The Contra Costa Times reports on the development of tiny video monitors that will replace price labels on store shelves, showing commercials of between 10 and 30 seconds for the product in addition to the price. " It is the next logical step after ceiling-mounted video displays and end-of-the-aisle kiosks promoting weekly or daily specials that have become commonplace in grocery and drug store chains," the Times reports.
If development plans continue apace, it seems likely that such video monitors will start showing up in stores as soon as early next year. This new use of in-store marketing technology, said by the Times to be the "final frontier," comes because of what is perceived as the declining influence of traditional media in influencing consumer behavior.
If development plans continue apace, it seems likely that such video monitors will start showing up in stores as soon as early next year. This new use of in-store marketing technology, said by the Times to be the "final frontier," comes because of what is perceived as the declining influence of traditional media in influencing consumer behavior.
- KC's View:
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Maybe it'll work, at least in certain circumstances.
But maybe it'll also be enormously annoying to many consumers.
The temptation for many retailers will be to adopt this technology because it will be yet another way to generate some revenue, almost certainly getting a cut of the advertising dollars put into the mini monitors. But that isn’t a good enough reason to employ such an initiative. The only good reason is because it enhances the shopping experience in the consumer's mind.
And that is far from certain.
