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Wal-Mart's RFID Tracking Technology

Tests are showing that radio-activated tags that Wal-Mart has pushed its suppliers to use to chop labor and inventory costs aren't resulting in the desired savings. Some suppliers that invested in the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology are grumbling.

Manufacturers and retailers have long wanted an efficient way to track individual items from production to sale, and RFID seemed ideal for the task. It was to replace the 25-year-old bar-code technology printed on labels for everything from tubes of toothpaste to diamond rings.

To some Wal-Mart suppliers, achieving a return on their investment comes second to keeping the retailer happy. Executives at Beaver Street Fisheries and a few other suppliers say they hope the effort puts it in good stead with an important customer. Wal-Mart spokesman Kevin Gardner says that the tags have improved product availability on store shelves.

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