Bartlett’s Farm Modernizes Store Operations with ESL Technology

Overview

Bartlett’s Farm, a year-round market in Nantucket, partnered with DUMAC to implement Electronic Shelf Labels (ESLs) across several departments in their store. Bartlett’s Farm was among the first ESL implementations, and the results speak for themselves. Bartlett’s saw immediate benefits in operational efficiency, product accuracy, and store presentation. All without disrupting the customer experience.

1. Operational Efficiency & Workflow

Before:

Bartlett’s team spent significant time each week scanning, printing, and placing manual price tags. It was a repetitive, time-consuming process that diverted attention from other competing priorities.

After ESLs:

ESLs removed hours of repetitive manual tagging, simplifying operations and allowing staff to focus on higher-value, customer-facing work.

• Faster product setup, especially during seasonal shifts
• Reduced manual tagging and improved pricing accuracy
• Seamless installation and fast team adoption

“Staff spend significantly less time scanning, printing, and moving tags. The app makes adjustments quick and convenient.”

2. Customer Experience

Before:

Traditional printed tags often went missing, fell off shelves, or looked inconsistent, hurting store presentation and occasionally causing confusion.

After ESLs:

ESLs stayed securely in place, provided consistent shelf labeling, and reduced customer confusion by making pricing clearer and more reliable.

• Aisles appear more organized and reliable
• Tags stay securely in place and are easy to read
• The clean design supports a more polished in-store experience

“They blend seamlessly into the shelves, enhancing the experience without disruption.”

3. Promotions, Pricing, & Visual Communication

Before:

Promotional rollouts and price changes were labor-intensive and prone to tagging delays or mismatches between signage and register pricing.

After ESLs:

Real-time updates drastically improved speed, accuracy, and execution of pricing strategies.

• Instant updates across shelves reduced errors
• Creative use of ESLs to track discontinued items with visual cues
• More flexibility in managing pricing without increasing labor

“Price changes are much more efficient, leading to real cost savings.”

4. Sustainability Perception

Before:

Manual tagging required large volumes of paper materials, which ran counter to Bartlett’s long-term sustainability values.

After ESLs:

The transition significantly reduced paper usage and reinforced the store’s commitment to eco-conscious operations.

• Lower material waste
• Team and customer appreciation for greener practices
• Potential to include sustainability in customer messaging

“We appreciate using less paper and contributing to environmental sustainability.”

5. Team & Morale

Before:

Manual labeling added stress, especially for seasonal employees who had to be trained quickly on repetitive, tedious, low-impact tasks.

After ESLs:

ESLs removed a major burden, reduced repetitive tasks, and made onboarding faster and easier for both seasonal and year-round staff.

“Staff appreciate not having to manually label aisles, reducing workload for both the market and inventory teams.”

• Faster onboarding for new hires
• Less repetitive work led to stronger team morale
• Teams could focus on higher-value, customer-facing tasks

Final Takeaway

ESLs delivered exactly what Bartlett’s needed: a modern, low-maintenance way to reduce costs, while improving store operations, aesthetics, and accuracy. The team has fully embraced the technology, and sees it as a smart, forward-looking investment.

“Overall, ESLs have been a great improvement, and I wish we had expanded their use further.”

 

Want to see how ESLs can transform your store?

Contact DUMAC today to take the first step towards smarter shelves.