{"id":627,"date":"2024-12-05T18:37:20","date_gmt":"2024-12-05T17:37:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/helplink.uk\/electronic-shelf-labels-esl-with-temperature-control-why-are-they-worth-the-investment\/"},"modified":"2024-12-05T19:50:39","modified_gmt":"2024-12-05T18:50:39","slug":"electronic-shelf-labels-esl-with-temperature-control-why-are-they-worth-the-investment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/helplink.uk\/en\/electronic-shelf-labels-esl-with-temperature-control-why-are-they-worth-the-investment\/","title":{"rendered":"Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) with Temperature Control \u2013 Why Are They Worth the Investment?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Have you ever encountered a situation where the price at checkout differs from the one displayed on the shelf? It\u2019s a frustrating experience that often ends with annoyed customers leaving comments on forums such as: \u201cThis shop cheats its customers!\u201d The issue usually boils down to outdated shelf prices. How can this be resolved? The answer lies in Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL).<\/p>\n\n
Challenges with traditional paper labels<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n
Modern grocery stores, whether small or large, face numerous challenges in managing product pricing. Traditional paper labels require frequent updates, which involve significant labour, time, and costs. <\/p>\n\n
The cost of manual price label updates in grocery stores<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n
To illustrate the problem of manually handling price labels, we conducted a survey among selected stores, asking about the time spent on specific stages of stock acceptance. Despite differences in store sizes and product numbers, the cost of manually updating labels proved significant in all cases. All surveyed stores process deliveries by importing invoices from files (xlsx or epp). We focused on two key stages of the process: <\/p>\n\n
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Printing and preparing new price labels<\/strong> \u2013 statistically, 20% of items include updated purchase prices.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Physically replacing price labels on shelves.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
The data revealed that in stores with a floor area of approximately 250\u2013300 m\u00b2, these activities take an average of 5 hours per week. The annual labour costs for manual label updates, at \u00a318 per hour, are as follows: <\/p>\n\n
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\u00a390 per week (5 hours x \u00a318).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
\u00a3360 per month (4 x \u00a390).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
\u00a34680 per year (12 x \u00a3360).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
Even at this stage, the financial burden is evident. However, this is not the only issue\u2026 <\/p>\n\n
Errors resulting from manual price updates<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n
Manual price updates are prone to errors, leading to discrepancies between shelf prices and those in the checkout system. Below are the most common causes of such problems: <\/p>\n\n
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Human errors<\/strong> \u2013 Staff may make mistakes while printing or attaching labels, forget to update certain areas, or input outdated information.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Lack of system synchronisation<\/strong> \u2013 Manual updates often lag behind changes in the sales system, resulting in price mismatches.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Technical issues <\/strong>\u2013 Printer or label generation system failures can delay updates, especially when numerous price changes are required.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
High product volumes <\/strong>\u2013 In grocery stores with invoices listing hundreds of items, it is challenging to keep up with all changes, particularly with limited staff.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Unforeseen situations<\/strong> \u2013 Labels are often updated \u201cwhenever there\u2019s time,\u201d making the process chaotic and hard to control. Consequently, some products may remain with outdated prices for extended periods. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
The impact of errors in price label handling<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n
Outdated shelf prices can result in financial losses as stores are obligated to sell products at the price displayed to customers, even if the system price is higher. Furthermore, these situations negatively affect customer trust. Customers may feel deceived if the checkout price differs from the shelf price. <\/p>\n\n
Manual price label handling is not only costly but also risky. In the era of modern technology, solutions like Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) can significantly streamline price management and eliminate these issues. <\/p>\n\n
Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) \u2013 the solution for the future<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n
Modern Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) offer an innovative solution that automates the price update process in stores. Using e-ink technology, these labels provide a 6-year lifespan, which refers to the durability of the battery that can be replaced if needed. <\/p>\n\n
ESL systems stand out due to their ability to retrieve data directly from the sales system, eliminating human errors and delays in price updates. The process is straightforward: you receive the invoice, approve the new sale prices, and the system automatically sends the updates to: <\/p>\n\n
Automatic price updates<\/strong> \u2013 Any changes in the sales system are instantly reflected on the label, eliminating discrepancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Time and cost savings <\/strong>\u2013 Employees no longer need to manually replace labels, allowing them to focus on other tasks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Long lifespan<\/strong> \u2013 The labels are designed to last at least 6 years, with batteries easily replaceable after that.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Fridge temperature control<\/strong> \u2013 ESL can monitor temperatures in fridges and freezers, sending alerts when values exceed acceptable limits.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
But that\u2019s not the end of the benefits of implementing ESL. Current technology allows for the integration of temperature monitoring functionality into the labels, which is crucial for several reasons: <\/p>\n\n
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