Why Retail is Switching On to Smart Glass Potential

Customer expectations are constantly evolving with shoppers expecting more, not just from the products they buy, but also from the environment in which items are sold.

As the high street battles with online retail and customers face the pressure of rising inflation, brick-and-mortar shops need all the help they can get to induce a sale.

One way to transform your brand and excite customers is to utilise smart glass technology. Here we explore the main uses for in-store switchable glass that are currently enhancing the retail experience: visual marketing and changing room privacy.

Smart Glass Store Displays

At last shoppers are returning to the high street post-Covid, but as the retail industry is aware, it’s now harder than ever to get their attention. Shop owners are having to be increasingly innovative to tear customers away from their phone screen and incite them in store.

That’s why digital signage has huge potential, helping retailers and store owners to create exciting shop front windows and in-store displays that catch attention and turn heads.

So, how can smart glass technology help? With its ability to change from transparent to opaque, switchable glass can be used to rapidly transform any glass surface into a projection screen for dynamic digital content.

When opaque it can be used as a screen onto which retailers can project custom advertising, enabling stores to capture shoppers at the perfect moment.

Alternatively, with the application of a small electrical current, windows return to their transparent state, to provide a clear view of the products within.

These properties ensure smart glass signage can be used in several ways including:

• Custom marketing
• Product reveal initiatives
• Out-of-hours advertising
• Hide products as a theft deterrent at night

With tailored content that can appear and disappear at the flick of a switch, smart glass displays offer a high return on investment.

Unlike static displays that can be costly to replace, switchable glass facilitates dynamic advertising that can be regularly updated with minimal expense.

Inside the store, this means digital displays can be used to create an immersive retail experience tailored to current product initiatives.

Outside, switchable glass ensures full use of existing window real estate, enabling retailers to project what they want, when they want, so shoppers always have a reason to come in store.

Privacy Glass Changing Rooms

One of the key differences between online shopping and visiting a store in person is the ability to try clothes on before purchasing.

Retailers keen to maximise sales should therefore turn their attention to the humble changing room; an often-overlooked area in need of a make-over.

Switchable privacy glass provides a solution. With instant opacity on demand, smart glass fitting cubicles allow retailers to do away with cumbersome and unhygienic curtains to create a light, expansive atmosphere.

Unlike product displays which are front of house, changing rooms are often tucked away at the rear of the shop, making them dark and unwelcoming. Unfortunately, research shows that unflattering artificial light can dissuade shoppers from a purchase.

Switchable glass addresses this problem because it transmits light even in its opaque state. This means retailers can make the most of any natural light, or utilise existing store lighting, to make changing rooms more inviting.

To achieve this effect, privacy glass uses a film of liquid crystals sandwiched between two panes of glass. When electricity is applied, the liquid crystal molecules align so the glass appears transparent.

With no electricity, the molecules relax into a random orientation, providing an opaque, light diffusing effect. This fail-safe approach to privacy maximises light throughout the changing room area.

From high-street giants to high-end boutiques, fitting rooms with switchable privacy glass partitions provide an elegant and easy to clean solution.

And with the addition of a rear projection unit, the technology can even be used to reinforce advertising or deliver tailored messaging in the changing room to maximise the ‘try before you buy’ experience.

Switchable smart glass from Smartglass International can be used in a variety of retail applications, as well as in commercial or residential spaces.

With the ability to change from transparent to opaque in less than 0.1 seconds, it can be used anywhere that requires on-demand privacy, while still diffusing ambient light for an open, airy feel.

To deliver optimum flexibility when working to meet design goals, Smartglass partners closely with clients and approved third parties. Providing competitive pricing and a quick turnaround for a responsive approach and a tailored solution.

To find out how smart glass technology could transform your retail projects, contact Smartglass International for a quote today.