With the retail industry growing more competitive than ever, businesses are looking to gain a competitive edge by deploying the latest technological advancements. Industry leaders are looking to increase efficiency through electronic shelf labels (ESL), digital displays, data-driven insights and digital monitoring. The transformation of in-store retail experience has just begun.
Amidst this, it is pivotal for retailers to choose the right ESL partner. Recent news that ESL’s have been malfunctioning with prices not synchronised properly, products being called back, and causing stores to be shut for days has led to massive costs.
SOLUM, originally a spin-off of Samsung, and an ESL and digital signage leader, stands out from the rest as an excellent partner that values brand partnerships.
Jeon Seong-ho, CEO of SOLUM, explains why not all ESL companies are created equal, sharing real-world examples that highlight how choosing the right partner can lead to meaningful success.
The Costs of the Wrong ESL Choice
It is important to understand the advantages of ESL technology, how it elevates not only the retail experience for customers but also generates value for businesses. This is the new era of retail with real time price updates being deployed across stores featuring smart integration, better inventory management, and data-driven insights with sensors.
The right ESL tools bring convenience, and customisability to the stores with one step, letting automation do the menial tasks. This frees up the employees from having to look for products in the warehouses on hours end or change labels manually, letting them focus on delivering excellent customer service instead. While this can be useful additions to any retail space, choosing the wrong ESL manufacturer can prove to be a costly mistake.
In early 2024, multiple European retailers across Germany, the Netherlands, and France have reportedly faced a surge in product returns related to ESL (Electronic Shelf Label) systems, due to significant issues with screen discoloration and durability under standard store lighting and environmental conditions. According to several retail insiders, one major discount supermarket group has received upwards of 30 million consumer complaints regarding fading or degraded displays on shelf label units supplied by a lower-tier vendor.
One procurement manager commented anonymously, “We’ve had consistent problems with one of our previous ESL lines failing within months. But newer batches from our current partners show much more stable visual performance, even after long-term use.” This shift has prompted several buyers to re-evaluate sourcing strategies with greater emphasis on proven long-term product reliability and after-sale support capabilities.
This highlights the importance of selecting a reliable and experienced ESL partner – one that not only delivers high-quality technology but can also provide the right ongoing support and innovation. In a rapidly evolving retail landscape, making the right partnership choice isn’t just about avoiding losses—it’s about setting the foundation for operational excellence, customer satisfaction, and sustained competitive advantage.
Security in ESL
ESL security is becoming a top priority in security now as ESLs are increasingly connected to store networks and pricing systems. Any vulnerabilities can be exploited to manipulate prices in real time. A breach that compromises customer-facing data can tarnish consumers’ trust, so it is imperative to prevent misinformation.
By having robust security measures in place across hardware, security and processes, integrity of the ESL is not damaged. Having End-to-End Encryption that ensures all data transmitted between ESLs, gateways and backend systems is encrypted. Another foolproof method of promising security is for only authorised personnel having access to the system to change prices.
SOLUM has security as its key objective to ensure ESL solutions are built with multiple layers of protect, keeping long-term system integrity in mind. It aims to be a secure, reliable and future-proof ESL system that retailers can trust.
The SOLUM Difference
What separates SOLUM from other ESL manufacturers is the ‘customers first’ approach when it comes to partnerships. Compared to other companies, SOLUM focuses heavily on transforming the retail sphere with the latest, cutting-edge solutions that will stand the test of time. With long-lasting batteries, excellent customer service, and commitment to always striving for the latest innovations, the goal is to provide the best service to their partners.
For SOLUM, partnering with a retailer is not only about providing the ESL technology and the tools, but also building a strong relationship with the retailers. Whereas other manufacturers can create larger issues with syncing issues, or security problems, SOLUM’s innovations are always monitored and tested for reliability.
Retail transformation doesn’t have to be a burden – with the right partner, it can be a game-changer for a business. Instead of trying to troubleshoot unreliable hardware, they can instead spend that time analysing data, saving up on operations, and optimising their store to the latest trends for a better customer experience.
Partnering with SOLUM promises success with a focus on collaborating together with retailers for success in the long-term, where future-proofing and reliability are crucial. For this, SOLUM heavily emphasises robust, and reliable technologies with the latest technology.
Overall, the store experience that we know is changing rapidly, and choosing the right manufacturer is proving to be more than just the hardware itself. The right value is selecting the right partners for retailers, building strong foundations, and supporting it through swift customer service. This is where SOLUM comes into play, putting partnerships on the forefront, bringing the latest innovations that will last for decades.
