About this episode
🎙️ In this special Omni Talk Retail Technology Spotlight episode, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sit down with Bryan Chan, Senior Director at E Ink, to explore the journey of electronic shelf labels (ESLs) and why they're finally catching fire in the U.S. Key Moments: [ 01:03 ] What is E Ink? — Origins as an MIT spinout and Kindle beginnings [ 2:52 ] Why ESLs weren’t the original goal — from newspapers to shelf labels [ 4:45 ] Learning from “belly loaders” and how real-world store operations shaped the tech [ 6:48 ] Battery life breakthroughs, operational benefits, and color evolution [ 8:34 ] Why Europe led ESL adoption — labor costs, regulations, and sustainability [ 12:05 ] Walmart’s impact: Why the U.S. is finally scaling up ESLs [ 13:37 ] ROI is king: 36-month to 9-month payoff windows [ 17:28 ] Pricing accuracy, pick-to-light, and fast-changing categories like appliances [ 23:03 ] Spectra 6 and the future of full-color ESLs and untethered displays [ 24:58 ] Retail media potential vs. power-hungry in-store TVs [ 30:59 ] Final advice: Start with ESLs before leaping to full digital screens 📲 Want to get in touch with Bryan? Connect with him on LinkedIn — just search Bryan Chan (with a Y). #retailtech #electronicshelflabels #eink #retailinnovation #omnitalk #retailpodcast #walmart #retailmedia #grocerytech Music by hooksounds.com Sponsored Content This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy