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Hanshow Unveils NexShelf at NRF 2026

On January 14, 2026, Hanshow, a global leader in electronic shelf labels (ESLs) and digital retail solutions, introduced its latest innovation, NexShelf, at the NRF 2026 expo in New York. This next-generation smart shelving solution aims to revolutionize how retailers manage their inventory and enhance customer experiences in the store.

Transforming Shelves into Data-Driven Machines

Retail environments have undergone significant changes over the past decades, yet physical shelves remain a cornerstone of the shopping experience. Despite their importance, shelves have been one of the least digitized areas in the retail sector. With NexShelf, Hanshow bridges this critical gap. This innovative solution combines precise positioning, AI-powered analytics, and a flexible connectivity architecture to turn every shelf into a dynamic and measurable digital contact point.

The Role of NexShelf in Digital Twin Technology

NexShelf is crucial to Hanshow's vision of a store digital twin, as it enables real-time information mirroring the physical retail environment. At its core, NexShelf offers centimeter-accurate product location intelligence across the store, powered by the Nebular Ultra ESL and the N5 AI camera. Each shelf and product becomes a precise spatial reference, allowing the digital twin to represent actual shelf conditions with over 95% accuracy. This instantaneous positioning capability empowers retailers to identify misplaced or missing products immediately, verify compliance with planograms, and detect genuine out-of-stock situations without labor-intensive checks or SKU-level AI retraining.

Dual-Mode Connectivity for Scalable Implementations

One of the standout features of NexShelf is its dual-mode communication architecture, which integrates Hanshow's energy-efficient HiLPC protocol with Bluetooth capabilities and open integration options. This approach guarantees reliability in complex retail settings and future-proof openness, enabling seamless connections with third-party systems, cloud platforms, and emerging in-store technologies. By minimizing energy consumption and simplifying infrastructure, NexShelf offers one of the lowest total costs of ownership in large-scale shelf digitization, making advanced shelf intelligence economically viable across entire store networks.

Transforming Shelf Data into Actionable Intelligence

Beyond mere detection and transparency, NexShelf incorporates AI to convert shelf data into tangible, actionable insights. Retailers can move from delayed reporting to real-time execution, thereby boosting operational efficiency, reducing revenue losses, and optimizing pricing and promotional strategies. Furthermore, NexShelf allows for three-dimensional shelf visualization, acting as a digital twin to track shelf execution precisely when it happens. This visual layer creates a bridge between physical reality and digital processes, establishing shelf data as a common operational language for both retailers and brand partners.

Setting the Stage for the Future of Retail

"NexShelf is more than just an intelligent shelving solution; it's the data foundation of the Store Digital Twin," stated Shiguo Hou, CEO of Hanshow. "By making shelf conditions visible, measurable, and controllable, we help retailers and brands transition from assumptions to facts and from reactive measures to proactive decisions." As a central part of Hanshow's comprehensive Store Digital Twin framework, NexShelf acts as the data backbone that connects intelligent in-store hardware with cloud-based software as a service (SaaS). In the future, NexShelf will integrate with other in-store technologies, such as smart shopping carts and automation systems, creating a scalable innovation platform that enhances operational excellence, retail media, and data-driven growth.

For more information on NexShelf, you can visit Hanshow's website.