¶ … RFID on Retailers
Mann I. Grayflannel, Sr.
Supply chain performance is significantly improved by the implementation of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) practices. Companies that adopt RFID practices can expect to develop sustainable competitive advantage. Widespread adoption of RFID technology by retailers shows a steady upward trend. Experts forecast that retail companies will continue to be attracted to RFID in the future[footnoteRef:1]. [1: Cecere, L. (2007). Three Years Of Retail RFID Pilots. Forbes.]
Research indicates that the following areas in company operations typically exhibit positive change: distribution, forecasting, inventory, sales, and supplier when RFID is adopted[footnoteRef:2]. [2: Vlachos, I.P. (2014, January). A hierarchical model of the impact of RFID practices on retail supply chain performance. Expert Systems with Applications, 41(1), 5 -- 15.]
RFID innovation has evolved into a major technology implemented around the globe for tracking goods and assets. Radio waves are used in the RFID technology to automatically identify tagged items in real time. A primary benefit of RFID technology is the high level of visibility it provides for assets and products.
A recent study examined eight variables of RFID applications grouped in two categories: location (supplier's warehouse, retailer's central warehouse, retailer's local warehouse, retailer's owned stores) and utilisation (standards, transportation, pallet level, The dependent variables were supply chain performance indicators, analyzed through a hierarchical regression equation with RFID variables as independent variables. Factor analysis of the results...
The significant findings are described below:
RFID practices improve stock availability by 45.4% and overall supply performance by 36.3%.
RFID practices reduce waste by 42.2%, and increase sales by 40.1%.
RFID can improve the performance of distribution systems, including products dispatched and inventory in transit by 33.8%.
RFID technology has become the norm for the Department of Defense (DoD) and a growing number of major retail businesses. The DoD requires suppliers to use RFID tagging for cases and pallets of merchandise shipped to DoD stores and distribution centers. The influence of DoD and other major retailer mandates to implement RFID practices are driving interest in the technology. Three key challenges must be addressed by retail businesses that intend to adopt RFID practices: 1) RFID hardware; 2) software infrastructure; and 3) evolving business processes[footnoteRef:3]. [3: Sikander, J. (2005). RFID Enabled Retail Supply Chain. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation.]
It is important to note that in order to optimize the benefits of RFID in a retail enterprise, managers need to align KPIs to embed RFID practices in the company Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Measurement of KPIs aligned to RFID implementation should be evident in delivery and distribution, forecasting, fulfillment, ordering and replenishment, supply and source, inventory and store operations, and sales and returns.
RFID pilot studies indicate that…
The greater the functionality of the tag the higher the frequency required to communicate the contents of it, hence the spectrum of frequencies shown in Figure 3, Comparison of RFID Frequencies. Figure 3: Comparison of RFID Frequencies Sources: (Cheung, Chu, Du, 2009) (Wang, Wang, 2009) The greater the frequency of a given set of tags the greater the flexibility and the more data they are often capable of storing, capturing as they
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