How to make the most engaging Digital Product Catalog for Retail

Design your Digital Product Catalog Station that is really useful for you customers.

Photo by Boxed Water Is Better on Unsplash

This article is a follow up to the intro to Digital Product Catalogs in Retail.

On many occasions I see “Interactive screens” in shops that are just sitting there in a corner. Or placed in a non-favorable spot, being underused. Other times they just contain redundant information, not useful functionality, or it adds no value to the shopper, or the sales staff.

This installations have obviously cost some money to the shop owner, and it is a pity to see it gone to waste, and becoming obsolete without giving the service they are supposed to.

So let show some love to “Digital Product Catalogs”.

Q: So how can I make the shoppers engage more with my “Digital Installation”?

A: State clearly what they are there for.

The very first thing of all is, we need to have a clear idea of why we would like our customers to interact with our “Digital Systems”. Then we need to point out distinctly what the clients get from using it. Make it very obvious that the clients can interact, otherwise it will pass for a video advertisement TV Screen.

Let’s develop a little the first part of our design process: What do we want to accomplish?
Here are some examples:

• Additional product information
• Helping our sales agent
• Client Education about our products, our services, our vision and objectives.
• Direct Promotions
• Self Ordering System, or Self Checkout System
• Statistical Data Collection
• Customer Loyalty Membership

The second part should be quite straight forward. Once we have the idea we should: “State it clear to the shopper”, and invite them to use it.

Managing Complexity

It is important to start with simple systems, something direct that the shopper can understand and engage, and at the same time find enjoyable. Not only we will get our audience to get used to the new system little by little; but also, we will be able to analyze and study the customer behaviour. And evolve our “Digital Catalog” in the right direction.

For example, for “Product Information” create a simple product list, add a page per product. Make sure it contains real relevant information and specifications, something the shopper cannot know just by looking at the product shelves. Don’t limit yourself to only color options or materials. You can add the origin of the product, technical specs, etc...

Make a small story, did the product was worn by a celebrity on a special occasion? Is that Aluminum the same as the one used at NASA? If the product is something new in the market put some use cases examples.

Another examples.

In a “Loyalty Member Program”, explain the benefits of becoming a member, and ask directly for the shopper to register. Engage further with a follow up online, or at checkout by the sales agent. Make the experience personal.

If it is a “Product Promotion”, make it easy to register for the promo, and easy to redeem it. This can be achieved by sending a QR code to their email. Or by scanning a QR code on the screen that links to the promotion “Digital Voucher”.

In short, think of your “Digital Product Catalog” as:

• Augmented and relevant information
• Engagement by being useful
• General Product Education
• Loyalty Membership
• Product Promotions

Place yourself in the shoes of the shopper.

Make it easy, convenient, useful.

Most of the user engagement occurs in the usefulness of the product.

Avoid “Product Catalogs” without proper product information, or no relevant information.