European RFID Retail Application

Rica Lewis will deploy Tagsys RFID in its European value chain to provide real-time visibility to inventory from distribution to the retail point of sale. ...

... "Rica Lewis sells over 5 million pairs of jeans each year and has invested in TAGSYS’ RFID technology to increase its sales and enhance customer’s experience through improved product availability. Each sales manager from Rica Lewis is equipped with portable RFID readers enabling them to perform rapid inventory of RFID enabled items directly on the sales floor of the retailer. Initial results have demonstrated that the duration of the previously manual inventory process has been reduced by more than 80%, making the sales manager available for high value activities such as merchandising and customer interaction. At the conclusion of the inventory process, the RFID data collected is sent to the logistics center, also equipped with a RFID infrastructure, allowing for a much more efficient order preparation and shipping process. With the use of RFID the entire supply chain is optimized to better manage processes in the distribution center and provide greater product availability at the point of sale. " ...

Via Tagsys: RFID DEPLOYMENT AT MAJOR EUROPEAN RETAILERS

Bling RFID Point of Purchase Payment

Cellphone-deployed RFID tags enable customer purchases through local banks. ...

... "Venture-backed Bling lets customers make payments at the point of purchase via a simple tap of an RFID tag provided by the user’s bank. "

Via San Jose Business Journal: RFID simple tag

Gerry Weber RFID Garment Management

Fashion leader Gerry Weber will implement Avery Dennison RFID technology to manage inventory and prevent loss. The company will deploy RFID chips in the care labels of approximately 25 million garments a year. ...

... "The Avery Dennison RFID fabric care labels will be applied in the manufacturing process, eliminating the need for retail staff to fit and remove conventional bulky security tags in-store which can be time-consuming and costly. The Avery Dennison RFID label is automatically deactivated after the customer has paid for the goods at the checkout. " ...

Via Avery Dennison: Global Fashion Group Gerry Weber

Checkpoint RFID EAS Improves Metro Retail Loss

Checkpoint Systems collaborates with Metro Group to deliver an EAS solution built on RFID technology. The RFID-based Electronic Article Surveillance system will comply with GS1 EPCglobal EAS Overview and Technical Implementation Guide. ...

... "METRO Group is working with Checkpoint to deliver standards-compliant, RFID-based EAS to both mitigate loss and optimize our merchandise management, said Dr. Gerd Wolfram, Head of CIO-Office, METRO AG. This effort is in line with our stated RFID strategy to use tags for multiple purposes along the supply chain. We are pleased to continue our partnership with Checkpoint and we are convinced that the GS1 enhanced standards-based solutions are bringing benefits for retailers and suppliers. " ...

Via Checkpoint Systems: Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) Built on RFID

Motorola RFID Strategy in Retail Space

Retail Fashion RFID Integration

TagSys and Cegid partner to deliver integrated RFID solutions to enable the fashion and specialty retail industry. ...

... "The objective is to provide a fully integrated end-to-end solution, based on complementary best of breed technologies from both companies. This new partnership will enable fashion and specialty retail companies to considerably reduce integration costs and implementation time when deploying RFID. " ...

Via TAGSYS: RFID Solution for the Fashion and Specialty Retail Market

Bloomingdale RFID Improvements

The ITRI at the University of Arkansas shares results of study at Bloomingdales that show significant improvements in inventory metrics using item-level RFID tracking. ...

... "According to the study, the level of perfect inventory accuracy in the RFID store increased by 27%, as measured in the simulated system versus the actual PI. " ...

Via Supply Chain Digest: Item-Level Retail Apparel Tagging Study

Supply Chain Visibility through RFID Garment Tracking

G&P Net implements Alien Technology RFID solution for garment tracking in Europe to enable supply chain traceability and channel efficiency. ...

... "We previously didn’t have adequate control of our distribution channels or the grey market, but now, with the Aton and Alien RFID item level tagging solution, we have 100% supply chain inventory and channel management control. Now we can take inventory in just a fraction of the time and we have implemented monthly inventory checks at all of our channel retail stores. This increased visibility greatly reduces out-of-stocks which leads to better sales turnover and results in a win-win situation for everyone. " ...

Via Alien Technology: G&P Net of Italy

Dairy Queen RFID Trial Tracks Customers

Dairy Queen deploys RFID tags in a pilot program to understand customer loyalty and preferences. Customers tag an item in their possession and swipe it upon return visits. ...

... "The consumer attaches the tiny tag to something they always have with them - a cellphone is suggested but hardly required - and can use it when they happen to be near a Dairy Queen. " ...

Via CBS News: Dairy Queen Loyalty Program RFID Pilot

Motorola Small Fixed RFID Readers

Motorola launches business-class fixed radio-frequency identification readers that a designed with a small form factor for retail and office environment deployments. ...

... "Motorola’s new cost-effective, high-performance fixed RFID reader is built on a new platform that supports Gen 2 technology and is capable of hosting third-party, customer-driven embedded applications to meet the growing requirements of enterprises. As a compact, lightweight, unobtrusive RFID reader, the FX7400 can be installed under point-of-sale counters, behind walls or on ceilings – providing an ideal solution for item-level tracking, retail inventory management, file tracking and asset management applications in environments where performance and a small footprint are critical. For retailers, this new reader will help improve employee productivity, reduce cycle count times and decrease out-of-stock items in order to improve operations and increase sales. The FX7400 series complements Motorola’s existing portfolio of industrial solutions and opens a new window of opportunity for retailers and businesses to implement RFID. Motorola intends to broaden this business-class portfolio with additional reader options in the future. " ...

Via Motorola: New Business Line of RFID Readers

Altierre RFID Dynamic Pricing

Altierre opens Retail Technology Center in San Jose to demonstrate the paperless retail store. ...

... "The system combines wireless technology with digital display and long-range RFID innovations to enable real time dynamic pricing, allowing retailers to change prices on specific products in a matter of seconds while eliminating pricing inaccuracies. " ...

Via MSNBC: Retail Technology

Retail RFID Implementation Tracks Clothing Through the European Supply Chain

Alien Technology teams up with Eren Holding to implement a high-volume RFID garment tracking installation in Istanbul, Turkey. The solution will provide end-to-end RFID traceability in the garment supply chain of retail stores (88) with a volume of nearly two million items. Eren Holding manufactures and distributes high-end garments, with brand names such as Lacoste, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Coach and Blank. ...

... "Eren Holding had a need to enhance its supply chain traceability process and reduce inventory control/labor costs, so it approached the Alien integrator, STS for a complete hardware and Oracle based software solution. Eren Holding’s main objective in adopting RFID was to provide 100 percent traceability of the clothing articles, from the manufacturing site to the distribution centers, and, finally, to the retail outlet. " ...

Via Alien Technology: RFID Retailing Installation in Europe with Lacoste, Calvin Klein and Burberry

RFID Activation Fields in Seatlle

Beyond Walmart, RFID technology is being integrated into new processes for efficiency and to drive growth. Personal marketing strategies use RFID to trigger a user experience. Seattle debut of target marketing. ...

... "One example is Seattle's cafes and retail stores that use RFID technology for marketing products and services At the core of this new marketing advertisement system are the so-called activation fields ... " ...

Via CIO India: New RFID Ideas ...

Confidex RFID Casey Label

Confidex introduces Confidex Casey, an EPC Class 1 Generation 2-compliant special RFID label for use in tracking applications where challenging retail content is in transit. ...

... "Confidex Casey was specially developed as a general use RFID label particularly for items where RFID labels typically cannot perform adequately including retail items such as plastic or corrugated boxes, or where the content varies from fruits, vegetables, and other groceries to liquid bottles or utilities. " ...

Via Confidex: Special RFID label for challenging applications

RFID Retail Book Management

Selexyz sees success in inventory management, using RFID to streamline its processes and improving customer service. ...

... "RFID scanners can read each book's RFID tag without employees removing it from the shelf -- and the store can remain open during the inventory process. ... Selexyz also uses the RFID system to check in books as they arrive and track shipments from its distributor, Centraal Boekhuis. ... " ...

Via Computerworld: Managing Book Inventories

Underwear RFID

RFID in Fashion conference will be protested for introducing item-level radio frquency identification tracking into retail industry and supply chain, triggering privacy concerns. ...

... "Albrecht planned today's protest after discovering the conference would promote the use of RFID in individual clothing items. " ...

Via Wired: Arphid Watch

NineWest RFID Pilot

Jones Apparel Group launches program to pilot Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology in specific Nine West retail locations to determine its impact on item tracking and service, operational efficiency, and inventory. ...

... "The goal of this pilot program will be to study the benefits that item-level RFID provides in the areas of enhanced productivity, customer service and inventory accuracy. The team of companies with whom Jones is partnering on this initiative consists of: Vue Technology, which will provide the RFID software and system management solutions; Motorola's Enterprise Mobility Business, which will provide fixed and handheld RFID readers and antennas; Avery Dennison, which will provide RFID tags and printers; inCode Wireless, which will provide installation and integration services and, along with RFID Sherpas LLC, will perform operational and business case analysis. " ...

Via Jones Apparel Group: Item-Level RFID Pilot in Select Nine West Retail Locations

Nokia RFID Retail Pilot

Was ist RFID

RFID Retail Checkout

Freedom Shopping has launched a solution that plugs into existing cash registers and point-of-sale terminals to enable RFID checkout, inventory tracking and security. ...

... "The core of the solution is a software wedge (Freedom-ID) that operates on the point-of-sale (POS) terminal. It communicates with a counter-top RFID reader pad (EasyRead Pad) and/or other readers in the checkout lane. Inventory is monitored with mobile RFID readers and security gates also are RFID-enabled. Data is passed to existing cash registers and POS infrastructure at all points in a SKU format so it can be instantly integrated. Consumer privacy is protected using a variety of technical safeguards. " ...

Via Freedom Shopping: Offering for Retail RFID Checkout & Security

Checkpoint RFID Powers Metro Markets

Metro will use Checkpoint Systems RFID technology in the next phase of its rollout. ...

... "Checkpoint will equip another 200 Real hypermarkets across Germany with its RFID portals. " ...

Via RF Design: METRO Group RFID

RFID Handles Retail Supply Chain Final Mile

Handleman Company is collaborating with epcSolution to demonstrate how RFID can serve the last 100 feet in retail, from the back room to the store shelf, enabling successful product promotions, new product launch, and improved store merchandise. ...

... "Handleman and epcSolutions saw an opportunity to combine their existing core competencies, together with RFID, to provide retailers and suppliers with increased visibility for the last 100 feet of the retail supply chain. The combined offering, known as Tag it, Ship it, Find it, Merchandise it, Return it (TM) is a solution that uses existing Handleman technology, epcSolutions RFID software and solutions, as well as the existing in-store merchandisers to provide a real solution. Join Handleman and epcSolutions as they discuss this breakthrough technology on February 20th at 2:00 pm ET during a free webinar that is open to all. This webinar will feature keynote speakers Khaled Haram and Kevin Kail. We encourage you to register today for this exciting and informative webinar. " ...

Via Handleman Company: Last 100 Feet of the Retail Supply Chain

Metro Group RFID Shopping Experience

Video simulation of the RFID shopping experience at Metro AG. ...

Walmart RFID Standards Reviewed

RFID Standards at Wal-mart are discussed in this vid. ...

IKEA RFID Concept Store Experience

IKEA 2017 retail concept store uses RFID technology and mobility to enhance the customer experience. ...

RFID Merchandise Pilot Project

ADT and RF-iT Solutions implement RFID technology pilot for Karstadt Warenhaus GmbH, enabling merchandise management to prevent stock-outs and improve customer service. ...

... "What is being tested at Karstadt is the complete jeans and jeanswear range carried in one of its stores. A chip fixed to the labels on the clothing items signals the current storage location at any time. This provides employees with an overview of how many goods are still on the shelves and how many are in the store's stocks and the general depot. The radio waves show the exact location of each individual product and this replaces the troublesome annual inventory count, for instance. It also increases the availability of merchandise and enables a quicker response to price changes due to more frequent stocktaking. The project has also met with clear approval among suppliers: they have joined forces with Karstadt to form a team that is to gather experience in dealing with RFID. The aim is to speed up delivery processes to be able to meet demand more quickly, thus increasing customer satisfaction. To continue guaranteeing data protection, the chip will be removed at the cash desk when the marked items of clothing are purchased. Customers will also be provided with information to make them aware that the new technology is being used." ...

Via RF-IT Solutions: RFID pilot project

Retail RFID Strategy Enables Customer Experience in Mexico

Levi Strauss deploys TAGSYS UHF RFID readers in its Mexico retail outlets, using Grupo Hasar for system integration into its business systems. ...

... "The TAGSYS/Grupo Hasar deployment represents an expansion of Levi Strauss' RFID strategy to improve the customer purchasing experience by expediting the checkout process (especially during peak seasons) and to improve inventory management. For this application, Levi Strauss required a unique, cost-effective solution that offered high performance, reliability, an ergonomic design and easy integration capabilities. The TAGSYS reader combines leading UHF reader technology with a unique embedded antenna design that reliably inventories multiple stacked garments while not erroneously reading nearby items (a critical requirement in point-of-sale applications). The TAGSYS readers will be deployed in 40 Levi Strauss stores throughout Mexico. " ...

Via TagSys: In-Store Apparel RFID Deployment

WalMart RFID Program Proposes Acceleration

WalMart provides update on its RFID program and seeks to influence the market on adoption. ...

... "WalMart has implemented RFID in 1,000 of its 6,500 stores and clubs, covering 200,000 items, manufactured by about 600 participating suppliers, said Myron Burke, strategy manager of WalMart's store innovations and operations group in a keynote speech at the event." ...

Via CNN: WalMart RFID

Magic-Mirror RFID Improves Retail Customer Experience

Paxar strives to improve the customer experience with RFID-enabled mirror. ...

... "For brands and retailers, magicmirror means the ability to touch customers on an emotional level and positively influence their purchasing decisions. When a customer or sales associate brings an RFID-tagged piece of clothing in front of the magicmirror, it automatically displays rich personalized information including brand messaging, garment description, size and color availability, as well as mix-and-match guides that suggest other items for accessorizing a wardrobe. When installed in the fitting room, customers can request immediate assistance from a salesperson by simply touching the magicmirror, without ever having to leave the room. " ...

Via Paxar: Paxar Reinvents the Retail Experience with New Interactive RFID Mirror

Kimberly-Clark RFID Data Enables Demand Forecasting and Lower Out-Of-Stock Conditions On Retail Shelves

TrueDemand Software closes enterprise-wide license deal with Kimberly-Clark that integrates RFID technology into the demand forecasting and replenishment system. ...

... "Kimberly-Clark will leverage the TrueDemand Forecast and Replenishment Manager (FRM) Release 2.1 to improve sales by reducing retail shelf out-of-stocks (OOS) for its global consumer product brands, which include Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups and Kotex. TrueDemand's FRM solution will leverage RFID data to provide Kimberly-Clark with greater insight including: perpetual inventory by retail store and selling floor, a daily forecast by product and store, and OOS root causes and lost sales by product and store and retail DC, with prioritized actions for replenishment analysts, retail partners and field operations teams. As a result, Kimberly-Clark will be able to more accurately predict product availability, inventory, execution and out-of-stock problems at the aggregate level across all stores, as well as at the detailed product-store level, and take the appropriate preventive action. TrueDemand’s unique predictive software will recommend specific replenishment, forecasting and store operations actions that Kimberly-Clark can take to help improve sales and market share. It provides out-of-stock root cause analysis and recommendations for continuous improvement for regular replenishment." ...

Via Kimberly-Clark: Kimberly-Clark to Power Shelf-Back Supply Chain (PDF) ...

RFID Zero-Sales Preventer Avoids Out-of-Stocks Through Real-Time Supply Chain Visibility

New Zero Sales Prevention module enables manufacturers to improve the real-time performance of their retail businesses by leveraging RFID-enabled supply chain information to avoid stock-outs and support decision making. ...

... "The new service represents a revolutionary advance in how manufacturers use and view RFID data to find supply chain issues, understand root causes and quickly resolve problems to ensure sales are not negatively impacted. Manufacturers such as Ocean Spray Cranberries, an early adopter of the service, are now able to prevent more out-of-stocks and zero sales days because of the visibility provided by TR3's On-Demand RFID Solutions. TR3's Zero Sales Prevention module is a new addition to the company's TR3 On-Demand Solutions suite - currently in use by more than 30 leading manufacturers - that enables product managers to dramatically improve promotions and perishables management and prevent out-of-stock situations. By automatically converting the millions of RFID scans received from retailers on a daily basis, TR3 On-Demand sifts, organizes and extracts critical issues that were previously invisible to product and supply chain managers. Within a single dashboard, manufacturers can view the performance of each product line and have visibility to prioritize and fix supply chain issues in real-time. " ...

Via TR3 Solutions: TR3 Solutions Extends Leadership in RFID Solutions with Release of Zero Sales Prevention Module

RFID Retail Enables Book Sales Growth

BGN, Boekhandels Groep Nederland, the Netherlands largest book retailer, selects Vue Technology's TrueVUE item level RFID infrastructure platform. This infrastructure enables BGN RFID initiative to create operational benefits and improve customer service. ...

... "As a leading adopter of item level RFID, BGN has already achieved success with the technology through a proof of concept deployment in two of its retail stores in the cities of Almere and Maastricht. Results have shown a 12% increase in sales, a significant decrease in receiving and inventory costs, a reduced risk of books being out of stock, and have provided BGN the ability to track which books are selling quickly and which haven't moved recently. As a result of this success, BGN has publicly announced it's commitment to rolling item level RFID across all of its retail locations. " ...

Via Vue Technology: Building upon initial proof-of-concept successes, the Netherlands largest book retailer selects Vue as it prepares for nationwide rollout

Retail RFID Implementation: European Shoes

Checkpoint Systems enters into a strategic agreement with RENO, European shoe retailer. The agreement will enable an RFID source-tagging program and implementation at 700 retail locations across six countries with NDRF-based (New Digital Radio Frequency) RFID tagging system. The implementation will be completed in May. The RFID system will support reduction of shrinkage and improvement of the customer experience. ...

... "Switching from EM to NDRF technology, RENO wants to further optimise both its market presence and its operational processes. To be successful in the shoe retail trade the goods have to be presented in the right way. As well as displaying shoes in pairs and in boxes, an open shop construction is also particularly important, says Konigs. With NDRF, the current aisle widths in the branches could be increased from 90 cm to 1.80 m and a more customer friendly entrance introduced. Further improvements in the business process include simpler deactivation of the tagged goods at the point of sale. The cashier transaction is sped up while it guarantees that no customer will leave the store with a tag that accidentally remains activated, thereby triggering a false alarm. RENO's decision for radio-frequency source tagging is a further step towards a uniform standard in security technology, not only in Germany, says Ulrich Schafer, Vice-President and General Manager NCE Unit, of Checkpoint Systems. For retailers, radio-frequency source tagging is the best option for reducing the costs of shrinkage. At the same time they are able to create a customer-friendly shopping atmosphere, which will help to boost sales. " ...

Via Checkpoint Systems: RENO Partners with Checkpoint Systems for Its Source Tagging Programme

IBM RFID Video: Shopping Scenario

IBM commercial illustrates RFID shopping experience ...

Marks & Spencer RFID Pilot

Marks & Spencer continues to pilot RFID across a range of clothing and a higher amount of stores. ...

... "M&S is quick to point out that the only purpose in using RFID is for improving its stock-taking process. The RFID tags are not scanned at the checkout, nor is any link made between the garment information held by the tag and the customer's details ... " ...

Via Computerworld, Australia: Marks & Spencer RFID trial

RFID Retail Shopping Experience

Media cart application uses RFID technology to enhance the customer shopping experience. ...

... "The store installs tiny tags on each shelf that emit a radio signal, telling the cart where it is. The cart holds a computer with all the digital ads and product data, which is called up automatically ... " ...

Via WFAA: Shopping Aids

Checkpoint RFID Metro Pilot Implementation Solves Technical Challenges

Checkpoint Systems is involved in pilot of UHF RFID technology at METRO Group's Distribution Centres near Hamm, Germany, under supervision of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) task group 34 (TG34). The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) plays a major role in the global standardization of Information and Communication Technologies. This pilot has been created to improve the read performance of RFID tags in a high-density UHF reading environment and validate the performance of portal dock door solutions. The successful pilot solves UHF RFID challenges and supports Metro's plan to implement RFID more broadly in 2007. The Metro RFID implementation is aimed at enhancing customer service and increasing the efficiency of its supply chain. METRO Group is an international retailing company with 2005 sales of EUR55.7 billion. The company has a headcount of about 250,000 employees and operates more than 2,200 outlets in 30 countries. ...

... "Utilizing equipment from numerous RFID suppliers in Europe and North America, Checkpoint served as a hardware integrator for the trials. In this capacity, Checkpoint helped with the design work for the hardware solution and procurement, configuration and installation of the 36 RFID-enabled dock door portals which were used to validate successful simultaneous operation of multiple dock doors using a 4-channel synchronized approach under the ETSI 302 208 standard. Pallets containing 62 individually tagged cases largely containing RFID unfriendly materials (such as cans, liquids and metal lined items) were simultaneously transported at warehouse speeds through 36 adjacent loading dock doors. Some 4.5 million individual reads were recorded over the course of the trials. Complying with the ETSI listen before talk (LBT) requirements, the tests achieved a 98.5%+ read rate simultaneously from multiple pallets as they were wheeled through the dock doors. " ...

Via Checkpoint Systems: Checkpoint Systems Partners with Metro Group to Successfully Deploy UHF RFID Dock Door Solution: 98.5%+ Read Rate Represents Milestone in European RFID Deployment ...

RFID Supply Chain Visibility

Aberdeen Group reports on RFID in the supply chain and provides insights into the use of radio frequency identification among the multiple participants. Aberdeen is seeing disparity among supply chain partners and sees potential for less collaboration. ...

... "Aberdeen Group reveals that RFID costs a distribution company nearly 30% more than it costs a manufacturer and more than twice what the average retailer spends. It is a rare technology that can address the myriad objectives and constraints of a cross-enterprise RFID initiative. " ...

Via Yahoo! Finance: Achieving Total Supply Chain Visibility with RFID ...