Digital Signage for retail and HoReCa: scaling without unnecessary costs
In the summer of 2023, Innovative DMC began collaborating with the Apelmon chain on the implementation of a Digital Signage software and hardware complex based on the DSGO.pro platform for the implementation of a centralized content management project in retail spaces.
REFERENCE
Apelmont is a regional chain of grocery supermarkets in the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions. It serves over 55,000 customers daily, offering a range of over 7,000 SKUs, competitive prices, and a loyalty program. The chain has 37 stores, including full-format supermarkets in Zaporizhia. Logistics are provided by a modern 5,000 sq. m. distribution center and an automated merchandise display management system. The Apelmon grocery chain is actively developing its own production (meat products, semi-finished products, bakery, confectionery), implementing promotional activities, and creating over 2,000 jobs. Founded in 2004, the chain continues to expand: in 2025–2026, it plans to open and renovate new supermarkets in Zaporizhia and the surrounding region.
The project has become an example of how a supermarket chain can implement and scale infrastructure with minimal investment and minimal operating costs, which is particularly relevant for:
- owners of grocery store chains
- pharmacy chains
- cafes, bars, and fast food establishments
- IT department managers
- marketing directors and brand managers
The key goal of implementing Digital Signage was the need to consolidate the content of advertising screens and digital menus that were already installed or planned for installation into a single control center across the entire network. Through joint cooperation, IT specialists and the network marketing department gained the ability to manage content in real time: online price updates, launch of promotional campaigns, multi-level configuration of broadcast schedules for promotions and special offers at specific times or days of the week, monitoring of content broadcast with the ability to respond quickly to unusual situations, etc.
This is critically important for the retail segment, pharmacies, and fast food outlets with frequent changes in product range and prices.
An additional factor in the transition to digital menus was the desire to reduce costs for POS materials and logistics. The introduction of Digital Signage eliminates the need to print posters, paper menus, or bulky and static “citylights.” For chains with 10+ stores, this means savings on printing, no logistics for advertising materials, minimization of the human factor, and many other advantages.
An optimal IT infrastructure built with an understanding of strategic objectives and rapid scaling with minimal investment. From the early stages of the project, an architecture was laid out that allows the system to be easily scaled to new stores without complex integrations. For the IT department, this means fewer “points of failure,” centralized 24/7 monitoring with automatic notification of abnormal situations, and simplified administration with minimal involvement of local store employees or technical staff.
Cost optimization in conditions of prolonged war and transition to SMART Android TV
A separate strategic decision was made to switch to using SMART Android TV as devices for playing digital menus and advertising content in 2025.
Why is this important for business during wartime?
Ukrainian retail operates in challenging conditions, with a growing shortage of IT specialists and limited budgets. At a time when there is a need to quickly open new locations and try to minimize operating costs without abandoning the approved standard of using Digital Signage, the optimal solution is to switch to SMART Android TV. This approach has enabled the Apelmon supermarket chain to:
- refrain from using DSGO 2/16 Gb Android 10 media players
- reduce capital expenditure on equipment
- simplify the installation and subsequent servicing of digital menus
- reduce energy consumption by using Class C TVs
- scale solutions without complicating infrastructure
For chains of stores, pharmacies, and catering establishments, this means lower TCO (total cost of ownership) and faster ROI.
Business results for the Apelmon chain of stores were predictable.
The implementation of Digital Signage solutions has increased the effectiveness of promotional communications, boosted impulse purchases, accelerated the launch of marketing campaigns, reduced printing and logistics costs, and the approved standard for infrastructure development ensures technological readiness for network scaling.
Practical experience confirmed by time and other (similar) projects implemented by Innovative DMC in other retail chains such as LotOK, Sim23, GROSH, Galitska Svitzyna, and others.
So, for which businesses is implementation an integral part of success and growth? Innovative DMC’s Digital Signage software and hardware solutions are the optimal tool for:
– owners of chain stores
– pharmacy operators
– restaurant and café managers
– IT directors and marketing teams
If your business has more than 3–5 locations and you are planning to scale up, centrally managed digital screens should be viewed not as an investment, but as an effective tool for increasing profitability.
CONCLUSION
The case of the Apelmon chain of stores once again confirms that the implementation of Digital Signage in Ukraine is not just a trend, but a strategic tool for optimizing costs and increasing sales. In conditions of war and economic instability, the winners are those companies that understand ALL the advantages and build an effective, simple, and flexible digital infrastructure that does not require significant investments.
