RFID Stock Count vs. Manual: what are the gains for retailers?

The challenge of manual stock counts

For many retailers, accurate inventory management is still a daily struggle. Manual stock counts take hours or even days, demand significant staff resources, and often deliver disappointing results in terms of inventory accuracy.

Research by GS1 and Auburn University’s RFID Lab shows that manual counts are often only 65–80% accurate.¹ The consequences are serious: out-of-stock situations that reduce sales, overstocks that tie up capital, and poor warehouse efficiency that eats into margins. As assortments grow and e-commerce accelerates, manual counting simply cannot keep pace.

Why manual counts slow retailers down

Traditional methods, whether paper-based or barcode-driven, were never designed for the complexity of modern retail. They are slow, labour-intensive and prone to error. Even with barcode scanners, staff spend hours walking aisles, scanning items one by one. Because the process is so time-consuming, many retailers only count stock once or twice a year. That means their data is out of date almost as soon as it is captured. The result is unreliable inventory tracking, poor replenishment decisions and dissatisfied customers.

RFID Stock Count: faster, more accurate, more efficient

RFID technology changes the way retailers manage stock. By attaching RFID tags to items, hundreds of products can be scanned automatically within seconds, without line of sight. A handheld RFID reader covers an entire rack in one pass, feeding data directly into the warehouse management system.

The impact on inventory accuracy is dramatic. Studies and real-world projects consistently show that retailers move from around 70–75% accuracy with manual or barcode counts to 95–99% with RFID.² ³ Because the process is so fast, stock counts can be performed weekly or even daily, ensuring real-time inventory visibility across stores and warehouses.

The benefits for retailers

Retailers adopting RFID Stock Count typically see:

• Shorter stock count times – minutes instead of hours.
• Inventory accuracy consistently above 95%.
• Reduced labour costs and more efficient use of staff.
• Better planning and replenishment, leading to fewer out-of-stocks and overstocks.
• Improved customer experience through reliable on-shelf availability.

Case studies from Inditex (Zara), Marks & Spencer and Macy’s confirm these results, with accuracy levels improving from ~75% to over 98% after RFID adoption.³

Inventory Accuracy Manual vs.Rfid

Mieloo & Alexander’s RFID Snapshot

To make RFID adoption simple and low-risk, Mieloo & Alexander offers the RFID Snapshot. This proof-of-value approach lets retailers experience the benefits of RFID Stock Count quickly, without a major upfront investment. Our experts set up RFID tags and readers, run stock counts alongside your manual process, and show the difference in both speed and accuracy. Within days, you get hard data on time saved, accuracy gained and costs reduced. It is the fastest way to answer the question: what are the gains of RFID Stock Count for my stores?

Fashion and lifestyle retailers using RFID Snapshot typically report improvements in accuracy from around 70–75% to 98%+. This aligns with industry benchmarks published by GS1, McKinsey and Accenture, confirming that RFID adoption consistently delivers near-perfect stock visibility in practice.¹ ² ³

Conclusion: from manual to RFID

Manual stock counts belong to the past. They are too slow, too inaccurate and too costly for today’s retail environment. With RFID Stock Count, retailers gain real-time visibility, higher accuracy, lower costs and happier customers. And with Mieloo & Alexander’s RFID Snapshot, you can see these gains for yourself: quickly, clearly and with minimal disruption.

Sources

1. GS1 US & Auburn University RFID Lab, RFID Adoption and Inventory Accuracy Studies (2014–2018).
2. McKinsey & Company (2019), RFID in retail: the next wave.
3. Accenture / Kurt Salmon Consulting (2016), case studies at Inditex/Zara, Marks & Spencer, Macy’s.