Aug 07, 2014This year's RFID Journal LIVE! Europe conference and exhibition, to be held on Oct. 23, at Dexter House, in London, England, will focus on educating end users about how radio frequency identification technology is delivering business benefits to companies in manufacturing, retail and other sectors. The event will feature three general sessions, a Main Track and a Retail Track. Among the sessions to be featured in the Retail Track:
• Dr. Bill Hardgrave, the dean of Auburn University's Harbert College of Business, will present a session detailing how RFID can be used to help brick-and-mortar stores disrupt online retailers, by providing them with the inventory visibility necessary to become true omni-channel retailers.
• Alexander Bols, Intersport Jan Bols' general manager, will share how the athletic equipment and clothing store is using RFID to boost sales and decrease costs. Attendees will hear how the use of RFID contributed to increased sales, and how the checkout process was made quicker and more accurate (see Intersport Expects RFID to Boost Its Sales, Decrease Its Costs).
• Karl Jordan, Wilko's senior loss-prevention investigator, will explain how the British housewares and household goods retailer fights stock loss via RFID. Attendees will learn how the RFID system alerts the store to loss, when it happens, with real-time visibility about what is and is not passing through the tills, before items can be taken through the exit point.
• Richard Jenkins, the head of Marks & Spencer's RFID programme, will share how the company is expanding its RFID use to all of its stores. Attendees will learn why the company expects the technology's future potential benefits to provide greater visibility and accuracy of all stock at the item level, and to offer an opportunity to reduce the costs of annual stock-taking, as well as the loss of margin associated with excessive markdowns, theft and fraud (see Marks & Spencer Embraces Change and Marks & Spencer Rolls Out RFID to All Its Stores).
• Lilian Mariani, Vente-privee.com's project director, will discuss how RFID speeds up preparations for flash sales for the European online retailer. Attendees will hear how the technology enables the retailer to spend less time searching for samples, thereby ensuring that the items are properly photographed and described as they circulate around the facility, before being returned to product suppliers (see RFID Speeds Up Preparations for Flash Sales).
• Hans Gunnarsson, a co-founder of Four Levent, will discuss how to connect with customers via RFID. Four Levent has created a high-quality dress shirt with a Near Field Communication (NFC) RFID tag embedded in each cuff. Whenever a shopper taps his or her smartphone on the NFC tag, that person is directed to the company's website, showing that particular shirt and size. The customer can then, via a free app, write his or her own information to the tags, such as a business card, a company URL or a link to a video. The audience will learn how the firm is using RFID technology to connect with its customers and enhance customer loyalty, and how the tags can be used in even more creative ways (see Swedish Men's Shirts Provide Off-the-Cuff Info).
The event will also feature a roundtable breakfast for retailers, hosted by Hardgrave, and an exhibit area in which leading technology companies will showcase their latest solutions. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from those who have already deployed RFID, and to network with leading end users.
"The use of RFID to manage complex inventories, improve store operations and enhance profitability is picking up among retailers in Europe, as in the United States," says Mark Roberti, RFID Journal's founder and editor. "This is a great opportunity for retailers to hear how RFID is delivering benefits today, and to meet the RFID technology companies that have solutions designed for the retail sector."
For more information, please visit the LIVE! Europe website, www.rfidjournalevents.com/europe, or call (631) 249-4960.
