“I absolutely believe in this medium, which really does enable us to influence the customers in their purchasing decisions. We have for example tested the effects of showing the product advantages of Clique T-shirts on the displays, which resulted in a massive increase in sales. A film about practical clothing from Craft, in combination with a clear sales argument and a good offer gave, in another survey, excellent results,” says Andreas Karlsson, who is the retailing coach for Team Sportia.

Creating demand
Team Sportia has a wide range and, for example, sells 700,000 pairs of shoes and 50,000 bicycles a year. Sales are supported by the “knowledge films” that they show on their displays. These are film clips that advise customers about what they should bear in mind when, for example, buying a bicycle or trying on a pair of ski boots. This tangible information is interspersed with attractive film sequences showing landscapes, mountains and ski runs.

“The informational films create a real demand for the products on show, while at the same time customers appreciate the service offered by the information,” Andreas explains.

Few products, a clear message
”Team Sportia began to use digital displays back in 2004. The system resulted in an increase in sales right from the start, but it took a little time to learn how to make effective use of the medium,” Anders relates:

“At the beginning we tried to show far too many products and messages at once. Since then we have learned that we get better results by showcasing fewer products and presenting them with more specific sales arguments. It is also important for the store to show those particular items in the right way in association with the display locations.”

The shops run things themselves
One ”problem” has been that a shop often runs out of the products presented in this way.

“It is of course a good thing that the displays help to sell the products, but a nuisance when customers ask for something that is out of stock. We have now resolved this by introducing a web-based tool that the shops themselves can use. This makes it easy for them to select from the films we have available and make play lists that suit the individual store,” explains Andreas Karlsson.