As Retail4Growth continues to map the dynamics of printed in-store communications, it appears that many of the changes in this space are a reflection of changes in the way the store space itself is being used as part of the visual merchandising strategy. With greater focus on optimising the space, it would seem that the role of printed graphics is also being reimagined. 

As Akash Kumar, Head – VM and Marketing Services at Lifestyle International (Landmark Group) told Retail 4Growth, in this exclusive conversation as part of the series ‘VM Take on In-Store Graphics’,  “The share of print in in-store graphics and communication has been coming down by about 20% during the past 2 years. There are multiple reasons for this, one of the main ones being the need to reduce in- store clutter. We are one of the most efficient formats in retail and we believe in curation with profitability. With a typical Lifestyle store having about 30,000-35000 sq feet of space, the focus is on fashion and letting the products do the talking. The idea is to reduce the number of visuals and instead invest more in powerful visuals that do all the talking.” 

For Lifestyle, there are typically two levels of communications that happen - one for the umbrella brand and the other for specific in-house brands. The large campaign/communications happen about four times a year, in keeping with the seasonal promotions for Spring, Summer, Autumn/Winter and festive seasons.  Also, the visuals change depending on the brand and brand objective, as Akash informs.  

Criteria for choosing printing vendors

Like in the case of other retailers and brands, Lifestyle has a set of trusted 

vendors in each of the markets. Talking about the criteria to on-board printing vendors, Akash lists down the following:

1. Budget friendly rates 
2. Environmentally friendly media 
3. Capability for colour calibration for lit and non-lit media  
4. Good installation services 

Elaborating on the sustainability or environmental factor, he adds, “One is the compliance aspect and the other is periodic communications from vendors regarding their upgrades in terms of being environmentally more efficient (like improving ink quality for example). But it’s also important that the sustainable and eco-friendly upgrades don’t end up pushing the cost too much. The idea is for it to be part of the agreed pricing structure so it can become a standard industry practice.”

Challenges in the print eco-system   

Speaking generally on overall challenges in the print eco-system for retailers, Akash does agree that quality assurance can be challenging, especially in terms of balancing it with cost. “If you are cost prudent then there are high chances that the print quality gets compromised with the result that even prestigious brands look comprised. While payment issues may be one of the reasons for this, very often it also happens because there are no quality parameters or there is a high tolerance for compromise. The onus is on everyone to push for quality.  And we need to understand that quality comes at a certain price and be willing to pay that price.”

He adds, explaining the challenges further, “Also, retailers need to understand the differences between different media options, but vendors may not educate them enough. Challenges also come up during execution inside the store in the absence of close monitoring.” 

As Akash points out, quality compromise happens when there is lack of transparency. After all, it does happen that vendors show a high-end machine initially but end up using a much inferior machine with inferior ink while doing the actual printing. “There are multiple ways by which things can go wrong. A vendor might be charging for a high quality Vinyl, while in reality might be using a lower quality one. Regular audits do help, but quality checks can be done only once in a while and for smaller retailers it can be tricky.” 

Is there a shift towards digital screens?

With the challenges involved in printing, the question remains – is there a faster shift towards digital adoption when it comes to in-store graphics and communications?

Akash points out, “One digital screen reduces at least 5 printed screens and it’s true that many retailers are going for digital store fronts. But adoption of digital is slow because the cost is still quite high. LED panels are quite expensive and get outdated every 3-4 years. So servicing them can be a challenge. Also, digital is not just about putting up screens, it’s also about the right content, hardware, software, content monitoring etc. So getting all these right will take time as there are very few integrators currently. Also, as things stand, sourcing each component separately is more cost effective. So, it will take a while before digital becomes a widespread trend. Right now, the smaller stores have a mix of digital and print and the larger stores have more of print as digital takes the attention away from products. Print on the other hand blends in seamlessly with the space.” 

Way ahead

Well, one thing is clear - print is here to stay.  But it will need the whole eco-system to work together to address some of the common challenges in this space. In this context, Akash lists out the following as part of the wish-list:

•         Standardised pricing
•         Skillset upgradation by vendors 
•         Greater interaction between vendors and clients with periodic sharing of mutual feedback and understanding of challenges, plans etc. 
•         More number of conversations on sustainability in terms of process, media, etc.  

As he sums up, addressing the whole eco-system, “Go beyond price led conversations and pricing as the only criteria. Instead, consider serviceability, sustainability and value proposition in terms of print quality, media, duration, etc.  This will lead to big improvements.”