The Science of Dwell Time: Why Indoor DOOH Outperforms Mobile in Retail Environments

Every marketer knows attention is the new currency — but not all attention is created equal. In retail spaces, customers are bombarded with stimuli: shelf promotions, music, ambient chatter, and, of course, their mobile screens.

But here’s the catch: while mobile ads compete with endless distractions, indoor Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) advertising has a built-in advantage — it captures attention when customers are already in a buying mindset.

One of the most powerful metrics proving DOOH’s impact is dwell time — the amount of time a shopper actively looks at a display. And in 2025, with retail media networks booming, knowing how to hold attention in-store can make the difference between a sale and a scroll-past.

1. What Is Dwell Time and Why Does It Matter?

Dwell time is the length of time a person spends engaging with an ad or display. In physical retail environments, dwell time is often measured in seconds — but those seconds are precious.

Research shows that digital signage can achieve 2.6× longer dwell time than static displays. More time looking means more time to influence, persuade, and trigger buying decisions.

2. The data says, that DOOH Keeps Shoppers Watching Longer

📊 Nielsen studies reveal that longer dwell times can lead to:

• +30% boost in brand recall
• +20% increase in purchase conversion rates 

Dynamic DOOH — with motion, animation, or interactive content — delivers:

• 21% longer dwell time
• 50% more viewing time
• 2× higher conversion rates than static ads 

3. Why does DOOH Beat Mobile Inside Stores

While mobile ads rely on catching people mid-scroll, indoor DOOH has the context advantage - it’s right there in the environment where purchase decisions are made.

4. Beyond Attention: Real Sales Impact

• Impulse Buys – 47% of shoppers recall seeing an in-store video display, and 19% made an unplanned purchase because of it 
• Sales Lift —Retailers using digital signage report an average +31.8% increase in sales 
• Experience Boost – DOOH can cut perceived wait times by up to 35%, making shopping more pleasant .

5. The Measurement Advantage

Modern indoor DOOH doesn’t just run ads — it gathers insights:

• Footfall tracking: See when and where shoppers engage.
• Heat mapping: Identify hotspots for higher dwell times.
• Attribution tools: Link screen engagement to actual sales via QR codes, geofencing, and POS data.

This level of closed-loop measurement is hard to achieve with mobile ads in a busy retail environment.

Turning Retail Media Into Real Influence

Retail Media Networks are projected to hit $62 billion in spend this year, with brands hungry for measurable, high-impact in-store touchpoints. Indoor DOOH doesn’t just deliver impressions — it delivers attentive seconds that influence purchase decisions in real time.

Plan Your Next Move

Dolphin Digital OOH Media helps brands:

• Deploy high-visibility indoor screens in prime retail zones
• Leverage dynamic content for maximum dwell time and brand recall
• Track real business outcomes, from engagement to in-store sales

If your brand is ready to turn attention into action, let’s talk. 📩 Contact Dolphin Digital OOH Media today and discover how our indoor retail network can transform dwell time into revenue.

References 

• Fugo.ai. (2025). Digital signage statistics: How dwell time drives engagement. https://www.fugo.ai/blog/https-www-fugo-ai-blog-digital-signage-statistics/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• AIScreen. (2025). How dwell time in digital signage affects your business. https://www.aiscreen.io/digital-signage/dwell-time-impact/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• Xenoss. (2025). Programmatic DOOH: Dynamic vs. static impact. https://xenoss.io/blog/programmatic-dooh?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• Rave Agency. (2019). Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) primer. https://theraveagency.com/files/DOOHPrimerMarch2019.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com