Welcome to the RFID Mandate webinar rundown, RFID Retail Mandates – 2023 and Beyond with Zebra Technologies. In this webinar, Bob Conti, President of Imprint Enterprises, and Patti Blessing, RFID Solutions – Hospitality with Zebra Technologies, provide an overview of how to navigate RFID mandates and the impact RFID will have on your business today and into the future.
Read on for highlights of the topics addressed in the webinar or go directly to RFID Retail Mandates – 2023 and Beyond with Zebra Technologies to watch the replay.
What is a Mandate?
By definition, a mandate is an official order to something. Businesses view mandates as contract requirements to assure business continuity. Mandates have been in place for years, such as packaging specifications, pricing, and even ethical and environmentally friendly manufacturing. Patti addresses how RFID mandates are different:
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- Visibility
- Traceability
- Regulatory requirements
- Change management
- Technological investment
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RFID is the New Reality
Change is the new reality in business to remain financially stable. Customer expectations shape how business is done, and customers are demanding greater convenience and speed. More businesses are leaning on technological advancements to help mitigate problems while improving operations. Patti discusses:
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- Regulations
- Supply chain constraints
- E-commerce picks
- Theft
- Profitability pressures
- Labor
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RFID has been in retail and other industries for over 15 years. The value of using RFID is more evident today than just simply counting product. Patti discusses the many use cases identified in studies by Auburn University for RFID that can help minimize problems seen with specific categories in stores.
Identifying and Preparing for a Mandate
Mandates have evolved since the early days of the Walmart 100 to be more thoughtful and complete. Patti discusses the information you should receive from the company that initiates the mandate:
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- Program requirements or overall objective
- Standards to use
- Timelines required
- Testing requirements
- Resources
- A Playbook
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Responding to a mandate should include an evaluation of the project from a very holistic approach. It is important to read everything that is sent instead of trying to anticipate the requirements. Imprint and Zebra are the RFID experts that can help make the process easier and quicker, while mitigating risks along the way.
The Benefits are Not Just for Retailers
Incorporating RFID may not be an initial objective for your business, but it can be of value for your future. There are proven benefits of incorporating RFID at the manufacturing, logistics, and distribution center (DC) levels. RFID can automate and digitize your processes, impacting your bottom line. Patti discusses the following benefits:
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- Visibility
- Reductions
- Enhancements
- Loss detection
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Equipment Implementation
Zebra offers an extensive portfolio of devices that can print on-demand RFID encoded labels. Your business environment can impact the type of products and materials that will best suit your needs. Patti provides a few examples of RFID products to incorporate:
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- RFID Printers: Mobile, Desktop, Industrial
- Handheld and Fixed Readers
- Autonomous and Transition Readers
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RFID in the News
Walmart and Chipotle are prime examples of setting RFID mandates. Walmart started RFID mandating in 2005 while Chipotle started their mandate in 2020. Both companies require products coming into their stores and DCs to be RFID tagged. Walmart requires tags on individual items while Chipotle requires case level tagging.
Both Walmart and Chipotle have phased in their tagging requirements based on critical items and/or specific categories, working through to smaller suppliers. Other companies with RFID mandates include:
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- McDonald’s
- Nordstrom
- Target
- Macy’s
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Webinar Wrap-Up
Zebra Technologies is an industry leader in RFID technology. Imprint Enterprises has the tools, knowledge, and experience to help you move forward with the future of RFID mandate compliance. The webinar is completed with Patti and Bob answering the following questions:
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- Patti: How long is the process from pre-planning, to mandate, to mastery? How long would an average company look for scheduling a response to a mandate?
- Patti: We have our products manufactured overseas. How do we ensure that the mandate is being handled over there and what are some of the pitfalls of getting it shipped over, into the U.S., into our distribution system, and onto the actual end retailer?
- Patti: What are some of the challenges or pitfalls that you’ve seen with having some of the products shipped over (e.g., container, pallet, package, and individual product levels)?
- Bob: Do you have any case studies or examples where a company actually saw a big difference in their business from implementing this mandate?
- Bob: Can you talk about the data integration into current systems, or do they have to update their complete system as far as software goes?
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Watch the Webinar Replay
Integrating a RFID mandate does not have to be overly complicated. Zebra has good, better, and best options to match your budget, the mandate requirements, and to prepare you for the future. Zebra is the expert in RFID, staying on top of technological advancements for your benefit.
With 32 years of experience, Imprint Enterprises is a Premiere Solution Partner with Zebra. Imprint is an industry-leading provider of barcode printers, scanners, verifiers, software, RFID, labeling, warehouse labeling systems, as well as repair and maintenance solutions.
Watch the webinar replay, RFID Retail Mandates – 2023 and Beyond with Zebra Technologies. The experts are there to help you and your business. If you have questions, contact Imprint Enterprises today.
