Hello Omni Talk Fans!
Electronic shelf labels are becoming an increasingly important investment for grocery retailers looking to improve price accuracy, reduce labor, and modernize the in-store shopping experience. But while the technology on the shelf may be getting smarter, the systems behind it still have to deal with one of retail’s oldest and most complicated challenges: making sure the right price gets to the right shelf at the right time.
And if those systems aren’t up to the task, that shiny new ESL investment might not deliver the returns retailers are expecting.
This week, Ben Miller an Chris Walton were joined by Kim Schneider, VP of Sales for Vestcom North America Retail at Avery Dennison, for another edition of 5 Insightful Minutes to discuss what it really takes to maximize an investment in shelf-edge technology. With more than 40 years of experience in paper shelf execution, Vestcom has a unique perspective on the evolution from traditional shelf tags to today’s digital solutions.
But Kim’s message throughout the conversation was clear: The future of the shelf edge is not just about the label. It’s about the software making everything behind it work. From complex pricing rules and promotional offers to managing thousands of SKUs across paper and digital displays, the shelf edge is a far more complicated environment than it may appear. And as grocers continue investing in electronic shelf labels, understanding that complexity could be the difference between a rollout that delivers real value and one that creates even more operational headaches.
The Shelf Edge Is a Data Problem, Not Just a Hardware Problem
When retailers think about electronic shelf labels, the focus often lands on the hardware. But Kim explained that Vestcom’s expertise goes far beyond paper shelf tags. With more than 40 years of experience in shelf-edge execution, the company understands the complex pricing data, promotional rules, and store-specific details required to keep grocery shelves accurate. Whether the final output is paper or digital, retailers need a reliable system to manage it all.
Going Digital Does Not Eliminate Complexity
Electronic shelf labels can improve price accuracy and reduce labor, but they do not eliminate the complexity of grocery pricing. Retailers still have to manage thousands of SKUs, promotions, item-level exceptions, and a mix of paper and digital labels. Kim explained how storeLink helps bring those pieces together, allowing grocers to manage both formats while keeping pricing information consistent across the shelf.
Why the Software Behind ESLs Matters
Chris and Ben asked Kim how retailers can get the most out of their ESL investments, and her answer centered on the software layer. storeLink acts as a central source of truth for shelf-edge execution while remaining hardware agnostic. That flexibility can help retailers avoid vendor lock-in, manage changing technology environments, and identify issues such as sync failures, layout errors, and offline tags before they create problems for shoppers or store associates.
The Biggest Advice for Grocery Leaders
When asked what advice she would give grocery CEOs and CIOs preparing for an ESL rollout, Kim offered one clear recommendation: Do not treat software as an afterthought. Installing the hardware is only one part of the process. Retailers also need the right systems to clean data, apply pricing logic, manage store-level exceptions, and ensure the correct information reaches every shelf. Without that foundation, hidden labor costs and operational challenges can quickly erode the expected ROI.
The Future of the Shelf Edge Is About More Than Going Digital
The conversation with Kim highlighted that electronic shelf labels are only one part of a much larger retail system. The real opportunity comes from connecting that hardware to software capable of managing the complexity of grocery pricing, promotions, and store execution. For retailers, the question is not simply whether to invest in digital shelf labels. It is whether they have the infrastructure in place to make that investment deliver.
Be careful out there,
The Omni Talk Team
You can listen to or watch the full conversation with Kim Schneider, VP of Sales for Vestcom North America Retail at Avery Dennison, wherever you get your podcasts.
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | SoundCloud | Amazon Music | YouTube
Read Kim Schneider’s article: Could an ESL Blindspot Sabotage Your ROI?
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Omni Talk® is the retail blog for retailers, written by retailers. Chris Walton founded Omni Talk® in 2017 and have quickly turned it into one of the fastest growing blogs in retail.