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Retailers too slow to make summer splash

~ wireless connectivity ignored despite high street sales slump ~

August 07, 2007

Retailers stuck with an excess of summer stock are unable to adjust prices quickly enough to handle unexpected changes in buying habits.

This is according to research carried out by Zebra Technologies among retailers across the UK . It has revealed that 70 per cent of British retailers have no plans to implement a wireless network in store. This is despite the fact that 40 per cent of respondents change prices on the shop floor daily or weekly.

Wireless IT networks are essential in the process of marking down the price of goods quickly and accurately. A price change can be decided by head office and immediately sent to mobile printers on the shop floor, which print an amended label.

“The ability to mark prices up or down quickly according to unseasonable weather or other macro-economic changes is essential to staying profitable. This year’s wet summer is a prime example of why this approach is critical to remaining competitive,” said Rebecca Brookes, retail manager for Zebra Technologies. “If retailers don’t react quickly they can lose valuable sales and are left with excess stock.”

The research also revealed that 84 per cent of retailers surveyed have not made any provision to control time spent on price changes on the shop floor. Lengthy price change procedures mean there are fewer staff available to serve customers and work at the point of sale.

“Retailers shouldn’t be surprised by a long, wet summer in Britain,” continued Brookes. “When the technology exists to share information and update prices quickly and accurately, being unprepared for the weather simply isn’t an option any more.”

Executive quote

“The ability to mark prices up or down quickly according to unseasonable weather or other macro-economic changes is essential to staying profitable. This year’s wet summer is a prime example of why this approach is critical to remaining competitive,” said Rebecca Brookes, retail manager for Zebra Technologies. “If retailers don’t react quickly they can lose valuable sales and are left with excess stock.”

About the company

NOTES TO EDITORS
About Zebra Technologies
Zebra Technologies Corporation (Nasdaq: ZBRA) delivers innovative and reliable on-demand printing solutions for business improvement and security applications in 100 countries around the world. More than 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies use Zebra®-brand printers. A broad range of applications benefit from Zebra-brand thermal bar code, "smart" label and receipt printers, and plastic card printers, resulting in enhanced security, increased productivity, improved quality, lower costs, and better customer service. The company has sold more than five million printers, including RFID printer/encoders and wireless mobile solutions, as well as ZebraDesigner software, ZebraLink connectivity solutions, Genuine Zebra printing supplies and ZebraCare services. Information about Zebra specialty printing solutions is at http://www.zebra.com.

Zebra Technologies Europe Ltd, headquartered in the United Kingdom, provides product and speciality label sales and support across EMEA.

Contact details

For further information, please contact:
Lisa Gillingham at LEWIS
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7802 2626 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7802 2627
Email: lisag@lewispr.com Web: www.lewispr.com

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Retailers too slow to make summer splash

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