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Tomorrow's kiosk is a branded machine

December 2, 2004

Smaller, sleeker, curvier. Those words paint a picture of today's hottest sports car, and they also describe tomorrow's retail kiosk.

No longer considered point-of-sale's poor cousin, kiosks are taking center stage in big box and high-end department stores. And while the big box retailer and the high-end department store both may use kiosks for applications such as gift registry, chances are their kiosks will look completely different.

That's because the look and feel of a retail kiosk must be matched to the look and feel of the store. Kiosk design impacts usage. A big, bulky kiosk that resembles a wooden box is out of place in a trendy clothing store. Flashy splash screens will never be viewed by customers who turn their backs on the out-of-place devices.

This story and all the great free content on Kiosk Marketplace is supported by: Olea Exhibits/Displays, Inc.

"Customers are getting more sophisticated when it comes to kiosks, and the trend needs to keep moving forward," said Frank Olea, vice president of sales and marketing for kiosk designer Olea Exhibits. He pointed out that poorly designed kiosks may actually drive customers away. Customers won't use the kiosk "no matter how good the software is," Olea said. "It's like making a really bad looking car with a great motor. Who would buy it?"

Factor in design features

Size, color and shape help kiosks blend into the retail environment. Given the limited space in most retail stores, footprint is important. Don't waste space on a large device if a smaller one can do the job.

The days of the plain box-like kiosk are gone as today's kiosk enclosure manufacturers incorporate wood, metal and plastic into their designs. A colorful, toy-shaped kiosk made of plastic works well in a children's play space, while a durable metal kiosk works well in a merchandise pick-up area.

Color blends, but it also brands. From green to blue to red to virtually any shade, color lets a kiosk stand out in a crowd of, well, other kiosks.

Image is everything

The more expensive custom designs and branded kiosks are usually found in large-quantity orders and chainwide deployments. But, retailers shouldn't skimp on kiosk design when it comes to smaller rollouts.

"Retailers should take advantage of the new printing technologies available to them," said Olea. For example, kiosks can be completely wrapped in printed graphics for branding purposes. "I don't think it's enough to just buy a nice looking machine," said Olea. He explained that the kiosk enclosure surfaces are ideal for adding brand identity. "Some companies even go so far as to name their kiosks or the initiative, "offered Olea. "I think that's a step in the right direction."

Chances are that the small, sleek, curvy sports car isn't sitting idle in the garage. It's racing down the road turning heads. Small, sleek, curvy kiosks shouldn't be idle either. According to Olea, retailers need to demonstrate they are proud of their self-service investment by showing off their kiosks. "Don't hide them in a corner and hope for the best," he said.