Retail changed quickly to adapt to the consequences of the pandemic. Trends that were moving slowly accelerated due to the need to have robust e-commerce to meet a demand that grew quickly from physical to digital.
Digitization has become a matter of survival. And the speed of implementation became more important than the certainty of the correct strategic path. Better to do it quickly and then correct it than not to move forward and get stuck in the process.
The new consumer behavior is here to stay. This year, China started to have 50% of its sales online, the USA 16% and Brazil 10% (before the pandemic the percentage was 5%). These numbers tend to grow with the confidence that older consumers have acquired in e-commerce and with the immediacy of generation Z (9-23 years old).
The strategy is to increasingly combine convenience and speed. In this scenario in which omnichannel is gaining more space and positioning logistics as a competitive differentiator, the market demands innovative technologies to do more with less costs and fewer errors. RFID technology, which was already used in some areas of retail, became a competitive advantage by assuming the position of smart supply chain, ideal for reducing costs and increasing revenue.
Currently, there are large chains, such as Riachuelo, that have adopted technology throughout the supply chain, from the factory to the final consumer, to guarantee process control and intelligent inventory management. There are other Brazilian groups that invest in same-day deliveries, in various ways: at home, pick-up in store (buy online and pick up in a store), curbside (schedule a delivery of goods to a point such as a sidewalk or parking lot), darkstores and hubs (are stores that are not open to the public, but that function as a logistics hub for thousands of motorbike, bicycle and scooter couriers, who have the speed and flexibility to serve the last mile on the same day, or even in a few hours when purchases are online.
Relevant issues such as sustainability, purpose and inclusion can also be introduced with the use of RFID technology, which allows product traceability throughout the chain. This makes it possible to ensure the suitability of the product’s origin, with respect for the environment and workers in the supply chain. The technology even serves as a seal of authenticity for a merchandise, preventing counterfeiting and guaranteeing the expiration date. Combined with NFC and/or QRCode, the RFID solution can easily engage the customer at the point of sale (POS) via smartphone.
For companies to get the most out of technology in a short space of time, the first step is to invest in cultural transformation with the support of technology suppliers/partners capable of meeting needs, regardless of the size and complexity of the business. Logistics optimization with RFID can be a strategic decision to boost business faster, safer and in line with the new reality.