Our Checkpoint experts are (unsurprisingly) super quick at reformatting artwork files. So quick, they've cottoned onto an even better way of doing it. One that takes the process down to a matter of seconds, virtually error-free, and easy to do. Let's talk about it…

Manual production-ready artwork files are slowing you down

The journey to a production-ready artwork file is long and winding (well…if you do it the non-Checkpoint way). Your beautiful artwork file needs some serious nip/tuck action before it can go to production and find its forever home on your garments — it'll need dielines, hole punch dimensions, and more.

Making your labels production-ready can take a huge amount of time and can get very repetitive very quickly. If you need to tweak your logo, branding, or dimensions across a range of different label types produced in different factories around the world, you could set back the time it takes to go to market by days…maybe even weeks (or worse!). Given the pace of e-commerce today, you can't afford to fall behind over something like updating a label design!

If all this sounds achingly familiar, you'll be pleased to know that there's a solution—automation.

Cue…artwork automation

As you'd expect, the crew at Checkpoint are experts in artwork prep. We teamed our decades of art development knowledge with our cloud-based platforms to create an internal automated flow that our clients can take full advantage of. Here's why artwork automation is the way forward…

From receipt to production in minutes

People are an integral part of the creative process. And that's exactly why they shouldn't be tied up in painstaking, manual processes like tweaking and reformatting hundreds of artwork files for production.

Automated processes like the ones we use at Checkpoint across our many global sites dramatically shorten the time from receipt to production-ready artwork — we're talking 2,000 artwork files completed in 3 hours rather than the 6 full weeks it would take to do it manually.

Your artboards are automatically identified based on the art file supplied, with us free to copy and paste the front and back designs. In fact, we don’t need any further input from you at all here, meaning no changes at all are made to how you currently work internally. And that's it—consistent, accurate artboards instantly. It even automatically defines, adds, and places technical lines and punch holes!

Error-free production art using data

When a task is repetitive enough, the odd mistake is bound to creep through. So, thank goodness for data-led automation. Automated art production systems like ours allow you to standardize inputs to turbocharge your efficiency.

It automatically adds accurate dyelines, folds and perforations, names every layer with standardized conventions, and even uses standardized file names for easy organization. Automated artwork production flows also give you digital renders for an immediate review of the artwork so you can stamp out version errors. It becomes the ultimate benchmark of truth!

Easy last-minute changes

Branding updates, legal requirements, market needs…there are tons of reasons you might need to make last-minute updates across numerous groups of artworks. Luckily, automation has your back when it comes to workflow resilience!

Artwork is also easy to automate on a global scale. Your teams can access your entire catalogue of artwork from your bespoke landing page, make changes in a fraction of the time, and then check and review before heading right into production. That’s right. Whenever and wherever you need to access them. Gotta move at speed if you wanna catch the edge!

Automating your artwork production (it’s easier than you think!)

Unfortunately, the journey to automated artwork production doesn't involve negotiating with robots. It's actually far quicker and easier than you might think! For example, the automated processes we use at Checkpoint need minimal set-up and minimal manual intervention—you'll be up and running before you know it! Our systems are also built to evolve, so you won't be tied to outdated tech in a year or two.

Our artwork pros work with you to establish standardized color-correct values for each label format you use (because brand consistency is everything) all ready to go when you need them. They'll be on hand to guide you through designing for print labels, so you're starting with a solid foundation before you let loose on the automation.

Our team has decades of experience working with artwork production technology and manipulating flat art files. With millions of labels passing through our systems every day, your workflow is in good hands!

So, what about it? Are you ready to save time, money, and labor by automating your artwork formatting process? Won't it be sweet to kiss goodbye to minor slip-ups and delays caused by manual editing? Not to mention offloading the editing of large libraries of artworks!

Contact our experts and ask any questions you have. We're pros at making production-ready artwork files, and we've built the cloud-based platforms that underpin the automation process. We can answer anything you can ask (and we love it). Fire away!

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Quick recap

It all starts with the European Green Deal, a commitment to reach climate neutrality by 2050. As part of that, a circular economy action plan was created. Ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulation (ESPR) is one of the initiatives being introduced to deliver on this.

The regulation, part of the EU Green Deal, will replace the Eco-design Directive and empower the European Commission to set eco-design requirements for all goods placed on the EU market. It will start with 31 priority product groups with the highest energy or material efficiency potential.

The Ecodesign Regulation has three key highlights:

• Enhanced product sustainability: manufacturers need to integrate sustainable design principles into their products from the start, considering recycled content, durability and the removal of substances of concern
• Digital product passports (DPP): introducing a digital twin of the physical product linked to a digital platform that gives detailed information on a product's lifecycle from raw material to reuse, recycling, and repair.
• Boosting the circular economy: by encouraging product reuse and refurbishment as well as recycling for waste reduction and resource efficiency, we can move towards a more circular economy.

Read: Digital Product Passport Guide

The Commission proposed the new regulation in 2022, and in 2023, the Council adopted its general approach and reached a provisional agreement with the Parliament in December of the same year. At the end of May, the regulation moved on to the next stage…

ESPR: what’s new?

On May 27th, the European Council approved the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). The ESPR came into force on July 18th, 2024, and is seen as the cornerstone of the commission’s approach to more environmentally sustainable and circular products.

The Ecodesign requirements are being developed via an Ecodesign Forum, including impact assessments and stakeholder consultations. This will affect businesses across the chain, from manufacturers (EU and non-EU) and importers to distributors and fulfillment service providers.

Each EU member state will enforce the rules, and customs authorities will control products entering the EU market. Reporting requirements on unsold products and the ban on their destruction are expected to also be announced, covering unsold textiles and footwear.

Anyone putting a product onto the market will need to make sure that they're complying with these sets of rules across a selection of product aspects, which include things like durability, reusability, repairability, energy use, and more.

Read: EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation

Getting ready for the future

Sustainability starts with design

The main aim of regulations like ESPR is to encourage brands to design with sustainability in mind to improve circularity, energy performance, and environmental impact. Labeling partners like the team at Checkpoint have sustainability-focused project frameworks like our Planit Process, a collaborative, five-step process with sustainability at its core. It’s a great way to get expert guidance on making sustainability a primary focus in your labeling and packaging projects.

Read: How to start the journey to sustainable packaging

Gemini Tags®

Digital Product Passports haven't been passed yet, but the earlier you plan for them, the better. Our teams developed the Gemini Tag® specifically for DPP rollouts to help tackle retailers' most common challenges with the initiative.

The Gemini Tag utilizes two twinned QR codes — one printed on the tag for easy customer access and one printed on the sewn-in care label for lifetime access. This is just one solution you can explore before the legislation rolls out.

Would you like to discuss Digital Product Passports? Get in touch—we’re listed on the CIRPASS website as an official solution provider. It’s a project consortium made up of 31 partners who have come together, funded by the European Commission, to manage the DPP rollout. Do you have questions about how to start preparing your labeling for the DPP and ESPR rollouts? We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch and tell us how we can help.

The post Ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulation – updates you need to know appeared first on Checkpoint Systems - RFID and RF Technology solutions.

Meet Eyewall: our newest family of NFC labels

The Eyewall family is a trio of round NFC-enabled labels, each designed to meet a specific use case in retail, luxury, medicine, food and beverages, and libraries. Depending on the need, they can be embedded into different products or applied as anti-tamper labels.

Because Eyewall labels contain encrypted NFC (near-field communication) chips, they open up a ton of customer experience possibilities, all accessible with the tap of a smartphone. Without further ado, let’s meet the crew…

Understanding NFC technology:
what is NFC and how does it engage customers?

Eyewall

These dinky 24mm labels have a round, compact design that allows them to fit neatly onto most products and packaging. They’re NFC-enabled, so customers can scan them with a smartphone to unlock the info or goodies you’ve stored there.

Eyewall Large

Eyewall Large labels are designed for the ‘go big or go home’ crowd (or people with larger items to tag). They’ve got HF RFID capabilities and operate at a lower frequency than labels like our RAIN RFID inlays, for example. This means they’re perfect for close-contact scans in applications such as libraries.

Eyewall Tamper

Want to stop people from tampering with your stuff? Eyewall Tamper should be your go-to. Its long stickable strip breaks when the product is opened, creating a digital record of the time of breach while giving visual evidence. It comes with all the standard engagement goodness of NFC tech, too. The tamper is ideal for wines and beverages, as well as having use cases in pharmaceutical and other industries where the integrity of the product inside the packaging is paramount.

Now that you’ve been introduced to the family let’s delve into all the excellent use cases and benefits you’ll enjoy when you tag products with Eyewall labels.

Why try Eyewall?

Upselling opportunities

You’re living in a world where products can upsell by themselves. Wild, isn’t it? Eyewall labels allow you to snag a tasty sales uplift using the encoded NFC chip to recommend similar or complementary products to complete an outfit, skincare regimen, or meal deal via your customers' smartphone.

Meaningful engagement

Eyewall labels make it oh so easy to engage with customers on a more meaningful level, pre- and post-sale. We’re talking dynamic, personalized experiences at the tap of a tag or sales support info accessible post-purchase. You could even use your Eyewall labels as part of loyalty programs or to give detailed product and end-of-life info as part of your Digital Product Passport rollout.

Read: how NFC technology can boost engagement

Easy, secure authentication

Safeguard your luxury products by giving shoppers a super easy way to authenticate quickly using their smartphone. Because NFC tech is encrypted (that’s why banking apps and smartphone wallets use it), it’s incredibly difficult to tamper with the data on the chip. Products like accessories and footwear can carry the NFC label for their entire lifecycle for authentic reselling, either customer-to-customer or via your own pre-loved marketplace.

Protect food and drinks

Luxury alcohol, exclusive batches and one-of-a-kind vintages can now get the same protection and encrypted authentication as other products. An Eyewall Tamper label can ensure the bottle is unopened and from a verified provenance. The HF RFID capabilities of the Eyewall Large can help with temperature monitoring and inventory control, too!

Authenticate and safeguard medicine

Okay, if you’re an apparel retailer, this won’t apply to you, but knowing everything the tech can do is handy, right? The Eyewall Tamper label is super convenient for medication — one easy scan gives you access to detailed (and encrypted!) information about the medication, access to records, safety info, and authentication. Not to mention tamper control via the breakage strip. It’s a game-changer, honestly.

Read: How NFC tags can protect luxury brands

Which label is best for you?

Choosing your ideal label can be a tricky business. It might differ from product to product and depend on factors like budget, rollout plan, use case, and goals. That’s why we always recommend having an expert team in your corner to help guide your journey.

Label experts like ours have decades of experience helping retailers and brands find their perfect fit. They’ve even designed new intelligent label solutions (case in point, the new Eyewall labels) to suit specific customer use cases. That’s the benefit of working with a vertically integrated global label partner, not to mention seamless sourcing and training from local teams worldwide.

Explore our intelligent label portfolio

Want to quiz us about the new Eyewall labels? Perhaps you’re keen to find out if they’ll work for you and your products? Get in touch with our team and ask away. From project planning and rollout to training and long-term support, we do it all — there’s not much we can’t answer. If you want NFC-enabled product labels, we’ll help you get there!

The post How to skyrocket customer engagement with our new Eyewall labels appeared first on Checkpoint Systems - RFID and RF Technology solutions.

Read: Everything you need to know about RFID

Evolution vs revolution

Evolution

Evolutions are slow, steady affairs — slow burners that allow you to take your RFID implementation step by step until you reach your ideal destination. You can start with key SKUs or product groups, strategically tagged to prove ROI potential before you forge ahead with the whole shebang.

The ‘evolution’ RFID rollout approach is fab for brands with a wide range of SKUs or a more measured approach to budgeting. You can start with your best sellers, high-value products, or products prone to inaccurate inventory figures.

You can also use the evolution approach to combine the benefits of RFID with improved loss prevention. By tagging your high-theft or high-value products with inlays like our UNO Dual Technology labels, you can get discreet loss prevention (or an added layer of protection alongside your hard tags) without overhauling your existing RF hardware.

Learn more about UNO Dual Technology labels

Although you have options for approaching your RFID evolution, the easiest and most affordable route is to start with a roll of RFID-encoded stickers. Just apply them to the garment swing tags on selected product lines, and you're away! Our experts will be there to talk you through it and train your store staff, too.

Revolution

Ready for a complete overhaul? A dramatic makeover? You could opt for a total RFID revolution with all the bells and whistles. It's an excellent approach for retailers with an easily modified source-tagging process, a manageable number of SKUs, or a healthy budget upfront.

The great thing about RFID is that you're very likely to get your investment back in a year or less, so that high upfront cost could easily be back in your tills in no time (we've done hundreds of RFID project rollouts over the years, and this is usually the case!).

Our team would work with you to decide which RFID inlays are the best match for your products, your tags, and your KPIs. After that, we’ll get our local experts to train your factory teams on how to embed and scan RFID inlays successfully, so the garments are ready as soon as they come off the delivery truck, complete with supply chain info dating back to the initial tag. Very useful intel to have!

Loss prevention can also be included in your RFID revolution. For example, if you combine our UNO Dual Technology labels with SFERO, our RFID as EAS modular security system, you’ll enjoy a possible detection capability of more than 95% while creating the open, experiential physical spaces customers are looking for. Radical? Yes. Effective? Absolutely!

Learn more about SFERO

4 factors to consider

There's a good chance you have an idea of which approach is best for your brand based on the intel we've already provided. Either way, it's a good idea to review this list of considerations before you start plotting your rollout…

1)   What are your KPIs?

The KPIs and goals for your RFID project will heavily determine which course of action is best for you. If you’re striving to reach the level of stock accuracy needed for omnichannel or plan to use RFID for process overhauls (like reseller programs or groundbreaking sustainability initiatives), you might need a revolution!

Just need accurate inventory figures and faster replenishment for your top products? A staged rollout is a sensible route to take. Our advice? Note down those must-have KPIs and share them with your RFID expert.

2)   What are your processes?

Your RFID project goes far beyond the staff in your stores or your eCommerce warehouse. For example, are your overseas factory teams RFID savvy and well-equipped to take on a massive overhaul? Do you have processes higher up your supply chain that can easily handle a hardcore RFID project rollout? Or is staging a smarter way to usher in the change?

3)   What’s your budget?

Budget is a biggie when it comes to RFID rollout approaches! For example, if you’re not quite ready to upgrade the EAS hardware in all your stores but still want the loss prevention benefits of RFID, you could start with Dual Technology labels. You’ll be able to start reaping the benefits without upgrading your existing hardware.

Tagging at source can also be more involved and more expensive than applying a roll of stickers to selected products in store. Luckily, a team of experts like ours can help you run the numbers and find a way to achieve your KPIs.

4)   What’s your timeline?

When do you want to start reaping the benefits of your RFID implementation? Is there a set deadline you're working towards, or do you have a more flexible timeline for your rollout? Note down key dates and landmarks to use when assessing your options. Evolutions are quicker to action than revolutions, but it's always best to get the help of experienced pros when weighing up your options.

Do you know which RFID approach you’ll go with? If you’re still not sure or want expert help, contact our team today. We’ve overseen hundreds of RFID projects and even invented inlays to meet client use cases and goals. No matter your project's speed, scale, or scope, we'll find a way to get you as close to your target as possible.

Want to learn more about RFID? Visit our blog for more insights on the technology and its uses. If there’s something you want covered but can’t find, let us know! Knowledge sharing is our groove.

The post Evolution vs revolution: which RFID project type is best for you? appeared first on Checkpoint Systems - RFID and RF Technology solutions.

How do dual technology labels work?

As the name suggests, ‘dual technology labels’ are garment labels that combine two awesomely beneficial technologies into one label. For example, here at Checkpoint, we’ve got two different dual technology labels: DUÉ Mini and UNO. They both rely on one common denominator — UHF RFID (radio frequency identification). And that’s where it all starts.

RFID uses radio frequency waves to communicate, track, and store information. With one quick scan, you can identify and track your stock at a unique item level. When you pair RFID with other frequency-emitting chips, like RF or NFC, you can turbocharge the technology. You’re essentially adding extra return to your RFID label investment. Like so…

UNO labels – RF and RFID

Loss prevention and inventory accuracy in one label? Yes, please. UNO labels are a fab place to start if you want to switch to RFID as EAS because they work with the RF loss prevention hardware you already have. You won’t need to pay through the nose to upgrade everything before you can get started.

RF (radio frequency) technology works over long distances to protect stock by communicating with antennas positioned around the shop floor and pedestals at the door. Combining it with RFID and popping it into a tag turns your garment label into super effective EAS (electronic article surveillance).

A dual technology label like UNO means your garments are loss-prevention ready right off the delivery truck, so you can avoid the time and cost needed to hand-apply labels in-store. Displays look more polished (because they aren’t peppered with bulky hard tags!), and customers enjoy a smoother checkout experience via POS deactivation. Amazing, right?

Learn more about UNO labels

DUÉ Mini labels – NFC and UHF RFID

DUÉ Mini labels boost consumer engagement with your products and brand while giving you inventory intelligence. You’ll know things about your own inventory that you never dreamed of. That’s just how good it is.

DUÉ Mini labels use NFC (near field communication) and UHF RFID to allow you to access the estimated 3 billion NFC-enabled smartphones currently in use globally. With a single tap of a smartphone, customers will be directed to whichever location you’ve encoded your NFC inlays to take them to — websites, product recommendations, sustainability information, the list goes on!

You could use a label like DUÉ Mini in pocket tags, hang tags, and stickers, so you’ve got a few options, depending on how accessible the tech needs to be.

Learn more about DUÉ Mini labels

Here are some benefits you can capitalize on when adding an extra tech to your RFID intelligent labels…

Beef up your loss prevention (without lifting a finger)

Every year, shoplifting costs the UK Economy £1.4 billion, and the cost of living crisis isn’t making the situation any easier. Since the pandemic, theft has risen by 22%, prompting brick-and-mortar retailers to beef up their security efforts.

Theft sucks, but the traditional solution — hard tagging every piece of stock — isn’t always ideal either. A bulky RFID tag for clothes may not look cute in your displays. More than that, the time and cost of having staff hard tag an entire delivery aren't great. A dual technology label is your catch-all solution.

Garments tagged with an RF and RFID dual technology label (like our UNO labels) are ready to go as soon as they reach your store. No need to spend ages hard tagging them — the label has done all the work for you! You can pop your items out in beautiful displays without fretting over their safety. An NRF study recently proved that RF technology could reduce theft by up to 70%, which is no small potatoes considering the revenue you'd lose without that stock.

Read: EAS as a loss reduction solution

Ready, set, engage!

Today’s consumers are all about experiences. Good news is you don’t have to break your back to deliver them. Add an NFC tag sticker to your garments (using something like our DUÉ Mini tags, for example) and give customers access to dynamic, personalized experiences with the tap of a phone.

When you think about it, there’s really no end to the engagement potential you’ve unlocked with an NFC/RFID tag. Boost sales by using your tags to suggest similar or complementary items to complete the ‘fit. Link customers to engaging content, like videos of your recent catwalk events or social media content showing style suggestions.

Dual technology tags with the combo of NFC and UHF RFID are also a fab option for sustainability-conscious retailers who want an easy way to share garment information with consumers before and after purchase. One tap and your customers have full value chain information, complete with care instructions and details on recycling the garment. The possibilities are myriad!

Read: 6 surprising ways labels can enhance your brand

Achieve omnichannel excellence

The omnichannel model is retail’s must-have solution to modern shopping habits. This ‘new’ way of shopping allows customers to skip across various platforms (like desktop, smartphone, app, and brick-and-mortar shops) without restarting their buying journey.

According to Salesforce, 75% of consumers expect consistent service wherever they engage with a brand. And the real kicker is, without incredibly accurate inventory volumes or stock transparency, omnichannel is almost impossible to pull off successfully.

Using a dual technology label like UNO gives you on-shelf availability and super-accurate inventory counts. Our experience shows that RFID alone gives up to 99% stock accuracy — which is pretty darn accurate, if we may say so ourselves!

Read: Unlocking the power of beautiful displays

Product authentication

Second-hand and resale markets are seeing an epic boom. According to a survey by US-based online thrift store thredUP, the global second-hand market is expected to nearly double by 2027, reaching a staggering $350bn. With interest in second-hand selling picking up daily, brands are exploring new ways to authenticate their products.

Products like handbags, shoes and wine benefit most from NFC labels like our DUÉ Minis, which can be scanned and authenticated using their unique item number.

You could launch your own buy-back scheme (like Levi’s, Patagonia, or The North Face) or work with a third-party reseller to improve your sustainability efforts, protect your brand, and allow your customers to keep the value of their investment.

Are you tempted? We don’t blame you — you’d be crazy not to be! If you’d like to look into dual technology labels, give our team a shout. We’re a vertically integrated labeling partner, which means we can help you design and create your labels, then encode and create them close to needlepoint, train your staff, and get the ball rolling without any faff. We’ve had tons of practice, so you’re in very good hands!

Learn more about dual technology labels or contact our team with any questions you’ve got — there’s not much we can’t answer!

The post Twice as nice: why dual technology labels are a must for ambitious retailers appeared first on Checkpoint Systems - RFID and RF Technology solutions.

Is customer engagement ‘broken’?

Customer engagement is reaching a point of critical mass. A rise in the number of people working from home caused weekday footfall across UK retail destinations to drop by 14.2% in 2022 compared to 2019, making it harder for retailers to engage shoppers directly.

Think you can just switch to digital engagement? That's not easy, either! Organic engagement has been slowly declining for several years, with only the most ridiculously innovative brands (or those willing to shell out big bucks for paid engagement) rising to the top.

Although the quality of your product and service can take you far where loyalty is concerned, you still need to keep customers engaged between purchases and even create moments of brand delight as part of the buying journey. And that’s where NFC comes in…

What’s NFC, and how does it work?

NFC stands for ‘near-field communication.’ It’s a proximity-based, short-range RFID communication technology. Tapping an NFC-enabled device — like a smartphone or tablet — to an NFC chip allows you to make transactions or link to exclusive digital content.

Because NFC chips are encoded, the technology is a go-to for contactless payments (AKA Apple Pay and Google Pay). It’s also popular for secure Bluetooth pairings and device connections. NFC has been busy helping other sectors, and now it’s retail’s turn to enjoy the tech…

Learn more about NFC

Exploring your NFC label options

Your choice of NFC label depends on your product size and type, and the functionality you want your label to have. We have two main types of NFC labels here at Checkpoint — Eyewall labels and DUÉ Mini labels.

Eyewall labels are the newest addition to our NFC portfolio. They come in three versions: a small round label that fits neatly onto most products, Eyewall Large with HF RFID capabilities, and Eyewall Tamper with a long, stickable strip that breaks when the product is opened. The chip also records the breakage, so there's a record outside of the physical damage.

DUÉ labels are the trailblazers of customer interactivity. They fall into a class of labels we call ‘dual technology’ because they combine two different technologies in one label — NFC and UHF RAIN RFID. The RFID element gives you superhuman inventory transparency, and the NFC chip facilitates customer smartphone interaction with a single tap. You’ve got options, too; DUÉ inlays can be incorporated into stickers, hangtags, and pocket tags.

Not sure which to choose? Ask our team!

How NFC can improve customer engagement

1)   Create in-store experiences…but better

Eye-catching displays aren’t the only way to lure extra footfall into your brick-and-mortar stores. You can use NFC-enabled labels to create unmissable in-store experiences that’ll tempt even the most introverted shoppers into public spaces.

Using DUÉ Mini or Eyewall labels, you can create in-store augmented reality experiences or send customers to immersive video content of your last runway show or promo video. NFC labels can also take customers to apps, mini games, or social media lookbooks or product styling inspiration hashtags.

NFC-enabled labels can also be placed in stores to help guide customers around a space or to give more information on a product display or promotion. With enough imagination, almost anything is possible with the tap of a smartphone!

2)   Loyalty programs with a difference

NFC chips can also be used to get shoppers engaged with loyalty programs. Better yet, they won’t have to stand at the till and fill out a lengthy sign-up sheet or manually find your app in the app store — one tap of a smartphone on the garment tag or product, and they’re in!

Encourage sign-ups and sales by adding a 'tap for saving' sticker to the product label, which sends the shopper to your loyalty sign-up page, which releases a discount for the garment. You can also incentivize sign-ups with access to exclusive content, event invites, or to earn points and rewards. It removes the friction of a manual sign-up process and almost gamifies loyalty, making it much more fun and addictive than a standard program.

3)   Personal shopper in a tag

NFC tags are there to upsell and cross-sell when your retail staff are tied up. One tap of a tag unleashes a wealth of related products, curated to complement the garment your customer has just 'tag tapped.'

You can also use a handy combo of RFID and NFC (like our Eyewall Large or DUÉ Mini labels) alongside smart mirrors in fitting rooms. The two chips work in tandem to show shoppers what's in stock, allow them to request other styles and sizes from staff, and upsell or cross-sell related products. It's a personal shopper experience condensed into a tappable label.

4)   Give the (verified) seal of approval

Luxury brands love NFC technology because it’s super secure and encrypted. Embedding an NFC chip into products like footwear, handbags, and accessories, or embedding an Eyewall sticker into wine or liquor bottle labels makes them scannable, traceable, and verifiable.

The Eyewall Tamper sticker is a fab choice for protecting liquor and wines against grey market activities. It verifies the product’s authenticity and proves it hasn’t been opened or tampered with.

In the apparel and retail markets, brands like Levi’s, Gucci, and Oscar De La Renta have launched their own buy-back schemes and pre-loved outlets to help protect the value of their brand while boosting their environmental credentials.

5)   Share gotta-know sustainability and product info

As the Digital Product Passport (DPP) rollout creeps ever closer, more shoppers will turn to your product labeling to get the info they need to make an informed purchase. This is the best time to think about turning your garment labels into information powerhouses.

NFC labels are particularly interesting for DPP applications because they’re small enough to embed into almost anything and can be stuck to super-small products and accessories. The customer simply taps their smartphone to the tag and is taken to a webpage or website showing detailed product information in line with legislation.

You can go one step further with your NFC garment labels, too. Why not use them to give customers garment care information, end-of-life recycling info, or details on your sustainability report, goals, or certifications. That’s a ton of info, available with a single tap — can’t get more transparent than that!

The five examples shared here are really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to NFC-enabled customer engagement opportunities. Get in touch and ask us more about it — we’ve worked with tons of retailers on all sorts of briefs, so there isn’t much we haven’t tried! Let us know what you’ve got in mind, and we’ll help you explore all the ways NFC labels can get you there.

The post Engagement on tap: how NFC technology can boost customer engagement appeared first on Checkpoint Systems - RFID and RF Technology solutions.

But first, the lowdown on RFID pocket tags…

Pocket tags — much more than a tag for a pocket, as it turns out. These fabric labels are typically (but not always!) discreetly sewn into a lining, seam, or pocket to deliver all the benefits of RFID without any risk of the inlay being accidentally separated from the garment.

Read: 4 reasons to embed an RFID tag in clothes 

Pocket tags are easy to install and simple to make, so they're usually a go-to for brands who want to dip a toe into the world of embedded RFID. There are tons of use cases for embedding RFID into your products using a solution like pocket tags. For example, embedding your RFID inlays means you have fewer limitations on the inlay footprint; you can take your pick from our RFID portfolio and opt for a bigger inlay with a longer read distance.

Thinking of using RFID to move your brand towards the future of retail? Pocket tags can help you there, too! Because embedded inlays are difficult to remove from the garment, they're a fab option to boost loss prevention. They can be used for frictionless checkout and product authentication, too. The RFID stays with your product in a way the hang tag can't!

Despite what the name suggests, pocket tags can be used to tag loads of different products. You just need to think outside the box — something our RFID team is particularly great at. Here are some ways we use pocket tags across other products when we need a smart solution to a tagging problem…

Read: What is RFID? Everything you need to know

Pocket tags: 3 uses you (probably) haven’t considered

1.   Shoes

Bet you didn’t know RFID pocket tags can be used for shoes tagging! They work especially well discreetly sewn inside trainer tongues and can be teamed with an RFID sticker added to the box. Embedding RFID tags into each shoe can limit shrinkage, facilitate self-checkout, and can even be used to keep pairs together — our ItemOptix for Retail software can even tell left shoe from right.

Pocket tags are one of many options where shoes are concerned. For trickier jobs, you can try our Gemini Tags®, which use twinned QR codes (one on the item and one on the tag or box) to give important product information.

Read: How to deliver a ‘seamless’ shopping experience in 2024

2.   Handbags

Since RFID pocket tags are designed to be sewn into seams, there’s no reason you can’t pop them into internal handbag seams or linings. With your inlays safely hidden inside your bags, you can reduce shrinkage rates, make your bags self-checkout ready, and — most exciting of all — give your customers a way to authenticate luxury goods. Yep, that’s right! By opting for a dual technology inlay that combines an NFC chip with RFID, customers can use a smartphone to scan and authenticate items themselves.

Read: How RFID can work hard for you after the sale

3.   Soft furnishings and homeware

Hard tags can ruin the vibe when it comes to soft furnishings. Customers love to interact with products before they buy, and this is one product type that merits a more discreet tagging option. And wouldn’t you know it — pocket tags are ideal to tag homewares!

Sew pocket tags into the seams of cushions, blankets, towels, and bedding to turn some of the hardest items to tag into a total breeze! Better yet, your products will arrive in store pre-tagged, so your team won’t have to spend hours hard tagging or stickering the stock. Job done!

How to get started with pocket tags and RFID tech

As we mentioned earlier, pocket tags are one of the most popular forms of embedded RFID because they’re so easy to install and use. However, that doesn’t mean it’s not beneficial to have an RFID partner in your corner.

Our RFID team have decades of experience using the technology and have even invented inlays for specific use cases. That means you’ve got a squad of experts guiding you towards the best inlays and tagging formats for your products and business goals. If you didn’t know pocket tags could work inside bags and shoes, imagine what else our team could show you!

Teaming up with a global RFID partner like us means working with experts who know the tech inside and out. They can help you close the gap and tag that final, tricky 10 percent of st ock so you get maximum ROI on your project. Checkpoint is a global, vertically integrated partner, too — that means we’ve got people worldwide to help train your manufacturers on the new tech and implement it with ridiculous ease.

Are you wondering how much more pocket tags could be doing for your brand? Get in touch with our team and tap into our decades of RFID knowledge. Bring us your toughest RFID tagging challenges, and let’s find your ideal solution together. For more information on pocket tags and RFID, visit our RFID knowledge hub .

The post Why RFID pocket tags are more versatile than you might think appeared first on Checkpoint Systems - RFID and RF Technology solutions.

RFID tagging your footwear can help you keep pairs together, complete with their original box. It can also protect them from theft, authenticate them against forgeries, help you ace display compliance, and achieve supply chain transparency.

Our Global Product Solution Manager for RFID Inge Fleuren is here to help you get started. She reveals why RFID for footwear needs a different approach, things you'll need to consider before getting started, and what your tagging options are.

RFID tagging: what makes footwear so different?

It’s always better to stride into an RFID project rollout with a good knowledge of the technology and what it can do for you. And when it comes to footwear, there’s no faking it until you make it. You’ve gotta know your stuff!

Read: Everything you need to know about RFID

For example, apparel tagging usually involves just one RFID inlay. You can have it embedded in your hang tag or stuck to it with a self-adhesive; you can embed your inlay into the care label, the garment seam, the woven label, or the jacron patch. No matter which inlay you choose, you're dealing with one inlay and one set of information. That's not always the case with footwear.

"The challenges of RFID and footwear is the fact that you usually have a primary packaging and a secondary packaging," says Inge. "You have the shoe, and you have the shoe box. Then the question is always, 'What do you tag and where do you tag?'"

Inge says the tagging location and inlay choice you make should ideally hinge on business operations, targets, footwear packaging, and how products are shipped and displayed. How you ship, store, and merchandise shoes impacts where you should tag them and how 'thorough' the tagging process should be.

“Some brands have the shoes in the box on the shop floor. Some only have the shoes. The most secure way of tagging footwear is to embed the RFID inside the sole of the shoe, because then it's attached to the shoe and will never be lost.”

How will you use RFID to step up your footwear game?

"Footwear customers need to know what RFID can do, but what is very important is what's the use case they want to do," says Inge. And — as always — she's not wrong.

Today, the benefits and use cases of RFID are more understood and more advanced than they’ve ever been. The inlays you choose and the location you tag can facilitate things like product authentication or better inventory control.

Total and complete inventory control

Want to become lord and master of your own supply chain and inventory? You'll want to tag your shoebox and each shoe with RFID.

"It helps brands keep their inventory up and running because sometimes, you have a left shoe in 40 and a right shoe in 38, but you're unable to locate the other shoe. And that's where tagging both shoes with RFID could help," says Inge.

Tagging boxes can help you locate and track stock from the manufacturer to each retail destination. Tagging individual shoes helps you keep pairs together and, when using inventory management software like our ItemOptix for Retail, keep tabs on display shoes and stock separately. It can even tell left shoe from right! Like we said — total and complete control with nary a toe out of line.

Shoe authentication

Are your shoes so good that the secondhand market is teeming with fakes, dupes, and rip-offs? You could degrade yourself and become less iconic, but it might be easier to rely on a combo of RFID and NFC to authenticate your footwear.

Dual technology labels like our DUÉ Mini Labels use NFC technology alongside the RFID, making them easy for customers to scan with a smartphone. You can use the RFID element to help people selling pre-loved footwear legitimize their products. Why not go further? You can take a leaf out of Gucci and Nike's book and launch a buy-back/resale marketplace using the tech to authenticate your goods.

Boss display compliance and footwear merchandising

If you’re a brand that struggles to keep the shoe display in order and finishes each day with an odd number of display items (no shade, we’ve all been there), then embedding RFID into the sole of each shoe — and even the box itself — could help you replenish quickly and keep your display shoes from walking off.

Read: How RFID can unlock the power of beautiful displays

“RFID could solve some problems for footwear in retail. For example, mismatched sizes. It could help you track sizes down; it could help make sure that pairs are back together, that pairs are back in the correct box,” says Inge. “You can label both the box and the shoe with the same information, so it’s easier to identify which shoe belongs with which box.”

How to kick off your footwear RFID project

There's an easy solution to a smooth RFID footwear project: teaming up with a knowledgeable RFID tagging partner. You can go one step further and find a vertically integrated partner with the resources to guide you from planning to rollout using their own global team. We're referring to ourselves, of course.

As we've mentioned, RFID tagging footwear is a complex process, often more complicated than apparel tagging. It makes sense to work with a partner who can help you sort through your use cases, goals, and operations to help you decide what/where to tag, which RFID inlay to use, and form a rock-solid rollout plan.

Working with Checkpoint also gives you unfettered access to a portfolio of footwear-tested RFID inlays (some of which we've invented and made ourselves) to suit most use cases. We've even invented our own testing process for embedded RFID in footwear to ensure they can be installed without compromising the inlay or the shoe.

Taking the first steps on your RFID footwear tagging journey can be an exciting experience…but only when you have a knowledgeable tagging partner guiding the way.

Want to quiz us about RFID tagging, the challenges of tagging footwear, or some of the solutions available to you? Just get in touch — we’re happy to share what we know. You can visit our RFID knowledge hub to learn more about RFID or browse your options on our RFID solutions portfolio.

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So, what if we told you there was a way to give your products an encrypted seal of authentication easily accessible to customers? And what if that same technology could also skyrocket your customer brand engagement? Would it blow your mind to know that the solution is already right under your nose? Step this way, friend. Let’s get into the world of NFC tagging…

NFC tags in the world of retail

NFC (near-field communication) might be a newcomer to retail tagging, but it's been super popular with global banking titans and tech giants for years. NFC chips are encoded end-to-end, making them the go-to solution for mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay, which use turbocharged versions of the tech for super secure transactions.

Read: Understanding NFC technology 

Embedding an encrypted NFC inlay into your accessories and footwear could create a more robust authentication method for your products, making them much harder for counterfeiters to mess with. Moreover, embedding the inlay into the product itself makes it hard to remove without causing damage.

Read: How NFC technology can boost customer engagement

Luxury brand authentication with NFC tags

1.   Empower customers

Counterfeit products swindle unwitting customers as much as they do luxury brands. Imagine saving up for a designer purchase only to receive a fake for your hard-earned money. Not in this town, bub!

By adding NFC technology to your RFID intelligent labels, you put the power directly into the customers’ hands. A single smartphone tap will allow every loyal customer to authenticate items themselves rather than paying to have an independent expert do it for them. It’ll also help them safeguard the value of their investment should they choose to resell in future.

2.   Detect tampering

Anyone specializing in wines and spirits will be well aware of gray market sellers diluting or duplicating rare or exclusive batch products. It’s enough to leave a bad taste! As luck would have it, you could also use intelligent labels to safeguard bottled goods, too.

The tech could also be used to authenticate luxury beverages while guaranteeing their unopened, mint condition. By adding a ‘tamper’ strip to the label design, you could get visual confirmation of a broken bottle seal alongside an encrypted log of the breach.

3.   Safeguard your ‘preloved’ market

The luxury secondhand market is rapidly growing, creating a breeding ground for counterfeiters with forged authentication documents and fake products. That is until NFC came along to ruin the party. Not only does the tech allow customers to liquidate their investment and definitively prove authenticity, but it also makes your life easier!

If you choose to own your brand’s preloved market à la Gucci and Oscar De La Renta, your encoded NFC chips give you a failproof way to quickly verify secondhand products without the arduous (and sometimes fallible) manual authentication process. Remember — the chips can’t be tampered with, so you can buy back with peace of mind and a single scan!

Using NFC tags on your products

Are you ready to protect the value of your brand with an NFC tag? The first thing you’ll need is an expert team on your side. A tag team, if you will. Experts like ours can use decades of experience (and inlays they’ve designed themselves) to help you plan, budget, and roll out your project, keeping your goals in sharp focus the whole time.

An expert team can also help you choose the best tagging location for each product type and ensure the inlays you’ve selected are a good fit for your use case. Because we’re a global, vertical partner, we can even make and install the inlays, then get our local teams to train your staff, so the project goes off without a hitch.

Don’t forget — brand authentication is only as reliable as the tech supporting it. Teams like ours have plenty of experience with luxury brands and know how to meet exacting standards. Empowering customers to authenticate their goods is good for them, great for you, and a death bell for counterfeiters.

Get in touch with our experts today and find out what NFC technology could do to safeguard your brand. We’re all about knowledge-sharing and never gatekeep what we know, so go ahead and quiz us or visit our blog to learn more about what the tech can do for you.

The post How NFC tags can protect luxury brands, empower customers, and stamp out fakes appeared first on Checkpoint Systems - RFID and RF Technology solutions.

Print precision on-demand is quickly becoming the go-to solution for better supply chain resilience and — once you know the ins and outs — it’s super easy to see why. Our experts reveal how brands are using SPRINT print precision on-demand to go from approval to production in seconds rather than hours. Keep reading to find out how…

You snooze, you lose: the race for supply chain resilience

Commerce is accelerating beyond the capabilities of the average retail brand's supply chain and manufacturing process. Two-thirds of customers say speed is just as important as price, and many want flexible ordering and delivery options, too.

With the desire for instant gratification looming heavy, retailers can't afford to be delayed by a lumbering supply chain. Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) say supply chain resilience is their most critical business objective, and many businesses are turning to small-batch production as a solution. This expectation is defining the future of retail, and it's happening now. It's not the kind of change you can amble towards — ya gotta SPRINT.

Introducing SPRINT: print precision on-demand

Think you know in-plant printing solutions? Think again, friend! SPRINT gives you the tools and support needed to print intelligent RFID labels at the point of manufacturing. And it's fast—like, super-fast. Compared to other solutions on the market, SPRINT reduces the 'approval to production' waiting time from hours to seconds.

How SPRINT works

The journey starts with our Checkpoint engineers, who deliver extensively tested RFID printers and scanners to your locations before masterfully installing them for you. They'll also train your staff on quality control and the correct procedures for use, including scanning barcodes and RFID inlays during printing.

Once everything's up and running, you'll be able to print RFID-embedded and encoded stickers, care labels, and pocket tags on your factory floor! We'll also manage all your ink and material consumables directly, too. No delays, no middlemen, no nonsense.

The nuts and bolts of the service are awesome, but the real gem is hidden behind the scenes. SPRINT is backed by Checkpoint’s cloud-based platform CheckNet. This industry-leading, bespoke online platform comes with centrally controlled data and label designs so you can hit the ground running ASAP.

Does this all sound too good to be true? It’s not — we’ve successfully put SPRINT through live factory testing with real brands to check that everything works as intended. The brands were ecstatic with the results, so we gave SPRINT the green light with full confidence. And the benefits speak for themselves…

Get to know SPRINT™

Great things happen when you SPRINT

1)   Time saver

‘SPRINT’ isn’t just a clever name! The setup means you can print small or bulk batches all on the same day, so you can go to market faster. You also won’t get caught up waiting for additional labels or last-minute data changes — you’re equipped to handle it yourself, here and now.

2)   Kind to your budget

Making the switch to print precision on-demand is a real money-saver. You'll avoid pricey minimum print quantities, shipment costs, and emergency airfreights. Lower inventory also means no unused labels or old stock at the end of each season.

3)   Restore your sanity

Thanks to the strict quality control measures in place, SPRINT labels are store-ready and super high quality. Checkpoint engineers are ready to lend a hand whenever you need it. And all those worries about supply chain resilience? They're dead and gone. You've got the power to adapt quickly. Sorted!

4)   Good for your green targets

Switching to SPRINT can offer more sustainability benefits than traditional service bureau label printing. For starters, SPRINT uses thermal printing, which is much more sustainable than rotary or screen printing.

Because you’re only printing what you need, SPRINT could slash the materials and energy you use, which also helps reduce the wastage you send to landfills at the end of each season. It’s also super flexible, so your factories can order consumables monthly or quarterly to help save emissions.

The challenges facing modern retailers are here to stay, so why not tackle them in one go (and then some!) with SPRINT’s print precision on-demand? Contact our team and quiz them on their newest invention — they’re ready and waiting to answer any questions you might have. Catching up to your customers’ expectations has never been so easy!

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