· NavGaze Team · Guides · 1 min read
What Are Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL)? A Complete Guide
Electronic shelf labels are digital e-paper price tags updated wirelessly from the cloud. Here's how they work, what they cost to run, and why retailers switch.
An electronic shelf label (ESL) is a digital price tag mounted on a store shelf that displays product prices and information, updated wirelessly from a cloud platform instead of being printed on paper. ESLs use low-power e-paper displays that look like ink on paper and can run for up to seven years on a single battery.
How do electronic shelf labels work?
- Import products — your catalog is loaded from an ERP, POS or spreadsheet.
- Connect a gateway — a wireless access point links the labels to the NavGaze cloud.
- Assign labels — each ESL is bound to its product.
- Sync prices — updated prices reach every label in seconds.
- Manage from the cloud — pricing, promotions and stores are controlled from one dashboard.
Why do retailers use ESLs?
- Eliminate pricing errors between the shelf and the checkout.
- Roll out promotions instantly across thousands of products.
- Reduce paper waste and the labor of manual price changes.
- Support omnichannel retail with real-time, synchronized prices.
How long do ESL batteries last?
Typically 5–7 years, depending on how often prices change, because e-paper only draws power when the display updates.
Ready to see it in your stores? Request a demo.