The retailer JD Sports has signed a multi‑year global agreement with Checkpoint Systems for deploying the firm’s ItemOptix RFID (radio frequency identification) inventory management software across stores, starting in Europe.
The firms say it’s for delivering real-time inventory visibility that enables JD to make goods more available on shelves and make more accurate, data-driven inventory-focused decisions. It began with a trial in the second half of 2024 in the UK, France and Spain across five stores and has become a SaaS (software as a service) rollout. An initial phase will see more than 400 stores go live by the end of the year in the UK and Ireland, then across tyhe Continent to reach nearly 1,000 stores by the end of 2026. Checkpoint’s DC tunnels (for reading RFID-tagged merchandise) are already working in JD’s UK distribution centre, and installation at the Netherlands equivalent is imminent.
JD selected Checkpoint over contending vendors after a competitive evaluation, pointing to accuracy in stock counts and replenishment. In the trial, JD reported a 12 per cent increase in on-shelf availability and a 20pc improvement in restocking speed with a 95pc increase in items found. A SDK (software deployment kit), let the retailer integrate key RFID processes into their operational store app.
Daniel McGrath, JD Group Head of Customer Operations, says, “We are very excited to take our partnership with Checkpoint to the next level over the coming months and years ahead, and we thank Checkpoint for their support and for everyone’s efforts to date as we start our RFID Journey.” The JD Sports team praised the collaborative culture that developed during the project: “We are forming a partnership to span many years, and that needs to start on the right footing, and I firmly believe we have created that between us. Both sides have worked tirelessly and in very short timelines to get us to where we are.”
Visit www.checkpointsystems.com.
Pictured: beanie, courtesy of adidas.
