RFID Chips in Shoes and Clothing
It is projected that over 750 million RFID chips will be used globally in apparel markets next year alone, and the average growth rate expected at around 60% over the next three years. These tags allow retailers to have more control over their inventory, helping to prevent situations where a popular item runs out of stock and results in lost sales.
Big retailers including JC Penney, Macy's, and Wal-Mart are taking the lead in converting to RFID inventory management, because they are seeing an almost immediate return on their investment, not only in inventory management but also in loss prevention. Tight credit remains an issue for many smaller retailers wishing to implement these systems, but retail analysts say it is probably just a matter of time before these chips become as commonplace as the bar-code system in all retail stores.