RFID technology has been around for a while, with countless retailers incorporating it into their stores. When we think of RFID, inventory and stock management often come to mind first. While it’s true that RFID is a game-changer for inventory accuracy, it offers much more. Dive into this post to discover how retailers are using RFID today—and the impressive results they’re achieving beyond just flawless stock records.

Retailers who have been using RFID for some time have evolved to leverage its broader capabilities to improve their business. In fact, some retailers have chosen to implement RFID not for inventory management but for other key benefits, whether it’s combating theft, building a smart store, or enhancing customer experience.

Without further ado, here are six ways retailers are benefiting from RFID beyond inventory management:

RTI Tracking

In addition to the stock they sell, many retailers rely on reusable assets like returnable transport items (RTIs) for shipments and deliveries. These RTIs include containers, boxes, and packaging materials that can be used repeatedly until they wear out. Unfortunately, RTIs are often lost or stolen in transit or at different locations, resulting in costly restocking expenses. In some cases, these RTIs can be even more expensive than the inventory they help to transport.

With RFID, retailers can track their RTIs to locate and return them, ensuring they aren’t lost or stolen. This not only saves the business significant costs but also supports sustainability, as items can be reused multiple times until they’re truly at the end of their lifecycle.

Efficient POS

RFID is widely used in retail stores to streamline the checkout process. For instance, in self-checkout or fast checkout scenarios, a cashier or customer can place items in a designated basket or on a counter, where all items are scanned instantly—no need to scan each item individually with a barcode.

This saves considerable time for both customers and employees, reduces in-store queues (a major pain point for shoppers), and enhances the overall shopping experience.

Equipment Maintenance and Lifecycle Management

Retailers depend on various equipment to keep operations running smoothly. However, keeping track of the maintenance schedules, usage history, and status of these assets can be challenging, leading to unexpected breakdowns and higher operational costs.

With RFID, retailers can track their equipment's maintenance needs and overall lifecycle. RFID tags attached to equipment provide real-time data on usage patterns and flag items in need of repair or replacement. This helps retailers stay proactive with maintenance, reducing downtime, avoiding costly last-minute repairs, and extending the life of critical equipment.

Security and Loss Prevention

Security, loss prevention, and shoplifting are major concerns for nearly all retailers. Traditional hard security tags are often easy for thieves to remove discreetly, and standard security gates can sometimes miss these tags, allowing theft to happen all too frequently.

In response, retailers have turned to RFID to better secure their inventory. RFID tags can be sewn into items or embedded within them, making the tags difficult to identify and remove. Additionally, RFID integrates seamlessly with other security methods to enhance loss prevention. For instance, when an unpaid item approaches an exit, an RFID system can trigger a security camera to focus on the door and alert employees in real time.

Employee Management and Access Control

Retailers often face challenges in managing employee access to different areas within the store or warehouse, especially when certain areas contain high-value inventory or sensitive information. Traditional access control methods, like keycards or codes, can be cumbersome and prone to misuse.

RFID offers a seamless solution for employee management and access control. By providing employees with RFID-enabled badges, retailers can control and monitor access to specific areas in real-time, ensuring only authorized personnel enter restricted zones. This enhances security, helps prevent internal theft, and streamlines employee movement across the store, leading to a more secure and efficient work environment.

Sustainability

Sustainability is increasingly important to retailers and customers alike, with growing demand for eco-friendly practices in every part of the supply chain. Traditional retail operations often result in waste, from excess inventory to disposable packaging.

By enhancing visibility into inventory and asset usage, RFID helps retailers optimize stock levels, reduce overproduction, and reduce carbon footprint through efficient shipments. Additionally, RFID makes it easier to track reusable assets, like packaging and transport materials, ensuring they are returned and reused rather than discarded. By minimizing waste and extending the life of reusable items, RFID helps retailers reduce their environmental footprint and meet sustainability goals.

As retailers continue to innovate, RFID technology proves to be a versatile tool that goes far beyond inventory management. From enhancing security and improving customer experience to streamlining equipment maintenance and supporting sustainability efforts, RFID offers a range of benefits that can transform retail operations. By embracing these capabilities, retailers not only improve efficiency but also position themselves for long-term success in a competitive marketplace. As we look ahead, the potential of RFID to drive positive change in retail is truly limitless.