C&A scales up RFID solution to 25 stores

MADRID & THOROFARE, N.J. — European fashion apparel retailer C&A is scaling up its Radio Frequency Identification project with Checkpoint Systems, a leading global supplier of shrink management, merchandise visibility and apparel labeling solutions for the retail industry, from five to 25 stores.

As part of the C&A project in Germany, Checkpoint is providing RF/RFID antennas, point of sale RFID solution, software and consulting services.

The aim of the project is to ensure that the merchandise is available on C&A store shelves in the right color, size and fit so consumers can always find the item they want when they are ready to buy. Implementing RFID in store means that retailers are more effectively and efficiently able to manage inventory and enhance loss prevention efforts.

C&A selected Checkpoint for the RFID project to analyze processes and procedures for store deliveries, replenishment and inventories. C&A already implemented source tagging with Checkpoint for RF EAS several years ago, as a stepping stone for a potential RFID deployment.

“C&A chose Checkpoint’s software solution to improve inventory replenishment and to ensure on-shelf availability for products such as women’s jeans or lingerie. The objective is to improve the movement of merchandise from the supply chain to the store and from the back room to the sales floor inside the store,” commented Joachim Wilkens, supply chain development, C&A Group. “We have already noticed a clear reduction in out of stocks and increase in the availability of items on store shelves for purchase by our customers where the Checkpoint RFID solution has been installed.”

Checkpoint’s OAT Foundation Suite software provides real-time accurate inventory visibility in the receiving area, in the back room and on the sales floor. On a day-to-day basis, this means that C&A store employees are able to cycle count with a Motorola handheld RFID reader, equipped with the Checkpoint Merchandise Visibility software, allowing employees to maintain accurate perpetual inventory. As a result, C&A knows exactly how much merchandise it has left in store, in which part of the store and whether it needs to re-order items. The software’s integrated reporting facility includes sales, stock and replenishment data for the apparel retailer to get real time and full visibility of its merchandise and sales.

At the point of sale in stores equipped with the RFID reader solution, employees can place several items onto the counter simultaneously, where they are automatically read and processed during the transaction. This reduces the risk of an employee forgetting to scan an item. The RF/RFID labels can then easily be deactivated by Checkpoint’s high-performance deactivation solution, enabling consumers to walk out of the store without setting off alarms.

“As apparel retailers and brand owners increasingly adopt RFID-based solutions, they are looking for scalable, deployable and operational solutions — and we’re proud to announce that our long-term partnership with C&A is extending to RFID solutions to reduce out of stocks and increase customer satisfaction,” said Per Levin, president, shrink management and merchandise visibility solutions, Checkpoint Systems,