What Technology Do Retail Stores Need to Keep Prices and Stock Right?
In short
Most retail stores need four things working together. Electronic shelf labels keep shelf prices in step with the till, ePaper signs carry promotions, barcode scanners and scales handle checkout and fresh goods, and handheld computers support stock checks. All of them should take their data from your POS or ERP.
Retail looks simple from the customer’s side: find the product, read the price, pay. Behind the shelf, keeping that simple takes a lot of work.
This article looks at the everyday problems in retail stores that technology can address, what to consider for each, and how the pieces fit together.
What problems do retail stores face every day?
The same issues come up in supermarkets, specialty food shops and chains of every size:
- Shelf prices out of step with the till. A price changes in the system, but the paper tag on the shelf is replaced late or not at all.
- Slow promotions. Every campaign means printing, cutting and placing tags and posters by hand, then removing them again.
- Checkout queues. Slow or unreliable scanning holds up every customer behind the one being served.
- Fresh and weighed goods. Items sold by weight need an accurate scale and a price label the till can read.
- Stock checks and replenishment. Staff need to know what is on the shelf, what is missing and where to find it.
Each problem has a tool. The value comes from connecting them to the same data.
How do you keep shelf prices in step with the till?
Electronic shelf labels replace paper price tags with small e-paper displays on the shelf edge. Prices are sent from a central system, so a change made once reaches every shelf.
Pricer’s system communicates by optical infrared, and Pricer’s SmartTAG Color labels show black, white, red and yellow, useful for making a sale price stand out. Pricer quotes up to 10 years of battery life for SmartTAG Color.
The label is only as good as the data behind it. That is why the link to your POS, ERP or price file matters as much as the labels themselves. Our guide to how an ESL rollout works covers this step by step.
How can promotions and in-store signs change faster?
Promotions often live on posters and hanging cards rather than on the shelf edge. ePaper signage replaces them with displays that are updated remotely.
ePaper uses reflective display technology, so it needs no backlight and stays readable in bright light. It uses power mainly when the content changes. That suits signs that show the same promotion for days, rather than video.
Driven from the same data as the shelf labels, a promotion can start on the shelf and the sign together.
What does a reliable checkout need?
The checkout is where every other problem becomes visible to the customer. Two things matter most:
- The right scanner. A presentation scanner suits a counter where items are passed in front of it; a handheld scanner suits bulky goods. Barcode scanners that read damaged or poorly printed codes keep the queue moving.
- Supplies that do not run out. Thermal receipt paper and labels that match your printers avoid jams and faded receipts.
If the shelf price and the till price come from the same record, the checkout also stops being the place where pricing errors are discovered.
How should fresh and weighed goods be priced?
Fresh counters sell by weight, so the scale is part of the pricing system.
For retail counters, our smart weighing scales page lists what to look for: a quick tare function, a compact size and price calculation. A barcode label scale prints a label with the weight and price, which the checkout then scans.
When scale prices come from the same system as the shelf labels, a price change on a weighed item reaches the counter as well.
How do staff check stock and restock shelves?
Stock work happens away from the till, so staff need a tool they can carry. Mobile computers combine a barcode scanner with a touchscreen for stock counts, price checks and goods receiving.
Electronic shelf labels help too. Pricer labels can flash an LED to show staff which shelf to restock or which item to pick for a Click & Collect order.
Once a store has more than a few handhelds, central management pays off. SOTI MobiControl lets you set up, lock down and update every device from one console.
The same handhelds can run your own apps. Where a stock check or price audit needs a specific workflow, a custom Android app can guide staff through it and send the results straight to your system.
What should a retailer consider before investing?
A few questions help decide where to start:
- Where do prices live today? Your POS, an ERP or a price file determines how the labels and signs will be fed.
- Which problem costs you most? Wrong shelf prices, slow promotions, queues or stock checks.
- How many stores, and how alike are they? A standard store layout makes a rollout much simpler.
- Who supports it locally? Labels, scanners and handhelds need someone to call when something breaks.
Starting with one store, or one department, is often the best way to prove the case.
How does Techcon Solution help retailers?
Techcon Solution supplies and installs the technology described above, and connects it to your systems. Our retail solution brings together ESL and ePaper signage, scanners, scales and handhelds. Our software development team links them to your POS, ERP or price files.
We start with consulting to match the technology to your stores, manage the rollout as a project and provide local maintenance and support in Hong Kong. Get in touch to talk to a consultant.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common pricing problem in retail stores?
Shelf prices drifting out of sync with the price at the till. It happens when price changes reach the POS but paper tags on the shelf are replaced late or missed.
How do electronic shelf labels help a retailer?
Electronic shelf labels show prices sent from a central system, so a change made in your POS or ERP reaches the shelf without anyone printing or swapping tags.
Can electronic shelf labels help with restocking?
Yes. Pricer labels can flash an LED to show staff which shelf to restock or which item to pick for a Click & Collect order.
What is ePaper signage used for in a shop?
ePaper signs show promotions, product information and notices on reflective screens that need no backlight. They use power mainly when the content changes and can be updated remotely.
Which weighing scales suit fresh food counters?
For retail counters, look for a quick tare function, a compact size and price calculation. Barcode label scales print a price label for weighed goods that the checkout can scan.
Do we need to replace our POS to add this technology?
No. The labels, signs and handhelds take their data from the POS or ERP you already use. We build the links as part of our software development work.
