The honest comparison
Hanshow is one of the largest ESL manufacturers globally, with deep relationships in Europe and Asia. Their lineup (Nebular / Nebular Pro / Polaris Pro / Polaris Max / Lumina) is broad and aggressive on innovation — their Polaris Max was the first 13.3″ Spectra 6 retail display (2024).
ZKong is similar in manufacturing scale and tech. The relevant difference for US buyers: Hanshow sells in the US through Hanshow America and regional partners, while ZKong is sold direct by Retail Digitals from New York with consistent US support and no enterprise contract.
Side-by-side specs
| Retail Digitals (ZKong) | Hanshow | |
|---|---|---|
| Country / HQ | USA (NY) | China |
| Models in catalog | 71 | 46 |
| Size range | 1.3″ – 65.0″ | 1.54″ – 23.0″ |
| Unique sizes | 41 | 19 |
| Color tiers | 6color, BW, BWR, BWRY, LCD | 6color, BWR, BWRY, LCD |
| Freezer-rated models | 2 | 2 |
| IP67+ models | 8 | 29 |
| Wireless shelf-edge bar | ✓ Arrow | — |
| Headquartered in the US | ✓ | — |
| Buy direct (no enterprise contract) | ✓ | — |
| Datasheets without sales call | ✓ Form-gated PDF | Typically via sales contact |
| Free decision tools | ROI calc + print-cut PDF | — |
Competitor data compiled from public vendor websites, September 2026.
Why a US retailer should choose us
Direct US distribution, not distributor chain
Buy from Retail Digitals in NY. No regional reseller markup, no varying support quality.
Wireless shelf-edge bar (Arrow)
Hanshow's Lumina Edge is a competing shelf-edge product but it's WIRED LCD requiring electrical install. ZKong Arrow is wireless e-paper, install anywhere.
31.5″ Essence — larger color e-paper
ZKong Essence reaches 31.5″ full-color e-paper. Hanshow's largest color e-paper is Polaris Max at 13.3″.
No enterprise procurement process
Order direct in any quantity. Hanshow typically routes through their regional partners with their own MOQ and timing.
Comparable cloud architecture
Both have HiLPC-class protocols and SaaS cloud platforms. Roughly equivalent technical stack.
US-based support team
Same timezone, same language. Hanshow serves the US through Hanshow America and regional partners.
Where Hanshow legitimately wins
We won't pretend they don't have real strengths. Here's what they do better:
- Polaris Max 13.3″ Spectra 6. The first 13.3″ Spectra 6 retail display (2024). Both work; Polaris Max has earlier market validation than ZKong's Essence 13.3″.
- Nebular Pro battery and protection. Hanshow lists up to 15-year battery life (2 updates/day) and IP68 protection on Nebular Pro.
- Polaris Pro full-color line. Unveiled at NRF 2024 as a full-color electronic price tag line.
- Lumina Edge wired LCD. If you NEED full-motion video at the shelf-edge (vs e-paper static), Lumina Edge handles it — but requires permanent electrical install.
If any of those align with your specific need, talk to Hanshow too. We'd rather you make the right choice than the convenient one.
Get the full spec comparison + ROI estimate
15-minute conversation. We compare your specific shelf size, store count, and operating environment — honestly — against any of the major brands.