Crystal Selects Zebra Technologies’ RFID Solution to Enhance Omnichannel Experience

Retailer creates “smart stores” and increases inventory accuracy to 99%

BOGOTA, Colombia – Dec. 15, 2021 – Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA), an innovator at the front line of business with solutions and partners that deliver a performance edge, today announced that Crystal, a recognized Colombian retailer and owner of well-known local brands like Punto Blanco®, Gef®, Galax® and Babyfresh®, has selected Zebra’s RFID solution to enable fast and accurate omnichannel sales while minimizing safety overstocks. After implementing Zebra’s solutions including mobile computers along with fixed and mobile RFID readers, Crystal increased its inventory accuracy to 99%.

The rise of E-commerce and new methods of shopping led Crystal to look for a fulfillment solution that would help meet customer expectations and requirements for lean, accurate product inventory at all its stores. Also, as part of its omnichannel strategy, the apparel company began offering a click-and-collect delivery option to its customers which required the retailer to efficiently track and locate garments to meet rising customer demands.

“Zebra’s RFID solutions helped our business deliver a more aligned customer experience throughout all our channels, both online and in-store, by optimizing our inventory management and ensuring product availability,” said Lorena Sossa, Innovation Chief of Crystal. “In addition, by centralizing inventory data, we turned potential losses into sales opportunities, leading to a 5% increase in sales based on greater warehouse inventory accuracy.”

By deploying Zebra’s FX7500 fixed RFID readers and AN440 RFID antennas in its distribution center and stores, Crystal gained greater inventory visibility, ensuring the right stock is available at each site without overstocking. With new inventory accuracy, the firm is providing customers the ability to purchase goods online and have those items shipped from the nearest point of sale or pick them up at the store.                                                                                      

Crystal transformed 20 stores, modernizing them with RFID technology into “smart stores.” Its store associates now use Zebra’s RFD2200,  RFD8500 and RFD40 RFID sleds paired with TC21 and TC26 series mobile computers to enhance productivity, providing them real-time information and enabling them to pick, pack, and deliver goods when and where customers want. The retailer also implemented Zebra’s DS9908 scanners which helps accelerate the check-out process. With Zebra’s RFID handheld readers, associates are now able to capture each garment's RFID tag during regular cycle counts and what used to take eight people 10 hours now takes two people just one hour. Employees’ workloads have been significantly reduced, thereby increasing the quality of the customer experience and shoppers’ loyalty.

“The ability to flexibly address consumers' shopping preferences is crucial to remain successful in today’s competitive environment,” expressed Felipe Behar, Vice President of Sales and General Manager of North Latin America at Zebra Technologies. “Zebra provides a performance edge to apparel retailers like Crystal, helping them elevate the customer experience, optimizing inventory and building smarter operations to deliver faster service.”

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Crystal, a well-known retailer in Colombia and owner of recognized local brands like Punto Blanco®, Gef®, Galax® and Babyfresh®, selected Zebra’s RFID solutions to enable fast and accurate omnichannel sales.
  • By deploying Zebra’s RFID solutions, Crystal achieved inventory accuracy needed to offer click- and-collect delivery option to its customers.
  • Crystal transformed 20 stores into “smart stores.” Some relevant gains for the retailer were reducing time spent on inventory counts by 90%, increasing sales based on warehouse inventory by 5%, and growing inventory accuracy to 99%.

ABOUT ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES

Zebra (NASDAQ: ZBRA) empowers organizations to thrive in the on-demand economy by making every front-line worker and asset at the edge visible, connected and fully optimized. With an ecosystem of more than 10,000 partners across more than 100 countries, Zebra serves customers of all sizes – including 94% of the Fortune 100 – with an award-winning portfolio of hardware, software, services and solutions that digitize and automate workflows. Supply chains are more dynamic, customers and patients are better served, and workers are more engaged when they utilize Zebra innovations that help them sense, analyze and act in real time. In 2021, Zebra expanded its industrial automation portfolio with its Fetch Robotics acquisition and increased its machine vision and AI software capabilities with the acquisitions of Adaptive Vision and antuit.ai. Zebra is #25 on Newsweek’s inaugural list of America’s Most Loved Workplaces and on Forbes’ list of America’s best employers for the fifth year. Learn more at www.zebra.com or sign up for news alerts. Follow Zebra’s Your Edge blog, LinkedInTwitter and Facebook, and check out our Story Hub: Zebra Perspectives.

Media Contacts:

Diana Calderón 
Zebra Technologies
+57 3138021009
diana.calderon@zebra.com  

Marisa Maldonado
Edelman
+ 52 1 55 2890 0048
marisa.maldonado@edelman.com

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