How to make money from your storefront window.
If your business has foot traffic, your window is unused inventory. Here's how to monetize it.
The math
Foot traffic past a storefront is advertising impressions, the same way pedestrians passing a billboard are. The difference is nobody has been buying those impressions from small businesses, because there hasn't been an easy way to capture them.
A Toronto storefront on a moderate-traffic street might see 200–800 people walk past per hour during business hours. That's between 2,000 and 10,000 daily impressions, depending on the location and hours. Equivalent advertising spend on Meta or Google for that audience reach would cost real money. Storefronts have been leaving that value on the floor.
DOOH (Digital Out-of-Home) advertising is a real industry. Brands like Coca-Cola, McDonald's, and Toyota spend hundreds of millions on outdoor screens. Until recently, all of it went to large billboards on highways or large-format screens at intersections. Storefront-scale DOOH is new — and small businesses are now in a position to capture some of that spend.
Three ways to monetize a storefront window
Lease the space to a billboard company.
Some out-of-home companies will lease your window or wall for a flat monthly rate. Pros: predictable income, no work. Cons: long contracts (5–10 years are common), low rates for small storefronts, and you have no control over what gets advertised.
Run your own promotions.
Hang a sign, print a poster, use a TV with your own content. Pros: full control, free. Cons: no revenue, and you become a part-time graphic designer.
Host a DOOH screen on revenue share.
A company like pump.TV installs the hardware at no cost to you, sells ad space on it, and pays you a share of the revenue. Pros: zero upfront cost, monthly income, customer amenity (free Wi-Fi, neighborhood info). Cons: you give up some say over what plays, and the income depends on advertiser demand in your category.
For most small businesses, the third option is the only one that makes financial sense at the small-storefront scale. The other two are either too rigid or too expensive.
What pump.TV pays hosts
Every host agreement is based on revenue share. The plain-language version is on our revenue share page, and the table below shows the pilot data placeholders we will replace once the first Toronto cohort is ready to publish.
| Business type | Avg daily foot traffic | Avg monthly host payout |
|---|---|---|
| Gas station | [XXX pilot data placeholder] | $[XXX] [pilot data placeholder] |
| Laundromat | [XXX pilot data placeholder] | $[XXX] [pilot data placeholder] |
| Coffee shop | [XXX pilot data placeholder] | $[XXX] [pilot data placeholder] |
| Convenience store | [XXX pilot data placeholder] | $[XXX] [pilot data placeholder] |
What you need
- Storefront-facing window or wall.
- Electrical outlet within 3 meters.
- Indoor space for the equipment housing (about the size of a shoebox).
- Business owner agreement — you don't need to own the building, but you need permission.
- Minimum 12 months at the location.
Estimate your numbers
Revenue estimate
Estimate based on average industry data. Real payout depends on advertiser demand and your specific location.
FAQ
Does it damage my window?
No. The screen mounts to a frame against the inside of the glass, with no adhesive on the window itself. Removal leaves no marks. We've done the install pattern on plate glass, tempered glass, and laminated retail glass.
What if I want to remove it later?
You can. The host agreement runs 12 months minimum, after which you can give 60 days' notice and we remove the unit at no cost.
Who decides what ads play?
pump.TV runs the ad sales. You can block specific categories — competitors of your business, anything you don't want associated with your brand, etc. — at signup. We honor those exclusions for the life of the agreement.
Can I block ads from competitors?
Yes. Tell us your category and your direct competitors. We won't run ads from them on your screen.
Is the Wi-Fi safe for my customers?
Yes. It's a separate network from any business network you operate. Content is filtered. Connections are logged for security and abuse handling. Users see a privacy notice and consent screen before connecting.
Do I have any liability?
Standard premises liability applies (same as any electronics in your business). pump.TV carries product liability insurance on the hardware itself. The host agreement spells out the boundary clearly.
How long is the contract?
12 months initial term, then month-to-month with 60 days' notice from either side.
Do I pay anything upfront?
No. Hardware, installation, content, ad sales, Wi-Fi service, and maintenance are all at our cost. You cover the screen's electricity (estimated $5–15/month) and any municipal permits your city requires.
See if your storefront qualifies.
The application takes about 3 minutes. We respond within 24 hours.