Walk into a modern grocery store and the first thing you notice may not be the produce, the weekly specials, or the smell of fresh bread. It may be the screen near the entrance, the cart wipe station, the promotional display, or the message greeting shoppers before they even make it past the cart bay.

That is not an accident.

Retailers are paying more attention to the front of the store because it is one of the most valuable areas in the entire building. It is where shoppers slow down, grab a cart, wipe the handle, look for baskets, scan the entrance, and mentally shift into shopping mode. In other words, it is one of the rare places where nearly every customer passes through with their attention still available.

That attention has value.

Retail media has grown rapidly in recent years, and more of that growth is now moving into physical stores. EMARKETER reported that U.S. advertisers spent $60.32 billion on retail media in 2025 and forecast that spending would reach $71.09 billion in 2026. Retailers including Kroger and CVS have also been expanding in-store screen networks as part of larger retail media strategies.

For grocery stores, supermarkets, and retail chains, this creates a new opportunity. The store entrance is no longer just a functional space. It can become a communication point, a customer service feature, and a valuable location for professionally managed media programs.

The Store Entrance Is the First Real Customer Touchpoint

Retailers spend a lot of time thinking about websites, mobile apps, loyalty programs, and checkout experiences. Those are all important, but the physical store entrance still carries a lot of weight.

Before a shopper picks up a product, they usually pick up a cart or hand basket. Before they walk down the first aisle, they often pass a cart wipe dispenser, seasonal display, store notice, or digital screen. That brief window matters because it helps set the tone for the entire shopping trip.

A clean, organized entrance tells customers the store is cared for. A cluttered or neglected entrance says something too, even if the store never meant to say it.

This is why shopping carts, hand baskets, cart wipes, cart corrals, and front-end signage all play a role in the customer experience. They are not just equipment. They are part of the store’s first impression.

Why Digital Signage Is Moving Closer to the Shopper

Digital signage has been used in retail for years, but it is becoming more targeted, more strategic, and more connected to retail media networks. Instead of placing a screen somewhere simply because there is open wall space, advertising companies and retail media partners are looking for locations where shoppers naturally pause.

The entrance is one of those places.

A digital screen near the cart area or sanitation station gives advertisers a valuable opportunity to reach shoppers at the beginning of their trip. Depending on the program, the screen content may include brand advertising, seasonal campaigns, public service messaging, retail-related information, or other media selected and managed by a third-party advertising company.

That distinction is important.

In many programs, the retailer does not have to manage the screen, sell the advertising, schedule the content, or build the media rotation. The advertising partner controls the media side of the program. The store provides a high-traffic location that naturally fits the shopping experience, while the equipment provider supplies the physical stand or dispenser solution.

For retailers, the appeal is simple: the entrance becomes cleaner, more useful, and more modern without adding another complicated responsibility to the store team’s already crowded plate.

Retail Media Works Best When It Feels Natural

There is one important catch. Customers do not want to feel like they are being ambushed by advertisements the moment they walk in the door.

The best in-store media feels natural. It fits the space. It supports the shopping environment without getting in the way.

That is why entrance-area media can work so well. A shopper is already slowing down. They are choosing a cart, reaching for a wipe, checking their list, looking for baskets, or deciding which direction to go first. A digital screen in that area does not have to interrupt the customer. It simply meets the customer in a place where a pause is already happening.

For a third-party advertising company, that kind of location is valuable. The message reaches shoppers at the beginning of the trip, close to the point of purchase, and in an environment where buying decisions are already forming.

For the store, the value is different but just as important. The store gains a polished front-end feature without having to become a media company. The advertising partner handles the content. The store benefits from the improved appearance and added convenience around the entrance.

Cart Wipe Stations Are a Natural Media Location

Cart wipe stations are especially well suited for entrance media because they sit at the exact point where customers are already interacting with store equipment.

A shopper walks in, grabs a cart, reaches for a wipe, and pauses for a few seconds. That small pause creates a natural moment for communication. It is not forced. It fits the routine.

For years, cart wipe stations have helped stores show customers that cleanliness and convenience matter. Adding digital signage to that area can expand the value of the station even further. It allows a third-party advertising partner to place media in a high-traffic location, while the store benefits from a cleaner, more modern-looking entrance feature.

That is where a digital cart wipe dispenser station becomes more than a stand with wipes. It becomes part of the store’s front-end experience.

The store does not need to produce the content. The store does not need to sell the ads. The store does not need to manage screen schedules. The advertising company handles the media program, while the dispenser station provides a practical, customer-facing location for that media to live.

The Front of the Store Can Help Advertisers and Shoppers

The rise of in-store retail media is not just about putting more screens in more places. The best programs place media where it feels useful, visible, and connected to the shopping trip.

A customer entering the store is already making small decisions. They are choosing a cart, cleaning the handle, checking the entrance, and getting ready to shop. A digital display in that area can deliver a message without interrupting the flow of the visit.

For advertisers, the value is visibility near the point of purchase. For stores, the value is that the media program can be handled by a third-party advertising company instead of becoming another in-house responsibility.

That arrangement matters because most grocery store teams are already busy enough. They are managing labor, inventory, customer service, merchandising, shrink, cleaning, safety, and daily operations. Asking them to also manage a digital advertising network would be a tough sell.

A third-party program solves that problem. The advertising company manages the screen content and media sales. The equipment provider helps supply the physical solution. The retailer provides the customer traffic and location. When the pieces work together, shoppers encounter the screen in a place where they are already pausing.

When done correctly, the screen does not feel like clutter. It feels like part of the entrance experience.

In-Store Media Is Becoming a Bigger Part of Retail

The growth of in-store retail media is not just a theory. Kroger has continued expanding digital screens across its stores, including a reported rollout of video screens in nearly 600 stores. CVS Media Exchange also promotes in-store placements, including waiting area screens, and notes that more than 2,000 digital screens were expected to be available by the end of 2025.

This trend reflects a larger shift in how retailers and advertisers think about physical stores. The store is no longer just a place where transactions happen. It is also a place where brands can reach shoppers in real time, while they are actively making decisions.

Progressive Grocer has described the grocery store as being reshaped by retail media, with screens and other tools bringing product education, recommendations, and storytelling closer to the moment of choice.

That does not mean every store entrance needs to look like a mini Times Square with a produce section nearby. It means the physical store is being used more intelligently. High-traffic areas are being reconsidered. Equipment that once served only one function can now support multiple goals.

A cart wipe dispenser, for example, can provide sanitation, improve the entrance experience, and create a physical location for a third-party advertising program.

That is a lot of work for one stand.

Cleanliness Still Matters

With all the excitement around digital screens and retail media, it is easy to forget the basics. A screen will not make a good impression if the carts are dirty, the wipe station is empty, or the cart area looks neglected.

The media opportunity works best when it is built on a clean, functional entrance.

That includes:

• Clean shopping carts
• Available cart wipes
• Organized cart storage
• Easy-to-find hand baskets
• Safe, visible cart corrals
• Clear signage
• Equipment that looks maintained
• A front-end area that feels intentional instead of forgotten

The message customers receive from the entrance is not limited to what appears on a screen. It also comes from what they see, touch, and experience.

If the first cart they grab has a bad wheel, a broken child seat belt, or a sticky handle, that becomes the message. Not exactly the grand opening fanfare anyone was hoping for.

What This Means for Grocery and Retail Stores

Retailers do not need to overhaul their entire store to make better use of entrance space. Often, the biggest improvements come from looking at the front end with fresh eyes.

Store owners and managers can start by asking a few simple questions:

Is the cart area clean and easy to use?
Are cart wipes available and visible?
Are hand baskets easy to find?
Does the entrance feel modern and organized?
Are customers greeted by useful features or visual clutter?
Could a digital cart wipe dispenser improve the entrance experience?
Would a third-party advertising program add value without adding work for store employees?

The goal is not to fill every empty space with advertising. The goal is to turn a high-traffic area into a better customer touchpoint.

That is the real opportunity. A well-designed entrance can support cleanliness, convenience, communication, and customer confidence before the shopper ever reaches the first aisle.

Store Entrances Are Becoming More Valuable

The physical store is not going away. In fact, for many retailers, the store is becoming more valuable because it combines convenience, customer traffic, advertising potential, and real-world purchasing behavior.

That is why the entrance deserves more attention.

It is where the shopping trip begins. It is where customers choose a cart, clean the handle, notice the first message, and form an instant opinion about the store. When retailers use that space well, they can improve the customer experience while creating new opportunities for professionally managed media programs.

At Carts and Parts, Inc., we understand that the front of the store depends on more than one piece of equipment. Shopping carts, cart wipes, hand baskets, replacement parts, cart corrals, and dispenser stations all work together to create a better first impression.

For retailers exploring digital cart wipe dispenser stations, the media side is typically managed by a third-party advertising company. Carts and Parts helps provide the equipment and front-end solution, while the advertising partner manages the content, ad sales, and media program.

That structure allows stores to improve the entrance experience without having to become advertising managers themselves.

And in today’s retail environment, that first impression may be one of the most valuable spaces in the store.