The penetration of electronic price tags in grocery stores is steadily increasing, driven by growing pressure for pricing flexibility and operational efficiency.
A large number of promotional activities and the rise of online channels are increasing the frequency of price updates in physical grocery stores. When retailers manage a large number of stock keeping units (SKUs) or multiple stores, the traditional paper price update method brings low efficiency and high operating costs.
At the same time, customers care about price transparency and consistency - a discrepancy between the displayed price and the actual price at checkout can undermine their trust.
As a result, more and more grocery stores are turning to electronic price tags to replace paper price tags. Today, this technology has gone far beyond simple price updates. Retailers are increasingly using electronic price tags to enhance a variety of in-store operations.
In this article, we will explore how electronic price tags are revolutionizing the way grocery stores manage prices and its diverse role.
Transforming Price Updates in Grocery Stores
Electronic price tag systems typically consist of three parts: tags, gateways, and a central system. Common wireless communication systems include protocols such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or Zigbee, which allow tags to receive updates from a central server in real time.
Employees can simply modify prices in the system, and the store's centralized software will immediately send updates to all connected tags throughout the store. This process is instant, which means that prices displayed on shelves can be guaranteed to be accurate, and employees spend significantly less time and effort updating prices.
E-ink screens and LCD screens are both types of screens for electronic price tags, with different advantages. For example, e-ink displays are energy-efficient and provide excellent readability in all lighting conditions, while LCD screens are ideal for displaying more dynamic content.
More than prices
Sure, electronic price tags make price changes easy—but that’s just one piece of the puzzle. Today’s ESL systems are highly flexible, offering smart features that can improve many aspects of grocery store operations.
Inventory management and inventory visibility
A major advantage of electronic labels is their ability to improve inventory accuracy and efficiency When connected to the store's central system using Minewtag ESLs, the latest inventory status can be displayed. The tags send out reminders when the stock is low, so that store staff can immediately find out which items need to be replenished without having to walk back and forth to check manually.
This not only saves time on the spot, but also helps stores respond more quickly to fast-moving goods or unexpected demands. Clearer inventory visibility makes it easier to avoid empty shelves and reduce unnecessary inventory backlogs.
Pick to light, find goods faster
Another growing application of electronic price tags is the "pick to light" system, which are often used for smart picking in warehouses, but this feature is also very helpful for grocery stores. By integrating tags into the order picking process, employees can find goods faster by using the lights on the tags, completing orders faster and more accurately.
Online shopping services are growing rapidly, and many grocery stores are integrating in-store order fulfillment systems to quickly pick items for online orders. By using electronic price tags to enable picking, the entire order picking process is shortened, and online orders can be processed faster and with higher accuracy even in high demand situations.
Advertising and promotions
Electronic price tags are slowly changing the in-store marketing experience. Their flexibility allows real-time promotions and discounts to play the biggest role.
Unlike paper tags, ESLs make it easier and faster to launch flash sales, member rewards, and other time-sensitive promotions. Grocers can create different promotional templates and change them quickly when needed. Electronic price tags have better visual effects and often attract customers' attention using dynamic content.
In addition, electronic price tags can also display cross-sell and up-sell suggestions, prompting customers to consider complementary items or higher-value products, thereby increasing sales and improving the shopping experience.
Enhanced customer interaction and engagement
In the past, customers may have needed to rely on store associates to get product information, check prices, or ask about inventory. With electronic price tags, this information can be displayed directly on the shelf, allowing customers to quickly view prices, product details, nutritional information, and even product reviews without the assistance of store associates.
Integration with mobile applications and in-store self-service terminals further enhances customer interaction, using mobile phones to scan tags to view information such as online reviews and even get personalized offers based on shopping history. This interactivity encourages customers to stay in the store longer, potentially increasing purchases.
The future of electronic price tags in grocery stores
As grocers continue to embrace digital transformation, ESL technology continues to evolve—offering smarter, more adaptive tools for retailers. From dynamic pricing algorithms that automatically adjust prices based on supply and demand to artificial intelligence analysis that helps retailers optimize shelf space and product placement, electronic labeling systems will play a more critical role in grocers' digital transformation.
At MinewTag, we design smart, scalable, and user-friendly ESL systems to support every stage of that journey. From e-ink to LCD displays, from wireless gateways to backend platforms—we provide a full suite of solutions tailored for modern retail.
Get in touch to discover how MinewTag can help your store go digital, smarter.
