Two of the locations opened in September 2012, followed by three more at the beginning of this year, all equipped with EPC Gen 2 ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID technology provided by Fujitsu.

The solution tracks tagged merchandise, along with shopping carts and hangers, thereby affording the company better control over the locations of these assets, as well as products for sale, throughout the store. The technology has reduced the amount of time that staff members spend tracking goods through the shipping and receiving processes, the company reports, down to one-third of what it had been using the manual inventory-counting method. What's more, the RFID-enabled POS solution has increased sales, due to a shorter checkout time that makes purchases easier for customers.

The retailer plans to install the system at approximately five stores every six months, until all of its Japanese locations are equipped with RFID. The solution was installed in order to improve distribution and in-store operational efficiency, says Naomi Ogawa, a Fujitsu spokesperson. 

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