Kiabi, the ready-to-wear fashion retailer offering affordable clothing for the whole family, has chosen Checkpoint Systems’ RAIN RFID checkout solution to equip over 500 of its stores across Europe. The retailer’s massive adoption of RAIN RFID technology is part of its commitment to offering a smoother shopping experience for its customers, as well as optimising its in-store operations.

In an ever-evolving retail environment, customers’ in-store experience is crucial to retailers’ success. Among the key success factors, the checkout stage is a real differentiator in terms of streamlining the in-store shopping experience and satisfying customers.

One of the main irritants for consumers can be the waiting time at checkout so Kiabi has turned to RAIN RFID technology to try and cut this down. To do so, they have chosen Checkpoint Systems to deploy nearly 3,000 RAIN RFID checkout readers in over 500 European stores across France, Belgium, Italy, Spain and Portugal. This deployment covers all types of checkout options at the point of sale: traditional cash registers, as well as self-service or SCO (Self Check-Out) points.

Massive and rapid deployment capability of the solutions offered by Checkpoint

Kiabi chose Checkpoint’s RAIN RFID checkout solution after thoroughly testing the equipment, from the ease of integrating RAIN RFID scanners with their existing equipment, to the ability to instantly and simultaneously scan purchases in baskets containing more than 10 items. In addition to highlighting scanning performance and the quality of the equipment for the cash registers, another hugely important aspect for the ready-to-wear retailer was Checkpoint’s operational and technical capability to quickly and widely deploy our solutions across its various European stores.

Thanks to the massive adoption of RAIN RFID technology, Kiabi has seen faster and more precise in-store checkout operations, with a time gain of 20% per checkout. A time saving that has reduced queues and improved the customers’ shopping experience. The use of RAIN RFID checkout solutions also improves stores’ ability to keep track of stock, thanks to the sales data collected. The technology thus optimises restocking and consequently improves the availability of items in stores. Kiabi has already seen a 1.5% increase in turnover thanks to the implementation of the technology.

Finally, in order to secure several million items to support this technological migration to RAIN RFID, Kiabi has also relied on Checkpoint’s RF/RAIN RFID bi-technology Hard Tag to ensure continuity of protection against theft of all its products in-store. Anthony Amico, RAIN RFID Programme Director, and Pierre Monginot, Sales Leader at Kiabi explain the project’s aims and their reasons for choosing this solution:

“When we launched our RAIN RFID transformation, our aim was clear: to optimise the customer experience and the efficiency of our inventory management through RAIN RFID technology. For a project of this magnitude, we needed a partner who could meet the highest standards in terms of performance, reliability and, most importantly, large-scale deployment,” Anthony Amico explains.

“From the outset of our tender process, we were very rigorous in our selection. It was imperative for Kiabi to choose a hardware solution that would ensure maximum streamlining at the checkout and seamless integration with our existing ecosystem, as well as having proven robustness in the field. After a thorough analysis of the various proposals, Checkpoint emerged as the ideal partner.

Why this choice? Because Checkpoint demonstrated advanced technical expertise, a deep understanding of the challenges associated with our business and, most importantly, the ability to massively deploy its solutions across our entire European network. Their strength also lies in the orchestration of an effective deployment, a crucial point for us, given the number of stores involved (nearly 500). Today, the solution is in place and operational.

Our teams now have a powerful tool that significantly improves our customers’ checkout experience!” This partnership illustrates KIABI’s commitment to innovation and to offering the best to its customers. This transition to RAIN RFID, driven by a recognised player like Checkpoint, is well underway!

Pierre Monginot expands on Kiabi’s aims: “In our position as a leader in ready-to-wear fashion, constantly evolving and innovating, our aim in implementing an RAIN RFID project is simple: to revolutionise the customer experience, optimise inventory management and improve our operational performance.

Every day, we strive to meet our customers’ expectations in terms of speed, accuracy and a seamless shopping experience. With RAIN RFID technology, we are able to track inventory levels in real-time, which allows us to ensure the availability of top-selling items and avoid stock-outs that can negatively impact the customer experience.

Innovation is at the core of our DNA. Our aim, with this initiative, is to create a highly efficient logistics system that can instantly adapt to trends and fluctuations in demand. This technology will also provide greater transparency as regards the origin and characteristics of products, a key consideration for our customers who are increasingly sensitive to traceability and social responsibility.

Finally, we see RAIN RFID as a driver for optimising omnichannel sales: always up-to-date inventory, better managed online orders and a unified shopping experience, both in-store and online.

By adopting this forward-looking technology, we are committed to providing an unparalleled shopping experience for our customers while enhancing our responsiveness and competitiveness. This is the goal we are pursuing today for our brand.

Julien Thibult, Sales Director for RAIN RFID and Source Protection at Checkpoint Systems France explains: “We are delighted to become a technology partner for Kiabi in their transition to RAIN RFID. This major deployment not only highlights our ability to support our customers on a large scale, but it is also an acknowledgment of the quality and performance of our solutions. Having successfully implemented our solutions in many sectors and for a range of different use cases, Checkpoint Systems has garnered solid expertise that means we are currently positioned as a leader in RAIN RFID technologies and solutions in Europe.”

About Checkpoint Systems:

Checkpoint Systems, a division of CCL Industries, is the global leader in loss prevention. Relying on RAIN RFID and RF technologies, our solutions provide retail players with greater visibility and efficiency in the supply chain. With 50 years of expertise, Checkpoint Systems relies on its R&D teams to provide distributors and manufacturers with innovative solutions from source to the consumer: connected RAIN RFID and RF equipment, SaaS software, RAIN RFID/RF tags and complete labelling solutions for marking, securing and tracking goods. For more information, visit: www.checkpointsystems.com/fr

About Kiabi:

Kiabi, the French leader in ready-to-wear clothing and the preferred brand for families, relies on a network of 640 points of contact in 33 countries and generates a turnover of 2.5 billion euros (an increase of 5% on 2023 figures). It brings together nearly 10,000 “Kiabers” from 83 nationalities. Staying true to its DNA and focusing on affordable fashion, the brand is transforming its model to make a more sustainable lifestyle accessible to everyone.