Beam Me Up to the Store of the Future

I’m starting to like this idea of the store of the future that’s being talked about here on News@Cisco and at the National Retail Federation convention in New York City. Digital signage, which Cisco is introducing at the show, will certainly enliven the store experience. I’m looking forward to attending an Oakland A’s baseball game at CiscoField where digital signage will recognize me as I walk by and offer me the opportunity to upgrade my tickets on my cell phone. Just hope I have the funds in my account to afford the 3rd-base side tickets!

Information Week quotes Cisco general manager Thomas Wyatt who spoke Tuesday at the National Retail Federation convention, saying that “more and more stores are differentiating themselves by providing much more compelling in-store content.” He says consumers expect stores, banks, health providers, and others to deliver compelling digital content and targeted networked displays that include video, graphics, animation, streaming Web, and television content and text.

Sounds good, if it treads lightly on the advertising and helps speed my store experience or makes it more enjoyable. The other day I was waiting in line at the post office dreading the long wait when I eyed a 48-inch plasma TV above me. In the US post office, of all places! It was playing CNN and, the news junkie that I am, I was engaged. Time passed so fast I was at the counter before I had gotten my fill of the news-of-the-moment. Now that’s progress!