Even when they understand the benefits of both static and digital signage, some retailers continue to worry new investments in these areas are futile given the growth of showrooming. In the constant battle with online sales, going digital indoors may not seem like enough of a weapon. Fortunately, there is an equally important trend known as ‘webrooming,’ which is changing the way customers think about bricks-and-mortar stores.

For those not in the retail environment, showrooming and webrooming may be new terms.

Showrooming is when potential customers inspect products in a traditional bricks-and-mortar store, but then order the same items online to find a lower price. In our digital age, showrooming started to hurt in-store sales for brands, as smartphones allowed shoppers to compare prices online right in the store and make a split second decision on whether to use an online retailer or the store in which they were standing.

Yet, now, webrooming is becoming more and more common, shaking up the idea that showrooming is going to become the norm. Webrooming is the opposite of showrooming, where a shopper investigates products online, then heads to a bricks-and-mortar location to see the item in person and purchase it there.

Take a moment and look at the stats before you let the idea of showrooming scare you too much:

  • According to a survey undertaken by BuzzCity, a mobile Internet advertising company, 59% of all consumers who shop online also continue to shop in stores. 
  • Market research firm Harris Interactive found that 46% of shoppers admitted to showrooming during the 2013 holiday season, while 69% admitting to webrooming. 

These consumers are responding to high-quality in-store experiences, including retailers’ investments in static and digital signage, along with strong customer service and other attributes. The quality of these experiences is essential to brand success and attracting online shoppers.

How does an indoor LED display help?

Investing in the in-store experience with indoor LED displays can address consumers’ needs; in the BuzzCity poll, consumers said that they needed variety (33%), easy navigation (32%), and discounts (24%) in a bricks-and-mortar shopping environment. By adding digital signage to a retail space, you can use your indoor LED display to showcase the items in the store (variety), tell consumers where to find them (navigation), and highlight sales (discounts) all at once, saving you costs on printed materials that need to be changed with the sales cycle and equipping customers with the information they need to have a great in-store experience.

Want to learn more about showrooming and webrooming? Read our full article on the topic in Sign Media Canada’s April 2014 edition (Page 40). Looking to chat about showrooming and webrooming trends? Tweet with us @nanolumens.

Image via Flickr CC Ian Muttoo.