Applying new advancements
By Tommy Brown

Make the investment in education and save money in the long run.

Many attraction retailers do not take the time to learn about new retail technology or new advancements in visual merchandising. Yet not taking the time for education could be costing you time and money in the long run. If you only attend shows or markets to buy products, you may be missing new ways to sell your products.


Long gone are the days of simple brick-and-mortar stores. Today we’re entering a new age of AI, sustainability, algorithms, virtual and augmented reality and futuristic online stores. Retailers can benefit from learning more about new technology in the pipeline and applying these technologies in their businesses.



Attend shows

Seek out shows that can help you sell your products. There are two wonderful shows that focus on fixturing and technology. One is Shop!, and the other is the Retail Innovation Conference and Expo (RICE). Shop! shares the latest in fixturing and design, while RICE focuses on technology and retail systems.


"By attending shows that help sell your products, you can find new technologies and ideas to help your business."


By attending shows that help sell your products, you can find new technologies and ideas to help your business. Some ideas could include biodegradable mannequins, advancements in store lighting, outside slat wall, thin interactive shelf signs, animated window props and more. Visual merchandising, sometimes called the “silent seller,” is no longer silent. With today’s technology, displays can talk, entertain and put guests in a virtual world.



Try new technology

One should also be concerned on how they are selling products to their guests and whether they can incorporate technology to help.

  • Is the guest’s information being captured for future interactions?
  • Does your point-of-sale system work for your guests, or is it hurting the shopping experience?
  • Are your systems integrated so that you can track guests’ spending and specific purchases?
  • Are you applying AI and algorithms to not only target guests in person but also online?

If your facility is not performing a technology audit every three years or attending an industry show to learn about advancements, your facility could be losing money. Good data drives great business.


Remember, a product is only as good as its perception. How you portray the product is very important, so let the latest advancements in technology help you sell. Create that one-of-a-kind in-shop experience, and then carry that experience into your e-store. Yes, you have to be special and unique these days!



Tommy Brown has been in retail management for over 30 years. He has worked for Dillard’s, Sears, and Six Flags Inc. and is currently with the Saint Louis Zoo. He is a past ZAG vice president and can be reached at tbrown@stlzoo.org.