Big retailers like Target and Dillard’s have long been requiring suppliers to provide smart RFID tags with incoming products. However, Walmart’s most recent RFID mandate has now set the standard for retailers nationwide. The retail giant has justified the RFID mandate as a pathway to higher customer satisfaction and increased stock availability. Research suggests that stockouts alone have cost retailers $1 trillion per year. Moreover, 30% of customers cite stockouts as hurtful to their overall shopping experience. Consequently, it is no surprise that major retailers like Walmart now gravitate toward visibility solutions like RFID.

Unlike traditional pen-and-paper methods, RFID inventory tracking provides 99.99% accuracy and maximizes stock visibility. This allows teams to quickly replenish dwindling stock while monitoring high-demand products in real-time. With e-commerce transactions and new purchase avenues (like BOPIS and Curbside Pickup) growing in popularity, retailers and suppliers alike can benefit from maximized visibility. Therefore, experts recommend viewing new RFID mandates as a great opportunity to establish greater inventory control.

Building your Solution

While unique operations may require additional technologies and support, a basic RFID solution is composed of the following factors:

1.    A Smart RAIN RFID tag – Labels should be tailored to survive your environment without peeling edges and fading inks. Zebra’s Certified Printing Supplies enable you to customize adhesive strength, RFID inlays, and surface coating to create a truly smart label that ensures more successful first-time scans. 

2.    A Durable RFID Printer – Hardware like the ZT600 RFID series empowers teams to print both traditional barcodes and RFID tags through the same terminal, lowering acquisition costs and training times. Moreover, printheads should handle the strains of high-volume printing to prevent early breakdowns and repeated IT intervention.

3.    An RFID Reader – Lastly, an RFID reader connects your workforce to updated data in real-time as products move across the facility. Devices like the MC3390R can be linked to your WMS to keep cycle counts updated and prevent sudden stockouts in the distribution center.

Acquiring the proper hardware is just half the battle. To create a truly dependable system, a complete RFID solution should also leverage continuous support beyond implementation. By carefully monitoring piloting issues and maintenance schedules, your support system can:

·         Adjust read ranges when operations expand

·         Add new devices and software without major downtime

·         Notify you of high-demand workflows where more devices are needed

·         Ensure devices are stored and updated to prevent data leaks

There are many factors to consider when integrating RFID visibility. However, with the proper support and technologies, deployment and maintenance don’t have to be a hassle. To learn more about RFID’s impact on suppliers, reach out to our automation experts for a closer look at the technologies revolutionizing supply chains.