American Eagle Aims to Enhance In-Store CX with New Inventory Tracking Tech

American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) plans to implement a new RFID and computer vision-based store inventory tracking system from Radar at approximately 500 stores across the U.S. over the next year.

The new system will enable store associates to know what product is in-store and where so they can more easily and efficiently serve customers, replenish items on the sales floor and fulfill in-store and curbside pickup orders.

While many retailers use RFID tags to track and manage inventory, RFID solutions often have difficulty pinpointing exactly where a particular item is located in a store, meaning employees have to hunt to find items that are in stock but have been misplaced or overlooked. Radar’s system combines computer vision technology with RFID to locate items in 3D, at the SKU level, so employees know precisely where an item is. The Radar app enables timely replenishment and more efficient in-store fulfillment as well as analytics capabilities that can be used by brand decision makers to ensure that the right inventory is in stock.

“AEO is extremely proud of the exceptional service that we provide to our customers, and we are always exploring new technologies and innovative ways to empower our brand teams to deliver a seamless shopping experience,” said Michael Rempell, EVP and CEO at AEO in a statement. “Our initial test with Radar provided visibility into inventory availability and placement with impressive accuracy. Based on those results, we are excited to begin implementing RFID technology to unlock operational and inventory efficiencies, while arming our associates to best serve the needs of customers.”