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Gramedia speeds up inventory checks with RFID
Indonesian bookstore giant has sped up inventory checks, minimised shrinkage and improved customer experience with RFID-powered checkout kiosks and exit gates
Gramedia, Indonesia’s largest bookstore chain, has improved its operational efficiency and customer experience by tapping Zebra’s radio frequency identification (RFID) retail technology.
This includes the use of self-checkout kiosks and RFID-enabled exit gates, which have cut inventory checking time by 50% and sped up customer transactions.
The Asia-Pacific retail market is experiencing rapid growth, with projections indicating a 24% increase between 2023 and 2028, accounting for 57% of global retail sales growth. This requires retailers to adopt digital technology to stay competitive and meet evolving customer expectations. RFID technology can help retailers achieve these goals, enabling real-time inventory visibility, preventing losses and streamlining checkout processes.
“Zebra’s RFID solutions have improved our overall shopping experience by enabling faster, independent transactions, reducing human error, and minimising losses with the establishment of RFID-enabled exit gates,” said Agus Yulianto, IT manager at Gramedia. “We believe that continuing to utilise Zebra’s solution will significantly enhance our operational efficiency in terms of our stock-taking.”
The implementation has allowed Gramedia to redeploy 75% of staff hours from mundane tasks to more customer-centric activities. The self-checkout system, powered by Zebra’s FX7500 fixed RFID reader and AN610 low-profile RFID antenna, is 60% faster than traditional cashier-manned checkouts.
Furthermore, the RFID-enabled exit gates, powered by Zebra’s FX9600 fixed RFID reader, AN480 and AN440 wide-band RFID antennas, have significantly reduced shrinkage. The technology has also improved Gramedia’s stock accuracy by 50% and minimised human error.
“In this rapidly evolving landscape, retailers must strategically invest in advanced technologies to enhance operational efficiency and customer experience,” said Christanto Suryadarma, sales vice-president for Southeast Asia, South Korea and channel at Zebra Technologies. “By doing so, they will boost profitability and foster lasting customer loyalty, positioning themselves strongly in the competitive market.”
PT Duta Kalingga Pratama, a local technology service provider that specialises in industrial IT systems, worked with Gramedia and Zebra to tailor the RFID technology to the bookstore’s specific needs, focusing on cost savings, efficiency improvements and optimised resource utilisation.
According to research from Mordor Intelligence, the RFID market in Asia-Pacific is estimated to reach $5.45bn in 2025 and is set to grow to $7.53bn by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 6.68%. Besides retail, RFID applications deployed in industries such as healthcare and automotive are expected to drive market growth.
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