At this year’s NRF show, RFID technology made the strongest showing VDC Research has seen yet. From RFID vendors and their solution partners showcasing innovative end-to-end application offerings to big retailers and brands reaffirming their RFID adoption plans, rollouts and program extensions it was clear that RFID is increasingly being positioned as a core technology that enables enterprises to “engage and evolve” (the theme of this year’s show).
Here are a few highlights we picked up during the course of the event:
- RFID-tagged Apparel Items are the 1% – 200 billion apparel items. This was the estimated total number of apparel pieces globally that was communicated to VDC by several vendors and retailers attending NRF. So, assuming roughly 2 billion RFID tags, that translates to approximately 1% penetration. The good news is that the percentage (penetration rate) will only increase in 2012 and beyond.
- RFID is Fashion Forward, but Going Backward (a good thing) – Retailers and brands using RFID consider themselves early innovators, positioning them as “fashion forward” versus their peers; however, RFID tagging is most meaningful when you tag at the source, or further “backward” in the supply chain. Some exhibitors at NRF were predicting a surge in apparel source tagging by the end of 2012 and into early 2013. As a result, source tagging was major theme being identified by vendors this year. This included strong messaging from Tyco Retail Solutions and Avery Dennison’s RBIS team on RFID source tagging solutions (including offerings that combine RFID with EAS/LP capabilities/functionality) and the announcement of a new solution called ViziT™ from SML Group Ltd. SML works along with the Impinj STP™ source tagging platform and is able to offer high-speed RFID chip encoding and label printing through SML’s own global network of service bureaus.
- The Magic of Macy’s RFID Message – Macy’s leadership was very vocal once again about its RFID program and plans, offering highlights during a panel. Macy’s Chief Administrative Officer, Tom Cole, reportedly stated that it will only be a matter of time before RFID tags become as common as barcodes, especially for apparel. He also indicated that while Macy’s, their competitors’ and their suppliers’/brands’ approaches may vary, it is important that we move RFID forward as an industry. We agree with Mr. Cole that RFID will be a competitive advantage and differentiator in the beginning for those that support it, but it will come down to which retailers and brands can put the technology to the best use – just like with barcodes today.
While most NRF attendees come for what’s new in “traditional” retail solutions, many left this year’s conference with a greater appreciation for the “modernizing” retail solutions (including both RFID and NFC technologies). We expect the 2013 NRF event to carry this trend forward, showing us the next wave of innovative solutions and users of RFID and its related technologies. In fact, we think it would be interesting to see an “RFID Pavilion” or "RFID Showcase" of sorts at a future NRF conference - a dedicated area in which attendees can see how RFID, contactless and NFC technologies can be leveraged to enhance retail operations and the customer experience.
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