New gigantic XL-BYG introduces digital price signs

8,500 electronic shelf labels from Delfi Technologies installed for opening in Denmark

In July 2022, the newly built XL-BYG Tømmergården opened in Viborg, Denmark. With a size of 10,000 m2 and several thousand items in stock, there is plenty of opportunity to explore the DIY store. As part of the store opening, 8,500 electronic shelf labels from Delfi Technologies have been installed.

The new DIY store replaces the old XL-BYG at Randersvej in Viborg and has more than twice as much space as the old store. In 2016, XL-BYG in Viborg became part of Tømmergaarden, which today has 17 stores in North and Central Jutland.

The store in Viborg is the first one where Tømmergården has chosen to implement electronic shelf labels from Delfi Technologies. But the company is also in the process of implementing the same solution at a DIY store in Nykøbing Mors. This is done as part of a digitization strategy, where the company want to make the business more digital than it already is today.

"The construction industry, in particular, is currently exposed to rising and fluctuating purchase prices. Therefore, it was important for us to be able to maintain our earnings by being able to easily change our prices and price tags to an updated price", says Brian Kudsk, IT Manager at XL-BYG Tømmergaarden.

All 8,500 signs are updated in real time

The digital price signs at XL-BYG are powered by a button cell battery, which has a typical battery life of approximately 5 years. The signs are updated using a wireless antenna that sends out product information and prices to all 8,500 signs within a few seconds. The software, which controls all the signs, is in the cloud and is connected to the store's ERP system. In this way, the DIY store always has updated prices and information on the signs.

The signs, which are available in many different sizes, can also have different types of layouts and areas of information. In close collaboration with the IT Manager at XL-BYG Tømmergaarden, Delfi Technologies has developed some specific layouts and functions that were particularly important for the business' operation.

A big wish from Brian was the possibility to display missing locations for items directly on the signs. With 8,000+ items in the range, it is an important factor in being able to find the item and knowing that it is also available on the shelves. Therefore, a thick line is now displayed on the signs where there is no location associated with the item in the system.

Better overview of stock status in the store

Other important points for Brian were the possibility of being able to make products visible where the stock numbers in the systems don’t match what is on the shelf or vice versa. Therefore, products that have a minus in stock numbers, have been made visible with two thin lines on the sign. In this way, the staff can have the systems corrected by simply comparing the two lines on the sign with what is displayed on the shelf.

Is there ten packages screw on the shelf, but the sign shows a minus, it will be corrected when a staff member spots this during any trimming or product replenishment near the shelf. In this way, too many items are not ordered for the store through the automatic ordering system.

"One of the areas where Delfi is particularly strong is with their new app. We use the app, which can be used on smartphones and handheld terminals, to link new items to the digital price signs and see the operating status of our signs and antennas. But also, to switch between designs on the signs when we must highlight the location of an item with an up or down arrow", Brian Kudsk explains.

An even better experience and customer service

Brian has also implemented a small triangle symbol on the sign, which indicates that the product has either been discontinued, will not return, or in some other way tells that when the shelf is empty, the space can be used for other products or to be able to quickly give the customer an answer, saying that the product has been discontinued.

These various options are extremely timesaving for the staff in the store. Time that now can be used to give customers an even better experience and service.

About XL-BYG

XL-BYG is Scandinavia's largest DIY chain with over 250 stores. The group has a total turnover of approx. 8 billion DKK. XL-BYG also runs a well-stocked webshop with building materials and articles for home and garden. XL-BYG is a voluntary chain. This means that the individual stores are independently owned companies. All the businesses have a long professional tradition at the same time as they are firmly rooted in their local areas. Several of the owners are 3rd or 4th generation in the business.