The Voluntary Interindustry Commerce Standards Association (VICS) and American Apparel and Footwear Association
(AAFA) announced they will co-sponsor a study on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology use. The study will be conducted and summarized by Kurt Salmon Associates (KSA).
“We will define the best approach apparel and footwear companies should take in the adoption of RFID technology across their value chain based on four factors: 1) business impact, 2) technical feasibility and cost, 3) retail format, and 4) merchandise category,” said KSA Principal Stephen Bogart.
The study will probe retailers, suppliers, transportation companies, and technology firms to determine performance implications of RFID adoption. VICS RFID committee members, including The Limited and Liz Claiborne, have agreed to provide information about their organizations' approaches and strategies.
“KSA will use its global experience in RFID planning and implementation, deep industry knowledge, and detailed business impact data from previous work as the foundation for the study,” said Bogart.
Joe Andraski, President and CEO of VICS said, “We support this important research and we look forward to the results.”
A white paper will be developed based on the study's findings and will be available to the industry in early fall. “The publication will explore areas beyond the RFID use case to help organizations plan their next steps,” said
Mary Howell, AAFA Vice President of Industry Relations.
