Kroger’s digital smart screens – hitting a home run on customer engagement and innovation

Kroger along with the tech company Cooler Screens is enhancing its in-store shopping experience, with digital smart screens in 500 of its stores across the US. Very soon, hundreds of Kroger stores across the US will have a huge tech upgrade to their refrigerated foods sections through digital screens.

Kroger will have Cooler Screens’ digital, Internet of Things-enabled smart screens in their stores soon. The screens will put a digital overlay and replace traditional refrigerator and freezer doors in front of the physical products. They will give shoppers information about diets, health needs, budgets, and more while providing a display of the contents of the in-store cooler, in real time. The screens will also show contextual ads, super-imposed retail media and merchandising material.

These digital screens will facilitate brands to promote their products, any special deals or offers, etc. While the digital screens will only be at the refrigerated and freezer sections for now, things could expand to cover other areas of the stores too!

Kroger is a large retail company that has supermarkets and multi-department stores across the United States. They are the second largest in the US, next onlt to Walmart.

Now customers can instantly and easily find the most recent deals, promos, specials and most applicable and up-to-date information, just as if they were online and not shopping in a brick and mortar store.

The whole experience of these screens modernizes the in-store shopping experience, and customers are able to make the best purchase decisions that suit their budgets, taste, and health preferences.

Cooler Screens has said that this advertising platform reaches more than 90 million monthly viewers across multiple retailers nationwide. They hope to cross 200 million monthly viewers in early 2024.

This is a great innovative way to engage with customers.

First of all, it brings a very modern futuristic feel to the store with its displays and big screens. It screams innovation and that is something that will resonate with customers of all ages. It vastly improves the customer experience. There is a great chance of an increase in the cart value at the store.

Brands can build their brand equity and create great engagement with customers, which will then drive sales. This helps the retailer bring a competitive edge to his position in the market.

Although this whole exercise is digital just like online stores are digital – there is a huge difference here. This is right at the point of purchase. You can actually build connections with customers – help them understand your product. Explain it to them better. So you can convert customers who are just looking around and browsing through products. You can tip those who are just sitting on the fence to just take the plunge and buy. You can educate customers about your product.

You can cross-sell other products to your customers considering that he is right there buying one thing and easily increase the cart value of each customer.

It is all about presenting or promoting the products that a customer needs, at the end of the day. That is when he will buy. Unless there is a need, no amount of crying until you are even blue in the face, will get anything much sold.

This move from Krogers to present smart digital displays right where the customer is and looking to buy, is a great place for brands to be. From a customer perspective, this is the best and most effective way for brands to engage with them. Brands have a great platform to engage Kroger shoppers right inside the store with dynamic, contextually relevant promotions and product information.

So brands need to be on their toes – communication must be very effective! Place new products in front of the customer. Place several options for something that he is looking for. Be there for the customer and offer him exactly what he wants.

You could even leverage impulse buying by just being very effective in your messaging.

The sky is the limit when it comes to in-store persuading. It is all in the hands of brands to stand out, be effective and beat the competition.