FreshMart Supermarkets: 33% Sales Increase Through In-Store Digital Transformation
"Every aisle is now a sales opportunity. Our digital displays don't just show prices—they inspire meal ideas, highlight savings, and create an engaging shopping experience that brings customers back. We've seen a 33% sales lift on digitally promoted items, and our customer satisfaction scores have never been higher."
— Robert Hartley, Chief Merchandising Officer, FreshMart Supermarkets
Company Overview
| Company | FreshMart Supermarkets |
| Industry | Grocery Retail |
| Stores | 28 locations |
| Format | Full-service supermarkets (avg. 45,000 sq. ft.) |
| Weekly Customers | 380,000+ |
| Annual Revenue | $890 million |
| Employees | 4,200 |
| SignageStudio Customer Since | March 2024 |
The Challenge: Competing in a Disrupted Industry
FreshMart, a family-owned regional grocery chain, faced mounting competitive pressures from multiple directions:
The Competitive Squeeze
- National chains with massive marketing budgets
- Discount grocers competing on price
- Online delivery services capturing convenience shoppers
- Specialty stores targeting premium segments
Specific Pain Points
Ineffective In-Store Marketing Traditional paper signage was failing:
- Print costs exceeded $1.2 million annually across 28 stores
- Price changes took 3-5 days to fully implement
- Paper signs were frequently damaged, incorrect, or missing
- Zero ability to measure which promotions were actually seen
Missed Impulse Purchase Opportunities Research shows 45% of grocery purchases are unplanned, but FreshMart wasn't capitalizing:
- Static displays didn't capture attention in busy aisles
- No mechanism to highlight high-margin items dynamically
- Recipe inspiration and meal solutions were limited to occasional printed cards
Disconnect Between Marketing and Reality
- TV and digital ads promoted products that were out of stock
- Weekly circular deals weren't prominently displayed in-store
- Seasonal promotions reached customers too late or inconsistently
Customer Experience Limitations
- Wayfinding was confusing in larger stores
- Wait time perception at deli/bakery counters was poor
- No engagement while customers waited in checkout lines
"We were spending millions on advertising to get customers in the door," explains Robert Hartley, "but once they were inside, our in-store communication was stuck in 1995. Paper signs, static displays, maybe a few TV monitors playing generic content. We were losing the battle at the point of decision."
The Solution: The Digital Store Transformation
FreshMart partnered with MediaSignage for a comprehensive digital transformation:
Display Network by Store Zone
Store Entrance (per store)
- 2x 75" welcome displays showing today's deals
- 1x interactive store directory (larger locations)
Produce Department
- 4x 55" displays highlighting seasonal items
- Recipe inspiration content featuring fresh produce
- Local farm sourcing stories
Deli/Bakery Service Counters
- Digital menu boards with pricing
- Queue management displays
- "Ready in X minutes" real-time updates
Center Store Aisles
- End-cap displays (2 per aisle) promoting featured items
- Digital shelf-edge displays in high-traffic areas
- Cross-merchandising suggestions
Meat & Seafood
- Preparation tips and cooking guides
- Today's fresh catch highlights
- Meal bundle promotions
Checkout Area
- Queue entertainment screens
- Last-minute impulse purchase promotions
- Community bulletin board content
Total Deployment: 1,064 displays across 28 stores
Content Strategy: The "Inspire, Inform, Sell" Framework
FreshMart developed a three-pronged content approach:
| Pillar | Purpose | Content Examples | Airtime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inspire | Create meal solutions | Recipes, cooking tips, seasonal ideas | 35% |
| Inform | Build trust and education | Sourcing stories, nutritional info, freshness | 25% |
| Sell | Drive specific purchases | Promotions, bundle deals, limited-time offers | 40% |
Dynamic Pricing and Inventory Integration
SignageStudio was integrated with FreshMart's systems for real-time automation:
Price Synchronization
- Displays pull pricing directly from the central merchandising system
- Price changes reflect across all 1,064 displays within 5 minutes
- Automatic compliance with promotional windows
Inventory-Aware Content
- Overstocked items automatically featured more prominently
- Out-of-stock items suppressed from promotional rotation
- "Limited quantity" messaging triggers at low inventory levels
Weather-Triggered Promotions
- Hot weather: Ice cream, beverages, grilling items highlighted
- Cold/rainy weather: Soup ingredients, comfort foods promoted
- Storm forecasting: Stock-up essentials featured
The Results: Transformational Impact
After 18 months of full deployment, results have exceeded all projections:
Sales Performance
According to industry research, 4 out of 5 retailers using in-store digital signage see an average sales increase of 33%—FreshMart achieved exactly this benchmark.
Detailed Performance Metrics
| Metric | Before | After | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Featured item sales | Baseline | +33% | +33% |
| Average basket size | $47.20 | $61.12 | +29.5% |
| Impulse purchase rate | 38% | 55% | +45% |
| Customer satisfaction | 76% | 92% | +21% |
| Price change deployment | 3-5 days | 5 minutes | -99% |
| Print costs (annual) | $1.2M | $180K | -85% |
Recipe Display Case Study
FreshMart implemented recipe-based digital signage throughout the produce and meat departments:
The Approach:
- 3-4 rotating recipe videos per display
- Ingredients listed with exact locations in store
- QR code to save recipe to phone
- "Complete this meal" bundle pricing
The Results: A mid-sized grocery chain reported 15% increase in sales for featured products using recipe-based signage—FreshMart achieved 18% on recipe-featured ingredients.
"The Tuesday Taco Night recipe display has been phenomenal," reports Store Manager Lisa Chen. "We're selling 40% more ground beef on Tuesdays, plus all the associated items—tortillas, cheese, salsa. It's turned a slow shopping day into one of our best."
Customer Experience Improvements
Reduced Perceived Wait Times
- Checkout line entertainment reduced perceived wait by 35%
- Deli counter queue displays improved satisfaction by 28%
- "Now serving" integration eliminated counter crowding
Improved Navigation
- Store directory usage: 340 interactions/day per store
- "Find an item" feature reduced staff direction-giving by 42%
- Department wayfinding reduced customer frustration complaints by 67%
Enhanced Shopping Experience
- 80% of customers more likely to enter stores with digital displays
- Customer dwell time increased 12%
- Weekly visit frequency improved 8%
Financial Impact
Investment Summary
| Category | Cost |
|---|---|
| Hardware (1,064 displays, players, mounts) | $1,890,000 |
| Installation across 28 stores | $420,000 |
| Inventory/pricing system integration | $125,000 |
| SignageStudio enterprise license | $96,000/year |
| Content development (Year 1) | $180,000 |
| Total Initial Investment | $2,711,000 |
Return on Investment
| Category | Annual Value |
|---|---|
| Incremental sales revenue | $12,400,000+ |
| Print cost elimination | $1,020,000 |
| Labor efficiency (price changes) | $340,000 |
| Reduced shrinkage (inventory visibility) | $280,000 |
| Total Annual Returns | $14,040,000 |
| ROI Achieved | 2.5 months |
Stakeholder Testimonials
"As a department manager, the dynamic pricing has been life-changing. I used to spend hours every week printing and posting signs. Now I focus on customer service and merchandising. When corporate runs a surprise flash sale, it's live on my displays in minutes, not days."
— Department Manager, Produce
"I've been shopping at FreshMart for 20 years. The new screens are fantastic—I get meal ideas while I shop, I can see what's on sale without hunting for tags, and the store just feels more modern and fresh. Pun intended!"
— Customer Survey Response
"The recipe displays have transformed how I plan dinners. I'll see a recipe for salmon with a glaze, and all the ingredients are right there with prices. It's like having a meal planning assistant in the store. I definitely buy more because of it."
— Customer Survey Response