Digitalization due to Corona: DENSO takes a look at 2020/21

E-commerce, RFID, mobile data collection with scanners and handheld terminals, such as the BHT-1700 or BHT-1800 from DENSO – all these are factors that retailers and the adjacent logistics must now focus on in order to stay competitive in the market. The retail sector in particular can no longer concentrate on brick and mortar alone, but has to provide online shops in order to meet customer requirements during the Corona pandemic, but also beyond.

Further Information on auto-ID solutions, mobile data collection with RFID as well as scanners and handhelds is available on the DENSO WAVE EUROPE website.

Why Retail and the adjacent Logistics have to rethink their Strategies – with DENSO

The Corona pandemic has caused many retailers to rethink their strategies. They have to deal with e-commerce and gain advantages through auto-ID. As the delivery volume is increasing due to Corona, auto-ID solutions and the mobile recording of goods with RFID have become all the more necessary.

With mobile data collection, processes are accelerated and errors avoided, so that the employees can concentrate optimally on handling customer orders. Furthermore, auto-ID solutions and especially RFID help retailers and the adjacent logistics ensure that outgoing goods and shipping processes in e-commerce are improved.

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Thanks to auto-ID solutions and RFID, retail employees in order processing and other adjacent departments have access to mobile collected data of the inventory in real-time. In addition, the error rate when recording goods is lower than with manual processing.

The VDE, one of the largest technology organizations in Europe, states that leading IT experts and management consultancies are forecasting the global economic added value of up to eleven trillion US dollars by 2025 through the Internet of Things (Iot), and thus, also mobile data collection. Retailers need to take advantage of the opportunities offered by setting up an online store now.

Advantages for Brick & Mortar with RFID and Auto-ID Solutions

The retail industry is constantly and rapidly changing, and not just because of the Corona pandemic. But the measures to combat the virus are presenting retailers with new challenges. Auto-ID solutions can help: For example, the contact between employees and customers can be reduced by mobile data collection with RFID, even in stationary retail.

In addition, the Zone-D laser sensor, which DENSO launched this year, can help ensure that social distancing is enforced. For this purpose, certain zones are defined in a retail shop. People outside these zones are detected with the innovative laser sensor. A recorded announcement can ensure that the customers keep the recommended distance to each other. Additionally, a PTZ camera can track the reaction of customers in the store so that security or surveillance personnel can intervene if necessary.

In addition to social distancing, RFKeeper, partner of DENSO and leading software provider, makes the digitalization of physical stores possible. So-called full-stack solutions combine the proven efficiency of RFID, using DENSO WAVE technology, with the limitless potential of the IoT and data analysis to bring the advantages of online retail to physical stores.

These RFID-based solutions contribute to an improved customer experience, since the RFKeeper software provides valuable data such as the number or type of articles tried on and conversion rates per article and customer. Hence, customers can profit from a more specific service.

Another advantage of the combination of stationary and online shops is the so-called click-and-collect pick-up. This means that customers can order items in the online shop and quickly come to the shop to pick up their delivery. This not only shortens the length of the average stay at the store, but also reduces contact. But even with this trend, retailers need to manage their inventory accurately to avoid errors in the supply chain.

Otherwise delays or incorrect deliveries lead to customer complaints. The plug & play solution from DENSO and RFKeeper is tailored to individual needs. It is able to cover the entire supply chain and helps optimize the management of daily processes. More information on the RFID-based system, which makes online advantages possible for physical stores, is available here.

Planning 2021 with Auto-ID Solutions and mastering digital Change

DENSO’s Auto-ID solutions play a major role in all branches, as they accelerate processes in retail and logistics and make them more secure and error-free. The digital change is in full swing – with the Auto-ID solutions from DENSO WAVE EUROPE as well as innovative handhelds, scanners, and RFID, retailers and logisticians can master the challenges that not only the Corona pandemic has brought forth, but also root in modernizations regarding e-commerce and the supply chain management.

It is important to actively shape the digital change so that fair competition can continue to be possible. Not just in 2021, but also much longer than that.

For the European market, DENSO WAVE EUROPE is the contact point for all enquiries on QR Codes, mobile data collection, handheld terminals, and scanners. The durable and robust terminals and scanners manufactured by DENSO are to be found in storage, logistics, at the POS, in production, and field & sales automation applications.

Short and informative video clips about the terminals, scanners, and solutions from DENSO WAVE EUROPE can now be viewed on YouTube. The clips include the 20th anniversary of the QR Code, a company presentation, and introductions to the various devices for mobile data capture such as the BHT-1500, BHT-1400 and the GT20 scanner.