Swiss fashion retailer to extend item-level RFID across European stores

Now the retailer is planning to implement it more broadly across its global supply network and European stores.

Utilising a system from Checkpoint Systems, Charles Vögele is able to apply smart tags to merchandise at the point of manufacture, and they can be read throughout its logistics operations and in stores.

Charles Vögele’s global supply chain sees 70 million garments distributed though 34 consolidation hubs around Asia and Europe. The retailer’s vice president of supply chain Thomas Beckmann has praised the system, saying that operations are been transformed from source to store. He said: “We have begun streamlining our operations and supporting our sales in ways that simply were not possible before; in many ways this marks the beginning of a retail revolution.”

The retailer can now track and trace individual garments along its entire supply chain, which will allow it to reduce logistics errors, and eliminate packing errors and inaccurate shipments.

The accurate view of merchandise on the sales floor and in the back room also allows Charles Vögele to re-stock more efficiently than was possible before, so that the most-popular lines are always on display and available to customers. Beckmann added that RFID ensures this availability, helping Charles Vögele to respond to the expectations of its customers.