The Power of Virtual Shielding in Retail

Welcome to our latest newsletter! This edition explores virtual shielding and its impact on retailers that utilize it. This technology is a game-changer for the retail industry, offering a cost-effective, reliable, and efficient solution for RFID deployments. Why is this the case? Read more to find out.

What is virtual shielding?

Virtual Shielding is an intelligent algorithm designed to address the limitations of physical shielding in retail environments. It relies on RFID readers scanning items during inventory counts. By analyzing the signal strength and other data points, the system accurately determines the location of each item in real-time, ensuring precise inventory management on the sales floor and the stockroom.

This comes with several benefits:

• Cost-Effective: Eliminates the need for expensive physical barriers.
• Reliable: Provides consistent performance without the interruptions caused by physical obstructions like doors and walls.
• Efficient: Reduces installation time and minimizes disruptions to store operations.

What are the advantages compared to physical shielding?

Traditional physical shielding methods, such as metallic foils and paints, are costly and not foolproof, often leading to signal interference and operational inefficiencies. Physical shields are only partially reliable. For example, doors shielded with metallic foils can allow RFID signals to pass through when opened, leading to inaccurate readings. Also, shielding every possible RFID signal leakage point is nearly impossible, so there will always be gaps that can compromise the system.

Real-world applications of Virtual Shielding

From all our implementations of this technology, we know that virtual shielding significantly reduces the planned budget for physical shielding, saving millions of dollars. Retailers also reported improved stock accuracy and operational efficiency compared to physical shielding because there are fewer signal-blocking materials in the store.

“We were able to remove a multi-million-dollar cost component from our budget thanks to virtual shielding. It has proven to be effective, and we haven’t needed to apply physical shielding in any stores.”

Conclusion

Virtual shielding is a game-changer for the retail industry. It offers a cost-effective, reliable, and efficient solution for RFID deployments. As the market evolves, adopting such technologies will be crucial for staying ahead of the competition and increasing the speed of RFID implementation in-store.

Want to know more about this technology? Please leave us a question in the comments or contact us on our website!