Digital Display Tags (DDT) are helping to create a relationship between the physical world of retailing and the online world of eCommerce. In other words, the gap that once existed between our shopping experiences at brick-and-mortar retailers and our shopping experiences on-line is diminishing rapidly.
DDT has turned the store shelf from an outdated, static visual (e.g., price tags), into a dynamic, real-time data-visualization tool that connects both the physical and electronic worlds. This means that prices change in real time, inventory levels match the available stock, and in-store sales occurrences are consistent with on-line promotional strategies of retailers. DDT represents an essential part of the infrastructure that both retailers need to create effective omnichannel shopping experiences.
Price Synchronization for Omnichannel Retailers
Digital Display Tags alleviate this issue by providing a single pricing method at all customer-facing touchpoints. Promotions that are activated on the web will also be shown on the shelf within seconds. There is no longer any need for manual intervention or coordinating promotions on a store-by-store basis for flash sales, weekend sale pricing or regional pricing.
The impact of this price synchronization is tangible. DDT have resulted in significant reductions in customer complaints regarding errors in pricing and fewer challenged transactions at the register for retailers. Most importantly, DDT help to restore the credibility of stores.
With the centralised and automated pricing logic of DDT, physical stores can now operate at the same speed as online channels.
Inventory Transparency
Utilising digital display tags to connect inventory systems enables retailers to provide customers with up-to-the-minute information regarding inventory status right from inside the store. Retailers can now quickly indicate low stock levels, out-of-stock items and available online options, therefore providing customers with other options to purchase if they cannot find what they came to get.
It is especially critical for retail segments, such as electronics, beauty products and seasonal merchandise, where a large percentage of sales have been lost due to the lack of clarity regarding product availability. Through better communication of inventory status at the shelf, retailers can reduce the number of wasted trips and recover lost sales in high-churn categories.
For retail store teams, better visibility to customer cells increases the ease of operation by providing the store team with the necessary information about what items should be prioritized for restocking and reducing time spent picking merchandise from the shelf for the click-and-collect process.
Dynamic Pricing Goes Into Physical Retail
Dynamic pricing is a trend that's been happening for quite some time in online retail.
Now, retailers can set prices differently in accordance with certain variables that are happening (e.g., Time, inventory levels, competitive pricing, or promotions) without ever having to physically touch their shelves. As well, retailers will see benefits from being able to get rid of clearance cycles more quickly, and to cut waste and increase margins.
This technology will pay for itself just with grocery retailers due to the time-based markdowns for perishables and produce and the necessity to move this type of product quickly without having to rely on the store staff to markdown the pricing.
However, while the speed of price changes is important, the other main benefit of digital pricing tags is that by automating the pricing logic and providing prices electronically to the store, the retailer will have a pricing process that is strategically responsive rather than necessarily being operationally reactive.
Omnichannel Alignment
What makes DDT powerful is not the display itself, but the system behind it. When integrated properly, DDT platforms sit at the intersection of pricing engines, inventory systems, POS data, and e-commerce platforms.
This architecture enables real-time feedback loops. Online demand influences in-store pricing. Store-level inventory informs online availability. Promotional strategies execute uniformly across channels.
Retailers that treat DDT as isolated hardware miss much of this value. Those that view them as part of a broader digital backbone unlock their full potential.
DDT as Active Interfaces
Digital display tags technology is evolving beyond display. Future deployments increasingly incorporate sensors, analytics, and AI-driven decision logic.
We are already seeing early adoption of:
Automated inventory detection through weight or vision systems
AI-assisted pricing optimization based on demand signals
Color e-paper for richer visual communication
Deeper integration with mobile apps and loyalty platforms
The shelf is becoming interactive, contextual, and increasingly autonomous. Digital display tags are positioned to act not just as endpoints, but as decision enablers within the store environment.
