JD Sports has rolled out RFID technology across all 414 of its stores in the UK and Ireland, a move aimed at improving stock availability and tackling retail theft. The system, developed in partnership with Zebra Technologies, was initially trialled in five stores before being introduced nationwide.
Technology boosts stock accuracy and efficiency
The technology has helped JD Sports achieve a 98% on-shelf availability rate and cut replenishment times by 20%, according to the Retail Gazette. It allows staff to scan products without having to count each item individually on the shop floor or in stockrooms.
The move has also enabled staff to move 95% more stock from storerooms to the shop floor and reduced time spent on manual store checks. The system is being used to identify potential stock losses sooner, replacing reliance on audits that could take place months after a drop in stock occurred.
Partnership with Zebra Technologies
Daniel McGrath, JD Sports' head of customer operations, said the new technology allows employees to spend more time with customers. He said: "What Zebra gives us is the ability to scale with trust. Things just land and work. Colleagues open a box, turn it on, and they are up and running. That lets our teams spend their time where it matters: with the customer."
Zebra Technologies said in a statement: "Zebra Technologies Corporation, a global leader in digitizing and automating workflows to deliver intelligent operations, today announced that it has helped leading retailer JD Sports to achieve 98% on-shelf availability and 20% faster replenishment, so high-demand sizes move from the storeroom to the shelf when and where customers want them."
Mark Thomson, Retail Strategy Director EMEA at Zebra Technologies, added: "Retailers like JD Sports demonstrate the effectiveness of Zebra’s Modern Store framework, and the outcomes we and our partners deliver for both retailers and their shoppers. Together, we’re making work better every day for retailers and their frontline workers."
JD Sports, founded in Bury, Greater Manchester, in 1981, has stores across Europe and a growing portfolio in North America.
