Woolworths, one of Australia's largest supermarket chains, has recently made a significant change to its digital price tags—a move that has been praised and criticised by customers.

The change comes in response to a wave of complaints about the size and readability of the new electronic shelf labels, which were introduced earlier this year.

The supermarket giant rolled out the electronic shelf labels in early 2022 as part of its sustainability efforts to reduce paper waste and streamline staff resources.

The digital tags were designed to display the latest prices and specials in real-time, reducing the need for manual ticketing and allowing staff to focus more on customer service and restocking shelves.

Woolworths launched digital price tags last 2022. Credit: Reddit

However, the transition to digital was not without its hiccups.

Many customers complained that the new tags were too small to read, particularly for items on sale.

Traditionally, Woolworths used large yellow paper stickers to advertise half-price and reduced items. The digital labels for these special buys were a fraction of the size of the old tags, making them difficult to spot and read.

One disgruntled customer shared, 'Not liking the sale signs at Woolworths. You have to look really hard to see them. I only noticed because I knew Cenovis vitamins were half-price but couldn’t see any tags.'

Another customer, who is colour blind and has poor eyesight, lamented the difficulty of browsing for long tags among a sea of tiny ones to find sale items.

‘I actually browse to see long tags—not stop to look at a million tiny tags to see what’s on sale,’ they shared.

The complaints didn't stop there. Some customers pointed out that the small digital tags were not disability-friendly, making shopping a challenging experience for those with visual impairments.

In response to the feedback, Woolworths has made a significant change to its electronic shelf labels.

A sharp-eyed shopper named Adrian shared footage of the new, larger format digital tags at Woolworths' new store in Ashfield North, Sydney.

The video shows that the tags have doubled in size, making the price and any reductions much clearer and easier to read.

Adrian showed the new look of Woolies digital price tags. Credit: @adrianwidjy/TikTok

Woolworths confirmed the change to a news source, stating that the larger format shelf tags were designed to make shopping easier for customers and team members.

‘These electronic labels are designed to reduce paper, update the latest prices and specials in real-time, and reduce manual ticketing to allow our team to focus on serving customers and replenishing shelves,’ the retailer stated.

The electronic shelf labels also enable team members to track where a product is on the shelf, helping them locate items quickly.

You can watch Adrian’s video here:

​

The Evolution of Retail Technology: A Closer Look

The move to digital price tags is part of a broader trend in the retail industry towards using technology to improve efficiency and customer experience. Electronic shelf labels offer several advantages over traditional paper tags.

They can be updated in real-time, allowing dynamic pricing and instant promotion updates. They also reduce the need for manual labour and paper waste, making them a more sustainable option.

However, as the Woolworths case shows, the transition to digital isn't always smooth. Retailers must consider factors such as readability and accessibility when designing and implementing digital tags. Customer feedback is crucial in this process, as it helps retailers identify and address any issues.

It’s not the only issue with the digital price tags. Last July, a Woolies shopper in Sydney pointed out an 'infuriating' issue with the technology, which often displayed 'temporarily unavailable' for items present on the shelves. You can read this article here.

Key Takeaways

• Woolworths supermarket has adjusted its digital price tags in response to customer criticisms.
  
• Customers complained that the new electronic tags were difficult to read, especially for discounted items.
  
• In response, Woolworths has significantly increased the size of its electronic shelf labels to improve visibility.
  
• Woolworths stated that the electronic labels streamline updating pricing and specials and reduce manual ticketing, freeing team members to focus more on customer service and stocking shelves.
  

What are your thoughts on the new digital price tags at Woolworths, members? Have you noticed the change in your local store? Share your experiences in the comments below.

 

[Veggiepatch]

Think of the millions of tonnes of recyclable paper Woolies would save every day by the introduction of digital tags. What a joke!

 

[Truth Seeker]

Before Woolies start looking for new ways to display their prices, they should be making sure that their shelf items have a price tag. My local store, Vincentia, often, has items without a tag. I just ignore that item even if was something that I was going to buy prior to entering the shop. With prices being so volatile, and me being on a pension, I just can't risk being stung at the register...

 

[Ricci]

Having worked in retail and seen for myself the hundreds of labels printed off almost daily and the amount of man hours used to put them on the shelves, I think digital labels are the way to go. Hopefully they won't be as easy to remove as the paper labels so that customers will leave them be. I much prefer the larger size as it makes it easier to read, and by sticking to the yellow for specials makes it consistent for shoppers.

 

[Petra]

The only thing I buy at Woollies is their Carrot Cake. I love my carrot cake and I'm very fussy. I tried their carrot it, its delicious, and its a huge cake, for $30 ....

 

[Veggiepatch]

Before Woolies start looking for new ways to display their prices, they should be making sure that their shelf items have a price tag. My local store, Vincentia, often, has items without a tag. I just ignore that item even if was something that I was going to buy prior to entering the shop. With prices being so volatile, and me being on a pension, I just can't risk being stung at the register...

Did Vincentia's Bi-Lo disappear? But then again, I haven't lived at Callala since 2006.

 

[Observer]

Think of the millions of tonnes of recyclable paper Woolies would save every day by the introduction of digital tags. What a joke!

And I thought the trend was to get rid of plastic?

 

[elaine41]

My concern is, with real time pricing the price could change between when I pick something off a shelf to when I go through the check out. This means, I can't really check my docket to ensure correct price was charged. I guess the only real way to prove that you chose an item at a certain price is to take pictures of every electronic tag as you remove something from a shelf. I don't trust either of these companies to do the right thing by their customers.

 

[darrellh]

My concern is, with real time pricing the price could change between when I pick something off a shelf to when I go through the check out. This means, I can't really check my docket to ensure correct price was charged. I guess the only real way to prove that you chose an item at a certain price is to take pictures of every electronic tag as you remove something from a shelf. I don't trust either of these companies to do the right thing by their customers.

If you don't trust them stop shopping with them if you can. We have decided enough is enough and not shopping with the big 2 anymore. Apart from coffee pods for my machine We will go to Aldi and IGA

 

[Glo72]

As long as I can read it I think digital is a great idea.

 

[Angela Cockburn]

Woolworths, one of Australia's largest supermarket chains, has recently made a significant change to its digital price tags—a move that has been praised and criticised by customers.

The change comes in response to a wave of complaints about the size and readability of the new electronic shelf labels, which were introduced earlier this year.

The supermarket giant rolled out the electronic shelf labels in early 2022 as part of its sustainability efforts to reduce paper waste and streamline staff resources.

The digital tags were designed to display the latest prices and specials in real-time, reducing the need for manual ticketing and allowing staff to focus more on customer service and restocking shelves.

View attachment 36533

Woolworths launched digital price tags last 2022. Credit: Reddit

However, the transition to digital was not without its hiccups.

Many customers complained that the new tags were too small to read, particularly for items on sale.

Traditionally, Woolworths used large yellow paper stickers to advertise half-price and reduced items. The digital labels for these special buys were a fraction of the size of the old tags, making them difficult to spot and read.

One disgruntled customer shared, 'Not liking the sale signs at Woolworths. You have to look really hard to see them. I only noticed because I knew Cenovis vitamins were half-price but couldn’t see any tags.'

Another customer, who is colour blind and has poor eyesight, lamented the difficulty of browsing for long tags among a sea of tiny ones to find sale items.

‘I actually browse to see long tags—not stop to look at a million tiny tags to see what’s on sale,’ they shared.

The complaints didn't stop there. Some customers pointed out that the small digital tags were not disability-friendly, making shopping a challenging experience for those with visual impairments.

In response to the feedback, Woolworths has made a significant change to its electronic shelf labels.

A sharp-eyed shopper named Adrian shared footage of the new, larger format digital tags at Woolworths' new store in Ashfield North, Sydney.

The video shows that the tags have doubled in size, making the price and any reductions much clearer and easier to read.

View attachment 36532

Adrian showed the new look of Woolies digital price tags. Credit: @adrianwidjy/TikTok

Woolworths confirmed the change to a news source, stating that the larger format shelf tags were designed to make shopping easier for customers and team members.

‘These electronic labels are designed to reduce paper, update the latest prices and specials in real-time, and reduce manual ticketing to allow our team to focus on serving customers and replenishing shelves,’ the retailer stated.

The electronic shelf labels also enable team members to track where a product is on the shelf, helping them locate items quickly.

You can watch Adrian’s video here:

​

The Evolution of Retail Technology: A Closer Look

The move to digital price tags is part of a broader trend in the retail industry towards using technology to improve efficiency and customer experience. Electronic shelf labels offer several advantages over traditional paper tags.

They can be updated in real-time, allowing dynamic pricing and instant promotion updates. They also reduce the need for manual labour and paper waste, making them a more sustainable option.

However, as the Woolworths case shows, the transition to digital isn't always smooth. Retailers must consider factors such as readability and accessibility when designing and implementing digital tags. Customer feedback is crucial in this process, as it helps retailers identify and address any issues.

It’s not the only issue with the digital price tags. Last July, a Woolies shopper in Sydney pointed out an 'infuriating' issue with the technology, which often displayed 'temporarily unavailable' for items present on the shelves. You can read this article here.

Key Takeaways

• Woolworths supermarket has adjusted its digital price tags in response to customer criticisms.
• Customers complained that the new electronic tags were difficult to read, especially for discounted items.
• In response, Woolworths has significantly increased the size of its electronic shelf labels to improve visibility.
• Woolworths stated that the electronic labels streamline updating pricing and specials and reduce manual ticketing, freeing team members to focus more on customer service and stocking shelves.

What are your thoughts on the new digital price tags at Woolworths, members? Have you noticed the change in your local store? Share your experiences in the comments below.

Too easy to change between collecting the product and reaching the checkout.

 

[Rob44]

If you don't trust them stop shopping with them if you can. We have decided enough is enough and not shopping with the big 2 anymore. Apart from coffee pods for my machine We will go to Aldi and IGA

Just why do we have to put up with getting our groceries and meat from supermarket chains these days?

Because their lobbying for extended trading hours has put the neighbourhood family business out of business, that's why. So instead of walking to the shops, we drive our SUVS to the shopping centre. Roll on global warming, stupids.

Oh yes, digital tags enable Woolworths to reduce the number of staff need to change labels. More jobs lost whilst profits rise.

 

[freedy50]

Woolworths, one of Australia's largest supermarket chains, has recently made a significant change to its digital price tags—a move that has been praised and criticised by customers.

The change comes in response to a wave of complaints about the size and readability of the new electronic shelf labels, which were introduced earlier this year.

The supermarket giant rolled out the electronic shelf labels in early 2022 as part of its sustainability efforts to reduce paper waste and streamline staff resources.

The digital tags were designed to display the latest prices and specials in real-time, reducing the need for manual ticketing and allowing staff to focus more on customer service and restocking shelves.

View attachment 36533

Woolworths launched digital price tags last 2022. Credit: Reddit

However, the transition to digital was not without its hiccups.

Many customers complained that the new tags were too small to read, particularly for items on sale.

Traditionally, Woolworths used large yellow paper stickers to advertise half-price and reduced items. The digital labels for these special buys were a fraction of the size of the old tags, making them difficult to spot and read.

One disgruntled customer shared, 'Not liking the sale signs at Woolworths. You have to look really hard to see them. I only noticed because I knew Cenovis vitamins were half-price but couldn’t see any tags.'

Another customer, who is colour blind and has poor eyesight, lamented the difficulty of browsing for long tags among a sea of tiny ones to find sale items.

‘I actually browse to see long tags—not stop to look at a million tiny tags to see what’s on sale,’ they shared.

The complaints didn't stop there. Some customers pointed out that the small digital tags were not disability-friendly, making shopping a challenging experience for those with visual impairments.

In response to the feedback, Woolworths has made a significant change to its electronic shelf labels.

A sharp-eyed shopper named Adrian shared footage of the new, larger format digital tags at Woolworths' new store in Ashfield North, Sydney.

The video shows that the tags have doubled in size, making the price and any reductions much clearer and easier to read.

View attachment 36532

Adrian showed the new look of Woolies digital price tags. Credit: @adrianwidjy/TikTok

Woolworths confirmed the change to a news source, stating that the larger format shelf tags were designed to make shopping easier for customers and team members.

‘These electronic labels are designed to reduce paper, update the latest prices and specials in real-time, and reduce manual ticketing to allow our team to focus on serving customers and replenishing shelves,’ the retailer stated.

The electronic shelf labels also enable team members to track where a product is on the shelf, helping them locate items quickly.

You can watch Adrian’s video here:

​

The Evolution of Retail Technology: A Closer Look

The move to digital price tags is part of a broader trend in the retail industry towards using technology to improve efficiency and customer experience. Electronic shelf labels offer several advantages over traditional paper tags.

They can be updated in real-time, allowing dynamic pricing and instant promotion updates. They also reduce the need for manual labour and paper waste, making them a more sustainable option.

However, as the Woolworths case shows, the transition to digital isn't always smooth. Retailers must consider factors such as readability and accessibility when designing and implementing digital tags. Customer feedback is crucial in this process, as it helps retailers identify and address any issues.

It’s not the only issue with the digital price tags. Last July, a Woolies shopper in Sydney pointed out an 'infuriating' issue with the technology, which often displayed 'temporarily unavailable' for items present on the shelves. You can read this article here.

Key Takeaways

• Woolworths supermarket has adjusted its digital price tags in response to customer criticisms.
• Customers complained that the new electronic tags were difficult to read, especially for discounted items.
• In response, Woolworths has significantly increased the size of its electronic shelf labels to improve visibility.
• Woolworths stated that the electronic labels streamline updating pricing and specials and reduce manual ticketing, freeing team members to focus more on customer service and stocking shelves.

What are your thoughts on the new digital price tags at Woolworths, members? Have you noticed the change in your local store? Share your experiences in the comments below.

The main thing I don't like about them, or any fixed labels, is that if they're on low shelves and you try to pull them up to see what the price is, they come off in your hand.
I've ended up taking a photo of them so I can read them.

I've seen they're good for the people doing the online shopping orders. They flash so the staff know where the items are.

 

[David567]

Competition between Coles and Woolies has changed from who can offer the best price to who can make the highest profit.

 

[KiwiTrish]

Woolworths, one of Australia's largest supermarket chains, has recently made a significant change to its digital price tags—a move that has been praised and criticised by customers.

The change comes in response to a wave of complaints about the size and readability of the new electronic shelf labels, which were introduced earlier this year.

The supermarket giant rolled out the electronic shelf labels in early 2022 as part of its sustainability efforts to reduce paper waste and streamline staff resources.

The digital tags were designed to display the latest prices and specials in real-time, reducing the need for manual ticketing and allowing staff to focus more on customer service and restocking shelves.

View attachment 36533

Woolworths launched digital price tags last 2022. Credit: Reddit

However, the transition to digital was not without its hiccups.

Many customers complained that the new tags were too small to read, particularly for items on sale.

Traditionally, Woolworths used large yellow paper stickers to advertise half-price and reduced items. The digital labels for these special buys were a fraction of the size of the old tags, making them difficult to spot and read.

One disgruntled customer shared, 'Not liking the sale signs at Woolworths. You have to look really hard to see them. I only noticed because I knew Cenovis vitamins were half-price but couldn’t see any tags.'

Another customer, who is colour blind and has poor eyesight, lamented the difficulty of browsing for long tags among a sea of tiny ones to find sale items.

‘I actually browse to see long tags—not stop to look at a million tiny tags to see what’s on sale,’ they shared.

The complaints didn't stop there. Some customers pointed out that the small digital tags were not disability-friendly, making shopping a challenging experience for those with visual impairments.

In response to the feedback, Woolworths has made a significant change to its electronic shelf labels.

A sharp-eyed shopper named Adrian shared footage of the new, larger format digital tags at Woolworths' new store in Ashfield North, Sydney.

The video shows that the tags have doubled in size, making the price and any reductions much clearer and easier to read.

View attachment 36532

Adrian showed the new look of Woolies digital price tags. Credit: @adrianwidjy/TikTok

Woolworths confirmed the change to a news source, stating that the larger format shelf tags were designed to make shopping easier for customers and team members.

‘These electronic labels are designed to reduce paper, update the latest prices and specials in real-time, and reduce manual ticketing to allow our team to focus on serving customers and replenishing shelves,’ the retailer stated.

The electronic shelf labels also enable team members to track where a product is on the shelf, helping them locate items quickly.

You can watch Adrian’s video here:

​

The Evolution of Retail Technology: A Closer Look

The move to digital price tags is part of a broader trend in the retail industry towards using technology to improve efficiency and customer experience. Electronic shelf labels offer several advantages over traditional paper tags.

They can be updated in real-time, allowing dynamic pricing and instant promotion updates. They also reduce the need for manual labour and paper waste, making them a more sustainable option.

However, as the Woolworths case shows, the transition to digital isn't always smooth. Retailers must consider factors such as readability and accessibility when designing and implementing digital tags. Customer feedback is crucial in this process, as it helps retailers identify and address any issues.

It’s not the only issue with the digital price tags. Last July, a Woolies shopper in Sydney pointed out an 'infuriating' issue with the technology, which often displayed 'temporarily unavailable' for items present on the shelves. You can read this article here.

Key Takeaways

• Woolworths supermarket has adjusted its digital price tags in response to customer criticisms.
• Customers complained that the new electronic tags were difficult to read, especially for discounted items.
• In response, Woolworths has significantly increased the size of its electronic shelf labels to improve visibility.
• Woolworths stated that the electronic labels streamline updating pricing and specials and reduce manual ticketing, freeing team members to focus more on customer service and stocking shelves.

What are your thoughts on the new digital price tags at Woolworths, members? Have you noticed the change in your local store? Share your experiences in the comments below.

No I haven’t but this is a big improvement for us oldies

 

[Observer]

My concern is, with real time pricing the price could change between when I pick something off a shelf to when I go through the check out. This means, I can't really check my docket to ensure correct price was charged. I guess the only real way to prove that you chose an item at a certain price is to take pictures of every electronic tag as you remove something from a shelf. I don't trust either of these companies to do the right thing by their customers.

That's a good point

 

[gordon1940]

That's a good point

Surely in this age "Time lapse" ability between Shelf Price and Check out Price could come into play. That is, like Radio and TV talk back. there is a break between the two of, say, 30 Mins to allow for Customers to exit paying the earlier shelf price.

 

[Observer]

Surely in this age "Time lapse" ability between Shelf Price and Check out Price could come into play. That is, like Radio and TV talk back. there is a break between the two of, say, 30 Mins to allow for Customers to exit paying the earlier shelf price.

It should be done overnight

 

[Mika in the van]

The yellow price tags to advertise discounts were fake. How many times did we lift the tag to see the same price on the original tag. They tried this on one item we bought every couple of weeks So we knew what the regular price was.

 

[siameezer]

It should be done overnight

I think people will find it is. A bit of paranoia has crept in with people saying the price would change between putting the item in the trolley and getting to the checkout. They would change overnight when the shop was closed and weekly specials would be programmed to come into effect at store opening time on a Wednesday.