Matalan Rolls Out Item-Level RFID across 200 Stores

Matalan has deployed SML RFID’s RFID tags and SML’s Clarity® item-level solutions across all of its 220 stores in the UK.

RFID solutions provider SML RFID has been working with Matalan for the past two years; the retailer determined it needed to improve its inventory accuracy across its entire business. To facilitate this, it embarked on deploying RFID into two pilot stores using SML’s Clarity® software suite. The outcome was that the retailer discovered various benefits, most importantly that its inventory accuracy wasn’t at an acceptable level.

Within each of the two store pilots Matalan staff were able to count in excess of 100,000 items of merchandise over a three-hour window. The counts were done on a weekly basis, and the counts achieved inventory accuracy of >95 percent. The solution is also able to accurately receive stock from its central distribution center; with delivery discrepancies reported back to the warehouse management system.

Following the six-month pilot across two locations Matalan has now deployed RFID across all 220 of its stores in the UK in order to enhance its inventory accuracy and deliver on the promise of omnichannel to improve the shopping experience. The store colleagues will also provide a better customer experience by using the real-time stock inquiry and search/find functionality. The solution utilizes more than 900 Hand Held Terminals from Zebra Technologies with an Android Touch Computer across the estate, and the data is stored in Microsoft’s Azure Cloud platform.

Working in partnership between Matalan and SML, the solution was fully tested and rolled out to the 220 stores in a four-month period. Matalan is now looking to deploy various innovations to leverage the investment in RFID.