Its latest supply-chain innovation, however, is a move to radiofrequency ID (RFID) tags. At present, Wal-Mart's mandate applies only to its top 100 suppliers, with a deadline set for 2005. Furthermore, it is not demanding this on a per-product basis (just for cases of product and pallets), in a nod towards the costs it must realise it is imposing. Currently, RFID chips cost about 20 cents (11 pence) per tag (registration for that link is required, but it's free), which doesn't include the cost of the antenna and packaging for the chip. Many analysts believe, however, that the growth in the size of the market for RFID technology, through pressure from Wal-Mart and the US Defense Department (which also requires such technology of its suppliers), will drive the price to 5 cents very quickly.
At that price, Wal-Mart is likely to require RFID tagging from all its suppliers, and may consider expanding the requirement to individual products. At that point, the benefits of RFID tagging will move beyond the supply chain into areas that directly affect consumers. Some think that there are privacy issues involved in such a move, as external entities could determine your buying habits with little more than an RFID reader. In my opinion, however, the productivity benefits of widespread RFID usage will outweigh any such risks, provided proper consideration is given to where, and how, RFID technology is used.
Where do they get all those wonderful Toys
Being a fan of technology, I'm always most excited by what that technology makes possible. RFID offers some serious opportunities for hardware companies and software developers who recognise the revolution that it represents.
First, consider what per-product RFID does to the checkout queue. Instead of having to wait for a shop assistant to swipe each product across a barcode reader by hand, you would simply roll your cart through a set of RFID readers. Your total would appear on the display almost immediately. If you pay by credit card, your interaction with a human being would be minimal, as at best the checkout person would be responsible for comparing your signature to the one on the back of your card. The entire process could take under a minute!
Talkback
I'm ok with these tags being used for productivity reasons but once that process is over the tag should expire once the product has been purchased.
Privacy should never be compromised because it becomes the thin edge of the wedge. If your examples of "drive by" marketeering became the norm, this would be the excuse used by politians to introduce it further eg "well.. you already have it here so its a little extension to the current situation." Introduce anything in little phases and you'll get away with most things.
We have already surpassed the the old Russian regimes of being watchedand controlled that everyone so boldly put forward as a reason to fight communism.
On the concerns of Mr. Tilman and his video. Suppose the RFID tag were in the packaging and the sales assistant removed it before he left the shop. That way he gets his video and Mrs. Tilman never knows! After the point of sale the RFID tag has dones its job so removing it is no loss and it ensures the privacy on sensitive items (medicine might be another sensitive product area).
At first sight, the single application with the greatest social impact, would be the proposed tagging of banknotes by the ECB.
Imagine not being able to spend stolen money.
Imagine knowing who to mug before the spending checks are in place.
Imagine 'unmarked notes' not being possible.
Imagine......
Posting a concept invention that involves these RFID tags being deployed to keep clothes on a special coathanger on the correct coathanger when faced with the public trying garments on. That is to say success of concept depends on garments not remaining on incorrect coathangers unnoticed. This is to enable resolution of the virtual/real conflict when an item is unique and on the shopfloor at the same time as being list on the internet. Initially thought it could apply to haute couture clothes, but then got told they are made to measure products only so the concept bluetooth coathanger would not be of use. However the initial concept of a bluetooth coathanger was to enable charity shops (thrift shops in USA)with unique items to shift products between shops and sell online simultaneously what is on the shopfloor. May seem to be too costly but would be very economical and profitable if reservation transfer system were appreciated in the context of a national chain logistics system as in the UK. (And futher supported by a digicam fax invention to enable uploads of new donations at a local level to a national databse entry point without computer skills at local shop level!) Of course whatever the concept would certainly work when second-hand (i.e. unique) products on coathangers were of very high sales value such as Elton John's (e.g. popstar) cast-offs! So you can imagine the problems of a browsing public mixing up garments on coathangers when a simultaneous sale is going on live on the internet? However now that I realize that haute couture would not require bluetooth coathangers, it beggars that eternal promise of a new paradigm of micro production arising from online sales revolution. That is to say clothes could be mass produced as unique items and sold at mass produced prices e.g. already measured and cut haute couture. If anyone is interested I could explain further how the bluetooth coathanger would resolve the physical / virtual conflict arising when a unique item on the shopfloor might be in the hands of a shopper while someone online has bought it online! Tricky legal question on who would own that unique item that has been doubley sold! (sold twice) One might try and follow the bluetooth coathanger concept invention outline on my website www.tide2000.com in the inventions section if interested. Lists some other concept inventions. Back to topic the RFID seem important because the bluetooth coathanger concept will not work if customers put back garments on the wrong coathangers. So the question is at what cost could RFID ensure garment and coathanger stay matched correctly? Ps making an assumption here of its suitability of this technology as newsgroup feedback a couple of years ago proposed RFID. No time to pursue this particular technology as more into logistical systems, so any enthusiast on RFID that can get to grips with the bluetooth coathanger concept welcome to commercialize the product.
Yeah....RFID. Exactly what DigitalAngel is using in their Verichip product, to track your every thought...
http://dubiousprofundity.com/article.php/20050524103025821