Last updated on June 24th, 2024
Walmart Store 266 in Grapevine, Texas, has been testing innovative technology, digital shelf labels, that enhances the way the company conducts pricing changes in stores – ultimately making it faster and improving the customer experience.
Walmart will be expanding the use of digital shelf labels (DSLs) to 2,300 stores by 2026.
This represents a significant shift in how store associates manage pricing, inventory, order fulfillment and customer interactions, ensuring customers enjoy an even better shopping experience.
DSLs enhance the customer experience
DSLs enhance the customer experienceWalmart stores have more than 120,000 products on shelves, each with an individual price tag. Every week its stores support thousands of pricing updates for new items, Rollbacks and markdowns.
Digital shelf labels, developed by Vusion Group, allow associates to update prices at the shelf using a mobile app, reducing the need to walk around the store to change paper tags by hand and giving them more time to support customers in the store.
DSLs empower associates
In a blog post, Walmart associate Daniela Boscan, food and consumable team lead in Hurst, Texas, said working with DSLs has transformed her daily routine.
“This new tech enhances the way we stock shelves and fulfill orders.”
Boscan shared some of a the key benefits she experiences every day:
- Increased productivity and reduced walking time: DSLs update prices with a few clicks. A price change that used to take an associate two days to update now takes only minutes with the new DSL system. This efficiency means they can spend more time assisting customers and less time on repetitive tasks.
- Simplified stock replenishment: With the “Stock to Light” feature, an associate can flash an LED light on the shelf tag using their mobile device, signaling locations that require attention. This feature makes it easier for associates to identify shelf location when stocking shelves.
- Faster order picking and fulfillment: The “Pick to Light” feature guides associates directly to the products needed for online orders, speeding up the picking process and improving order accuracy.
“The transition to digital shelf labels is a game-changer for Walmart, our customers and our associates,” Boscan said. “It is not only about improving efficiency and customer satisfaction, but also about integrating sustainability into our work, in this case, to help reduce operational waste. As we continue to digitalize stores and expand digital shelf labels to 2,300 stores by 2026, we are excited about the positive impact this innovation will have on our operations and the environment.”
[Related: Walmart Expanding InHome Delivery In Parts Of 5 States]
