An Overview of RFID in Retail Today
Tuesday, May 17, 2022: 10:45 AM – 11:30 AM
Many retailers, including Macy’s and Walmart, are requiring suppliers to tag individual items with RFID transponders. This enables the retailers to track the location of items and replenish shelves, ship from store, and execute buy-online, pickup in store strategies. This session will explain the current state of adoption and the future of RFID in retail, which will likely mean more demands on suppliers.
Speaker: Michael Graen, Owner, Collaboration, LLC
Choosing the Right Tag for Your Product
Tuesday, May 17, 2022: 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM
RFID transponders come in many different sizes and shapes. Some work well on metal products and some won’t work at all on metal. In this session, you will learn about the differences between RFID transponders, the certifications available and how to ensure the tags you choose will meet multiple retailers’ requirements.
Speaker: Justin Patton, Director, RFID Lab, Auburn University
Encoding Your RFID Tags or Labels
Tuesday, May 17, 2022: 1:00 PM – 1:45 PM
Retailers have specific formats for tag serial numbers and requirements for printed information on the tag or label, which must be strictly followed. In addition, suppliers need to ensure that they do not duplicate serial numbers, which can be a challenge when a firm has several production plants in different parts of the world. This session will explain how to encode tags and ensure printing and encoding meet multiple retailers’ requirements.
Speakers:
Jonathan Gregory, Director of Community Engagement, Apparel and General Merchandise, GS1 US
Justin Patton, Director, RFID Lab, Auburn University
The Walmart RFID Program
Tuesday, May 17, 2022: 1:45 PM – 2:30 PM
Walmart recently announced plans to expand its use of passive UHF RFID tags on apparel to home goods, some hardware and automotive as well as some entertainment products and toys. In this session, you will hear why the retailer has expanded its RFID program, why it chose these specific categories and why it has opted for an aggressive timeline (September 2022) for supplier products to arrive in store tagged.
Speaker: Matt Alexander, Senior Director, Merchandising Innovation, Walmart
Sharing Item-Level RFID Data with Trade Partners
Tuesday, May 17, 2022: 2:45 PM – 3:30 PM
Beyond tag compliance, factories and brand owners can derive significant value from RFID tagging mandates. This includes opportunities unlocked by item-level serialization such as claims compliance, grey market tracking, and product authenticity. This session outlines these business opportunities and relevant standards-based tools.
Speaker: Jonathan Gregory, Director of Community Engagement, Apparel and General Merchandise, GS1 US
We do not have permission to post the presentation slides and recording from this session.
The Benefits Suppliers Can Achieve with RFID
Tuesday, May 17, 2022: 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM
Your main reason for adopting RFID today might be to comply with retailer mandates, but suppliers should be aware that they can achieve cost savings with RFID. The technology allows them to pick the right items and audit 100 percent of shipments, which enables them to greatly reduce chargebacks. Other benefits include reduced labor for picking and packing items, fewer over shipments and more. Hear from industry veteran Doug Harvel how your organization can benefit from RFID tagging mandates.
Speaker: Doug Harvel, Senior IT Distribution Analyst, Kontoor Brands