Philips Research Technology Backgrounder
A new atmosphere for every customer
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Fashion shoppers are always on the look-out for what’s new. So
retailers need to keep changing their collections – and with them,
often, the whole atmosphere within their stores. What’s more, the
pace of change is accelerating: changing the whole layout and
atmosphere ten times a year is quite common. And, given that
different types of shoppers come into the store at different times
of day, it could even be helpful to be able to adapt the environment
several times a day. Not surprisingly, what many retailers want to
know is, “How can I possibly do this without spending vast sums of
money?” Philips Research has come up with some answers: two new
lighting solutions that allow retailers to change the lighting
atmosphere in their stores quickly, easily and cost-effectively.
These solutions, the atmosphere flipbook and lighting tiles are
project currently being tested in a fictive shopping environment,
though other application areas, such as hotels and even the home,
might also be possible in the future.
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Atmosphere Flipbook Sometimes, retailers want to give the atmosphere in their store a total make-over in order to adapt the environment to their new collection or to attract different types of shoppers at different times of the day, or different days of the week. With the Atmosphere Flipbook, implementing such a big change in atmosphere can be easy. It’s as simple as flipping through a pattern book. Each page in the Flipbook represents a different retail atmosphere or pre-set lighting design. The user – who doesn’t need to be a professional lighting designer – simply browses through the “pages” until the desired atmosphere is found. Each page has a unique ID, which is associated with a particular lighting setting. Opening a page activates the particular lighting setting on the store’s lighting system, which, in turn, creates the desired atmosphere. Adding a new atmosphere to the Flipbook is also easy: all you need to do is add a new atmosphere page to the flipbook. + High-resolution pictures on the Atmosphere Flipbook |
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Lighting Tiles Lighting Tiles are intelligent LED lighting units that enable retailers to create a completely new look for (part of) their store quickly and easily. The tiles enable dynamic or static designs – or even moving images and can be changed easily by the end-user without difficult programming. These single or double-sided modular units can be clicked together easily and stacked to form larger units, such as “walls” or “blocks” of light, that are approachable from any direction. The end-user can reconfigure these almost cable-free tiles without additional technical support. Lighting Tiles can also be used to create quick, versatile solutions in the signage industry, as well as exciting, dynamic environments in the leisure and entertainment industry. + High-resolution pictures on the Lighting Tiles Philips Research – at the forefront of retail lighting Shopping has become one of the most popular leisure activities in economically advanced countries. People no longer only go shopping when they need something: the experience of shopping is becoming more important. This also means that these people navigate through stores in a less structured way, and will be attracted by environments, which are appealing and pleasant to be in. As a result, retailers continuously try to optimize the shopping experience in such a way that increases people’s willingness to buy. Research shows that one of the most effective ways of influencing buyers is through lighting. To help retailers make full use of lighting as a marketing tool, Philips Research is working on a wide variety of new lighting solutions. In a very early stage, shoppers, retailers and lighting professionals are involved to test these solutions to ensure that they meet the needs of all key players. |
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