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Best Buy Eager to Use RFID to Eliminate Checkout Lines
Consumer education, Willet says, is another obstacle to automated checkout. He says retailers need to better educate their customers about RFID and how it is being used. That includes convincing them RFID can improve their in-store experience without being used in a way that poses a threat to their privacy.
Best Buy has 750 stores throughout the United States and has been involved in RFID deployment, both at the supply-chain and item levels, for the past several years. In 2004, the retailer issued an RFID mandate similar to those of Wal-Mart and Target, initially seeking full compliance by all of its suppliers by May 2007, including the tagging of all cases and pallets shipped to Best Buy stores (see Best Buy to Deploy RFID).
Although Best Buy has not met its original goal, Willett says, supplier RFID deployment efforts continue. "We are still on a limited pilot with pallets and cases, not near to a full-scale rollout," he says. "We're still working toward our deadlines, but this isn't a sprint—it's a marathon, it's about a long-distance race."
With an eye toward item-level tagging, the electronics retailer has been piloting systems to expedite the process of locating items in store fronts and back rooms when customers request them. In 2006, Best Buy completed a 50-store pilot using EPC Gen 1 RFID tags for video games on store shelves (see RFID Gets Itemized).
Willett says that with RFID-tagged products, staff spent less time refilling stock on shelves and, instead, spent more time with customers on the sales floor. Additionally, according to statistics Willett provided at the 2007 Retail Systems Alert Group (RSAG) conference and tradeshow, sales of the tagged videos increased by 18.7 percent and product availability grew to 98 percent, up from less than 90 percent.
While the retailer has no RFID pilots currently underway, Willett says, it will likely carry out new ones in the months ahead, using EPC Gen 2 technology. With further RFID deployments, he adds, "I think we'll continue to create a wonderful experience in the store."
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Best Buy has 750 stores throughout the United States and has been involved in RFID deployment, both at the supply-chain and item levels, for the past several years. In 2004, the retailer issued an RFID mandate similar to those of Wal-Mart and Target, initially seeking full compliance by all of its suppliers by May 2007, including the tagging of all cases and pallets shipped to Best Buy stores (see Best Buy to Deploy RFID).
Although Best Buy has not met its original goal, Willett says, supplier RFID deployment efforts continue. "We are still on a limited pilot with pallets and cases, not near to a full-scale rollout," he says. "We're still working toward our deadlines, but this isn't a sprint—it's a marathon, it's about a long-distance race."
With an eye toward item-level tagging, the electronics retailer has been piloting systems to expedite the process of locating items in store fronts and back rooms when customers request them. In 2006, Best Buy completed a 50-store pilot using EPC Gen 1 RFID tags for video games on store shelves (see RFID Gets Itemized).
While the retailer has no RFID pilots currently underway, Willett says, it will likely carry out new ones in the months ahead, using EPC Gen 2 technology. With further RFID deployments, he adds, "I think we'll continue to create a wonderful experience in the store."
