Pricer is releasing yet another innovative product that has been developed as a reaction to a small but specific challenge – something that has been an annoying reality for many retailers. Fredrik Östman, Product Manager at Pricer, is telling us more about the product that has just been released to a broader audience.
In short, what is Pricer Shelf Controller?
Amongst a lot of other things, it tackles the challenge of making new employees work efficiently and quickly be productive. Within retail, there is always a lot of temporary staff, and it is time-consuming to make sure that they have all the training they need to replenish the store shelves etc.
With Pricer Shelf Controller, things can’t really go wrong. It has 12 buttons, all with a little description, that are programmed in advance according to the store’s specific needs. It is used to link and unlink labels and products.
The flash functionality is great for click and collect. It all just saves so much time in the store. It is a barcode scanner that is robust for heavy in-store and warehouse environments. It is also very user-friendly. The device is connected via Wi-Fi.
How did you and your team at Pricer come up with this idea?
When we develop our products and services, we combine our knowledge about the industry and our clients' needs with future research and trend reports. It is challenging of course, but also very rewarding and interesting.
Pricer Shelf Controller is a simple device, but that is only on the surface. The technology used is complex and this device has the ability to grow with the needs of the store. Being what is known as an Internet-of-Things device, it could be used to control anything online.
For example, opening and closing the warehouse gates, turning alarms off and on or, what would be even more exciting, all the things that are not yet invented.
What feedback do you get from the pilot users?
Pricer Shelf Controller
One of the more unexpected benefits is that employees felt that their job got more fun using Pricer Shelf Controller. This was unexpected but a really appreciated benefit that store managers value since it contributes to happier staff.
Another thing that is mentioned in the evaluations is that several of our stores with temporary picking staff felt that the user-friendliness of the device was making the day-to-day operation smoother.
With Pricer Shelf Controller it takes less time to find the correct item on the shelf when combined with the flash function of the electronic shelf label.
What are the limitations of Pricer Shelf Controller?
The design target to have a robust and simple device will limit the information going in and out for the user.
Sure, you can always set up a clever combination of buttons and bar codes to achieve the desired function, but in some cases a PDA is necessary and the Shelf Controller can not fully replace that.
So, what will be the next big thing from Pricer?
We are always developing new products and solutions based on the needs we see with our customers, but also based on trends we see coming. I will not tell you what the next thing is right now, but a hint would be that if you are interested in SaaS services you will not be disappointed.
Published on December 16, 2021
