Visual Merchandising and Store Design | VMSD.com

Common People uses RFID technology

By Steve Kaufman

The revolution in in-store RFID technology is making inroads in North America, starting in Mexico City at Common People’s upscale specialty apparel store.

Here, a smart fitting room has been equipped with a weight sensor mat that automatically activates software when the room is occupied and RFID tags that read all the products brought in, displaying them on a touchscreen. On the sales floor, a sunglasses fixture houses a motion sensor that determines when a customer picks up merchandise and can identify the specific pair of glasses.

The technology also provides data on current inventory positions and item sales and even notes goods that were handled but not purchased, allowing the retailer to optimize its purchasing and merchandising strategies.

But why is the technology revolution happening in Mexico and not in the U.S.? “Because American retailers have so much invested in their current bar code technology,” says Tim Lynch, sales vp, StoreKraft Manufacturing (Beatrice, Neb.), which created the fixture package, wrote the software and integrated the software and hardware with the fixtures. “And the ability to drive sales through RFID technology has not been there – until now.”