Imagine the situation: you enter a shopping mall, and on the nearest screen an актуal offer from a nearby store appears. This is not a futuristic scenario, but an already familiar reality of digital out-of-home advertising (Digital Out-of-Home, DOOH) in retail. Retail chains are increasingly actively using screens both inside stores and outside them to attract attention, stimulate sales, and work more effectively with visitor traffic.

DOOH combines the flexibility of online advertising with the physical presence of offline space. Messages can be changed depending on the time of day, location, traffic, or even the context of shopper behavior. That is why digital signage in retail is no longer just a carrier of promotions—it becomes part of the overall logic of the store and the customer experience.

How digital out-of-home advertising is useful for stores

Classic retail communication formats—posters, signs, navigation—remain familiar and understandable. However, digital out-of-home advertising in retail takes interaction with the audience to a new level, opening additional opportunities in the form of Retail Media.

First of all, it is about dynamism and relevance. Unlike printed materials, content on screens can be easily updated throughout the day. In the morning, a store can communicate one offer, during the day another, and in the evening shift the emphasis according to the needs of the audience. This is handled by software for screens, which makes it possible to manage schedules, display scenarios, and message adaptation without unnecessary expenditure of time and resources.

The second important aspect is visual attractiveness. Moving images, video, and animation hold attention much better than static media. A bright screen near the entrance or in a key zone of a shopping mall helps a brand stand out in an oversaturated information environment and quickly convey the main idea.

No less significant is the precision of communication. DOOH screens are placed exactly where the message makes the most sense: near the shelf, in an aisle, next to a specific product category. In this format, contextual DOOH advertising works as an extension of merchandising—it strengthens the display, helps orient the shopper, and influences the decision at the moment of choice.

Measurement of DOOH effectiveness deserves special attention. Modern solutions allow analysis of the number of plays, estimated reach, and audience behavioral patterns. This gives retailers the ability not only to see results, but also to promptly adjust content, test different messages, and optimize campaigns almost in real time.

Another direction of development is interactive displays for shoppers. Such screens engage visitors in active interaction: product search, viewing additional information, personalized recommendations. As a result, the screen ceases to be just an advertising medium and turns into a service tool that increases convenience and the value of being in the store.

Finally, DOOH opens up a new source of revenue for retail. Large chains are increasingly using their screens as their own media channel, placing advertising for partner brands and suppliers. In this way, the store monetizes its traffic and audience attention, turning physical space into a full-fledged retail media platform.

Examples of DOOH use in retail

Digital storefronts and signage

Instead of static posters on facades and in store windows, digital signage is increasingly appearing. LED screens cyclically broadcast videos with new collections, current discounts, or simple greeting messages. In the evening, the content can change its character and perform not only an advertising but also an atmospheric function—for example, showing aesthetic videos or seasonal visual stories. Thanks to their dynamics, such storefronts are more noticeable from the street and help the store stand out among a uniform row of neighboring outlets.

Screens inside the sales floor

In the internal space of the store, DOOH opens up a wide range of scenarios for interaction with the audience. In different zones of the sales floor, screens perform different roles—from basic information about the assortment and promotions to subtle nudging of the shopper toward impulse decisions.

They are organically integrated into the visitor’s movement route, accompany them from the entrance to the checkout, and help maintain attention at key points of contact. Thanks to visual dynamics and changing content, such screens work simultaneously as a navigation and communication tool, without overloading the space but complementing its logic and rhythm.

Screens in product departments

For example, in a supermarket near the deli section, a video with recipes using products from the same shelf may be shown. In electronics, this could be a demonstration of the functions of a new gadget or a comparison of models. Such content not only explains the advantages of the product but also holds the shopper’s attention, increasing the time of contact with the category.

Checkout area

The queue at the checkout is one of the most valuable moments for communication. It is here that digital panels with “product of the day” promotions or bonus offers work most effectively. While a person is waiting, they perceive the message without haste and often decide to add a small item to the purchase.

Navigation and personalization

In more advanced chains, interactive kiosks are appearing that help find a product on the store map or receive a personalized offer after customer identification. In such scenarios, a digital signage player is used, combining content playback with interaction with the retailer’s internal IT systems.

DOOH near the store, but outside it

Screens in shopping centers, parking areas, and adjacent territories play an important role. They work to attract traffic inside. A message about a sale or a limited promotion shown at the right moment can change a visitor’s route. In this segment, LED billboards are actively used, which are clearly visible from a distance and effectively work with large flows of people.

Data-driven innovations

A separate direction is the development of pDOOH, within which advertising is purchased and launched programmatically, taking into account the time of day, a specific location, pedestrian traffic, and external conditions. This approach allows brands to work not with an abstract audience, but with real scenarios of a person’s presence in space.

Through SSP (Supply-Side Platform) and DSP (Demand-Side Platform) for DOOH, advertisers gain access to retailers’ inventory and can manage campaigns flexibly, changing display parameters, frequency, or creatives depending on the situation. This is especially important for stores with high traffic, where the context of contact is constantly changing.

All these processes are brought together by software for DOOH networks, which is responsible for centralized management, content synchronization, and the stable operation of screens across different retail locations without loss of control or display quality.

The future of retail DOOH: online convergence

Retail marketing is gradually moving toward a model in which the boundary between digital and physical channels almost disappears. The store no longer exists separately from the brand’s online ecosystem—it becomes its extension in real space. In this process, Digital Out Of Home (DOOH) and video advertising play the role of a connecting link between data, content, and the moment of the shopper’s decision-making.

Intelligent management and automation

Already today, most large chains use remote content management to synchronize messages across hundreds and thousands of screens. In the coming years, this approach will become significantly smarter: algorithms will analyze traffic, time of day, seasonality, and even behavioral patterns inside the store. According to Western studies, automated content management allows the relevance of displays to be increased by 25–35%, which directly affects conversion growth at the shelf.

Special attention should also be paid to the issue of scaling and infrastructure stability in retail. When the number of screens grows from dozens to hundreds of locations, DOOH advertising ceases to be a local tool and turns into a complex media system that requires clear coordination. This is where a centralized video management system plays a key role, enabling content synchronization across locations, control of correct playback, and rapid changes without the physical presence of staff.

This approach ensures brand communication consistency, reduces operating costs, and makes the screen network manageable even at the scale of national retail.

Omnichannel and connection with mobile devices

The future of retail lies in the synchronous operation of physical and digital touchpoints. Advertising screens at entrances, on the sales floor, and near checkouts are increasingly integrated with mobile applications, loyalty programs, and push communication. According to IAB Europe research, omnichannel scenarios with simultaneous contact through a screen and a smartphone increase advertising message recall by an average of 40–45% compared to a single channel.

Interactivity and service function

DOOH in retail is evolving from classic advertising into a service tool. Touch surfaces, integration with catalogs, and the ability to order products that are not in stock change the role of screens in the store. The space becomes a “living” digital environment where advertising does not distract but helps. Analytics show that interactive formats increase the time of contact with content by 2–3 times, which directly affects the likelihood of purchase.

Retail media networks as a new standard

A separate trend is the development of retailers’ own media ecosystems. DOOH networks inside stores and shopping centers are turning into full-fledged advertising inventory available to manufacturing brands. According to Deloitte forecasts, the share of Retail Media in total retail advertising budgets may reach 20–25% within the next few years. This means a redistribution of investments away from classic outdoor advertising and partially from online—closer to the point of actual product choice.

Sustainability and energy efficiency

Alongside technological development, the role of a responsible approach to infrastructure is growing. Eco-friendly solutions for digital signage—energy-efficient panels, optimized brightness modes, and centralized management—make it possible to reduce electricity consumption by 20–30% without loss of image quality. For large chains, this becomes not only a matter of image, but also of real savings in operating costs.

The future of retail DOOH is not a separate channel, but part of a unified system of influence, where data, content, and space work together. That is why investment in this segment continues to grow, and its role in retail strategies is becoming increasingly decisive.


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!