System and method for verification of displayed shelf tags using hand-held device

A system comprising:

• a retailer management server comprising data storage, the data storage comprising data related to products including stored prices for the products;
• a communication network;
• a hand-held, portable terminal comprising:
• a scanner for scanning a tag barcode provided on a tag affixed to a shelf of a retailer or store, the tag being associated with a product of a manufacturer and the tag barcode comprising:
• an encoded identifier and price information for an associated product embedded therein, a processor for processing, sending, and receiving data to and from the retailer management server, an alarm system comprising a sound device and/or a vibration device, a display, and a sound device and/or a vibration device contained therein;
• and
• a printer for printing tags for shelves for the retailer or store;
• the hand-held portable terminal and the retailer management server being configured to communicate via the communication network,
• wherein the hand-held portable terminal is configured to issue an alert provided in the form of (a) an audio alarm via the sound device and/or (b) vibrations via the vibration device as a result of a determination that a price on the tag affixed to the shelf obtained via the tag barcode scanned by the scanner is inconsistent with a stored price for the associated product obtained via the data storage from the retailer management server, and
• wherein the printer is further configured to automatically print a new shelf tag including a new tag barcode comprising:
• the encoded identifier and the stored price, as a result of the determination.

A method of verifying prices displayed on tags and locations for products on a shelf that are carried by a store, using a server, the method comprising:

• receiving information from a scanned shelf tag, the received information comprising an encoded identifier and price information associated with a barcode as displayed via the scanned shelf tag for a product provided on a shelf in the store;
• determining the product associated with the received information;
• obtaining, from a database, a stored price associated with the determined product;
• comparing the stored price to the price information of the scanned shelf tag and determining an inconsistency between the stored price and the price information based on the comparison;
• communicating the determined inconsistency to a hand-held, portable terminal in order to issue an alert to an end user in the store;
• issuing a command, as a result of the determined inconsistency, to a printer to print a new shelf tag including a new tag barcode comprising:
• the encoded identifier and the stored price;
• and
• printing the new shelf tag using the printer.

A method of verifying prices displayed on tags and locations for products on a shelf that are carried by a retailer or a store, using a hand-held portable terminal comprising a display, the method comprising:

• scanning, by the hand-held, portable terminal, a tag barcode provided on a tag affixed to a shelf of the retailer or store, the tag being associated with a product of a manufacturer and the tag barcode comprising:
• an encoded identifier and price information for the associated product embedded therein;
• scanning a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) or a Universal Product Code (UPC) of the product of the manufacturer;
• receiving a stored price associated with the GTIN or UPC of the product from a store server;
• comparing, at the portable terminal, the stored price to the price information of the scanned tag barcode and determining an inconsistency between the stored price and the price information based on the comparison;
• issuing an alert, using the hand-held, portable terminal, as a result of the determined inconsistency;
• issuing a command, as a result of the determined inconsistency, from the portable terminal to a printer to print a new shelf tag including a new tag barcode comprising:
• the encoded identifier and the stored price;
• and
• printing the new shelf tag using the printer,
• wherein the alert is provided in the form of (a) an audio alarm via a sound device and/or (b) vibrations via a vibration device, that is within the hand-held portable terminal.