As we roll this down to the item level, we have the opportunity to see products from cradle to grave. We're not there yet, but we've got a clear vision for it. |
Back-to-school is our Christmas time for educational items. |
Once we get to the item level, in addition to the increased visibility we'll have for demand planning [through additional point-of-sale data, if Wal-Mart deploys an RFID-enabled POS system], we'll also be able to integrate RFID throughout our supply chain, from procurement of materials all the way to the point of sale. |
Twelve in our calculator line meet Wal-Mart's request for Gen 2 tags. We've also had inquiries about Gen 2 from several European and U.S. customers. Target is one. |
We'll get the data points back on when they are stocking and disposing [of] those units, which is [information] we haven't had before. So we [will have] some new data that will help us better understand cycle times, from the time we build and ship that display, to the time [the retailers] actually use it on the floor. |
We're very seasonal. Our calculators, which are used in the math and science classrooms, are on teachers' [school supply] lists that get passed out in the August-to-September time frame. So initially, we'd like to [use RFID to] prevent out-of-stocks and keep products flowing during that key back-to-school season. |