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Barcode and RFID inventory counting solutions for global retailers

Datascan provides barcode and RFID inventory counting solutions for major retailers operating in more than 42 countries. Their MarketScale channel covers inventory accuracy, cycle counting methodology, and the business case for outsourced physical inventory programs. Retail operations and supply chain teams use this content to evaluate inventory management strategies and technology partnerships.

44 episodes
Channel Brief·Datascan · 44 episodes
Updated Jan 12, 2024

Inventory Accuracy Drives Retail Competitiveness and Loss Prevention

Datascan argues that precise inventory counts and RFID adoption are no longer optional: they are the foundation for omnichannel operations, theft prevention, and customer satisfaction in modern retail.

Datascan's thesis across 25 episodes is that retail competitiveness hinges on inventory accuracy and technology adoption. The channel repeatedly shows that retailers relying on manual counts (once or twice yearly) face cascading losses: stockouts, shrink, customer churn, and inability to fulfill omnichannel orders. RFID and data analytics are positioned not as innovations but as operational necessities.

Drawn from Staying Competitive in Retail: Future Success … and 4 more →

“If you're doing barcodes once or twice a year, your average inventory record accuracy before you count is around 35%.”

Herb Billings, VP of Product Strategy, Datascan

By the numbers

35%

average inventory record accuracy using barcode systems before counting

$500M

Target's predicted profitability impact from inventory shrink

80%+

Walmart apparel tagged with RFID, expanding to other categories

$0.04–$0.08

cost per RFID tag, cheaper further up supply chain

What the channel argues

DataBarcode-based inventory counting once or twice yearly yields only 35% accuracy before count.→
DataTarget predicted a $500 million profitability impact from inventory shrink.→
DataOver 80% of Walmart's apparel is tagged with RFID and the company is expanding to sporting goods, electronics, and toys.→
DataRFID tags cost between $0.04–$0.08 per unit, with lower costs further up the supply chain.→
InsightRetailers lose sales when items are out of stock, when no staff can help, when checkout is slow, or when experience is impersonal.→
InsightInaccurate inventory forces retailers to maintain higher safety stock levels, driving up costs and tying up capital.→

What you'll learn

•Bad inventory data creates a five-part damage cascade: lost sales, customer churn, excess safety stock, theft vulnerability, and supply chain fragility.
•RFID is not new (origins in WWII for military identification) but has only recently become cost-effective and necessary for retail at scale.
•BOPIS and omnichannel fulfillment have made accurate real-time inventory visibility a competitive requirement, not a convenience.
•Large retailers like Walmart are mandating RFID tagging at the supplier level, creating a market transition threshold that eventually lowers costs for smaller retailers.
•Organized retail crime and internal theft are systemic supply chain problems, not just in-store issues, and require visibility across manufacturing, distribution, and transportation.

What to do about it

→Audit your current inventory counting cadence and accuracy baseline; if you are counting once or twice yearly, move to continuous RFID-based counting or higher-frequency manual audits.
→Evaluate RFID ROI specific to your mix of products (avoid metals and liquids without workarounds) and highest-pain omnichannel fulfillment operations (BOPIS, curbside pickup).
→Begin conversations with your largest suppliers about tagging at source; monitor Walmart's apparel, sporting goods, and electronics rollouts as proof of market direction.

Who and what shows up

Adrian Thomas

President and CEO, Datascan

Frames inventory accuracy as core to modern retail success and positions Datascan's 50-year heritage as inventory-counting authority.

Herb Billings

VP of Product Strategy, Datascan

Provides hard data on barcode accuracy (35%), RFID cost ($0.04–$0.08 per tag), and behavioral drivers (four reasons shoppers leave without purchase); named most frequently on RFID mechanics and benefits.

Max Dunn

Manager of RFID Solutions, Datascan

Provides historical context on RFID evolution from base/pallet level to item-level tagging, documenting hardware cost reduction and capability advances over two decades.

Walmart

Retailer

Case study showing 80%+ apparel RFID tagging and expansion to sporting goods, electronics, and toys; cited as proof of large-scale adoption driving industry transition.

Target

Retailer

Cited as facing $500 million profitability impact from inventory shrink, illustrating the scale of loss and urgency of addressing shrink.

Questions this channel answers

Q

Why is inventory accuracy so critical in retail now?

BOPIS and omnichannel fulfillment require real-time stock visibility on sales floors and in backrooms. Without it, retailers cannot fulfill orders, customers experience stockouts, and they lose lifetime value and referrals.

The Importance of Inventory Accuracy for Retailers World… →
Q

What are the main drivers for retailers to implement RFID?

Four main uses: improving inventory record accuracy, reducing manual labor time on inventory tasks, anti-theft, and display compliance (ensuring one of everything is on the floor).

Keeping Count: What are the main drivers prompting retai… →
Q

How does RFID improve the customer experience?

RFID provides real-time stock levels to prevent out-of-stock losses, frees staff from inventory counting to help customers, and enables personalized service via loyalty card data (purchase history, sizing, style).

Keeping Count: RFID’s Exciting Impact in Retail →
Q

Is the retail shrink crisis real or overstated?

Data is conflicting. Organized retail crime is significant (Walmart closed Portland stores, Target cited $500M shrink impact), but some surveys show slight dips in average shrink rates, creating uncertainty on true scale.

Retail Roundtable: How Serious is the Retail Shrink Cris… →
Q

What makes RFID deployment succeed or fail in retail?

Metals and liquids pose technical challenges requiring workarounds. ROI justification varies by use case (checkout, auto replenishment, customer experience) and cost factors (tag price, scale, supply chain position) must be quantified carefully.

Keeping Count: How to Successfully Deploy RFID in Retail →
Topics:RFID technology and implementationInventory accuracy and countingOmnichannel retail (BOPIS/BOPUS)Loss prevention and organized retail crimeSupply chain visibility
Themes:Inventory accuracy as operational foundationRFID as supply chain visibility tool, not point-of-sale gadgetOmnichannel fulfillment creates counting urgency

Industry context

Supply chain resilience and adaptability are emerging priorities for 2026, as organizations seek to withstand external pressures while maintaining operational flexibility.

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