RFID technology can rock your world when you know how to take full advantage of it. Integrate this radiofrequency identification tech into your labels and open the door to new creative possibilities, a wealth of valuable data, and more besides. It sounds too good to be true, but it really isn’t.
Here are some RFID uses that can benefit you on the shop floor and long after the item has been sold. You’ll never look at intelligent labels the same way again!
Expand your visual merchandising horizons
Truly avant-garde visual merchandising demands an adventurous and playful use of stock. It usually involves putting best-sellers, key pieces, and new lines in vulnerable positions throughout the retail space — pretty risky where loss prevention is concerned.
Even without the thorny issue of theft hanging over the process, you also have aesthetics to worry about. RFID hard tags can ruin the drape of delicate fabrics, pull bags and small accessories off balance, and damage products when they aren’t applied properly. Not to mention the additional labor costs and time taken to apply and remove the tags in store. Unless you opt for embedded RFID inlays, that is.
You can place inlays anywhere on your existing brand labeling and anywhere on the garment. Slip them into Jacron patches on jeans, woven brand labels or — if you want to be super discreet — embed them into a pocket or care label, so you’re covered if the hang tags are removed.
As an added bonus, data collected through the RFID tags will show you which lines are most prone to shrinkage, so you can target your hard tagging efforts rather than tagging everything. Intelligence doesn’t need to be dull, so take advantage of this extra opportunity to show off your brand’s style.
Locate returns and stock within your store
Finding the last pair of size 10 blue wash jeans in your stockroom or shop floor is like hunting for a needle in a haystack. This is especially true if the garment was returned unworn and is now lurking somewhere in the back office. Enter our newest tech: RFIDCompass.
It’s a technology based on placing sensors strategically around your store to pinpoint the location of specific garments. You’ll be able to keep all your returns accounted for, track stock movement around the shop floor, and help customers find exactly what they’re looking for. This also gives you a wealth of information about the purchase rate for garments that have been into the changing rooms, too.
Verify luxury alcohol and accessories
Brand integrity relies on your ability to verify your products, so bring dual technology RFID labels into play and blaze the trail. This is especially good for accessories like handbags — embed our DUÉ Mini dual UHF-RFID and NFC labels into a pocket tag or woven label and verify each item with a single scan. Alexander McQueen is an excellent example of a fashion house using NFC technology for second life and resale via its Vestiaire Collective ‘Brand Approved’ partnership.
New advances in tech mean you could also use RFID labels on bottles of liquid. Retailers can track and prove the provenance of exclusive wine vintages with the scan of a beverage RFID inlay. With the advancement of dual technology RFID inlays, consumers can engage with brands just by scanning their labels.
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Manage returns and wardrobed items
RFID tags are like the ultimate receipt. With one scan, you get full transparency over the original point of purchase for the garment (so no more quibbles at the till!). Embed it as a discreet pocket tag or intelligent care label and take advantage of the technology without ruining the aesthetic of the garment.
Embedded RFID can also help you detect wardrobed returns. Our standard RFID products aren’t made to survive the first wash, so when the inlay fails to register on your scanner, you know you’ve probably got a washed, worn return on your hands!
Improve sustainability over time
One of the biggest perks of using RFID technology is the data you’ll collect. It’ll give you more transparency over stock movement and waste so that you can scale future manufacturing up and down based on real-time data.
You’ll also be able to build a picture of which lines sell best per location, so your stock works harder for you — no need to ramp up your carbon footprint by sending shipments between stores. With this kind of intel at your fingertips, it’ll be easier to minimise your impact on the planet.
What if that same label could also prove your sustainability efforts? Dual RFID inlays use both UHF RFID and NFC, so your customers can scan the garment label with their phones to get more info. You could use the tech to give details about your sustainability initiatives, advice for repairing the garment, or even just a nice bit of promo to show off your brand’s ethos.
These are just a few of the ways you can use RFID technology to move your brand forward. Get in touch and tell us what you have in mind — we’ll work with you to find a solution that benefits you long after the stock has left the shop floor.
