RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) traceability, already well established in France, is revolutionizing the retail sector, as witnessed by the gradual disappearance of barcodes and checkouts at well-known retailers such as Decathlon, the Beaumanoir group (Bonobo, Cache Cache, Bréal), and others. This technology is paving the way for profound changes, propelling retailing into new horizons.
The challenge of traceability: A growing issue in the retail industry
The retail world is facing growing challenges such as productivity optimization, consumer demand for greater transparency, competitive pressure and the need to reduce operational costs. In this context, the lack of traceability can lead to a variety of problems, impacting overall business performance such as :
✅ Inefficient inventory management
✅ Loss of visibility
✅ Product quality problems
✅ Risks of counterfeiting and fraud
✅ Complexity of regulatory compliance
Traceability is becoming an indispensable tool for meeting these challenges effectively. Over time, traceability requirements in the retail industry have evolved considerably. It's no longer just a question of tracking items, but also of understanding consumer trends, anticipating market demands and ensuring proactive inventory management. Increasing regulatory requirements and consumer expectations have made traceability a top priority.
Introduced in the 80s, the standardized and popular Bar Code systems have helped to improve the traceability of items sold in the retail sector. However, this technology has now reached its limits.
Since its implementation, the RFID traceability system has proved to be a significant step forward for many companies, bringing tangible and measurable benefits. By enabling real-time traceability of individual items, as well as mass reading throughout the supply chain, RFID technology has considerably improved companies' operational efficiency.
What is RFID?
Radio Frequency Identification, better known as RFID, is already at the heart of many aspects of your daily life. Think of your contactless bank card, your building access badge or your Navigo pass. These tools use RFID technology in a discreet but effective way.
Two popular variants of RFID are NFC (Near Field Communication), used in contact with a reader, and UHF (Ultra High Frequency), enabling chips to be read from several meters away. NFC, for example, is used in situations such as contactless payments, while UHF can be compared to the use of motorway toll booths, offering remote communication.
The central aim of RFID is to optimize processes by simplifying interactions. Whether for object tracking, fast payments or secure access, RFID brings remarkable efficiency to a variety of sectors, simplifying aspects of our daily lives.
UBI Retail Boost: an RFID traceability solution for simplified item management
Leveraging RFID technology, UBI Solutions has created the UBI Retail Boost solution, designed to simplify in-store item management, offering retailers a practical and efficient solution for tracking their inventory flows.
Unlike manual methods of counting items, which are often laborious and error-prone, UBI Retail Boost enables this process to be fully automated.
Discover the UBI Retail Boost solution in this video
How does the solution work?
Thanks to RFID tags affixed to items, retailers can scan them en masse using a UHF RFID mobile terminal linked to a mobile application, and then register them in stock, avoiding the tedious need to check them one by one.
By easily integrating our Plug & Play software package into your information system, you can print out RFID tags encoded with the part numbers of each item. Once these tags have been affixed, you can carry out a rapid inventory.
Our mobile application is specially designed to simplify quantity control at store receiving. It interfaces with existing information systems, enabling you to integrate RFID and its benefits into your management systems.
It enables you to take inventory easily, and to manage the number of items planned for each reference.
If actual stock levels fall below expectations, an alert is automatically sent to the manager to trigger replenishment and avoid stock-outs.
UBI Retail Boost is accompanied by the web application UBI Cloud, which offers a variety of functionalities:
- Customized KPIs for tracking sales;
- Dashboards and graphical or tabular reports;
- Visualization of stock by store;
- Analysis of stock variances by store or zone;
- Alerts configurable according to your needs, etc.
What changes can traceability bring for retailers?
UBI Retail Boost offers a solution designed to transform day-to-day operations in the retail industry.
By meticulously tracking products throughout their journey, it is possible to:
✅ Carry out inventories in record time.
✅ Find a specific product quickly.
✅ Optimize replenishment operations.
✅ Receive and place items on shelves.
✅ Have total visibility over operations, etc.
This approach saves valuable time for employees, enabling them to concentrate on other aspects of their work, such as customer care.
UBI Retail Boost : Case studies
Case studies WEST CHEVAL: Traceability of equestrian equipment
The company WEST CHEVAL, which has specialized in the sale of equestrian equipment for 25 years, has long been faced with the challenge of inventory.
However, since adopting the UBI Retail Boost solution, this tedious task has been considerably simplified. It now only takes 2 people 1.5 hours to take inventory, reducing the risk of errors and lost sales.
Explore this video testimonial to fully grasp the role of IoT/RFID technologies in the retail sector, through an authentic customer experience.
WONDERBOX case studies: Precise tracking and inventory of boxed sets
Founded in 2004, Wonderbox is a Paris-based French company and subsidiary of the Multipass group, specializing in gift boxes and the sale of leisure activities online.
Faced with the need to modernize an obsolete application dedicated to managing gift box inventories in its points of sale, Wonderbox undertook a project aimed at optimizing its processes and improving the accuracy of its inventories.
The main objective was to carry out reliable and accurate inventories, while avoiding over-stocking and automating supply according to the real needs of each outlet.
To meet these challenges, the UBI Solutions team implemented the UBI Retail Boost solution, a mobile application that enables inventories to be carried out by scanning the RFID tags on the boxes. The data collected in this way is then transmitted to UBI Cloud, providing detailed views of inventory by point of sale. In addition, daily data feedback is integrated into the customer's ERP system, ensuring constant synchronization and optimal inventory management.
Thanks to the implementation of the UBI Retail Boost solution, Wonderbox has achieved significant results:
- Optimized inventory processes: WONDERBOX teams were able to save valuable time and increase productivity thanks to a simplified, efficient solution.
- Reduced errors: By improving the ergonomics of the application and exploiting RFID technology, inventory management has become more reliable and accurate, reducing the risk of errors and losses.
- User satisfaction: feedback from WONDERBOX sales staff highlighted an improved user experience, reinforcing the overall effectiveness of the UBI Retail Boost solution.
This fruitful collaboration between Wonderbox and UBI Solutions demonstrates the crucial importance of technological innovation in improving operational processes and customer satisfaction.
Case studies : Full product traceability in a sporting goods retailer for a better in-store experience
In a commercial landscape increasingly focused on customer satisfaction and transparency of operations, sporting goods retailers need to innovate to remain competitive. It was with this in mind that a fruitful collaboration was established with a well-known retailer, keen to improve its customers' experience while ensuring seamless traceability of its products.
By implementing the UBI Retail Boost solution, we were able to optimize supply chain management, from product manufacture to store checkout, and even beyond to include product returns and recycling.
Thanks to the integration of RFID technology, every item is now equipped with an RFID tag or label, enabling unique and precise identification at every stage of its lifecycle. This innovative approach has enabled our partners to track each product's journey in real time, from conception to shelf placement, ensuring total traceability and efficient inventory management.
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But the benefits of this solution go far beyond simply optimizing internal processes. Customers also benefit from an enhanced shopping experience.
Smart checkouts, for example, offer a fast, seamless checkout experience, reducing waiting times and improving customer satisfaction.
Similarly, the Self-service Store concept enables customers to browse freely in the store, access product information via interactive kiosks and finalize their purchases autonomously, offering a personalized, frictionless experience.
By adopting a customer-centric approach and exploiting the latest technological advances, our partner chain has succeeded in standing out in a competitive market while offering its customers an exceptional shopping experience, based on transparency, convenience and innovation.
Alongside the benefits for customers, the UBI Retail Boost solution has also considerably improved working conditions for the company's employees. By automating stock management processes and providing real-time data on product status, the solution has reduced tedious manual tasks and human error. As a result, employees have more time for higher value-added activities, creating a more pleasant and stimulating working environment.
Thanks to the UBI Retail Boost solution, our partner has been able to significantly reduce its operating costs, increase the efficiency of its processes and improve the customer experience, generating tangible and lasting gains for the company.
By adopting innovative solutions like UBI Retail Boost, retail companies can not only meet today's challenges, but also pave the way for sustainable growth. Traceability thus becomes a catalyst for performance, offering optimized supply chain management and boosting consumer confidence. The race for operational efficiency in retail now requires the integration of advanced traceability solutions such as UBI Retail Boost.
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