America Today has expanded its relationship with Checkpoint Systems, by appointing the only vertically integrated RF/RFID solution provider as the preferred supplier of RFID labels and tags – part of its all-new RFID program.

Described as ‘the brand inspired by the American lifestyle’, America Today has fast become the place for brands such as Eastpak, Levi Strauss, Wrangler, Converse and Russell to sell their merchandise. Fashion lines from the popular American brands are available in 70 stores across the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany, as well as the retailer’s active e-commerce sites.

As part of its new RFID programme, America Today was looking for a supplier that could ensure a seamless transition for its vendors to switch to RFID, working seamlessly with its hardware and software supplier while offering a flexible, high-performance RFID label.

The Apparel Labelling Solutions (ALS) division of Checkpoint already supplied America Today with its existing self-adhesive labels for all of its vendors worldwide, via the Check-Net platform. A seamless transition for vendors to the new RFID-enabled labels is vital in the new rollout and it is important that RFID labels are integrated consistently and with the right procedure. RFID apparel tags and labels play an essential role not just in-store, but in today’s retail supply chain – helping to streamline operations and reduce out-of-stock scenarios. By using the global GS1 standards for RFID along the entire supply chain, RFID can be used by everyone in fashion and it will help improving the speed-to-market.

Labels integrated incorrectly can have severe consequences for all processes involved. In addition to the roll-out of all-new RFID labels, the retailer requested a new, state-of-the-art feature be integrated into the labels: a dual function QR code. Using the new GS1 Digital Link standard, this QR code can be both scanned by standard POS scanners for the check-out process in the store as well as be captured by the camera of a mobile phone in order to bring the consumer to product information on America Today’s e-commerce sites.

Checkpoint Apparel Labeling Solutions (ALS) provides apparel retailers, brand owners and manufacturers with a single source for all their branding, intelligent labeling and identification needs.

Speaking about the implementation, Charlotte den Heijer, merchandise planner for America Today, said: “With RFID, stock accuracy in our stores has increased from 65 per cent to 98 per cent. The stores are replenished more effectively from the warehouse and receive better replenishment, which has increased sales. The roll-out to RFID to all of our stores was no longer a complicated calculation.”

Speaking about the appointment, Marlous Maass, Checkpoint Systems, added: “Working seamlessly with the retailer’s hardware and software supplier has enabled the ALS team to create a bespoke communications plan to inform vendors about the transition to RFID. This ‘implementation manual’ has enabled us to seamlessly move America Today to its new RFID self-adhesive labels, with production going live in our print shops just eight weeks after our appointment.”

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