Audiovisual Experiences and the New Age of Retail

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Retail thrives despite endless waves of change — changes in fashion, designers, consumer trends, and, most importantly, changes in the technology that underpins the industry. Each new wave brings retail brands that seize the opportunity to redefine themselves and change with the times.

In terms of technology change, retail rode the waves of in-store audio and video in the 1970s; computers and information technology in the 1980s; video walls in the 1990s; and online shopping in the 2000s. And it’s catching a new technological wave today: Fearless, forward-thinking retailers are starting to redefine brick-and-mortar stores through the integration of thoughtfully conceived, expertly implemented customer experiences anchored in immersive audiovisual technologies. In many cases, stores are using audiovisual solutions to create brand showcases and drive omnichannel sales.

At the International Retail Design Conference (IRDC) 2018, AVIXA, the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association, will take the stage with leading retail brands and designers to explore today’s most cutting-edge audiovisual and digital technologies and how they are reinventing the in-store experience.

Reinventing Retail for the Modern-Day Shopper

Augmented reality, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, data analytics, projection mapping, directional audio, 4K content, and interactive displays are more than just buzzwords; they are the retail tools used today by leading brands that must be understood by all in order to thrive in today’s changing marketplace.

Rebecca Minkoff is equipping its stores with digital, interactive mirrors that merge the physical with the digital by allowing guests to adjust the lighting, communicate with sales associates, view items available only online, and even pay directly by tapping a phone to the mirror.

The North Face is embracing in-store virtual reality demos that place shoppers in national parks, immersing them in a time and place in which their products are most relevant, while the Lego Store is using an augmented reality app that allows shoppers to scan boxed toys to have them come to life.

Comcast’s Studio Xfinity is turning the traditional cable store on its head through the integration of large-scale immersive video walls and LED displays that engage and entertain customers during wait times, and familiarize them with new and different product offerings.

From luxury boutiques to cable stores, audiovisual experiences are increasingly central to brick-and mortar’s efforts to draw customers away from their devices and into stores, where they engage with brands in immersive new ways.

Join AVIXA and its panel of leading retailers for a deep-dive into the most cutting-edge audiovisual technologies changing the face of modern retail. AVIXA’s IRDC 2018 presentation takes place Thursday, October 4, 2018, at 9:30 a.m., in the Motif Seattle hotel.

AVIXA™ is the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association, Presenting Sponsor of IRDC 2018 in Seattle, October 2-4. AVIXA and its members aim to help retailers create a more successful future through the integration of compelling audiovisual experiences.

AVIXA represents the $178 billion global commercial AV industry and produces InfoComm trade shows around the world.

For more information,visit avixa.org/retailAV.