Transforming The Retail Experience For Sports Teams
Jonas Sports has partnered with EXO to introduce innovative RFID retail solutions to the UK sports market.
By investing in cutting-edge technology, Jonas Sports empowers clubs to operate with industry-leading solutions that enhance venue management, engage fans and maximise revenues.
Together with US-based EXO, Jonas Sports is poised to transform the in-store retail experience for sports clubs, helping to reduce checkout times and increase revenue potential.
RFID Technology in Sports Retail
RFID technology offers high accuracy across various applications, and its adoption is rapidly increasing. This growth leads to faster processes in retail, which enhances sales and revenue potential for sports clubs, particularly during peak times.
Each product has an RFID label which can be read using radio frequency, even without a direct line of sight. The labels look very similar to typical pricing labels with printed barcodes, description and pricing, but have an RFID chip and antenna (“RFID tag”) within the paper. The system energises the tag with radio frequency (RF) energy, allowing for the rapid reading of hundreds of tags per second.
A Synergistic Partnership
The introduction of EXO to Jonas Sports has accelerated market progress for both companies. Their collaboration is creating synergies and enhancing each other’s strengths. With Jonas Sports’ RFID Checkout powered by EXO, a customer’s merchandise purchase can be scanned instantly, eliminating the need to scan individual barcodes. This innovation reduces transaction times from minutes to seconds and delivers a “wow” experience for fans.
By speeding up transaction times, EXO prevents customers from being deterred by long, slow-moving lines, allowing them to focus on shopping. This not only creates a better shopping experience but also significantly increases store checkout throughput. EXO works with the Jonas Sports POS to minimise the change to a club’s operations and systems, enabling faster implementations with less disruption.
“We believe RFID is the future,” explained Rey Essex, Business Development & Product Strategy at EXO.
“When we began discussions with Jonas Sports, we discovered many synergies. Our RFID technology complements all the great things that Jonas Sports is doing, making their offerings even more valuable.”
Proven Success
EXO solutions are trusted by some of the largest brands in the US. This technology has facilitated seamless shopping experiences at major events, including the Super Bowl, NFL, MLB, MLS and NBA stadiums. It has helped businesses increase sales, improve efficiency and enhance customer satisfaction. Particularly noteworthy is EXO’s successful implementation at TD Garden in Boston, home of the Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins, which highlights the company’s strengths.
“Since EXO went live last season, we’ve seen 100% increase in merchandise sales.” Josh Briggs, Director of Retail, TD Garden, Boston Bruins & Celtics
The EXO Checkout system is powered by proprietary software, top-tier commercial hardware and decades of experience in RFID technology. This robust combination ensures precise scanning and reliable performance, guaranteeing that every item is accurately tracked without errors.
With EXO Checkout, long, slow-moving lines are a thing of the past. Customers can quickly complete their purchases and return to their activities, whether they are at a sports arena, concert, theme park, or any other fast-paced venue. This emphasis on speed, convenience and accuracy results in a superior shopping experience that keeps customers engaged and satisfied.
“The system processes multiple items in just seconds and can verify a basket of products almost instantly, streamlining the payment process. Self-service checkout now averages only 35 seconds with this system, significantly faster than the usual minute or more,” explains Essex.
“A CFO from one team recently noted that they expect to recoup their investment within the first year. The system is capable of generating sales that far exceed the initial capital and ongoing operational investments,” he adds.
“Many clubs face challenges in hiring enough personnel. However, the labour efficiencies provided by this system make it very appealing,” states Sam Nixon, Managing Director of Jonas Sports.
He continues: “In my discussions with clubs in the UK, I’ve observed three main perspectives on this as an investment. First, utilising RFID technology can lead to increased sales on matchdays, which justifies the initial costs. Additionally, it can result in labour savings. Ultimately, it transforms the overall shopping experience for customers, making it markedly better.”
Enhanced Inventory Management
Unlike traditional methods, RFID technology provides real-time inventory tracking. This allows for accurate stock information and eliminates the “out of stock” issue. Item-level tracking enables efficient inventory counting, checkout and theft detection. The technology significantly speeds up processes; for instance, an entire store’s inventory can be counted in about 30 minutes.
With a much-improved inventory accuracy rate of 98% using frequent counts (compared to 70% with traditional methods), it ensures product availability for customers. Additionally, real-time replenishment and more efficient checkout processes result from improved inventory management.
Loss Detection
The same RFID tags can also be used for loss detection by adding RFID portals at store exits. There is no longer a need for specialised tags that must be removed by staff. EXO adds a user interface that clearly shows which products have alarmed the system, making remediation fast and effective. This streamlines both security and the checkout process, without adding friction to the customer experience.
For more information, visit: www.jonassports.com & www.exocheckout.com
Images: Jonas Sports & EXO
