The Past, Present & Future Of E Ink And ESLs With Bryan Chan | Spotlight Series

Omni Talk Retail

🎙️ 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