Electronic shelf tag management system

Abstract

To provide an electronic shelf tag management system that can extract an effect of an electronic shelf tag to the maximum.SOLUTION: An electronic shelf tag management system includes determination means (steps 1-1 to 1-17) for determining a commodity to be attached with an electronic shelf tag 90 according to a predetermined condition. The determination means includes count means (steps 1-4, 15) for counting a change frequency of display information related to a commodity to be sold (for example, a selling price or essential display information other than the selling price of the commodity). The determination means determines the commodity to be attached with the electronic shelf tag 90 according to the change frequency of the display information related to the commodity counted by the count means (step 1-5).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic shelf label management system that manages electronic shelf labels used in supermarkets and the like. [Background technology]

[0002] In stores such as mass retailers, supermarkets, and drugstores, POP (Point of purchase advertising, paper-based product shelf labels) is used to advertise new products, special sales, and other special offers. Meanwhile, in recent years, a system known as electronic shelf labels has also been put into practical use. Electronic shelf labels are small displays that can be wirelessly communicated to change and display prices, product information, inventory, and other information in real time, making them highly useful as they can be easily changed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-146555 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, unless electronic shelf labels are attached to all products in a store, it is not easy to make appropriate decisions to make effective use of the limited number of electronic shelf labels, such as which products should be equipped with electronic shelf labels to maximize their effectiveness, and under what conditions the products to which electronic shelf labels should be attached should be changed.In the following explanation, shelf labels made of sheets of paper or other media will be referred to as "product shelf labels."

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic shelf label management system that can maximize the effectiveness of electronic shelf labels and increase investment efficiency. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention is an electronic shelf label management system that manages electronic shelf labels, and is characterized by including a determination unit that determines a product to which an electronic shelf label should be attached according to a predetermined condition. This determination means makes it possible to maximize the effectiveness of electronic shelf labels and improve investment efficiency.

[0007] In addition to the above features, the present invention is characterized in that it includes a counting means that counts the number of changes to display information related to a product for sale, and the determining means determines the target for attaching an electronic shelf label based on the number of changes to display information related to the product counted by the counting means. According to the present invention, the attachment target of an electronic shelf label is determined based on the number of changes in display information, so it is possible to clearly identify products on which electronic shelf labels should be attached. For example, electronic shelf labels can be easily and smoothly attached preferentially to products that have been changed frequently. This allows the limited number of electronic shelf labels to be used effectively.

[0008] In addition to the above features, the present invention is characterized in that the counting means counts the number of times the selling price of the product has changed, and the determining means determines the target for attaching the electronic shelf label based on the count result of the number of times the selling price has changed counted by the counting means. That is, in the present invention, the number of times the selling price has been changed is used as the determination target, thereby making it possible to accurately detect products for which electronic shelf labels are to be installed.

[0009] In addition to the above features, the present invention is characterized by further comprising a collection instruction means for instructing the collection of the electronic shelf labels of the products that have been excluded from the targets for electronic shelf labels by the determination means. According to the present invention, an instruction to collect electronic shelf labels that need to be collected can be issued as needed, so that collection is not delayed or forgotten.

[0010] In addition to the above features, the present invention is characterized by further comprising an attachment instruction means for instructing the attachment of an electronic shelf label to a product that has been determined by the determination means to be a target for an electronic shelf label. According to the present invention, an instruction to attach an electronic shelf label that needs to be attached can be issued as needed, so that the attachment will not be delayed or forgotten.

[0011] In addition to the above features, the present invention is characterized by further comprising a storage means for storing products to be excluded from the judgment targets of the judgment means. According to the present invention, it is possible to reliably set products for which electronic shelf labels are desired to be used as targets.

[0012] In addition to the above features, the present invention is characterized in that, when the product is a target product of a sales promotion, the determination means determines that the product, which has been excluded from the determination target of the determination means by the storage means, is a target product of the collection instruction means. Products that are the subject of a sales promotion are displayed for a certain period of time in a corner other than the usual display area, such as a special sale area. In such cases, POP advertising, which is a type of product shelf tag, is more effective than electronic shelf tags because POP advertising is only used for a short period of time and has a high customer-attracting effect. Therefore, in this invention, even if the product in question has a fixed electronic shelf tag, the electronic shelf tag is collected. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, the effect of the electronic shelf label can be maximized. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a product sales data processing system 100. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional block diagram of a management device 10. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a functional block diagram of a POS device 30. [Figure 4]FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a functional block diagram of a shelf label management device 50. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a functional block diagram of an electronic shelf label 90. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a shelf label management screen G1. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an output content screen G3. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a switching progress screen G5. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is an operation flow diagram of the electronic shelf label management system 1-1. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an electronic shelf label 90. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a POP advertisement 75. [Figure 12] 13 is a diagram showing an example of an attachment / detachment screen G7 of the shelf label management device 50. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an operation screen G9 of a handheld terminal 85. [Figure 14] 13 is a diagram showing an example of a linking operation screen G11 of the handy terminal 85. FIG. [Figure 15] 10 is a diagram showing an example of an electronic shelf label management menu display field G13 of the handheld terminal 85. FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is another operation flow diagram of the electronic shelf label management system 1-1. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is another operation flow diagram of the electronic shelf label management system 1-1. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is an operational flow diagram of a method for determining how to handle an electronic shelf label 90 depending on whether or not there is a sales plan. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a merchandise sales data processing system 100 having an electronic shelf label management system 1-1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the merchandise sales data processing system 100 is configured by connecting a management device (store controller) 10, multiple POS devices 30 (30-1, . . . , n), and the electronic shelf label management system 1-1 according to this embodiment so that they can communicate with each other via a LAN 25. The LAN 25 may be either wired or wireless.

[0016] The management device 10 is a host computer with server functions that stores product files and the like, and controls the entire product sales data processing system 100. The product files are updated as appropriate. The management device 10 transmits the latest product information to the POS device 30, the electronic shelf label management system 1-1, and the like as appropriate.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the management device 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the management device 10 includes a CPU 11, a ROM 12, a RAM 13, a display unit 14, a hard disk 15, an operation unit 16, and a communication unit 17. These components are connected to one another via a communication line 18, such as a bus. The CPU 11 controls the operation of the management device 10 by executing a control program stored in the ROM 12. The ROM 12 stores various information, such as the control program. The RAM 13 temporarily stores various information. The display unit 14, such as an LCD display, displays information to the store clerk operating the management device 10. The hard disk 15 is a storage means for storing the product file and various information described below. The operation unit 16 includes various keys for receiving various instructions from the store clerk operating the management device 10. The communication unit 17 is a communication interface for communicating with various devices via a LAN 25. The management device 10 may also be connected to a headquarters computer or a cloud system via a network, for example, via the communication unit 17.

[0018] FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a POS device 30. This POS device 30 is an example of a typical POS device in which product registration and payment are performed by a store clerk. As shown in the figure, the POS device 30 includes a CPU 31 that controls the operation of the POS device 30, a hard disk 32 that stores customer purchase information, a ROM 33 that stores programs executed by the CPU 31, a RAM 34 that temporarily stores various information (e.g., product files acquired from the management device 10), a scanner unit 35 that optically reads barcodes attached to products, a store clerk display unit 36 ​​that displays the product name and price when the product purchased by the customer is registered, a customer display unit 37, a receipt printer unit 38, a drawer unit 39 (or an automatic change dispenser 39) that stores cash, coupons, etc., a communication unit 40 that communicates with external devices such as the management device 10 via a wireless or wired LAN 25, and an operation unit 41 that includes various operation buttons for performing various processes such as product registration and payment on the POS device 30. The components are connected to one another via a communication line 42 such as a bus.

[0019] In the above POS device 30, an example of a normal system in which product registration (product registration processing) and settlement (payment processing) are performed by a store clerk is shown, but the POS device may be of various other types, such as a semi-self-service POS system device in which product registration (product registration processing) is performed by a store clerk and settlement (payment processing) is performed by the customer themselves, or a full-self-service POS device in which registration and settlement are performed by the customer themselves.

[0020] Returning to FIG. 1, the electronic shelf label management system 1-1 is configured to include a shelf label management device 50, a printing device 70, a plurality of electronic shelf labels 90 (90-1 to q) connected via one or more transceivers 80 (80-1 to e), and a plurality of handheld terminals 85 (85-1 to f) connected via one or more transceivers 80 (80-f).

[0021] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a functional block diagram of the shelf label management device 50. As shown in the diagram, the shelf label management device 50 has a CPU 51, a ROM 52, a RAM 53, a display unit 54, a hard disk 55 (or a solid state drive 55), an operation unit 56, and a communication unit 57, and these components are connected to each other via a communication line 58 such as a bus. The CPU 51 controls the operation of the shelf label management device 50 by executing a control program stored in the ROM 52. The ROM 52 stores various information such as the control program. The RAM 53 temporarily stores various information. The display unit 54 is, for example, a liquid crystal display, and displays information to a store clerk operating the shelf label management device 50. The hard disk 55 is a storage means for storing a product master for shelf label management and various other information. The operation unit 56 has various keys and the like for receiving various instructions from a store clerk operating the shelf label management device 50. The communication unit 57 is a communication interface for communicating with various other devices such as the management device 10, the POS device 30, the printer 70, the handy terminal 85, and the electronic shelf label 90 via the LAN 25 or the like.

[0022] FIG. 5 shows an example of a functional block diagram of an electronic shelf label 90, and FIG. 10 is a front view of an example of the electronic shelf label 90. As shown in both figures, the electronic shelf label 90 has a CPU 91, a ROM 92, a RAM 93, a display unit 94, and a communication unit 95. These components are connected to each other via a communication line 96 such as a bus, and a separate battery 97 is also built in. The CPU 91 controls the operation of the electronic shelf label 90 by executing a control program stored in the ROM 92. The ROM 92 stores various information such as the control program. The RAM 93 temporarily stores various information. The display unit 94 is, for example, a liquid crystal display, and displays information such as the price of products placed on a shelf on which the electronic shelf label 90 is installed to customers. The communication unit 95 is a communication interface for communicating with the shelf label management device 50 and the like via the transceiver 80. For example, infrared communication is used as a means of communication between the communication unit 95 and the transceiver 80, but various other communication means may also be used. As shown in FIG. 10 , the display screen 94 of the electronic shelf label 90 displays a "SALE" message for sales promotion, as well as the product name and current price. It is preferable for this display screen 94 to be color-displayed for effective sales promotion. A lamp 99 is provided in a predetermined position (top corner) of the display screen 94, which can be turned on when a store clerk wants to replace the electronic shelf label 90 with a new product shelf label, facilitating the replacement. An identification code (barcode) 98 is displayed in a predetermined position (bottom center) to distinguish this electronic shelf label 90 from other electronic shelf labels 90. The electronic shelf label 90 can be identified by an electronic tag or the character string or numbers themselves. In this case, an electronic tag reader or imaging means such as a CCD camera can be installed in the handheld terminal 85. Vertical and horizontal configurations, as well as multiple sizes, are also available depending on the display space and face.

[0023] Although not shown, the handheld terminal 85 includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, a display / operation unit, and a communication unit. These components are connected to each other via a communication line such as a bus, and also include a separate built-in battery. The CPU controls the operation of the handheld terminal 85 by executing a control program stored in the ROM. The ROM stores various information, such as the control program. The RAM temporarily stores various information. The display / operation unit is, for example, an LCD display, and is used to display various instructions to the worker carrying the handheld terminal 85 and to link the electronic shelf labels 90 to product or shelf locations. The communication unit is a communication interface for communicating with the shelf label management device 50 and the like via the transceiver 80. Note that the communication means used by the communication unit of the handheld terminal 85 may be any means, such as wireless LAN or infrared communication, and may use a different communication means and communication bandwidth than those used by the electronic shelf labels 90. Furthermore, the handheld terminal 85 may perform batch processing rather than real-time processing.

[0024] Next, the operation of the electronic shelf label management system 1-1 will be described, starting with the prerequisite work. When introducing Electronic Shelf Labels (ESLs) 90, purchasing the same number of ESLs 90 as the number of products handled in a store would require a huge investment, so generally, not all ESLs are purchased. For example, suppose 3,500 ESLs 90 are purchased. Then, first, a surplus is set aside for new products, etc. For example, 100 units are set aside as surplus, and the remaining 3,400 units are allocated to each department, etc.

[0025] The person in charge calculates the sales price change history (hereinafter referred to as "sales change history") and the change history of mandatory display information other than the sales price (hereinafter referred to as "mandatory display information change history") for any past period from the sales management system, sales planning management data, etc. Based on the results, the product on which the electronic shelf label 90 is to be installed is selected. The electronic shelf labels 90 may be automatically allocated according to the number of electronic shelf labels 90 allocated to each department or category, starting from the top products with the most frequent changes based on the sales change history and mandatory display information change history.

[0026] Next, the person in charge installs electronic shelf labels 90 on the shelves where the selected target products are placed. This installation is done by category, by rail of the product shelf, or by face. Each electronic shelf label 90 has a shelf label identification number, and can be identified by affixing an identification code 98 or attaching an electronic tag. Specifically, the installation work of the electronic shelf labels 90 is carried out as follows. (1) The product identification number (barcode such as EAN, UPC, ITF, or electronic tag) data is read and entered using a handheld terminal 85 or the like. (2) The identification number of the electronic shelf label 90 is read from the identification code 98 (or electronic tag, character string, or number) using a handheld terminal 85 or the like, and input. (3) An operation is performed to link the product with the electronic shelf label 90. The linking operation is performed by pressing the confirmation button on the operation surface of the handy terminal 85, for example.

[0027] In order to confirm the linking operation between the above-mentioned products and the electronic shelf tags 90, for example, the shelf tag management device 50 may acquire the status of each electronic shelf tag 90 via a transceiver 80 (a relay device such as an access point, and the communication means may be WIFI, infrared communication, beacon, or any other means) that communicates with the electronic shelf tags 90, and compare the acquired status of the electronic shelf tags 90 with the linking confirmation information acquired from the handheld terminal 85.

[0028] On the other hand, in the case of a new store (a newly opened store), product shelf tags (so-called price cards) are issued and placed near each product. Furthermore, in the case of a new store, special events such as grand opening sales or special offers are planned, and POP advertisements are issued and posted in the sales locations of the products. FIG. 11 shows an example of a POP advertisement 75. As shown in the figure, the POP advertisement 75 is printed on a sheet (paper medium) and displays a promotional message such as "SALE! Our store's top recommendation!" as well as the product name and current price. This POP advertisement 75 is preferably displayed in color for effective sales promotion. The POP advertisement 75 printed in this manner is placed, for example, in a predetermined position on a display shelf near the product. It is desirable to display an identification code 76 on the POP advertisement 75 so that the POP advertisement can be distinguished from other POP advertisements. In this manner, electronic shelf tags and product shelf tags (including POP advertisements) are prepared.

[0029] Although the issuance of electronic shelf tags 90 or product shelf tags is linked to products and assigned to each product, when multiple identical products are displayed, such as in a sales area within a store, the linking and matching work may also be performed for the product and the display location (location). The location may be determined using position information from the handheld terminal 85, a barcode or character string affixed to the product shelf in advance, or by selecting the display location from a pull-down menu on the handheld terminal 85, or by manually entering the location.

[0030] Furthermore, linking may be performed with the management number of a sales promotion plan in the sales promotion master or sales plan master. By using the sales promotion number or sales promotion plan name, multiple electronic shelf labels 90 and POP advertisements can be assigned to the same product and created. This allows the preparation and installation of electronic shelf labels 90, product shelf labels, promotional POP advertisements, etc. in the store to be performed quickly and accurately. Note that the linking operation using the handheld terminal 85 may be performed in multiple operating methods depending on the work purpose, such as by product specification or display location.

[0031] Next, we will explain how to switch between electronic shelf labels 90 and product shelf labels in an operating store. The product sales change history, mandatory display information change history, sales promotion plan history, etc., mentioned above, are stored and managed as data on the hard disk 55 of the shelf label management device 50.

[0032] 6 is a diagram showing an example of a shelf label management screen G1 displayed on the display unit 54 of the shelf label management device 50. As shown in the drawing, the shelf label management screen G1 displays a department setting field G11, an electronic shelf label usage count display field G12, a period setting field G13, a shelf label condition setting field G15, a judgment target selection field G17, a display target selection field G19, a display method selection field G21, a product field G23, an output button G25, a confirm button G27, a switch product count field G29, and the like.

[0033] The department setting field G11 is a field for selecting the department to be displayed in the product field G23. For example, departments classified according to the nature of the product and the sales format, such as the produce department, fresh fish department, meat department, prepared food department, and daily necessities department, are selected and displayed. In the example shown, the produce department is selected. The electronic shelf label usage display field G12 displays the number of electronic shelf labels 90 currently in use (67 in the figure) out of the total number of electronic shelf labels 90 allocated to each department (120 in the figure). The period setting field G13 is a field for setting the period for determining whether to install or remove. For example, the start date and time of the period is entered in the field G131 on the left side of the figure, and the end date and time of the period is entered in the field G133 on the right side. The display target setting field G15 is a field for specifying the display target to be displayed in the product field G23. It is a field for setting one of the following: fixed product shelf label, fixed electronic shelf label, fixed unspecified product (new product, undisplayed product, etc.), or normal (the target item for which installation or removal is determined). In the figure, normal is set.

[0034] The judgment target selection field G17 is a field for selecting whether to extract installation / removal targets using only price changes, whether to extract installation / removal targets using factors other than price changes, or whether to extract installation / removal targets using both. In the figure, the selection is made to extract installation / removal targets using price changes. The display target selection field G19 is a field for selecting whether to display mutual changes between electronic shelf labels 90 and product shelf labels (ALL), whether to display only changes from electronic shelf labels 90 to product shelf labels (ESL ⇒ POP), or whether to display only changes from product shelf labels to electronic shelf labels 90 (POP ⇒ ESL). In the figure, the selection is made to display mutual changes. The display method selection field G21 is a field for selecting whether to display (sort) in ascending or descending order when sorting by the highest or lowest installation / removal conditions. In the figure, the selection is made to display in ascending order. The product field G23 is a list of products calculated according to the above conditions. The product field G23 has fields for the number (No.), PLU, product name (product name), specifications, sales change (number of times the selling price has been changed), change (attach / remove), and confirmation. The confirmation field indicates whether the product is subject to change or not, and confirmed products are subject to update. Pressing the confirmation field corresponding to each product allows you to select confirmation or not. Pressing the confirmation button G27 switches all products listed in the product field G23 to confirmation. Pressing the output button G25 outputs (transmits) change data for confirmed products to the handheld terminal 85 or printer 70 via the output content screen G3 shown in Figure 7 below. This allows changes to be made to the electronic shelf tag 90 or product shelf tag using the display screen of the handheld terminal 85 or the form output from the printer 70. Furthermore, even if this operation is not performed, if the conditions for the change are set in advance, for example, when the menu is selected and the screen is displayed, if the initial value is set in advance, such as when the initial value of the selection field other than the display content that determines the display data based on the department setting, specifically the initial value of the judgment target selection field G17 is set to the selling price change, then once the department is selected, the judgment can be automatically made for a period of one month from the current day and one month from the previous month.

[0035] Note that if the quantity of electronic shelf labels 90 used by a department can be changed at any time, it is convenient when adjusting surpluses or when adjusting quantities between departments. Furthermore, when calculating the top list displayed in the above-mentioned product column G23, it is possible to set for each product, such as not assigning an electronic shelf label 90 or using only product shelf labels. In this case, the product is excluded when generating the top list. Furthermore, by setting specific conditions, it is possible to switch from electronic shelf labels 90 to product shelf labels. For example, it is possible to set conditions such as forcibly assigning electronic shelf labels 90 that have been assigned to a department that has not changed its sales price within a certain period of time to another department or to use as surplus. Note that while departments are used here, medium or small categories may also be used.

[0036] Also, in Figure 6, only selling price changes are used in the judgment target selection field G17 to extract targets for installation / removal. However, other factors, or both, may be used. For example, other factors may be used to determine the need for electronic shelf labels 90 based on product characteristics. For bare-sold products such as fresh produce and fish, information other than the selling price (essential display information), such as place of origin and producer, frequently changes, making it more useful to use electronic shelf labels 90. This is because issuing POP advertisements or product shelf labels every time the place of origin or other information changes is inefficient in terms of both labor and cost. On the other hand, departments such as stationery and general merchandise rarely change their selling prices or other essential display information, so they can be excluded from the scope of electronic shelf labels 90 from the start. Furthermore, products whose display information has been changed may also be considered as target products. Specifically, when an allergy indication is added to the electronic shelf label 90, or when a POP larger than a normal price tag is used to particularly increase customer appeal, the opposite condition to the above, that is, the electronic shelf label 90 may be removed.

[0037] Also, products that are the subject of a sales promotion plan may be forced to be the subject of POP advertisements. However, electronic shelf labels 90 may be installed in normal display areas, and separate POP advertisements may be issued in corners for special sales or sales promotions. In this case, the need for electronic shelf labels 90 may be determined based on the combination of the product and the sales promotion plan, or the combination of the product and the location.

[0038] 7 is a diagram showing an example of the output content screen G3 displayed on the display unit 54 of the shelf label management device 50. As shown in the figure, the output content screen G3 displays a department field G31, a display location field G33 to be switched to, an output target field G35, a send button G37, and an issue button G39.

[0039] The department field G31 displays the department of the product to be replaced; in this example, it displays the produce department. The target display location field G33 displays the first and last display locations for the replacement. Line 11, shelf 99, row 99 indicates the last row and row of line 11, shelf 04. The output target field G35 allows users to select whether to output only the unupdated data or all the updated and unupdated data. Although not shown, the output target field G35 may also display a "difference" in addition to the unupdated data and all the updated data. The "difference" field is used to output not only the unupdated data but also any new unupdated data that arises during the replacement process. The send button G37 enables the handheld terminal 85 to receive the data and sends it to the database in the shelf label management device 50, the store controller 10, or a separate file server (including the cloud). The print button G39 outputs the data to the printer 70. This allows for efficient use of the instruction list output from the handheld terminal 85 and the printer 70, or allows switching between them independently. The instruction list also allows the output range to be determined, making it useful when multiple people are working simultaneously. Multiple ranges of display locations may be selected. When specifying multiple ranges, for example, by adding an input field, operability improves if the location number in the upper end field is automatically entered in the start field. Data may also be made receivable by the handheld terminal 85 when the confirm button G27 in Figure 6 is pressed, without using Figure 7.

[0040] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a switching progress screen G5 displayed on the display unit 54 of the shelf label management device 50. As shown in the figure, the switching progress screen G5 displays a department field G51, a switching target field G53, a progress percentage display field G55, a progress display target selection field G57, and a product information display field G59. The department field G51 displays the department of the product for which the progress status is to be displayed; in this example, it displays the produce department. The switching target field G53 displays whether to switch from electronic shelf labels 90 to product shelf labels, from product shelf labels to electronic shelf labels 90, or to attach new shelf labels; in this example, a product for which the product shelf label is to be switched to the electronic shelf label 90 is selected. The progress percentage display field G55 displays the percentage of the switching progress. The progress display target selection field G57 allows selection of whether the product to be displayed in the product information display field G59 is a product for which switching has been completed, a product for which switching has not been completed, or both; in this example, it is selected to display both. The product information display field G59 displays the display location, PLU, product name, person in charge, installation, and communication information for each product selected according to the various conditions described above. "Installation" here indicates whether or not the installation of the electronic shelf label 90 in the display location has been completed, regardless of whether or not communication with the transceiver 80 has been completed. "Communication" indicates whether or not communication between the electronic shelf label 90 and the transceiver 80 has been completed.

[0041] When switching shelf tags, various conditions such as the department and an arbitrary (predetermined) period are entered on the shelf tag management screen G1 shown in Fig. 6. Next, by pressing the output button G25 on the shelf tag management screen G1, the output content screen G3 shown in Fig. 7 is displayed. After the department and display location for the replacement are confirmed on this output content screen G3, the data is sent to the handheld terminal 85 or the printer 70 so that it can be used.

[0042] The person in charge then uses the display screen of the handheld terminal 85 or an instruction sheet (document) printed by the printer 70 to replace product shelf labels with electronic shelf labels 90, or to replace electronic shelf labels 90 with product shelf labels, or in the case of new products, to attach new product shelf labels or electronic shelf labels 90. At this time, by dividing the number of shelf labels to be replaced and setting multiple locations, multiple workers can be involved in the replacement work. This will be explained in detail below.

[0043] First, a case where the electronic shelf label 90 is switched to a product shelf label will be described. In this case, a product shelf label (including a price card and a POP advertisement) for the product to be switched is issued. The issuing unit may be a department, a display location, or the like.

[0044] The issued product shelf label is attached at the sales floor of the store, and the electronic shelf label 90 is collected. In the case of an instruction sheet (document), the electronic shelf label 90 is removed at the display location of the product and the product shelf label is attached. When using a handheld terminal 85 or the like, the process may be completed by comparing the identification information (such as the identification code 98) of the electronic shelf label 90 with the identification information (such as the identification code 76) on the product shelf label, or by reading a location barcode or the like if the display location has one. Note that when the replacement operation is performed quickly, such as after closing time, the display section 94 of the electronic shelf label 90 may be blanked (erased) in advance, or a character string or mark that indicates that the electronic shelf label 90 is to be replaced may be displayed, or if the electronic shelf label 90 is equipped with a lamp 99, the lamp 99 may be turned on in order to make it easy to identify the electronic shelf label 90 to be replaced. If the lamp 99 can be switched between two or more colors, or if two or more lamps 99 are equipped, the color and manner of the light may be different from the color of a sale, or the light may be lit or flashing to make it easier to identify.

[0045] When performing the switching work as described above, for example, by using a switching progress screen G5 as shown in Fig. 8 (the screen in Fig. 8 shows the state when switching from product shelf labels to electronic shelf labels 90, but the state is the other way around), it is possible to check the progress of the collection operation of the electronic shelf labels 90 and also prevent forgetting to perform the work. It is also possible to know the identification information of the collected electronic shelf labels 90, and it is also possible to select the electronic shelf label 90 to be used next based on the remaining battery power of each electronic shelf label 90, etc.

[0046] Next, we will explain the case where the product shelf label is switched to the electronic shelf label 90. In this case, the electronic shelf label 90 to be installed is taken to the product display location specified in the instruction manual or the handheld terminal 85. At this time, the electronic shelf label 90 may be switched to new product information in advance, or may be in the initial value state.

[0047] Next, the product shelf labels in the designated product display locations are removed and electronic shelf labels 90 are installed. Then, the identification information (such as the identification code 98) of the electronic shelf labels 90 and the product or location identification information are entered, and the replacement operation is completed. The display information on the electronic shelf labels 90 may be updated after all the electronic shelf labels 90 have been installed, or it may be updated each time an electronic shelf label 90 is installed. Once the display information on all the electronic shelf labels 90 has been rewritten, the work is complete.

[0048] Next, we will explain sales promotion plans (sales promotion plans). Sales can be set by product, category, or department. When setting sales by category or department, you can set units such as excluded products or subcategories. For example, you could set a 10% discount on all produce, but excluding Chinese cabbage. A period (start and end dates) must be set. When multiple sales promotion plans apply, you can consider methods such as prioritizing each plan, or prioritizing plans with similar start dates, or plans with similar end dates (shortest) if the start dates are the same, or the lowest price.

[0049] Even if it is not a special sale, if the price is changed over a long period such as one month, the period selling price can be set in the sales planning master or product master. In the case of monthly special offers, if it is subject to the sales planning, it will not be subject to the electronic shelf label 90, but since this cannot be checked in the period selling price setting of the product master or the like, it is also possible to determine whether it is subject to the electronic shelf label 90 or not based on the length of the period for pricing based on the period (even a single day). It is easy to see that products whose selling price does not change from month to month do not require the electronic shelf label 90, so this can be incorporated into the logic when generating the top list.

[0050] Next, if the electronic shelf label 90 does not have an identification code, the following operation is performed. First, the shelf label management device 50 sets the allocated number and spare number of electronic shelf labels 90 for each department and category. The spare number is the number of electronic shelf labels 90 that are manually allocated to new products, etc.

[0051] The installation / removal screen G7 of the shelf label management device 50 in FIG. 12 is a screen for understanding the product master registration status for each medium category and the number of installation / removal tasks. This installation / removal screen G7 displays a number of installed electronic shelf labels field G71, a number of allocations for each medium category field G73, a number of displayed products field G75, and a number of products to be installed / removed field G77. The maximum number of electronic shelf labels to be installed is the number displayed in the number of installed electronic shelf labels field G71 minus the number of spares. This installation / removal screen G7 has a function for printing product shelf labels (POP) for products to be removed when the number of products to be installed / removed for each medium category field G77 is pressed. After issuing a product shelf label (POP), the electronic shelf label 90 for the target product is removed according to the issued product shelf label (POP). In actual operation, there may be cases where multiple products are displayed, or multiple electronic shelf tags 90 are used for one product due to display face and space constraints. Therefore, the removal work is not a one-to-one operation for one product. Note that two identification numbers of the electronic shelf tags 90 are linked and managed to the product in question, so the number of operations is two. When attaching electronic shelf labels 90, if the worker can arbitrarily decide the number of electronic shelf labels 90 to attach, it is possible to set multiple electronic shelf labels for one product. Specifically, the barcode of the product and the identification information of the electronic shelf label 90 are scanned, and if the product code and electronic shelf label identification information are the same, an error is reported, and if the electronic shelf label identification information is different, a message such as "A second electronic shelf label will be attached to this product. Is this OK?" is displayed, and additional settings can be made. At this time, the number of units allocated to a department may be automatically changed by scanning (entering) the electronic shelf tag identification information that was allocated to a spare in another department. If the department plans to use the unit in advance, setting the start date of use or prohibiting transfer between departments can prevent the impact on other departments by notifying them of this.

[0052] Next, operations on the handy terminal 85 will be described. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an installation / removal operation screen G9 displayed on the display operation unit of the handy terminal 85 during electronic shelf label installation / removal work. This installation / removal operation screen G9 displays a list of products to which electronic shelf labels 90 are to be installed / removed, sorted by medium category. This installation / removal operation screen G9 displays a manufacturer name (supplier) display field G91, a product identification code / product name field G93, a display standard field G95, and a work check field G97. The work check field G97 displays whether installation or removal is being performed and whether the installation / removal work has been completed, with a check mark ("R") indicating that the installation / removal work has been completed (checked). This makes it possible to perform installation / removal work easily and reliably.

[0053] The installation / removal operation screen G9 may also display other information useful for the replacement work, such as the selling price. If the electronic shelf label 90 does not have an identification code, the user can confirm the replacement by pressing the operation check box G97 on the installation / removal operation screen G9 or by moving the cursor. Also, if the product has a product code (barcode), the product code can be scanned to mark the product as checked. If the electronic shelf label 90 has an identification code 98, the identification code 98 can be read to mark the product as checked. Checking "Removal" (not shown) in the operation check box G97 or scanning the target product code clears the display on the electronic shelf label 90. This allows for compatibility with electronic shelf labels 90 introduced at different times. Furthermore, if a user affixes a unique identification code, the replacement work can be carried out even if there are electronic shelf labels 90 without an affixed code, and progress and completion can be managed, ensuring error-free operation. As described above, anyone can easily switch between electronic shelf labels 90 and product shelf labels without error.

[0054] Furthermore, the handheld terminal 85 can perform a linking operation (linking operation) by inputting the product code and the identification code of the electronic shelf label 90. FIG. 14 shows an example of a linking operation screen G11 for linking a product code with the identification code of the electronic shelf label 90. As shown in the figure, information is entered into the display location field G111, the product code field G113, and the identification code field G115 of the electronic shelf label 90 to perform the linking operation and transmit the information to the shelf label management device 50. Once the linking is complete, the electronic shelf label 90 communicates with the transceiver 80. The electronic shelf label 90 periodically communicates with the transceiver 80, thereby updating the display content of the electronic shelf label 90. In other words, once the linking operation is complete, the electronic shelf label 90 automatically connects to the transceiver 80 and displays data corresponding to the newly linked product information. The timing of communication can also be controlled by operating the transceiver 80 from the handheld terminal 85.

[0055] If the display shelf (display location) has an identification code and the electronic shelf label 90 and POP management are performed in association with the product code, the display can be updated in the same way by linking the identification code of the display location with the identification code of the electronic shelf label 90. Furthermore, the linking operation between the product and the electronic shelf label 90 can also be performed on a separate screen. The electronic shelf label 90 can also be removed (the linking operation is cleared) and used as a spare electronic shelf label 90.

[0056] 15 is a diagram showing an example of an electronic shelf label management menu display field G13 displayed on the display operation unit of the handheld terminal 85. As shown in the figure, the electronic shelf label management menu display field G13 displays an electronic shelf label creation field G131, an electronic shelf label deletion field G133, etc., and by pressing any of the fields, it is possible to perform linking when setting up an electronic shelf label 90 (such as display and linking operation using the linking operation screen G11 described above) or deletion when removing the electronic shelf label 90.

[0057] Next, an example of the operation of the electronic shelf label management system 1-1 will be described. FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of the operation of the electronic shelf label management system 1-1. As shown in the figure, the shelf label management device 50 of the electronic shelf label management system 1-1 periodically determines whether the selling price of a product (i.e., display information related to the product) has been changed (step 1-1). If a change has been made, the change is stored in the RAM 53 or the hard disk 55 as a change history (step 1-2). Next, it determines whether the product is an excluded product based on its product characteristics (step 1-3). Here, the product characteristics correspond to the aforementioned department. For example, if stationery or household goods are set as an excluded department, the electronic shelf label 90 is not used for these products, and step 1-4 is skipped. On the other hand, if the product is not in the excluded department, the process proceeds to step 1-4, where the number of changes in the change history is counted and stored. In the example of FIG. 6, the value in the selling price (number of changes) column for the corresponding product is incremented by one.

[0058] Furthermore, if the selling price of the product has not been changed in step 1-1, the process proceeds to step 1-12, where it is determined whether or not any mandatory display information other than the selling price (i.e., display information related to the product), such as the place of origin or producer, has been changed, and if so, the details of the change are stored in RAM 53 or hard disk 55 as the changed mandatory display information (step 1-13). Next, it is determined whether or not the product is an excluded product based on its product characteristics (step 1-14), and if so, step 1-15 is skipped since the electronic shelf label 90 is not used. On the other hand, if the product is not an excluded product, the process proceeds to step 1-15, where the number of changes to the mandatory display information is counted and stored.

[0059] Next, a ranking (priority) is generated from the total number of changes of the selling price and the required display information in descending order of the number of changes (step 1-5). Note that, depending on the settings made in advance, the ranking may be generated from the number of changes of only the selling price change history, or from the number of changes of only the required display information change history.

[0060] Next, the process proceeds to step 1-6, where it is determined whether the product is a target product of a sales promotion, i.e., a special sale product, for example. If the product is not a target product of the sales promotion, there is a possibility that an electronic shelf label 90 will be used, so steps 1-7 and 1-8 are skipped. On the other hand, if the product is a target product of the sales promotion, the process proceeds to step 1-7, where it is determined whether the product is permitted to use an electronic shelf label 90, i.e., whether the electronic shelf label 90 is currently being used. If the product is permitted (in use), an instruction to collect the electronic shelf label 90 is issued (step 1-8). When changing the sales floor (display location) or space for a sale or event, if POP advertising is used, an instruction to collect the product is issued even if the product uses an electronic shelf label and is not subject to switching. The instruction to collect the product is issued, for example, by displaying a message to that effect on the display unit 54 of the shelf label management device 50, and simultaneously displaying the message on the display unit of the handheld terminal 85 or printing the message using the printer 70. At this time, it is preferable to change the display of the electronic shelf label 90, as shown in FIG. 10, in order to perform the switching operation. For example, the lamp 99 is turned on, or the display on the display unit 94 is changed (for example, to red, or to make the entire surface white or black, etc.).

[0061] Next, in step 1-9, it is determined whether or not the product in question is permitted to use the electronic shelf label 90. This determination is made by granting permission to use electronic shelf labels 90 to the number of products that are available in the department, in descending order of rank (priority) determined from the total number of changes in the selling price and the number of changes in the mandatory display information (or, as described above, the number of changes in either one). In other words, the product is determined to be a target product for attaching an electronic shelf label 90.

[0062] If it is determined that permission to use an electronic shelf label 90 has been granted for the product ("Y" in step 1-9), the process proceeds to step 1-10. If permission to use the product has already been granted, i.e., if an electronic shelf label 90 is already being used, the current situation is left as is ("Y" in step 1-10). On the other hand, if an electronic shelf label 90 is not currently being used, an instruction to install a new electronic shelf label 90 is issued (step 1-11). The instruction to install is issued, for example, by displaying a message to that effect on the display unit 54 of the shelf label management device 50, and simultaneously displaying the content on the display unit of the handheld terminal 85 or printing the content using the printing device 70. At this time, as in the case of step 1-8 above, it is preferable to change the display of the electronic shelf label 90 shown in FIG. 10 in order to perform the switching work.

[0063] Next, in step 1-9, if it is determined that the product is not authorized to use the electronic shelf label 90 ("N" in step 1-9), the process proceeds to step 1-16. If the product is currently authorized to use the electronic shelf label 90, that is, if the electronic shelf label 90 is currently being used, an instruction to collect the electronic shelf label 90 is issued (step 1-17). The instruction to collect is issued, for example, by displaying a message to that effect on the display unit 54 of the shelf label management device 50, and simultaneously displaying the content on the display unit of the handheld terminal 85 or printing the content using the printer 70. At this time, as in the case of step 1-8 above, it is preferable to change the display of the electronic shelf label 90 shown in FIG. 10 in order to perform the switching work. On the other hand, if the electronic shelf label 90 is not currently being used, the current status is maintained ("N" in step 1-16).

[0064] The method described above makes it possible to easily and reliably generate a ranking based on the number of changes in the selling price of a product or the number of changes in essential display information other than the selling price of the product, and to issue instructions based on the generated ranking to install and remove electronic shelf labels 90. That is, the electronic shelf label management system 1-1 according to the present invention includes a determination means (such as a CPU 51 that executes steps 1-1 to 1-17) that determines which products are to be fitted with electronic shelf labels 90 according to predetermined conditions.

[0065] Furthermore, the electronic shelf label management system 1-1 according to the present invention includes a counting means (e.g., the CPU 51 that executes steps 1-4 and 1-15) that counts the number of changes in display information related to products for sale (such as the selling price and essential display information other than the selling price), and the determining means determines targets for attaching electronic shelf labels 90 based on the number of changes in display information related to the products counted by the counting means (e.g., the CPU 51 that executes step 1-9). This determines targets for attaching electronic shelf labels 90 based on the number of changes in display information related to the products, making it possible to clearly identify products for which electronic shelf labels 90 should be attached. For example, electronic shelf labels 90 can be attached easily and smoothly with priority given to products that have been changed frequently. This allows the limited number of electronic shelf labels 90 to be used effectively.

[0066] Furthermore, in the electronic shelf label management system 1-1, the counting means counts the number of times the selling price of the product has changed (e.g., the CPU 51 that executes step 1-4), and the determining means determines the target for attaching the electronic shelf label 90 according to the count result of the number of times the selling price has changed counted by the counting means (e.g., the CPU 51 that executes step 1-9). This makes it possible to accurately detect products on which electronic shelf labels 90 should be attached.

[0067] Furthermore, the electronic shelf label management system 1-1 includes a collection instruction means (such as the CPU 51 that executes step 1-17) that instructs the collection of the electronic shelf labels 90 of products that have been excluded from the targets for attaching electronic shelf labels 90 by the determination means, so that collection of electronic shelf labels 90 that need to be collected can be instructed as needed. This prevents delays or forgetting to collect the electronic shelf labels 90.

[0068] Furthermore, the electronic shelf label management system 1-1 includes an attachment instruction means (such as the CPU 51 that executes step 1-11) that instructs the attachment of electronic shelf labels to products that have been determined by the determination means to be targets for electronic shelf labels 90, so that installation of electronic shelf labels 90 that need to be installed can be instructed as needed. This prevents installation from being delayed or forgotten.

[0069] The electronic shelf label management system 1-1 also includes storage means for storing products to be excluded from the determination targets of the determination means (such as the CPU 51 that executes steps 1-3 and 1-14). This makes it possible to exclude from the start products whose selling price and required display information generally do not change from the targets for which the electronic shelf label 90 is used, thereby enabling the electronic shelf label 90 to be used more efficiently.

[0070] Furthermore, in the electronic shelf label management system 1-1, when the determination means determines that a product is a product subject to a sales promotion, the storage means determines that the product excluded from the determination means's determination targets as a product subject to the collection instruction means (e.g., the CPU 51 executing steps 1-6, 1-7, and 1-8). Products subject to a sales promotion are displayed for a certain period of time in a corner other than their usual display locations, for example, in a special sale section. In such cases, it is better to use POP advertising, which is a type of product shelf label, rather than electronic shelf labels 90, because POP advertising is more effective in attracting customers and is used for a short period of time. Therefore, by excluding products subject to a sales promotion from the targets for which electronic shelf labels 90 are used, it is possible to use electronic shelf labels 90 more efficiently.

[0071] Next, another example of the operation of the electronic shelf label management system 1-1 will be described. FIG. 16 is another operational flow diagram of the electronic shelf label management system 1-1. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the electronic shelf label 90 is switched only in response to a change in the selling price of a product. As shown in the diagram, the shelf label management device 50 of the electronic shelf label management system 1-1 periodically determines whether the selling price of a product has been changed (step 2-1). If the selling price has not been changed ("N" in step 2-1), the process returns to step 2-1. On the other hand, if the price has been changed ("Y" in step 2-1), the process next determines in step 2-2 whether the product is an excluded product. An excluded product in this case refers to a product for which the use of an electronic shelf label 90 or a product shelf label (POP advertising) is fixed, regardless of the number of times the selling price of the product has been changed.

[0072] If the product is excluded ("Y" in step 2-2), the process returns to step 2-1. On the other hand, if the product is not excluded ("N" in step 2-2), the process proceeds to step 2-3, calculates the number of changes to the product, and then generates a ranking based on the number of changes (step 2-4).

[0073] Next, based on the generated ranking, it is determined whether the product should be excluded from the list of products eligible for use with the electronic shelf label 90, or whether it should be newly included in the list of products eligible for use with the electronic shelf label 90 (step 2-5). If it is determined that the product should be excluded from the list of products eligible for use with the electronic shelf label 90, an instruction is given to collect the electronic shelf label 90, and an instruction is given to attach the collected electronic shelf label to a new product eligible for display (step 2-6).

[0074] Next, another example of the operation of the electronic shelf label management system 1-1 will be described. FIG. 17 is another operational flow diagram of the electronic shelf label management system 1-1. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the electronic shelf label 90 is switched only by changes in display information other than the selling price of the product. As shown in the figure, the shelf label management device 50 of the electronic shelf label management system 1-1 periodically determines whether the display information other than the selling price of the product has been changed (step 3-1). If the display information has not been changed ("N" in step 3-1), the process returns to step 3-1. On the other hand, if the display information has been changed ("Y" in step 3-1), the process next determines in step 3-2 whether the product is an excluded product. If the product is an excluded product ("Y" in step 3-2), the process returns to step 3-1. If the product is not an excluded product ("N" in step 3-2), the process proceeds to step 3-3, where the number of changes to the product is calculated and a ranking based on the number of changes is generated (step 3-4). Next, based on the generated ranking, it is determined whether the product should be excluded from the list of products eligible for use with the electronic shelf label 90, or whether it should be newly included in the list of products eligible for use with the electronic shelf label 90 (step 3-5). If it is determined that the product should be excluded from the list of products eligible for use with the electronic shelf label 90, an instruction is given to collect the electronic shelf label 90, and an instruction is given to attach the collected electronic shelf label to a new product eligible for display (step 3-6).

[0075] In the above operation examples, the installation or removal of the electronic shelf label 90 is instructed based on the number of changes in the product's selling price and / or the number of changes in other display information, but the conditions for the installation or removal instruction may be set more precisely. For example, for products in the fresh produce section, the number of changes in display information such as the place of origin may be given priority over the selling price, while for other products, the number of changes in the selling price may be given priority. Another method of prioritizing may be to weight the number of changes, for example. For example, the number of changes in the selling price may be weighted (number of changes x 1.0), and the number of changes in other display information may be weighted (number of changes x 0.6).

[0076] 16 and 17, the electronic shelf label management system 1-1 according to the present invention is configured to include storage means for storing in advance products to be fitted with electronic shelf labels 90 (products with fixed electronic shelf labels), and to exclude those products from the counting targets of the counting means (e.g., the CPU 51 executing steps 2-2 and 3-2). This makes it possible to reliably include products for which electronic shelf labels 90 are to be used, regardless of the number of times the display information has been changed.

[0077] Furthermore, in the case of sales promotion, even if the electronic shelf label is fixed (a setting that uses the electronic shelf label regardless of the number of times the display information is changed), if the sales floor (display location / space) changes, the electronic shelf label may be subject to POP advertising, i.e., product shelf labeling. In other words, sales promotions such as "special sales" may be given priority over other promotions. FIG. 18 is an operational flow diagram of a method for determining how to handle electronic shelf labels 90 depending on the presence or absence of sales promotions. In the figure, the shelf label management device 50 of the electronic shelf label management system 1-1 determines whether it has received notification that the target product has become the subject of a sales promotion (such as an expansion of display space or a change of display location) (step 4-1). If the target product has not become the subject of such a promotion, it proceeds to step 4-5, where the electronic shelf label 90 is subject to normal collection or installation. In this case, the display unit 54 of the shelf label management device 50 may display a message to that effect. On the other hand, if it is determined in step 4-1 that the target product has become the subject of a sales promotion, a collection instruction for the electronic shelf label 90 is displayed, for example, on the display unit 54 (step 4-2). Furthermore, if a condition for attaching (reusing) the electronic shelf label 90 again after the sales promotion target has ended is not set ("N" in step 4-3), the electronic shelf label 90 is returned to the target for collection or attachment as a normal electronic shelf label 90. On the other hand, if a condition for attaching (reusing) the electronic shelf label 90 again after the sales promotion target has ended is set ("Y" in step 4-3), the process proceeds to step 4-4, where the electronic shelf label 90 is stored as is and is not subject to switching to an electronic shelf label 90 for a new product. In this case, a message to that effect may be displayed on the display unit 54.

[0078] 18, when a product becomes a target product of a sales promotion, the electronic shelf label management system 1-1 according to the present invention is configured to issue an instruction to collect the electronic shelf labels 90 using the collection instruction means even for products that have been previously fixed to use electronic shelf labels 90 (steps 4-1 and 4-2). In this case, the collected electronic shelf labels 90 may be stored so that they can be attached again to the products after the sales promotion is completed (steps 4-3 and 4-4).

[0079] As mentioned above, electronic shelf labels are usually more expensive than paper-based product shelf labels such as POPs and price cards, so if electronic shelf labels were to be adopted for all products handled, the investment amount would balloon. Therefore, it is considered preferable to use both product shelf labels and electronic shelf labels in parallel. On the other hand, the products for which product shelf labels and electronic shelf labels are effective change depending on the situation, so it becomes necessary to switch between electronic shelf labels and product shelf labels. For example, new products, special sale items, and other sales items will use POP advertising, and for products whose prices do not fluctuate frequently, there is little need to use electronic shelf tags, which can easily accommodate frequent changes to the display of product information (such as place of origin, selling price, and sale name), so they will switch to paper shelf tags.On the other hand, for products whose prices fluctuate frequently, it will be necessary to switch to electronic shelf tags, which allow for easy price changes. However, in the past, if the switching was left to the experience of store staff, there was a risk that the appropriate timing for switching between electronic shelf labels and product shelf labels would be off, or that operational errors would occur during the switching. For this reason, there was a need to make it possible to accurately execute the timing and switching work for switching between electronic shelf labels and product shelf labels, taking into account factors such as sales plans, price changes, and the frequency of updates to product information, such as changes to product locations.

[0080] The above problems can be solved by adopting the electronic shelf label management system of the present invention. Furthermore, there are multiple types of electronic shelf labels depending on the face. Vertical types can be used for products with very narrow display faces, such as toothbrushes and ballpoint pens, while large electronic shelf labels similar to POP advertisements can be used for products with relatively large display spaces, such as produce. When determining which electronic shelf labels to attach or remove, conditions can be added based on the type of electronic shelf label, in association with product or display information, in addition to the number of items allocated by department or category. This can further improve efficiency and increase investment returns.

[0081] Furthermore, while the programs executed by the shelf label management device 50 according to the above embodiment are provided by being pre-installed in the ROM 52 or the like, the present invention is not limited to this and may be provided by being recorded in an installable or executable file format on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk (FD), a CD-R, or a digital versatile disk (DVD). The programs executed by the shelf label management device 50 according to the above embodiment may be stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and provided by being downloaded via the network. The programs executed by the shelf label management device 50 according to the above embodiment may be provided or distributed via a network.

[0082] Although the present invention has been described above as an embodiment, it is not limited to the above embodiment and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims and the technical concept described in the specification and drawings. Furthermore, any configuration not directly described in the specification and drawings is within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention as long as it achieves the functions and effects of the present invention. Furthermore, the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings can be combined with each other as long as there is no contradiction in their purpose, configuration, etc. Furthermore, even a portion of the contents described above and shown in the drawings can be independent embodiments, and the present invention is not limited to a single embodiment combining the above description and drawings. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 100 Product sales data processing system 1-1 Selling price display management device 10 Management device 11 CPU 12 ROM 13 RAM 14 Display unit 15 Hard disk 16 Operation unit 17 Communication unit 18 Communication lines 25 LAN 30 POS device 31 CPU 32 Hard disk 33 ROM 34 RAM 35 Scanner section 36 Display section for staff 37 Display section for customers 50 Shelf label management device 51 CPU 52 ROM 53 RAM 54 Display 55 Hard disk 56 Operation unit 57 Communication unit 58 Communication lines 70 Printing devices 75 POP advertising 76 Identification code 80 Transceiver 85 Handheld terminal 90 Electronic shelf label 91 CPU 92 ROM 93 RAM 94 Display unit 95 Communication unit 96 Communication line 97 Battery 98 Identification Code 99 Lamp G1 Shelf label management screen G11 Department setting field G12 Electronic shelf tag usage count display field G13 Period setting field G15 Shelf label condition setting field G17 Judgment target selection field G19 Display target selection field G21 Display method selection field G23 Product column G25 Output button G27 Confirm button G3 Output content screen G31 Department column G33 Display location column to be changed G35 Output target field G37 Send button G39 Issue button G5 Switching progress screen G51 Department column G53 Change target column G55 Progress rate display field G57 Progress display target display field G59 Product information display field G7 Installation / removal screen G71 Number of Electronic Shelf Tags Column G73 Number of Allocations per Subcategory G75 Number of displayed products G77 Number of products to be installed / removed G9 Installation / Removal Operation Screen G91 Manufacturer Name (Supplier) Display Column G93 Product identification code / product name column G95 Display standard column G97 Work check box G11 Linking operation screen G111 Display location column G113 Product code column G115 Identification code field G13 Electronic shelf label management menu display field G131 Electronic shelf label creation field G133 Electronic shelf label deletion field

Claims

1. An electronic shelf label management system for managing electronic shelf labels, An electronic shelf label management system comprising: a determining unit for determining a product to which an electronic shelf label is to be attached according to predetermined conditions.

2. a counting means for counting the number of changes to display information relating to the product for sale; 2. The electronic shelf label management system according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit determines the attachment target of the electronic shelf label based on the number of changes in the display information related to the product counted by the counting unit.

3. The counting means counts the number of times the selling price of the product has been changed, 2. The electronic shelf label management system according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit determines the target of the electronic shelf label based on the count result of the number of times the selling price has changed counted by the counting unit.

4. 4. The electronic shelf label management system according to claim 1, further comprising a collection instruction unit that instructs collection of the electronic shelf labels of the products that have been excluded from the electronic shelf label attachment targets by the determination unit.

5. 5. The electronic shelf label management system according to claim 1, further comprising an attachment instruction unit that instructs the attachment of an electronic shelf label to a product that has been determined by the determination unit to be a target for an electronic shelf label.

6. 6. The electronic shelf label management system according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit that stores products to be excluded from the determination by the determination unit.

7. 7. The electronic shelf label management system according to claim 6, wherein the determination unit determines that a product that has been excluded from the determination unit by the storage unit as a target product for the collection instruction unit when the product is a target product of a sales promotion.

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