Wireless retailer overcomes big box challenge

The vast space of a big box retailer like Costco (for the unfamiliar, huge zero-frills warehouse stores) make it really hard to imagine how screen networks moght work effectively in there.

 

In my sales guy days, I chatted with several companies who were planning to crack that environment with LCDs fixed here and there. I had my doubts the screens would have any impact because the stores are so freakin’ huge and chaotic.

 

What can work, and is evident with a program being done by Canadian independent mobile phone retailer Wirelesswave, is nesting screens in tight with a fixture and merchandise of a micro-store, giving a retailer a shot at having some impact and utility.

 

As spotted on the Digital Signage Expo news site, the company is building a 42 inch LCD and player into the sales kiosks it has in some 70 Costcos in Canada. The content is intended to drive sales and margin and has marketing messages from the various carriers it reps. There is nothing overly brilliant about this. Where else were they going to a screen in this set-ups? But sometimes simple things just work, and I like how all this pulls together.

 

The technology driving the screens is by Capital Networks, which is based on the northern edge of Toronto.