The Past, Present & Future Of E Ink With Bryan Chan

🎙️ 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

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