Instore Solutions GmbH

What Instore Solutions GmbH does

Instore Solutions GmbH is a privately held Swiss retail-technology integrator founded in 2013 and headquartered in Hünenberg See, Canton Zug. The company builds and deploys in-store digital retail infrastructure — primarily Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL), the proprietary ViviTag interactive touch-sensitive display line (registered trademark, available in 3.5" and 5.5"), the Digital Pricing App for Android and Windows devices, interactive signage, smart mirrors, and omnichannel mobile apps — and operates its own international installation teams with 24/7 service and hotline coverage.

The company's commercial model blends hardware sales with custom software development, solution integration, and recurring managed-services support delivered under a 'no cure no pay' philosophy. It sells directly to enterprise customers on a project basis, addressing retail digital-transformation needs such as real-time price updates, ESG/sustainability reporting, and offline-to-online customer engagement. The customer base is concentrated in European telecommunications retail (Deutsche Telekom, Swisscom, O2 Telefonica, Salt, 3 Sweden, Freenet) and consumer-electronics brands (Samsung, Google), with newer entries in food retail (Penny), beauty (L'Oréal), and beverage retail (Spirits & Wine, Latvia).

Operating with approximately 12 employees and no disclosed external funding, Instore Solutions has remained founder-controlled (Manuele Ernst as Founder & CEO) and profitable on retained earnings. The company has won consecutive regional retail-technology awards (SHOP! DACH 2024 for Deutsche Telekom; Shopassociation DACH Silver 2025 for Samsung's Auris experience) and serves customers across Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, Austria, and Latvia. AI capability is limited and largely opportunistic (Google Pixel AI demos, preference-based recommendations), with the company's defensibility resting on installed hardware, integrated software/hardware/service stack, and long-tenured enterprise relationships rather than proprietary AI.

Name

Instore Solutions GmbH

Legal name

Instore Solutions GmbH

Website

https://instore-solutions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Technology Solutions

SIC

Wholesale-Computers & Peripheral Equipment & Software (5045)

akta.pro primary industry

Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) & Shelf-Edge Hardware (HDACAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Consumer Electronics & Appliances Omnichannel (CRAFAEAC)

Keywords

• Electronic shelf labels
• Retail digital transformation
• Interactive signage displays
• Digital pricing solutions
• Omnichannel retail technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Hünenberg See

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales: Sale of Electronic Shelf Labels, ViviTags (interactive touch displays in 3.5" and 5.5" sizes), and other digital signage hardware components.
2. Software Development & Integration: Custom software development for retail digital solutions including mobile apps, digital pricing applications, and integration with existing retail systems.
3. Solution Integration & Implementation: Full-service solution integration from concept to implementation including installation, monitoring, analytics, and 24/7 customer service.
4. Continuous Support & Monitoring: Ongoing support services including installation teams, service technicians, and 24/7 hotline operations for international deployments.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Instore Solutions develops, manufactures, and integrates Smart Retail solutions combining proprietary hardware (Electronic Shelf Labels and ViviTag interactive touch displays) with custom software (Digital Pricing App, mobile guided-selling apps, omnichannel platforms) and delivers them as turnkey enterprise projects. The company serves retailers, telecommunications operators, fashion brands, and consumer electronics manufacturers across Europe, providing end-to-end services from concept and solution design through installation to 24/7 monitoring and support.

Product overview

Instore Solutions offers a comprehensive Smart Retail platform consisting of hardware (Electronic Shelf Labels, ViviTag touch displays, Interactive Signage, Smart Mirrors) and software (Digital Pricing App, Mobile Apps, UX platforms) solutions. The portfolio is organized into four solution categories: Digital Pricing (ESL, Fashion ESL, ViviTag, DPA), Signage (Interactive Displays, Shelf Edge Screens, ViviTag), UX (Interactive Displays, Lift+Learn, VR), and Omnichannel (Virtual Shelf, Smart Mirror, Mobile Apps). As a software house, hardware competence center, and solution integrator, the company delivers turnkey solutions from concept to 24/7 implementation across retail, telecom, and industry sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ViviTag: Interactive signage displays and touch-sensitive digital pricing tags that surpass conventional electronic shelf labels (ESL) in functionality and engagement.
• Digital Pricing App (DPA)
• Fashion ESL
• Smart Mirror
• Virtual Shelf

Products and services

• Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) Advanced digital shelf labels that replace traditional paper price tags, enabling real-time price updates and centralized price management across retail stores for retailers seeking process digitization and reduced paper waste.
• Fashion Electronic Shelf Labels Intelligent ESL platform designed for fashion retail with pinpoint tracking accuracy, integrating digital labels with fashion shelf boards and store operations to handle heterogeneous product assortments including size, color, material, and sustainability information.
• ViviTag Interactive touch-sensitive mini display (3.5" and 5.5") with full-color output, API integration for real-time price and product updates, touch interactivity, video support, and LED illumination options, surpassing conventional ESL capabilities for retailers and consumer electronics brands.
• Digital Pricing App (DPA) Mobile application for Android and Windows devices that transforms devices into interactive digital price tags and information hubs, featuring automatic device model detection, PIN/fingerprint protection, automatic language detection, night-time standby, and automatic WiFi/Bluetooth activation for retailers and telecom operators.
• Interactive Signage Displays State-of-the-art digital signage solutions that redefine customer interaction and in-store marketing through interactive displays for retailers and consumer electronics brands.
• Shelf Edge Screens Digital displays positioned at shelf edges to create lasting impressions and improve customer experience with product information and pricing for retailers.
• Virtual Shelf Digital shelf technology that seamlessly integrates online and offline retail channels, enabling virtual product presentation and inventory management for omnichannel retailers.
• Smart Mirror Interactive consulting mirror that integrates online and offline channels, providing immersive retail experiences for fashion, beauty, and lifestyle retailers.
• Mobile Apps Mobile guided selling applications for customers and store assistants, including customer experience apps with loyalty programs, scan+learn functionality, and store efficiency enhancement tools for retailers.
• Digital Lucky Wheel Gamification solution for drive-to-store marketing, featuring a plug-and-play digital slot machine triggered by QR codes from promoters or social media campaigns, with instant prize announcements, deployed at Swisscom in 2025.
• Digital Wine Sommelier Interactive wine advisory application featuring LED-illuminated bottle platforms, sensor-triggered content display, and preference-based wine recommendations for beverage retailers.
• Samsung Auris Soundbar Experience Immersive audio comparison experience allowing customers to compare sound devices via tablet selection and volume slider, launched in Austria in 2025 and awarded the Shopassociation DACH silver award.
• L'Oréal Scan+Learn Station Scan+Learn station with 3D scanner and product database integration launched in 2025 at partner salons, displaying haircare product details, descriptions, allergic reactions, and pricing to boost consultations and sales for beauty brands.

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Deutsche Telekom (T-Mobile)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with Deutsche Telekom for digital pricing solutions. Implemented ViviTags for smartwatch pricing and digital pricing apps across German T-Mobile stores. Won SHOP! DACH award together.
• SwisscomcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 2016 for digital pricing app running on smartphones, tablets, and Windows notebooks throughout Swisscom store network. Nearly a decade of successful deployment with millions of interactions.
• Google PixelflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGoogle Pixel team collaborated with Instore Solutions and Swisscom to integrate AI demo features into digital pricing apps, showcasing Pixel's magical eraser and other AI capabilities.
• Samsung BeneluxcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeployed ViviTags in Samsung Experience Stores, replacing paper spec cards with interactive touch displays. Developed larger 5.5" ViviTag version based on customer needs.
• O2 Telefonica GermanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple implementations including digital pricing app, interactive Favoriten tablets, lift & learn experiences, and interactive TV product promotions for O2 stores in Germany.
• Cheil (Samsung's Creative Agency)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaborated with Cheil on Samsung's Auris soundbar experience project, developing intuitive customer journey for audio product comparison.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Displaydata: UK-based provider of full-color graphical ESL solutions (now part of VusionGroup). Closely comparable to Instore's ViviTag interactive full-color shelf-edge displays and serves overlapping enterprise retail customers.
• VusionGroup (SES-imagotag): Global leader in electronic shelf labels and retail IoT, serving large retailers worldwide with ESL, digital signage, and retail media platforms — directly competes with Instore Solutions across the same product category and customer verticals.
• Pricer AB: Swedish-headquartered ESL provider with strong European grocery and retail footprint. Competes head-to-head with Instore Solutions in digital pricing and shelf-edge technology, particularly across Northern European retailers and telcos.
• SOLUM (a Papercast company): South Korean-origin ESL manufacturer expanding aggressively in Europe, offering e-paper labels and integrated retail solutions. Directly comparable to Instore's ESL and ViviTag portfolio across retail and telecom customers.
• Hanshow Technology: Major Chinese ESL provider with growing European presence, offering electronic shelf labels and retail IoT platforms. Directly comparable product offering targeting the same European retail and telco customers as Instore.
• Teraoka (DigiBS / Weighing & ESL): Japanese retail technology group offering ESL, POS, and digital signage solutions with European operations. Comparable to Instore as a multi-product retail digital transformation vendor targeting large enterprise retailers.

Broad incumbents

• Zebra Technologies: Enterprise asset intelligence and retail solutions provider, including RFID, barcode, and increasingly retail digital engagement tools. Comparable to Instore as enterprise retail technology vendor but with far broader hardware and software scope.
• NCR Voyix: Large retail and hospitality technology provider offering POS, unified commerce, and customer engagement platforms. Broader portfolio competitor with overlap in omnichannel and in-store digital experiences served to enterprise retailers.
• Diebold Nixdorf: Global incumbent in retail technology, offering POS, checkout, and connected store solutions to large retailers. Adjacent overlap with Instore Solutions through connected retail and in-store digital experience offerings, though ESL is not its primary focus.

Others

• E Ink Corporation: Leading provider of electronic paper display (e-paper) modules used inside ESL devices. Functions as an upstream technology supplier/ecosystem enabler rather than direct competitor; many of Instore Solutions' ESL and ViviTag products rely on E Ink display components.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/instore-solutions-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Instore Solutions GmbH