What do retail chains expect from their POS printing suppliers? How important is digital signage in department stores? The marketing and visual communications management team at Rudolf Wöhrl SE answers these questions.

The 27-meter-high vertical LED wall stretches across all floors of the WÖHRL store in Nuremberg. Photo: Sonja Angerer

Changing consumer behavior and reluctance to spend are causing problems not only for fashion retailers and department stores, but also for printing companies and signage specialists who supply them with point-of-sale (POS) materials. What will retail spaces look like in the future? How important will print remain? Where is digital signage headed? Kevin Niebler (Decor/VM), Simone Voit (E-Commerce & CRM), and Heike Dobroschke (Marketing) from Rudolf Wöhrl SE answered our questions.

Rudolf Wöhrl SE celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2023. It currently operates 28 stores, primarily in southern and eastern Germany, which generate annual revenue of more than 200 million euros.

The large-format prints create a special atmosphere in the showroom. Photo: Sonja Angerer

Print Buying at Wöhrl SE

Are POS materials, such as display stands or ceiling hangers, ordered centrally for all stores, or do the individual stores handle that themselves?

Our POS materials—such as display stands, A1 posters, and signage—are produced for all WÖHRL stores by our external agency, Nuts Communication GmbH in Nuremberg, and are then centrally managed and ordered. In this process, the specific requirements of the individual stores are consolidated to ensure consistent implementation.

In addition, the stores have their own large-format printers, including the necessary printing software, so they can handle print jobs independently on a project-by-project basis. The annual volume of printing services varies and depends both on scheduled POS promotions as part of marketing and supplier campaigns, as well as on unscheduled projects that arise during the fiscal year.

In some stores, such as the one in Nuremberg, we have tenants or shop-in-shop spaces. These are, of course, included in our promotional campaigns.

At WÖHRL in Nuremberg, digital signage highlights special promotions and showcases the latest trend videos. Photo: Sonja Angerer

Does WÖHRL have a regular partner for printing jobs, long-term contracts, or are the services put out to bid on portals on a project-by-project basis?

WÖHRL places great importance on working with a select group of permanent partners. These partnerships are partly based on fixed-term contracts, which make it possible to build long-term, stable business relationships.

Through these strong partnerships, WÖHRL can ensure that the complex processes involved in its business operations run smoothly and efficiently. Working with trusted partners plays a key role in maintaining high quality standards and ensuring that processes flow seamlessly into one another.

This is particularly important for consistently providing customers with an outstanding shopping experience while also optimizing internal processes.

Does WÖHRL prioritize CO2-neutral production or environmentally friendly materials in its printing services?

Sustainability is of great importance to WÖHRL. Whenever possible, we work with certified service providers to ensure that our printing services are carried out in a carbon-neutral and environmentally friendly manner. Even behind the scenes, we always pay close attention to our environmental footprint.

For example, layouts are no longer printed, and printed materials are shipped via carbon-neutral delivery. In addition, we are continuously optimizing our logistics processes. We use trucks that are already transporting goods to carry our POS materials at the same time.

Social media channels such as Instagram are an important component of WÖHRL’s marketing mix.

Print and Digital Signage at WÖHRL

How important are print advertisements and point-of-sale materials to WÖHRL? A 27-meter-high LED wall was installed at the Nuremberg store—are there similar installations at other locations, or are any planned?

Print advertising and point-of-sale (POS) materials remain very important to WÖHRL, as not all stores are equipped with digital POS screens. We are already successfully using LED walls in our stores in Nuremberg, Ingolstadt, Regensburg, and Munich.

How important is print in the marketing mix?

The customer experience is always our top priority. Our store windows serve as the WÖHRL brand’s calling card and represent the brand around the clock. Our seasonal magazines, promotional flyers, booklets, and brochures embody our comprehensive approach to presenting all advertising themes in print.

WÖHRL presents itself as a consistent brand across all communication channels. In addition to print and digital signage, this naturally includes online platforms, e-commerce, and social media. Our campaigns are always designed to be cross-channel, while at the same time taking into account the specific requirements and characteristics of each channel. We integrate both print and digital media, depending on the specific topic and target audience.

Experiential shopping remains a trend. Pictured: A café at the WÖHRL store in Nuremberg featuring printed wallpaper. Photo: Sonja Angerer

The Future of Printing in Department Stores

Given the general decline in foot traffic at department stores and retail locations—as well as in pedestrian zones more broadly—what impact do you see this having on displays and point-of-sale materials? How is WÖHRL addressing this?

We design eye-catching window displays, for example by using moving images in select stores.

The merchandise on display also plays a crucial role. If the merchandise is appealing and aligns with current trends, it contributes significantly to our success. Our goal is to use it to create excitement, spark curiosity, and draw customers into the store.

We see the concept of experiential shopping as the future of our department stores. Our goal is to offer customers in major cities a unique shopping experience. This includes special services, partnerships with external partners, scent journeys, fashion shows, and customer events that invite people to experience the WÖHRL brand up close.

Print media will continue to play a role. A balanced mix of print and digital media within a 360-degree communication strategy is essential for us. Expanding digital customer touchpoints for digital communication channels, as well as expanding digital services, is part of our strategy for the future.