RFID Update: Dutch book retailer Boekhandels Groep Nederland (BGN) has opened what it calls the world's first item-level tagged store. Every book in the Almere, Netherlands-based SmartStore has a Rafsec Gen2 tag attached to it.
RFID tags are affixed to books bound for the BGN SmartStore at a third-party distribution center, and an advanced shipping notice (ASN) is compiled and electronically sent to the SmartStore. When the shipment of books is received at the store, the boxes pass through an RFID tunnel, which checks their contents against the ASN, reporting any errors or discrepancies. The books are then unpacked from their boxes and placed across the store's 800 shelves, per the usual process.
Shoppers will no longer have to seek help from store staff when searching for books, as before. Instead, using Progress' EasyAsk application, they can search store inventory at kiosks located in the store or from home using BGN's Web site. The new ease with which customers can locate their desired books will lead them to buy more, the company believes.
