Automatic and instantaneous price and article information as well as interactive cross-promotion offerings at a glance are among the features offered by the new Smart Shelf with video on demand functionality. The Smart Shelf was developed by Checkpoint Systems for Microsoft together with Online Software and Wincor Nixdorf and was demonstrated to visitors to the Microsoft stand during EuroShop 2005 in Düsseldorf.

Just by reaching onto the shelf and choosing an item, stand visitors could learn all the useful information about the desired article via a display, including text, images, video sequences or animations. The screen also displayed information about matching accessories or related products.

Using so-called Smart labels attached to the merchandise the Smart Shelf is able to interact with a customer who selects an item from its display. In addition to product information, the solution also enables smart merchandising by using video sequences such as advertising, this was based on Microsoft’s retail-specific operating system Windows Embedded for Point of Service (WEPOS). Other partners in the Smart Shelf solution included Online Software and Wincor Nixdorf, the latter provided the electronic displays.

Checkpoint was responsible for the integration of the project, installation of the merchandising solution, the smart labels and solution design. The Smart Shelf is one of a number of RFID applications that Checkpoint has developed for the specific needs of the retail market. The solutions help companies to optimize their merchandise and inventory protection, to provide information to the customer and to increase impulse purchases. Studies have shown that an enhancement of product information can increase sales up to 35 per cent.