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The franchise sector is expanding quickly. With 851,000 establishments in 2025 and economic output approaching $1 trillion, franchising is growing at 4.4% – more than double the pace of the US economy as a whole. As franchise leaders scale to hundreds or thousands of locations, infrastructure decisions that once seemed straightforward become exponentially more complex. Signage is no exception.
Perhaps the most significant factor to consider as you weigh the costs and benefits of digital versus print signage is the massive opportunity presented by retail media networks (RMNs). The advertising platforms that Amazon has turned into a $47 billion annual revenue stream are now accessible to physical retailers through digital signage. And this entire revenue stream requires digital infrastructure, not print signage.
Meanwhile, modern consumers have made their expectations clear: 73% prefer brands that offer omnichannel experiences, meaning that shoppers can engage with a brand in a seamless way across touchpoints (online, in-person, and on social, for example). These consumers will switch brands when those expectations aren't met. Franchise locations are more than physical locations – they are extensions of your customer experience strategy, engagement opportunities in an integrated customer journey that spans channels.
This article examines why digital signage has become essential infrastructure for modern franchise operations, from cost efficiency at scale to unlocking entirely new revenue streams.
Cost Assessment: Why Digital Signage Wins for Growing Businesses
Suppose you run a 50-location franchise using print signage and you make quarterly updates to these assets, which requires 200 print jobs annually. As you expand to 200 locations, that figure becomes 800 jobs a year; at 500 locations, 2,000 jobs. Each job likely entails design, printing, shipping, installation, and disposal. It is easy to see how this model becomes unmanageable and cost-prohibitive over time.
As an alternative, with digital signage, you could update messaging across 500 locations from a single dashboard in minutes. Digital menu boards (vs. print menus) provide a great example of how much more efficient this can be.
While print signage may be cheaper up front, its true costs extend far beyond the initial invoice:
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Repeated production cycles: Every promotional update requires new design, printing, distribution, and installation at every single location.
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Time lag: Print updates take weeks; digital updates take minutes. In fast-moving markets, this delay costs sales.
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Inevitable human error: Errors that go to print implicate both of the costs above, requiring a new production cycle and associated delays – whereas digital errors can be addressed, at scale, immediately.
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Labor multiplication: Labor costs for physical installation multiply with each location in your system.
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No performance tracking: Print offers no closed-loop attribution, excluding franchises from performance-based insight that allow for meaningful KPIs.
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Locked out of retail media: Given that in-store retail media ad spend is expected to exceed $1 billion by 2028 (with growth year-over-year outpacing online retail media), the opportunity cost of choosing print over digital could be significant.
The Missed Opportunity: Retail Media Requires Digital Signage
Digital signage gives franchises the capacity to turn locations into advertising platforms via retail media with scale, geographic targeting, and quality environments – and print simply can’t match that.
Plus, RMNs have a high potential for offsetting infrastructure costs (for example, the purchase of screens), with multiple revenue opportunities including partner brand advertising, programmatic ads, sponsored content, and cross-promotions. Grocery stores provide a great example of how digital touchpoints can spur this type of growth.
To successfully operate an RMN, franchises need the ability to track performance data and share it with partners. And it’s simply not possible for print signage to integrate first-party transaction data. It offers no closed-loop attribution proving which ads drove sales. It also lacks real-time capabilities and integration opportunities that are required for performance tracking (i.e., measuring impressions, engagement, or conversion). And of course, there’s no way to update creative without physically replacing every single sign.
Benefits Beyond Cost: Flexibility, Measurement, Expectations, and Sustainability
Even without retail media, strategic use of digital signage has proven in-store advantages. In an experimental comparison of end-caps, researchers found that digital signage was capable of driving an 8.3% increase in sales over traditional displays (those with shelves and no added technical features). Adding sound amplified sales impact by 86%.
Digital signage offers significant operational benefits over print signage, giving franchises the ability to push instant updates across countless locations simultaneously. Additionally, digital media offers far greater agility, especially with marketing and partnership opportunities to propel sales.
Not only can franchises use strategies including dayparting, local customization, A/B testing, promotional swapping – they can also serve third-party advertisers in-store with the same agility they expect from digital channels. At franchise scale, print's static nature becomes an operational liability. Digital signage also enables users to create and deliver multimedia content – including video, images, and interactive elements – across various devices. The customization and visual appeal of digital signage not only attract more attention, but also offer a personalized experience to customers.
Measurement That Matters
For franchise operators and their advertising partners, measurement determines everything. Print signage offers limited tracking options (think QR codes, unique coupon codes, customer surveys) with no closed-loop attribution connecting specific displays to specific outcomes. It becomes near impossible to – or painstakingly manual – to understand which locations, messages, or promotions drive meaningful results.
Digital signage has the capacity to fuel real-time analytics across locations: engagement metrics, content performance data, dwell time measurements, and advertiser-grade reporting. As a result, companies can establish digital signage KPIs that help drive business growth. For franchises pursuing retail media revenue, this measurement capability is non-negotiable. Advertisers won't pay for placements they can't measure.
Meeting Modern Expectations
Modern consumers prefer omnichannel experiences and will switch brands without it. Research from Deloitte shows that the average person spends 6 hours daily on media and entertainment across multiple platforms, a number that is holding steady year to year. In-location experiences are thus competing for attention, and franchises need to match the digital standards customers hold for other channels to stand a chance.
For this reason, physical locations can benefit by syncing with mobile apps, loyalty programs, and real-time offers – programs that integrate with digital touchpoints, not paper. According to the same trend report, among Gen Z and Millennials, over 50% feel a stronger connection to digital creators than traditional media. Status print messaging feels outdated and disconnected from an integrated digital world.
Environmental Impact
The environmental case for digital signage aligns with the economic case. Paper accounts for 26% of landfill waste, and paper production ranks as the third largest industrial polluter of air, water, and soil. Not to mention that paper rotting in landfills emits methane gas, which is 25 times more toxic than CO2.
This matters to your customers. Research shows 65% of consumers are willing to spend more on products from environmentally conscious companies. Digital signage requires one-time hardware investment and then enables infinite content updates without physical waste. It's both the economically sensible and environmentally responsible choice.
When Print Still Makes Sense
To be clear: this isn't about declaring print obsolete across the board. Different goals require different mediums, and print serves specific purposes effectively. Permanent branding elements (building exteriors, restroom signage) don't require digital capabilities. Locations without reliable power or in extreme conditions may not support digital infrastructure. And materials customers take home, like event menus or detailed take-home flyers, work well in print.
Research on reading behavior shows that print excels for detailed information customers study repeatedly. Eye-tracking studies reveal that print readers demonstrate better comprehension because they skim and then selectively reread important material. This makes print valuable for contracts, instruction manuals, or other detailed documents requiring careful review. Even Walmart, with an extensive digital presence, is returning to paper catalogs. In-location digital signage therefore needs to capture attention immediately and communicate clearly in seconds. Viewers won't reread your promotional displays.
For primary customer communication requiring measurement, revenue generation, and operational flexibility across multiple franchise locations, digital is essential. Print can play supporting roles in a hybrid approach, but it cannot be a primary strategy for modern businesses.
TL;DR: Digital Signage vs. Print Signage
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Print costs multiply with franchise growth. A 50-location franchise updating quarterly might create 200 print jobs annually; at 500 locations, that's 2,000 jobs. Digital signage updates can be deployed to 500 locations from one dashboard in minutes.
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Retail media networks require digital signage infrastructure. In-store retail media ad spend is expected to exceed $1 billion by 2028, with growth outpacing online retail media. Print signage cannot participate in this revenue stream.
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73% of consumers prefer brands offering omnichannel experiences and will switch brands without it. With average daily media consumption fixed at 6 hours across fragmented platforms, in-location experiences must match digital standards.
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Paper accounts for 26% of landfill waste and production is the 3rd largest industrial polluter. Meanwhile, 65% of consumers spend more with environmentally conscious companies. Digital signage wins on both environmental and economic fronts.
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Print offers limited tracking with no closed-loop attribution. Digital provides real-time analytics, performance data, and advertiser-grade reporting that connect in-location experiences to business outcomes.
Embracing the Future with Digital Signage
All told, the upsides of digital signage (including cost-savings, operational improvements, and consumer demand) make it an indispensable tool for franchisors aiming to stay competitive. Print signage also excludes franchises from billions in retail media opportunities that are growing over 20% annually. Whereas for larger franchises print functions as a cost center that demands investment with every update, digital signage can help companies generate revenue through advertising partnerships while simultaneously improving operational efficiency and customer engagement.
For those weighing the pros and cons of digital signage and traditional signage, the path forward involves considering immediate needs alongside longer-term results. An investment in digital signage as opposed to print can help ensure relevance and competitiveness in an ever-evolving digital landscape and an expanding market for franchise.
Discover how digital signage can transform your franchise's communication at Rockbot.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is digital signage worth it?
Digital signage is worth it for many businesses, especially in the case of franchises managing multiple locations. Beyond eliminating recurring print costs (design, printing, distribution, installation for every update), digital signage generates revenue through retail media networks. In-store retail media ad spend is expected to exceed $1 billion by 2028, with growth outpacing online retail media.
Digital infrastructure provides the only scalable way to maintain brand consistency while enabling local customization across locations. The question isn't whether digital signage is worth it, but whether businesses can afford to fall behind competitors who've already deployed it.
2. Why is digital better than print?
Digital is better than print because it solves three critical challenges for scaling businesses: operational efficiency, revenue generation, and customer experience. Operationally, digital signage updates hundreds of locations instantly from one dashboard versus separate print jobs for each location. Financially, digital enables participation in retail media networks while print functions only as a cost center. For customer experience, 73% of consumers prefer omnichannel brands, and digital signage integrates seamlessly with mobile apps, loyalty programs, and real-time offers. Print simply cannot deliver these capabilities.
3. How long do digital signs last?
Digital signs typically last 5-10 years depending on usage, environment, and quality of hardware. Commercial-grade LCD displays are designed for continuous operation and can run 16-18 hours daily for years with proper maintenance.
While the upfront investment is higher than print, the longevity combined with unlimited content updates without physical replacement makes digital signage more cost-effective over time. Additionally, modern digital signage systems can be upgraded remotely with software updates, extending their useful life beyond the hardware itself.
4. Does digital signage increase sales?
Yes, digital signage can increase sales through multiple mechanisms. Research shows that digital signage on end caps, for example, can drive an 8.3% sales increase over traditional displays – and adding sound amplifies this impact by 86%.
Beyond direct sales lift, digital signage enables dayparting (for example, promoting breakfast items in the morning, snacks in the afternoon), real-time inventory-aware promotions, and A/B testing to optimize messaging – capabilities that continuously improve sales performance over time. The combination of dynamic content, strategic timing, and measurable results makes digital signage a proven sales driver.
5. What is another name for digital signage?
Another name for digital signage is electronic signage, with other possibilities including digital displays, dynamic signage, or digital media displays. In specific contexts, you might hear digital signage referred to as digital menu boards (in restaurants), digital billboards (outdoor advertising), or narrowcasting (when targeting specific audiences).
In the context of retail media networks, in-store digital signage is sometimes called retail media displays or commerce media screens. Regardless of terminology, these terms all refer to electronic displays that show dynamic, updateable content rather than static printed materials.
