JD Sports has introduced RFID technology across 414 stores in the UK and Ireland to improve stock availability, speed up replenishment and tackle retail theft.
The company recently partnered with Zebra Technologies to roll out the inventory-tracking system, which it says has helped achieve 98 per cent on-shelf availability and cut replenishment times by 20 per cent.
The tech allows store staff to scan products on the shop floor and in stockrooms without having to count each item individually, giving the retailer a more accurate picture of its inventory.
JD said the system has also helped staff move 95 per cent more stock from storerooms onto the shop floor, while reducing the time spent on manual stock checks.
The rollout followed a five-store trial and reached 414 UK and Ireland locations in around three months, with an average of 26 stores added each week.
It worked with technology suppliers Renovotec and Checkpoint Systems on the project, using the latter’s ItemOptix software to track inventory across its stores.
Alongside improving product availability, JD is using the technology to identify potential stock losses earlier, rather than relying on periodic audits that can take place months after an incident.
JD Sports head of customer operations Daniel McGrath said the technology had made it easier for store teams to manage stock without taking time away from customers.
The UK and Ireland deployment forms part of a wider international programme.
By September, JD had introduced RFID across 2,700 stores globally, including 1,000 directly operated locations, to improve inventory management across its business.
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