A shop has two kinds of audience: people walking past and people who are already inside. A screen in the window has to make the first group stop; a screen by the till or on the shelf has to get the second group to pick up that one extra product. With Narrow.TV you manage both from one dashboard in your browser, and a new promotion is on screen within about a minute.

Why shops use digital signage

  • Promotions change faster than print. A weekend deal, a sale or a price cut goes live immediately and comes down again when the promotion ends.
  • Movement gets noticed. A video or a changing series of images attracts more attention in a window than a poster that has been hanging there for months.
  • One message across all branches. If you have several shops, you manage all the screens from the same dashboard. With your own template you roll out the same promotion in every shop, or give one branch something of its own.
  • Less throwaway material. Posters and displays for a one-week promotion often end up in the recycling afterwards.

Content ideas by location in the shop

In the window

  • A short series of three or four slides: new collection, deal of the week, opening hours.
  • A product video from a brand you sell, for example as a YouTube video or your own MP4.
  • Large text with one message, readable from across the street: "Sale: 30% off everything" is more effective than five products at once.

By the till

  • Small impulse products with a photo and price, such as toiletries, gift cards or accessories.
  • A ticker with service information: returns, repairs, delivery.
  • A slide about your loyalty card or newsletter.

In the shop and on the shelf

  • A price table with variants or sizes, for example for bikes, phone cases or coffee beans.
  • An explanation or demo video for a product that does not sell itself.
  • Job vacancy slides: your customers are often your best candidates.

For all of these slides there are also ready-made templates in the Retail category, which you adapt with your own images and text. If you have a set house style for promotions, save your own slide as a template so colleagues only need to swap the product and the price.

Example: a fashion shop with four screens

An independent clothing or shoe shop could start like this, for example:

  1. 2 portrait screens side by side in the window, used as one image with Combined view. Every half hour a video of the new collection plays in sync across both screens; in between, the regular slides run.
  2. 1 landscape screen behind the till with promotions, the loyalty card and the ticker with returns information.
  3. 1 portrait screen by the fitting rooms with styling ideas and matching accessories.

In subscriptions, that is 4 digital signage screens plus the paid Combined view add-on. Screens and Android players are not included in the subscription. See the current prices on our site. If you just want to know how the video wall works, read video wall with Combined view.

Managing several branches

For a retail chain, overview is what counts. In Narrow.TV all screens sit under one business account. Each screen has a location field, so you can note, for example, "Manchester – window left" or "Leeds – till", and you can find screens by name or location.

If you work with more colleagues, there are two roles: the owner handles the screens and the subscription, an editor creates slides and manages templates and media. Narrow.TV adds extra users for you on request. There are no permissions per branch: an editor can edit all slides within the business account. For larger roll-outs, the page about the digital signage software is a good starting point.

Product data from your own system

If you want to show prices or products from your online shop or stock system automatically, Narrow.TV can connect a JSON or XML/RSS feed and show fields from it on your screens. Narrow.TV sets this up for you; it is not a self-service feature. More on this in your own data on your screens.

Tips for screens in a shop

  • Window brightness. Behind glass and in daylight, an ordinary TV quickly loses its contrast. A high-brightness screen is often the better choice for a shop window.
  • One message per slide. A passer-by looks for a few seconds. Big image, short text, possibly a price.
  • Choose the orientation per location. Portrait suits a window or the side of a pillar, landscape above a till. For each screen you set whether it hangs in portrait or landscape.
  • Keep it fresh. A promotion that has ended but is still on screen costs trust. Set a fixed moment each week to go through your playlist.
  • No sound in the shop. Video plays without sound by default. That stops your in-store music and a product video clashing.

Getting started

Start with the screen that delivers the most, usually the window or the till. With the free 30-day trial you test one digital signage screen. Looking for concrete ideas for your slides? Read content tips for digital signage.

Frequently asked questions

What should you show on a screen in a shop?

Most shops show promotions with prices, the new collection, product videos and practical information such as opening hours. With Narrow.TV you build that with text, photos, video, YouTube videos, a ticker and a price table.

Can I manage screens in several shops from one place?

Yes. All your company's screens are in one dashboard. You give each screen a location and can search for screens. There are no separate permissions per branch.

Can I show product information from my online shop on a screen?

You can, via a JSON or XML/RSS feed from your own system or website. Narrow.TV sets up that connection for you; get in touch to arrange it.

Can I use two screens in the shop window as one large image?

Yes, with the paid Combined view add-on you turn two or more screens into one video wall and play a single image or video in sync across all the screens.