Sprint has developed applications that use RFID-enabled loyalty cards that can identify customers and provide customized offers and services.
Scary or great news for consumers?
There are many benefits, but companies must ensure that the potential problems are dealt with in the planning process. Many people have raised their voice for privacy problems with RFID. It is up to the IT industry and the retailers to ensure that these concerns are dealt with. Without doing so, RFID can potentially become nothing more than hype in retailing.
RFID discussion and news has mostly focused on cost-saving in the supply chain for companies. This article is an interesting read to open our eyes for the RFID services available for consumers. According to the article, Sprint has developed RFID cards that identifies a customer when he/she walks into the store. Imagined being offered personalized products in stores? Imagined the SA rushing back to the stock room to get the item you ordered last week, before you say anything and without queuing. There are many benefits to RFID. I think most consumers do not consider privacy issues to be a problem. We are already using loyalty cards for companies to track our buying behavior. As long as there is a benefit to consumers, privacy issues will not be a problem - but they must be dealt with.