Brand comparison · from catalogue data
Pricer vs ZKONG
Pricer (7 models) versus ZKONG (4 models): product range, communications, ingress protection, battery life, price band and sector coverage side by side, from sourced catalogue data.
The only large manufacturer using infrared optical communication. Because there is no radio collision, it delivers sub-second bulk updates in dense label environments. In Canada, Sobeys is running a multi-colour ESL rollout with the Pricer system scaling to 5 million labels across roughly 1,500 stores.
ZKONG China · Tier-2 · Specialist · 4 modelsA manufacturer spreading quickly with a BLE-based, low-infrastructure-cost solution. The Blade series is positioned across fourteen sizes from 1.8" to 10.2" with body thickness of 9–13.6 mm, and the Shield series with its high-durability plastic body and freezer variants (ZK21SF, ZK26SF). Model codes and resolutions are published openly on the manufacturer's site.
| Criterion | Pricer | ZKONG |
|---|---|---|
| Models in catalogue | 7 | 4 |
| Display size range | 1,6" – 12,5" | 2,13" – 7,5" |
| Colour capabilities | 3 colours, 4 colours | 3 colours, 4 colours, 2 colours |
| Communications | Infrared (IR) hybrid | Bluetooth LE 5.x |
| Ingress protection | IP54, IP67 | IPXX |
| Claimed battery life | 7 yr – 10 yr | 4 yr – 5 yr |
| Freezer-class model | Yes | Yes |
| Share of models with NFC | %29 | %100 |
| LED indicator | Yes | Yes |
| Price bands | Upper, Premium, Mid | Economy, Upper, Mid |
| Fully verified records | %14 | %0 |
| Tier | Tier-1 · Enterprise | Tier-2 · Specialist |
| Headquarters | Stockholm, Sweden · 1991 | Hangzhou, China · 2015 |
| Protocol / platform | Infrared (IR) optical communication + radio hybrid · Pricer Plaza (bulut) · Pricer Avenue (görsel merchandising) | Bluetooth LE 5.0 (encryption optional) · ZKONG Cloud |
| Presence in Türkiye | Through authorised solution partners and store hardware distributors | A Turkish-language product site exists (zkong.com/tr, tr.zkongesl.com); no named Türkiye solution partner identified |
Highlighted cells only mark numeric breadth (more models, longer battery, higher verification); they do not mean "better". Estimated fields are flagged on product pages.
Sectors both target
Only Pricer
Pricer
Strengths
- Sub-second updates — a collision-free optical channel
- Battery life of up to 10 years; a 50-75% reduction in battery footprint with SmartTAG Power
- Maturity in shelf positioning and order picking
- In-store operational automation with LED guidance
Watch-outs
- IR requires line of sight — ceiling height and shelf layout must be planned
- Lighting design and mounting discipline directly affect installation success
ZKONG
Strengths
- Low total cost of ownership
- Simple, inexpensive infrastructure over BLE
- A very wide size range and published per-model resolution tables
- Short lead times
Watch-outs
- Bulk update time may lengthen in dense label environments — measure it in the pilot
- The protection rating is IP63 on most models; for wet areas choose the IP66 variant specifically
- Battery life figures are not published publicly
- Enterprise SLA and long-term support level vary by partner