Rapid progress of early-adopting retailers is stretching their headstart beyond the often cited six-month comfort zone

By David Wyld, Contributing Editor

In Line56 Magazine, Tamina Vahidy recently observed that the Wal-Mart mandate has already effectively “changed the face of retail … making what had been a niche technology into a mainstream application.” Since 2004, Wal-Mart’s commitment to the technology has certainly been a driving force for the entire RFID market. And the well-reported work of the University of Arkansas’ RFID Research Center has shown the demonstrable impact of RFID at improving the mammoth retailer’s supply chain visibility and execution, dramatically reducing out-of-stocks, cutting back unnecessary orders, and improving the effectiveness of promotional efforts.

Recently, Wal-Mart’s CIO Rollin Ford pronounced that: “We continue to work with suppliers to help them see the vast potential of RFID. We’re already fully convinced of its value and are ready to step up the pace since we know we are only touching the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the benefits of this technology … We are actively engaged in designing some new initiatives that will accelerate our program even further and, in so doing, create even more value for everyone involved.”