RFID Videos
Here are a few videos on RFID.
1. Retail Shopper – ‘shoplifter’
2. Retail Shopper – elderly couple
3. IBM Commercial – boxes should drive
Comment on the benefits and pitfalls of RFID.
MIS 3537 – Spring 2017
Here are a few videos on RFID.
1. Retail Shopper – ‘shoplifter’
2. Retail Shopper – elderly couple
3. IBM Commercial – boxes should drive
Comment on the benefits and pitfalls of RFID.
Watching the IBM commercials, I thought they were a funny and light-hearted way to inform the public of RFID technology and what potential capabilities it could have. The commercials were simple enough for someone to understand that information is captured almost instantly and used as payment, such as in a grocery store. This added benefit of less wait times in line and effortless checkout would be appealing to people on the go. However, after watching the security video, it was scary how easy it was to get someone’s credit card information from a simple RFID reader for $8 online. This is a huge pitfall because the card user could have no idea their information is being taken and stored in a different location.
As I watched the IBM commercial, I understood the importance of RFID and how it can be used to effectively prevent shoplifting. However, on of the pitfalls I noticed about RFID technology is that it can eliminate jobs (i.e. cashiers at grocery stores). On the contrary, this may also be viewed as a benefit, as it minimizes business expenses. Another downfall I noticed about RFID technology is that it seems to only monitor the physical act of whatever it is tracking; for example, the purchasing of groceries in the second video. This act has potential to put someone’s credit at risk and having their identity stolen/used.
By watching the IBM commercials, i found them to be very funny and brings across the point of RFID very well. However, there are some pitfalls that are associated with RFID. For one, looking at the second clip, I believe security could possibly be an issue. Because RFID only tracks the actual movement of the products, this allows for someone’s identity to possibly get stolen. Additionally, another pitfall of RFID, from a perspective of citizens, is that it can reduce jobs. Like the video you mentioned of Amazon stores using RFID to have customers walk in and walk out as they please, this removes the need for cashiers, which is good for businesses as it reduces costs, but bad for job growth within the US.
The IBM commercials made me laugh while also giving me a good perspective on RFIDs and their importance. The shoplifter commercial reminds me of what Amazon is trying to do with their new grocery store where you dont have to pay at a checkout line. Through the use of RFIDs you each item is tracked so when you put it in your cart it is automatically put on your bill that is connected through an app on your mobile device. That is an example of how RFIDs are being used now a days. There could be some technological problems with that which wouldn’t go over well when it involves consumers money. The commercial with the truck drivers going the wrong way is a nice way to show how RFIDs are used to track shipments and how someone can see its every move. I have enjoyed learning about RFIDs so far as they are such a key part to the supply chain.
These commercials did a good job of giving the viewer an overview of what RFID is about. Even if I did not know anything about RFID before, I think these videos would have displayed it well. One downfall of RFID that I thought more about since watching these is the fact that it takes away jobs from the people. If warehouses don’t need people to manage the inventory anymore, that leaves some highly skilled workers out of employment. Additionally, with the way that technology is booming, soon Amazon will have the no checkout stores, and this eliminates the need for cashiers. The efficiency and accuracy of RFID are the benefits that make business owners want to use it. RFID tracks the inventory automatically without human interaction, which saves them huge amounts in salaries, benefits, etc.
The downfall of the RFID technology might be its implementation cost. Indeed, in order to implement RFID companies need to create a new systems or find a way to integrate with their existing systems. In addition, they need to buy tags and reader which don’t come cheap. Another issue will be its vulnerability to be disrupted by other frequencies, which can also raise the question of security and privacy concern affiliated with RFID. The main advantage of RFID is its ability to track valuable assets and equipment, in this video the items in the store. RFID provides a better visibility for companies to manage effectively their supply chain.