Smart Solutions to Support the Digital Transformation in Retail

With so many unexpected changes in 2020, we have seen a widespread digital transformation of the retail industry evolve faster than ever. As the pandemic continues to present new challenges in 2021, it looks like these changes are here to stay. Many retailers have turned to newer technologies to optimize their operations in areas like omnichannel shopping, self-checkout, contactless, and inventory management. 

RFID has gained a lot of traction in the retail industry, where businesses use its versatile technology to do everything from supporting a retail loss prevention system to tracking merchandise throughout the entire supply chain. With almost limitless potential in asset tracking and inventory management, RFID provides retailers with precise stock information and valuable customer insights so they can create a more personalized shopping experience. 

Partnering with an experienced RFID solutions provider is essential for retailers to find a solution that fits the unique needs of their business. For more than forty-five years, CONTROLTEK has been working with its clients to solve a wide range of business problems in cutting-edge ways that bridge security and efficiency. Our mission is to help retailers overcome today’s challenges while preparing their businesses for tomorrow. By focusing on future-ready technology that supports the digital transformation of retail, we provide retailers with customizable solutions for loss prevention, asset tracking, inventory control, and much more.  

Rapitag: Bringing E-Commerce to the Retail Store 

We have recently partnered with rapitag, the worldwide leading tech provider for secure mobile checkout and unique customer experiences in retail, to offer the world’s first patented anti-theft IoT security tags for one-click-buying. Powered by the Internet of Things (IoT), rapitag’s smart tag automatically unlocks after an item has been purchased, allowing customers to simply choose the items they want, ring them up at self-checkout or from their mobile device, pay, then leave with their purchases, without the need for a detacher or further store associate assistance.  

As more consumers expect a seamless, convenient shopping experience from retailers, automation has become a major part of the digital transformation of retail. In addition to the growing popularity of omnichannel experiences like BOPIS (buy-online, pickup-in-store) and curbside pickup, the next generation of retail gives more control to the customer.  

Self-checkout has become a widespread feature in many stores, particularly in big box stores and grocery stores. Rapitag’s smart retail solutions create a true seamless self-checkout experience. Also, customers can scan an item with their mobile device and complete their purchase online while the security tag unlocks itself for automatic loss prevention. 

By placing more power in the hands of the customer, retailers can use rapitag to collect valuable insights about the customer experience, bringing the data-driven nature of e-commerce into the physical store. Rapitag enables retailers to support the future of omnichannel shopping, where the digital and physical worlds of retail are integrated to create a highly personalized shopping experience for consumers. 

Rapitag’s smart retail solutions offer automated loss prevention that retailers can start using right away while they prepare to implement the newer digital solutions on the horizon, such as AI-powered inventory management, cashierless stores, and personalized shopping experiences in store and online. 

ControlSpan: Robust RFID for Asset Tracking and Inventory Control 

In the latest expansion of our RFID solutions offering, we released ControlSpan, our RFID software for real-time asset tracking and item-level visibility of the retail store. ControlSpan automates the inventory tracking process to provide retailers with 99 percent accurate, real-time visibility of their entire stock—from production to point of sale, streamlining omnichannel sales and enabling them to sell to the last unit. 

Our RFID software combines cloud, mobile, AI, and IoT technologies to bring full visibility of your operations right to your fingertips. ControlSpan brings all the power of RFID into one platform so retailers can easily manage their inventory and track their assets with an intuitive, mobile-first software solution. 

By integrating ControlSpan with your existing systems and technologies, retailers can transfer data between systems in real time to get the most accurate overview of your organization. For example, retailers can connect ControlSpan to their current enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to start collecting and analyzing customer data in order to better anticipate shopping trends and changing customer expectations. By implementing ControlSpan, retailers can future-proof their businesses with the near-endless potential of RFID technology. 

ControlSpan is managed with our highly customizable mobile app that is easy to use for employees across your enterprise, so you can start using it right away. And with our flexible PaaS subscription plans, retailers pay only for what they need, so they can easily scale their RFID operations alongside their company’s growth.  

InFlight RFID: Versatile RFID Hardware Solution 

InFlight RFID introduces the next generation of RFID as EAS technology. As the world’s slimmest RFID reader, InFlight RFID can be mounted on a wall or a ceiling to provide virtually unmatched stealth capabilities in a discreet design that doesn’t disrupt the customer experience. 

InFlight RFID is the first and only RFID as EAS system that uses LiDAR time-of-flight sensors to collect accurate data about the speed and direction in which a tag is moving. With this state-of-the-art RFID technology, retailers can more easily interpret system alarms and determine if an item is being stolen, which results in virtually no false alarms.

Combining advanced RFID technology with a sleek design, InFlight RFID provides high-performing retail loss prevention with the potential to expand its capabilities even further. Retailers can use InFlight RFID as part of their loss prevention program to secure merchandise while gaining real-time inventory, asset tracking, and advanced reporting to future-proof their businesses. 

InFlight RFID automates inventory management by using Bluetooth to sync with other RFID readers and update stocking information in real time so that retailers have the most accurate view of store inventory. Remote diagnostics also result in less downtime for retailers, so they can reduce service costs and easily keep up with routine maintenance to ensure the highest possible performance of their system.

About CONTROLTEK 

At CONTROLTEK, we understand the unique challenges that retailers face as the industry shifts toward a new generation of retail. With inventory visibility and the customer experience at the forefront of retail digitization, retailers need customizable solutions from a solutions provider that works with them to prepare for the future. Our range of versatile RFID solutions provides high-performing asset protection, automated asset tracking and inventory management, seamless self-checkout, valuable customer insights, and much more. Contact us at controltekusa.com or call 888-808-6970.