and build a long-lasting brand image.
Let’s explore a few incredible AV solutions to help you build a thriving business today.
1. Projection mapping
Shift from static displays to projection mapping today and optimize customer experiences. This modern solution allows you to bring your products to life with exceptional visuals. With it, you can create stunning effects by projecting videos, animations, and moving designs on your products or your shop’s shelves, walls, and other surfaces.
You can use projection mapping for numerous purposes, like transforming what would otherwise be a bland store environment into an engaging ambiance. You can also utilize it to create compelling narratives around your products. For example, if your store sells shoes, you can use project mapping technology to display different landscapes on the walls and show how your brand’s hiking boots perform in varied terrains.
2. Digital signage
With high-quality digital signage, you can harness the power of digital displays that show diverse content, including videos, text, and images. You can also use digital signage to more effectively grab the attention of people passing near your store.
Furthermore, you can install touchscreen digital signage inside your retail space, enabling shoppers to more easily browse products and their features. This is important since potential customers are more likely to become return buyers when they can quickly and easily find what they want.
Your business can also use digital signage to smoothly deliver real-time promotions smoothly, showcase dynamic product demos, and help customers navigate your retail space. Poor navigation can lead to lost shoppers, who will be less likely to frequent your store.
3. Augmented reality mirrors
Gone are the days when retail businesses used traditional mirrors. Today, forward-thinking stores implement augmented reality (AR) mirrors. AR mirrors use specialized software, sensors, and cameras to overlay specific content, like shoes or clothes, onto a customer’s reflection in real-time.
With AR mirrors in your store, potential customers can quickly try on different products. This technology can play an indispensable role in retail businesses that rely heavily on lots of foot traffic. Customers can effortlessly gauge the suitability of different items using these mirrors.
The best thing about AR mirrors is that they let users display uncapped inventory. This solution allows you to display a vast collection of items, including those that aren’t in stock. This allows your customers to explore and order items not yet on the rack.
4. Holographic displays
If you run a retail store selling expensive items like jewelry, holographic display technology will help you cast different 3D images with which your customers can interact. With it, potential buyers can view virtual representations of diverse products from various angles. That way, they don’t have to keep handling tangible items, which can increase the risks of issues like shoplifting and accidental damage.
Seasonal displays can make your store more visible and help you attract more customers. With that in mind, you can use holographic displays to enhance your retail space’s ambiance with seasonal themes and effects. For instance, this technology allows you to display captivating holograms of festive décor during the holiday season.
5. Directional audio
You can use directional audio to tailor soundscapes that boost customer engagement and lead to memorable experiences. When using this technology, you project audio in a specific direction. For instance, you can use it to broadcast product details to people viewing the electronics portion of your shop while also playing slow music for shoppers in the grocery section.
The primary benefit of investing in directional audio is that you can broadcast personalized audio experiences to your customers. This makes your retail spaces more intimate and gives consumers an unforgettable shopping experience. Directional audio can also help you broadcast targeted promotions and direct buyers to specific products.
Create immersive experiences with the best AV solutions with Unisol International.
Choosing the right combination of AV technologies to create an engaging customer experience is critical to ensuring that your retail store thrives. Factors like your target audience, store layout, and business goals all play a role in determining the ideal tech solutions.
But there's no need to navigate this critical process alone—Unisol International's expert team is ready to guide you through every step of the process, ensuring you achieve the perfect blend of technology to implement experiential retail solution and meet your business objectives.
We take immense pride in providing world-class consultation and installation services. Our experts will help you identify and implement the best AV solutions for your retail space. Contact us today and start your journey to creating immersive experiences, enhancing customer engagement, and optimizing profitability.