David Ivins, Channel Partner Director, RFID Software at Checkpoint Systems explains how collaboration, integration and adaptability are now key, and how an ‘open’ Platform is an industry game-changer.

 

If you were to look back to retail 10 years ago, data didn’t play as pivotal a part as it does today. Now, retailers have data on all sorts of touch points to their business and access to analytical tools which can provide them with enormous insights (and predictions) about their operations. This increase in data-driven decision making is, in part, due to consumers’ growing demands for more ways to access and purchase products anytime, anywhere.

With much data available and the growing online market, more and more retailers have also started to deploy apps in retail stores which aid and assist their store associates to deliver great experiences.

As a provider of RFID Software for managing inventory, we quickly recognized that, although RFID has become an important technology for this new retail environment, it couldn’t remain an island in this sea of data. This is why we reimagined our next generation of cloud-based Software, ItemOptix™ for Retail, to be ready to support retailers of all sizes and needs and recently launched it at The NRF 2023 Retail Big Show, which took place in mid-January in New York.

We were inundated with interest from across the industry, from retailers to technology companies across a wide range of sectors. More than 30 retailers, including potential new and existing customers, were eager to learn more about how our SaaS solution could work for their businesses.

All the retailers we talked to at NRF were impressed by both the adaptability and the extensibility of our RFID Software offering, the two things that really set us apart from our competitors: Checkpoint Systems is the only RFID specialist offering retailers a complete Platform as a Service package that, because it is ‘open’, can be integrated and adapted into an existing system.

For instance, store staff may have several applications running on PDAs for barcode scanning, price lookups, or picking and packing online orders. At the moment they have to log into, and out of, different apps depending on what functionality they need at any one time. ItemOptix™ consolidates all functionality within one app, making processes seamless, easier and less time-consuming. It’s easy to use, easy to deploy, and easy to adapt.

In fact, this ability for software to easily integrate with other systems is fast becoming a fundamental requirement from retailers. ‘Collaboration’ is their new watchword. They want and expect more unified experiences, and the seamless ability to extend and adapt it to what they already have.

They also want more access to data to enable them to build their own dashboards and apply the latest technologies, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, to give them clever insights on which to build sales. Yes, they want an out-of-the-box solution, but they also expect some control over how they deploy it and what changes they can make to adapt it meet their business needs.

ItemOptix™ for Retail is the next generation of SaaS-based RFID solutions offered by Checkpoint Systems. It allows item-level detail – in retail stores, warehouses, distribution centres and online – for total inventory visibility that can help drive a 4% sales uplift, 99% inventory accuracy, 90% out-of-stocks reduction, and a 75% reduction in audit costs[1].

 

ItemOptix™ for Retail is:

Easy to use:

  • A mobile app is simple to navigate and understand from the get-go.
  • A redesigned reporting portal focuses on user activities to drive inventory programme improvements

Easy to deploy:

  • Customers and their supply chain partners are able to integrate all RFID data into their own digital environment for greater depth of analysis
  • Retailers can leverage RFID hardware already on the market to meet their particular needs using ItemOptix open system

Easy to adapt:

  • A self-service configuration option means less reliance on Checkpoint if retailers prefer
  • Customers and partners can build RFID into their own store apps for more efficient store operations

 

For more information about how Checkpoint Systems’ ItemOptix for Retail could work for your business please get in touch.

 

[1] Checkpoint Systems’ data