07.18.18 -- Don't Let The RFID Opportunity Pass You By

Item-level RFID tagging can help retail operations run smoother, faster, and with more agility, so why are some retailers still waiting to get started? Some misconceptions have influenced retail executives' views on RFID. Greater education and surfacing some basic facts about the technology's scalability and return on investment (ROI) could be helpful to move any stalled conversations forward.

Online shopping has brought consumers an undeniable level of convenience, but there are multiple reasons brick-and-mortar stores still work — and aren't going away any time soon.

For most omni-channel businesses, the cost of shipping now exceeds the sum of all other fulfillment costs including direct and indirect payroll, benefits, facilities and utilities, packing supplies, etc. Businesses need every advantage they can get to hopefully evaluate, reduce, or control the rate of shipping expense increases.

When it comes to being agile, normal efficiency practices don't cut it. There's a limit to how quickly even the most organized supply chain can prototype, manufacture, and ship. This level of coordination requires visibility and digitized, connected systems able to orchestrate and manage inventory and get it to customers quickly.

Consumer markets just experienced a record-breaking year for deal-making in terms of total deal value and volume. While that activity paints a positive economic outlook for the retail industry, what is more telling — and even inspiring — is some of retail's deals surrounding analytics, tech, and artificial intelligence (AI).