Matalan rolls out RFID to boost omnichannel

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Jan 21, 2020

Following a six-month pilot, Matalan has rolled out RFID technology across all its 220 stores in the UK to improve its inventory accuracy and deliver a more robust omnichannel experience.

The value retailer partnered with SML RFID, a company specialised in implementing RFID solutions for the retail market, after a two-store pilot revealed that its inventory accuracy wasn’t “at an acceptable level”.

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology is now used by some of the UK’s largest fashion brands including Superdry, River Island and Tesco’s F&F, to minimise out-of-stock situations and increase sales.

Matalan said the trial helped it achieve an inventory count accuracy of over 95%. The solution is able to monitor inventory discrepancies and provide real-time information for store staff.

“As a business, we are committed to adopting appropriate transformative technologies that enable us to address the ever-changing needs of our customers. Our initial pilots using SML’s Clarity RFID solution allowed us to gain a significantly improved view of our inventory and the return on investment across the business was apparent,” said Howard Reed, CTO at Matalan.

“Matalan is a prime example of how a retailer can utilise the technology to improve its daily operations, deliver on an enhanced customer experience and provide multi-channel shopping opportunities,” added Dean Frew, SML’s CTO and senior VP of RFID Solutions.

The company is now looking to deploy more innovations to leverage its RFID investment.