Let’s figure out why it makes sense at all to compare screens and paper POS, and what Retail Media consists of in the modern world.

 

A typical internal dialogue at a retailer’s head office looks roughly like this:

 

“We already hang posters, wobblers, and shelf talkers everywhere. Why should we additionally invest in screens?”

 

Management looks at CAPEX, marketing looks at merchandising and promotions, IT looks at infrastructure and stability. As a result, the decision is postponed, even though competitors are already testing digital advertising on the shop floor and are gradually gaining an advantage from operational media management and savings on printing, delivery, and installation of static POS materials.

 

It is important to immediately fix several points. Paper POS materials remain relevant and necessary only for stores in small towns where there are not many customers. But in many scenarios, advertising on screens provides significantly more flexibility, reaction speed, controllability, and cost savings. The purpose of this material is not to “sell screens,” but to honestly show in which tasks each format works better.

 

 

How POS marketing in retail media has evolved

 

What existed “before”

 

The classic set of tools is well known to any retail chain: posters, shelf talkers, stoppers, wobblers, price tags, stickers on the floor and shelves. The entire system was built around physical processes and rigid limitations.

 

Communication depended on printing cycles and logistics, the human factor during placement and inspections, as well as the limited number of messages that could be placed per unit of space. Any change of a promotion meant a new print run, distribution to stores, and manual control of correct placement.

 

 

What appeared “now”

 

The second level of communication became screens in the sales floor, checkout zones, and shop windows. They do not completely replace offline POS, but logically complement it where dynamics and speed are required.

 

Screens take over variable offers, time-based promotions, and the visualization of offers and campaigns that are difficult or expensive to implement through printing. Content can be tested, changed, and scaled without physical intervention in the store. Updates are carried out centrally through screen management software, which removes dependence on on-site staff.

 

Collaboration, not competition between formats

 

Practice shows that the best result is achieved not by opposing formats, but by combining them. Printed POS materials are responsible for basic presence and constant visual support, while Digital Signage covers tasks of operational speed, testing, and accent placement.

 

In such a model, the store receives live, manageable communication, where each medium is used exactly where it is truly effective.

 

 

What is the fundamental difference between digital advertising on screens and paper posters

 

1. Static versus dynamic

 

A paper poster always works in a “single-frame” mode. It broadcasts one message or, at best, several small accents that quickly merge into the overall visual noise of the sales floor. The format does not imply narrative development and cannot adapt to customer behavior at a specific moment.

 

A screen at the same point works differently. It sequentially shows several meaningful blocks: promo videos, brand video, navigation hints, service messages. The content changes consistently, without overloading the space, but with constant renewal of the point of contact with the audience. This is where the key advantages of digital advertising manifest themselves — it allows communication with the shopper through scenarios rather than static slogans.

 

In short: one screen can perform the role of several POS media at the same time without creating visual chaos.

 

 

2. Update speed and response to changes

 

In classic POS marketing, any change means a delay. New prices, a new promotion, or updated merchandising rules require restarting printing, logistics, and on-site checks. Days or even weeks pass between a decision at headquarters and the appearance of materials in the store.

 

Digital screens operate according to a completely different logic. Real-time updates of prices and menus make it possible to react instantly: a product is removed from promotion, the price is changed, a new offer is launched — and the adjustments appear simultaneously across the entire network. This is critically important for formats with frequent changes: FMCG, pharmacies, DIY, electronics.

 

Here the screen wins not by creativity, but by speed, which directly affects the relevance of communication.

 

 

3. Control, transparency, and manageability

 

With paper materials, control is always limited. Everything comes down to the human factor: whether it was hung or not, whether it was placed correctly or not, whether it was removed on time or forgotten. For a network of dozens or hundreds of stores, this turns into a constant source of errors and losses.

 

Digital solutions build a different model. Marketing can see what content is broadcast on each screen, how long a campaign runs, and whether there were technical failures. Synchronization of advertising content between stores creates a unified rhythm of communication and eliminates chaotic deviations on the ground.

 

As a result, advertising stops being “hung printed materials” and becomes part of a managed business process.

 

4. Customer experience and spatial atmosphere

 

Paper posters have little impact on the perception of space. They inform, but rarely create emotion. Screens, on the other hand, work with the environment: motion, light, video, and rhythm change the overall feeling of the store.

 

By creating atmosphere, digital formats help businesses strengthen the brand, set the mood, and make the customer’s stay more comfortable. When combined with interactive displays for customers, this moves communication from one-way advertising to a dialogue, where the customer does not just watch but interacts with the content.

 

 

5. Scalability and automation

 

As a retail network grows, manual POS management becomes a bottleneck. Digital systems make it possible to launch advertising automation: scenarios based on time, location, season, or store type. Adding new locations does not complicate the logic — it simply scales.

 

This is where the fundamental difference lies. Paper posters are a consumable. Advertising on screens is infrastructure that grows together with the business and adapts to its real needs.

 

 

Why advertising on screens is more effective than classic POS materials: what Western studies show

 

According to Nielsen, digital advertising at the point of sale attracts on average 47% more attention than static POS materials, thanks to motion and changing narratives. Research by Intel shows that digital screens in retail increase impulse purchases by up to 33%, especially in checkout and entrance areas.

 

According to Deloitte analytics, retail chains that use screens instead of part of printed POS reduce printing and logistics costs by an average of 30–40% per year. Additionally, Digital Signage Today notes that dynamic content increases brand recall almost twofold compared to static posters.

 

Taken together, these data confirm that advertising on screens not only looks more modern, but also delivers higher attention, better conversion, and greater operational efficiency compared to classic POS materials.

 

 

Which tasks digital signage covers best in a store

 

Not all communication tasks require screens. But there are several areas where digital formats almost always show better results compared to classic POS materials. The reason is simple: where flexibility, fast rotation, and control are required, static media begin to lose.

 

 

Promotion of campaigns and new products

 

When there are dozens of items in the promo matrix at the same time, it is practically impossible to evenly place posters in all zones. Some products always remain without sufficient visual support, and messages quickly become outdated.

 

Screens solve this problem systemically. They allow several promotions to rotate within a single medium, highlight a “first screen” for new or priority SKUs, and shift focus without physically replacing materials. Marketing can test different creatives, messages, and presentation formats without launching a new print run or waiting for logistics.

 

As a result, a live promotional grid is formed, where products do not “hang” for weeks but are constantly updated depending on goals and results.

 

Navigation and explanatory content

 

Digital panels at entrances, in aisles, and in checkout areas serve not only as advertising but also as a service tool. They help highlight available services, explain processes, and reduce typical questions directed to staff.

 

Screens are a convenient way to present complex categories — electronics, DIY, pet products, financial services — where it is important for the customer not just to see the price, but to understand the differences between options. In addition, QR codes in advertising make it possible to quickly direct the customer to extended information, instructions, or an online catalog without overloading the screen itself with text.

 

In short: everything that needs to be explained, demonstrated, or accompanied dynamically is more logically delivered via digital media.

 

 

Local and contextual content

 

A retail network is rarely uniform. In one city there may be a local promotion, in another different conditions, and franchise stores may have their own agreements with suppliers. Classic POS materials can take this into account, but the price of such flexibility is always high — in time, money, and control.

 

Through a centralized video management system, it is possible to maintain a unified brand framework while still leaving room for local messages. Advertising content management is built on access levels: the head office sets the rules, the region adapts campaigns, and the store operates within defined boundaries.

 

This is implemented through a CMS for digital signage, where remote content management allows messages to be updated quickly without involving on-site staff. As a result, the network looks cohesive while retaining local relevance.

 

It is precisely in these tasks that digital signage stops being a “screen for the sake of a screen” and becomes a tool that removes operational constraints and increases the effectiveness of in-store communication.

 

 

Which content scenarios on screens are most often used in retail

 

Below are typical industry scenarios without reference to specific brands. They have been formed in practice and show how screens can work at different stages of the customer journey — from first contact to the moment of payment.

 

 

Entrance area and shop window

 

Screens at the entrance or in the shop window serve as the first visual point of contact with the store. This is where the first impression is formed and the decision arises — to go inside or pass by. Content in this area works as a “hook” that should explain within a few seconds why the store is interesting right now.

 

Typically, this zone shows quick overviews of key promotions, special offers of the day or week, seasonal collections, and large thematic projects. Visual rhythm and changing narratives create a sense of relevance and movement that is difficult to achieve with static materials.

 

For stores that are testing the format without major investments, rental of advertising panels is often used. This allows scenarios to be changed quickly, the effect to be evaluated, and solutions to be scaled without complex installations.

 

The task of this zone is to catch the eye and make it clear that there is something interesting inside at this very moment, not “always.”

 

Sales floor

 

Inside the store, screens work no longer on attraction, but on choice. They help manage the shopper’s attention in a space with a large number of products and visual noise.

 

Typical scenarios include accents on priority shelves and endcap displays, highlighting cross-sales and logical complements to the main product. Selection prompts are also actively used: how to compare models, what the differences are between product lines, and what to pay attention to depending on the usage scenario.

 

In combination with physical media, such screens complement retail signage by adding dynamics and an explanatory layer. This reduces the load on staff and increases the shopper’s confidence in their decision.

 

The main task of the sales floor is not to pressure, but to gently guide the customer toward a purchase scenario that is more valuable for the retail chain.

 

 

Queue and checkout area

 

The waiting area is traditionally considered “dead” time, but it is precisely here that the shopper’s attention is least distracted. Screens near the checkout turn this moment into a full-fledged communication channel.

 

Most often, information about services is shown here: loyalty programs, delivery, returns, subscriptions, digital receipts. In parallel, complementary impulse products are displayed that are easy to add to the purchase without long deliberation.

 

A separate block is dedicated to instructions on payment, self-service, and the use of terminals. This reduces queues, lowers the number of questions to cashiers, and makes the process clearer for the customer.

 

The task of this zone is to turn waiting time into useful contact with the brand and an additional point of sale without aggressive pressure.

 

As a result, screens in retail work best when they do not try to replace everything at once. The entrance, sales floor, and checkout area have different tasks, and content scenarios are built specifically for them. With this approach, digital formats become not just an advertising medium, but a tool that helps attract, explain, and sell without overloading the shopper or the store space. It should also be taken into account that the implementation of Retail Media helps generate revenue from advertising placements.

Advision is a content management system for remote control, media planning of video and audio content broadcasting, and a supply-side platform for monetising advertising time. We also implement a Wi-Fi tracking system to measure quantitative indicators of the advertising audience. We help Digital Signage owners and DOOH advertising operators earn money from advertising, automate work processes, and build a reliable media infrastructure using AdTech and MarTech software solutions.

 

Contact us if you want to increase your profits and implement the latest technologies to solve your problems!