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The End of the Bar Code
valdean writes "The University of Wisconsin RFID Lab, principally funded by a dozen Wal-mart suppliers including 3M, Kraft Foods, and S.C. Johnson & Son, believes that RFID could spell the end of the ubiquitous bar code. The big draw? Speeding up supply-chain management. Wal-mart's warehouse conveyor belts presently move products at 600 feet per minute... but they want to be faster. And better informed."
I wonder how do I scan a RFID that has been faxed to me from the other side of the world? Guess not... BAR CODES will still be quite useful for a very long time...
I know it will result in lower price, because once competitors can do this they can lower price, and they must do so to stay ahead. It's a simply matter of logistics, they offer a lower price so you buy there. In the short run they make less of a profit, but their competitors get less business, and if your shopping trip is less expensive you are more likely to buy more. Wal-mart is all about bulk buying. Sam's Club espescially. It's about large quantities of units the more they move, the more profitable int will be. So yes, they will drop prices. The average prduct at my local wal-mart is about 5-10% cheaper than anywhere else close. And that means i spend less gas moving from store to store, and save even more money, which i probably spend at Wal-mart.
Watch for Penguins, they eat Apples and throw rocks at Windows.
I feel sorry for all the people w/ barcode tattoos.. now they'll have to go get rfid tattoos.