November 18, 2006
Marks & Spencer Clothing Stores To Rollout RFID
One of my biggest beefs with large department stores is that there is so much variety of style and size that I often can't find what I need. Marks & Spencer is one clothing retailer that is trying to solve this and other inventory management problems through RFID.
Based on a successful trial, M & S plans to triple the number of their stores, up to 120, that will use RFID item-level tags on merchandise. Their target period is spring 2007. During the trial period, the retailer doubled the number of their tagged items to nearly 50Mln over the summer and fall seasons. This necessitated item tagging by 15 suppliers in 20 countries. The current trial involves items from six clothing departments, which will be expanded to thirteen by fall of 2007. Said James Stafford, head of clothing RFID,
Stock accuracy has improved and stores and customers have commented on the more consistent availability of sizes in the pilot departments.
This highlights one of the benefits of item-level RFID tagging in retail: more efficient control of out-of-stock items. Better inventory management, of course, leads to satisfied customers who can actually find what they're looking for, in their size, and thus greater profits.
[sources: , VNUNet]
--
Did you enjoy this post?
« RTLS: RFID For Personnel Safety | Main | Nottingham University Hospital Leverages RFID »
