Retail RFID pilots for three years

An amount of $800 000 was budgeted and spent by the average consumer products company on RFID pilots from 2004 to 2006, reports Forbes.com.

However, after three years, RFID retail tests have slowed and are still only pilots, and companies are searching for a return on investment.

During 2006, Wal-Mart announced that RFID pilots have resulted in a 16% reduction in the number of times products went out of stock. Its findings show the use of RFID improved the efficiency of moving products from the backroom to the store shelves by 60%.

The shortlist for the European Retail Solutions Awards 2007 has been announced, reports Manufacturing Talk. In its seventh year, the awards are held on the second night of the Retail Solutions exhibition at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole.

The awards highlight outstanding contributions technology has made for top retail names that include Mothercare, Costa Coffee, Tesco, Vodaphone, Harvey Nichols, Lakeland and Woolworths.

There has been a marked increase in the number of entrants as both vendors and retailers look to broadcast their technology successes.

Australian and New Zealand consumers will soon be able to enjoy the products and services of InComm, as it is extending its product and technology solutions to those regions, according to SYS-CON.

InComm will offer these markets a number of services, including gift cards, prepaid wireless, downloadable music, bill payment and reloadable debit cards.

The company is in discussions with a number of retailers and product providers to develop a suite of gift cards and other products, to give consumers convenient shopping destinations to buy many popular products and services.