Many factors influence the purchasing decision, but price has played a major role for years. In a consumer survey [1] on food items, as many as 60 percent of Poles ranked the cost of products in the top three most important issues determining food choices. This is higher than for health impact (55 percent) or nutritional information (36 percent). The golden mean between customers’ expectations and the store’s business goals is to adopt a dynamic pricing strategy. Its implementation entails frequent changes of price tags, which can be quite an organizational challenge. The solution to this problem
is electronic price tags.
What are electronic price tags?
Electronic price labels (ESLs) are small displays mounted on store shelves and display key product information, including name, price and promotional messages. ESLs are an alternative to the commonly used paper labels. In practice, their biggest advantage over traditional price tags is the way they change product prices – the process is automatic and does not require a lot of work.
The main benefits of electronic price tags include:
- Staff time savings associated with automating and simplifying the process of changing prices in stores (even in large chains),
- Support in the implementation of a dynamic promotional strategy through the ability to quickly implement new rules (regardless of the type of promotion and the number of products on which the discount applies),
- Saving money by reducing the cost of replacing paper labels,
- Automatic integration of information on price lists with data in the cash register system, warehouse, e-commerce and other systems used in the store,
- Full and centralized control over prices presented to customers.
The appearance of electronic price labels depends largely on the solution used. Most of the options available on the market allow you to use available templates or customize them to match your brand identity. Retailers can also decide what information is displayed on the price tag. A small screen size doesn’t have to be an obstacle – a QR code is a standard element on the display, which allows for additional data about the product.
When is it a good idea to opt for electronic price tags?
ESL labels will work well in any point of sale. However, the greatest benefits of their use are noticeable primarily
The solution will also be ideal for stores that frequently implement promotional campaigns. With ESL, it is possible to automate the entire process – even in the case of very complicated promotional scenarios. Information about the discount can be instantly entered both in the sales system and on labels throughout the store chain. This action minimizes the business risk in case the promotional action turns out to be unprofitable.
Electronic price tags a way to attract customers
Retailers are well aware of the importance of the price of the products they sell for business success. At the same time, one in two recognize margin pressure as the biggest challenge in the near term [2]. The ability to automatically change the information on price tags is – next to promotions – the main way to attract and retain customers, while maintaining store profitability.
However, the impact of ESL labels on customers is much greater. First of all, they are a guarantee that the price or promotional information shown next to the product is up-to-date and clearly visible. This, in turn, avoids misunderstandings due to confusion or oversights. Electronic price tags also affect the shopping experience and consumer perception of the brand. Stores that have decided to introduce them are perceived as modern and eco-friendly. This issue is important to customers – according to research, as many as 45 percent of them try to choose those brands that take action against climate change [3].
ESL a way to grow business
Electronic price tags are a solution that more and more stores are implementing. The growing popularity of modern price tags is due to the benefits that the retail industry can achieve with them: automating processes, saving time and money, reducing environmental impact, and meeting the needs and expectations of modern consumers. The solution makes it easier to manage prices regardless of the scale of the business – so it is a positive factor for business development.
The process of implementing ESL labels largely depends on the sales system used by the store, and more specifically, its ability to integrate with external solutions. In the case of iXpos, maintaining data consistency and automating the flow of information across the IT ecosystem is possible thanks to RabbitMQ technology. Check out detailed information here: iXpos – a retail management platform.
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Sources:
[1] Strategy&, 2024, Optimism only where the price is low. Attitudes and shopping behavior of Polish consumers
[2] McKinsey & Company, EuroCommerce, 2025, The State of Grocery Retail 2025
[3] SW Research, 2024, Ecobarometer – report, 6th edition.
