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A supermarket trip may soon look different, thanks to electronic shelf labels (www.npr.org)

submitted 5 months ago by return2ozma@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

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[–] Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone 174 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (20 children)

This month, Walmart became the latest retailer to announce it’s replacing the price stickers in its aisles with electronic shelf labels. The new labels allow employees to change prices as often as every ten seconds.

“If it’s hot outside, we can raise the price of water and ice cream. If there's something that’s close to the expiration date, we can lower the price — that’s the good news,” said Phil Lempert, a grocery industry analyst.

Jesus, I can’t imagine just coming out and saying this like it’s not fucking deranged to charge people more for WATER during a heat wave.

Also, the first time the price of something rises in the 5 minutes it takes for me to get my shopping done and get to the checkout, I’m taking a shit on the floor.

[–] Shdwdrgn@mander.xyz 3 points 5 months ago (2 children)

We've been seeing these electronic tags on sale items at Walmart for the past few years. It's been a few months since the last time we were in the store, but last weekend we noticed ALL items now had small two-color OLED price tags on them. I don't know if that means we're just lucky enough to be one of the first to get the new tech, or that the chain had already started rolling them out well before the article, but they're definitely out there. I'd actually love to get ahold of some just to play with them, although seeing the prices of OLEDs on ebay makes me wonder how any store is saving money by using them.

[–] JohnEdwa@sopuli.xyz 4 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

The standard elabels cost around $5 in quantity plus some for the hub that updates them, but you get it back eventually as nobody has to print and swap price labels any more.

[–] Shdwdrgn@mander.xyz 1 points 5 months ago

Nice, thanks for the link. I might have to grab a couple to see what else I can do with them.

[–] Petter1@lemm.ee 3 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Aren’t those ePaper? Here in switzerland, they use ePaper displays (like the display of kindle devices)

[–] Shdwdrgn@mander.xyz 3 points 5 months ago

Sorry, yes! I've got my head in another non-electronics project right now and was thinking of the wrong thing.

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