A Customized ESL Holder Solution for High-Traffic Convenience Store Areas

A nationwide convenience store chain approached Kinter with a unique challenge: secure electronic shelf labels (ESLs) on wire cooler shelves. 

As the chain transitioned from paper tags to ESLs, they encountered difficulties keeping the paper tag rails and expensive digital labels in place on high-traffic cooler shelves, particularly in beverage coolers.

The Challenge

The retailer had a known challenge: paper tag rails were being regularly knocked off wire shelves in high-traffic areas. Makeshift solutions, such as using zip ties to secure the rails, were not only unsightly but also unreliable.

As the retailer expanded its ESL implementation across dozens of stores, representatives were proactively seeking a permanent solution to secure the new ESLs without damaging the shelves. An additional challenge: the wire cooler shelves, built over time, had varying front heights, further complicating the situation.

The Selection Process

The convenience store chain contacted Kinter’s engineering team to develop a durable and adaptable ESL holder solution. The target solution was hardware that could securely hold ESLs on wire shelves, withstand daily wear and tear, and fit the varying shelf heights across store locations. 

Kinter's Innovative Solution

Kinter's engineering team quickly got to work designing a custom solution. Through rapid prototyping and testing, Kinter created a two-part system: an ESL cooler rail and ratcheting clips that could adjust to the varying heights of the wire shelves.

The ratcheting clips were designed to attach securely and hold the ESL rails in place, even when bumped or jostled during product stocking and consumer access. Kinter engineers developed an innovative flip-up design to provide an added layer of protection. This feature kept the digital labels secure and visible, even in high-traffic areas.

View this unique solution now in the Kinter catalog. 

Results and Impact

The custom ESL rail holder solution was successfully implemented system-wide in the convenience store’s many locations, resolving the ongoing issue of insecure ESLs in beverage coolers.

Since then, this solution has become a permanent product in Kinter’s ESL catalog, with the ratcheting clip-based design now available for cooler and wire shelf applications in various retail environments. The convenience store retailer was able to successfully expand its ESL system without worrying about labels being knocked off, saving time and money in the process.

Key Takeaways

• Kinter was able to design a custom solution to address the customer’s primary concern: a more secure, durable way to mount ESLs on wire shelving.
• The flexibility of the ratcheting clips made it easy to adapt the ESL holder to different shelf heights, accommodating the varying needs of the retailer’s stores.
• The success of this project led to the development of a new line of ratcheting clip-based ESL rails. These rails support multiple label suppliers and offer retailers a versatile solution for ESL system implementation. 

See how easy it is to install Kinter's patent-pending ESL rail with ratchet clips in the following video:

For decades, Kinter has been a trusted partner in retail display hardware solutions. With comprehensive engineering capabilities and direct manufacturing expertise, Kinter specializes in creating innovative solutions for electronic shelf labels and retail fixture challenges.

Our commitment to quality, durability, and customer service makes us the ESL attachment hardware partner of choice for retailers nationwide. 

Learn more about our custom ESL accessory capabilities or challenge us with your next project. Request your own copy of the ESL catalog today!