How Physical Touchpoints Can Provide Next Step in Retail Media's Evolution
Experiential marketing has long been a key component of brand and retail strategies, connecting with consumers through events and sampling to create opportunities for discovery and form positive associations. However, it can be challenging to actually gather data or conduct programs at scale.
Freeosk is trying to combat this by offering a solution through in-store sampling kiosks that incorporate display and video and sync with a retailer’s first-party data to measure sales impact.
The solution provider recently worked with a CPG cookie brand on a program that reached 700,000 shoppers at more than 50 stores. It reported the brand achieved a 4.6% conversion rate among samplers compared to a 0.57% baseline for traditional sampling.
Shoppers who simply walked by the Freeosk displays and saw the digital creative without engaging with it were also impacted, experiencing a 0.79% conversion rate.
Why This Matters
In-store plays a big role in CPG product discovery. A 2024 Emarketer report found that visits to the physical store account for 46.6% discovery that drives new product purchases, significantly outpacing the impact of social media and retailer websites.
A separate study, conducted in 2024 by Vestcom, found that 35% of consumers said they like when in-store digital displays help them discover new products, making it their second favorite use of the tactic after learning about sales and promotions.
Freeosk wants to seize these advantages by combining both functions with interactive demo tablets where customers can review products and receive discounts on them. Retailers can in turn work with Freeosk to drive traffic by sending out targeted emails before the sampling or encourage further purchases with follow-up communications.
"Physical retail has always been the ultimate discovery platform," Matt Eichorn, Freeosk co-founder and chief executive officer, said in a statement. "Humans are hardwired to enjoy novel experiences — an emotional benefit that's magnified in the context of routines like weekly shopping trips. That's why product samples are unrivaled by other media."
