The Retail Starter Kit is a ready-made RFID solution package for retail stores and stockrooms. It combines RFID readers, RFID labels, and Sense Inventory software to support stock-in, stock-out, inventory counts, and product search.
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Frequently asked questions
Guidance for the Retail Starter Kit and Sense Inventory workflows: devices, RFID labels, stock-in, stock-out, inventory counts, support, and returns.
Retail Starter Kit frequently asked questions
Questions about kit configuration, devices, RFID labels, deployment, operation, and after-sales policies.
The kit is suitable for fashion stores, cosmetics shops, accessory shops, retail chains, and other models with many products that need regular counting.
For products containing metal, liquid, or special packaging, Nextwaves should test sample items first to choose the right label type and placement.
The Retail Starter Kit helps shorten inventory count time, detect missing, extra, or misplaced goods, find a specific product with a handheld reader, scan many products at once at the counter, track each item with its own EPC, and reconcile goods before issuing.
Not necessarily. Stores can continue using barcodes for selling or product lookup while using RFID to identify each item, count stock faster, and find products.
A barcode usually represents a SKU or variant, while each RFID label has a unique EPC for one specific physical item.
Yes. A store can deploy in phases: clean up the product catalog, apply and link RFID labels, use RFID for stock-in and inventory count, then expand to stock-out and transfers.
A phased rollout helps staff get used to the system and limits disruption to current operations.
Deployment usually takes 2-4 hours, depending on the number of SKUs and products, current data quality, number of stockrooms or stores, and software integration needs.
Customers should prepare the product catalog and SKUs, stockroom and store information, actual stock quantities, suitable computers, phones, or tablets, a receiving area, staff for training, and POS or ERP information if integration is needed.
Yes. The standard kit price includes setup support, initial configuration, and staff usage training.
Custom development or integration requirements outside the standard scope will be confirmed and quoted separately if they arise.
No. After training, store staff can handle basic operations such as stock in and stock out, inventory count, and product search with the handheld reader.
Customers outside Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi can be trained online according to Nextwaves' deployment plan.
The basic process is to choose the receiving warehouse, choose the product or variant, read RFID labels, review the EPC list, and confirm the receipt.
Stock increases only after the receipt is confirmed, not immediately when the reader detects a label.
Staff choose the warehouse or area to count, connect the handheld reader, and move along each shelf route.
Sense Inventory compares the EPCs read with expected stock data and classifies missing, extra, or misplaced goods.
Timing depends on area, number of goods, shelf layout, label type, and scanning technique.
A reference time is about 15-20 minutes for one store after products have been fully labeled and stocked in.
After each RFID label has been linked to a product, staff place a group of products in the desktop reader's read zone.
The system reads the EPC list and finds the matching products. Staff review products and quantities before confirming the stock-in or stock-out.
Yes. The handheld reader can support search by EPC or by a specific labeled product.
When the reader gets closer to the product, it can respond by signal strength to help staff narrow the location. Results depend on the environment, product layout, and label placement.
Not in the standard configuration. The Retail Starter Kit focuses on inventory management, counting, and product search.
To detect goods leaving through an exit without authorization, customers need to add RFID security gates and matching software configuration.
Common reasons include labels placed near metal, products containing liquid, folded labels or damaged antennas, labels stacked too closely, unsuitable reader power, unsuitable read distance or angle, or using the wrong label type.
The current public price starts from 25,000,000 VND, excluding VAT.
The final price depends on configuration, number of labels, deployment scope, number of stores, and integration requirements.
The standard package includes hardware, RFID labels, software usage rights, setup support, and usage training.
Separate integration fees, custom feature development, travel outside scope, or additional devices are confirmed in the quotation if needed.
Yes. The current policy supports free nationwide delivery. Delivery usually takes 3-5 days, depending on location and stock availability.
Customers should contact Nextwaves support and provide the device name, error description, and images or videos.
A technician will check remotely first. If remote support cannot resolve the issue, Nextwaves will guide device return or arrange another inspection option.
Hardware devices are warranted according to the conditions and period stated in the quotation, contract, or warranty note of the order.
RFID labels are consumables. Issues caused by wrong placement, removing and reapplying labels, broken antennas, physical impact, or use in an unsuitable environment are not considered device warranty faults.
Product Management
Prepare SKUs, variants, and tag placement before running RFID operations.
Products must exist first because an RFID tag only gives the system an EPC. The tag does not know the item name, size, color, price, or warehouse by itself.
In Sense Inventory, create or import the catalog first, check SKUs, variants, assigned warehouses, and active status. Then apply tags and link each EPC to the correct SKU or variant.
Common mistakes are using one SKU for many sizes, tagging before the catalog is clean, or allowing duplicate SKUs. Those mistakes make Stock In, Stock Out, and Inventory Count all operate on the wrong item.
You need enough data for the system to know what the item is and where it should go: product name, SKU, variant, unit, receiving warehouse, and active status.
In Sense Inventory, create the catalog manually or import it from Excel/CSV. You do not need to pre-enter EPCs if the desktop reader will capture them during Stock In, but the SKU and variant must already exist.
Check that SKUs are unique, variants are not merged incorrectly, the receiving warehouse is correct, and the product is active. RFID will not fix bad master data; it will only move the bad data faster.
If stock must be tracked separately by size or color, each combination should be its own variant. A black shirt size M and a black shirt size L should be different variants because they have different inventory quantities.
In Sense Inventory, create the parent product if needed, then create variants for color, size, material, or model. During RFID Stock In, select the exact variant before reading or linking EPCs.
Do not merge all sizes into one SKU just to import faster. Stock Out may deduct the wrong size, Inventory Count will not show which variant is missing, and reports will only be correct at the total level.
A product import file should include product name, SKU, category, unit, assigned warehouse, and status. If variants are used, include size, color, or variant attributes. Barcode, cost, and image can be added when reporting needs them.
In Sense Inventory, import the file, review error rows, fix the source file, and import again. After import, open several sample products to check SKU, variant, and warehouse before using RFID.
Check that SKU is not blank, not duplicated, not reformatted by Excel, and that variant names are written consistently. Dirty import data causes slow EPC-by-EPC corrections later.
A barcode usually identifies a SKU or variant and is scanned one item at a time with line of sight. RFID uses EPC to identify individual physical items and can read multiple tags in the read zone.
In Sense Inventory, barcode can still be used to search for products. RFID adds item-level identity for faster Stock In, Stock Out, and Inventory Count.
Do not treat RFID as just another barcode by reusing one EPC on many items. Each physical item needs its own EPC; barcode may be shared by items under the same SKU.
If the receipt is not confirmed yet, remove the EPC from the wrong line and scan it again under the correct SKU or variant. That is the cleanest fix because stock has not been posted yet.
If the receipt is already confirmed, use an adjustment or unlink action with the proper permission, then link the tag to the correct product. Check EPC history before changing it to see whether it has already been moved, shipped out, or counted.
Do not rename the product just to match a wrongly linked tag. That damages the catalog and sends the error into Stock Out and Inventory Count.
Inside the box you have a desktop reader, a handheld reader if included, RFID labels, and a computer or phone to work on. First, plug everything in and make sure the software detects the reader.
Then read a few sample labels: open the Stock-in or Inventory Count screen, pass a label over the reader, and watch the code appear. Only once reading is stable should you start building the product catalog for real goods.
Common trip-ups: use the label type that came with the kit, clear spare labels away from the read zone so they are not picked up by accident, and agree up front which steps use the desktop reader and which use the handheld.
Apply RFID labels after the product or variant exists in the system, and before confirming stock-in when the shipment must be tracked item by item. This lets each EPC be linked to the correct SKU.
Place the label on a flat area that is not folded and is not blocked by metal or liquid. For apparel, use a hang tag or secondary label; for boxed goods, place it on an outer surface that is easy to read.
Common mistakes are placing labels near metal, stacking labels, folding labels, or tagging before the SKU is known. After applying labels, test a few items with the reader used in real operation.
Stock In
Create a receipt, read EPCs, and increase stock only after the receipt is confirmed.
The right sequence is to choose the receiving warehouse, select the product or variant, read RFID tags, review the EPC list, and confirm the receipt. Stock should increase only after the list has been checked.
In Sense Inventory, open Stock In, create a receipt, choose the warehouse and product line, then read tags with the desktop reader or suitable device. Compare the number of EPCs with the physical quantity before confirming.
Common mistakes are reading tags before selecting the SKU, mixing variants in the read zone, or confirming while the EPC count is still wrong. If unsure, stop and process a smaller group.
Place the labeled products, or a stack of labels, in the desktop reader's read zone. The system picks up each tag code and adds it to the list for the product you selected, no typing needed.
In Sense Inventory: open a Stock-in receipt, pick the right product and variant, start reading, and pass the goods over the read zone. Check the quantity as codes appear, and delete any stray code before confirming.
One rule: keep only the batch you are receiving on the table. Anything else near the reader can get picked up too, and you would add stock for an item that is not in this batch.
Turn auto scan on when one clear group is being imported and items are placed on the reader continuously. It is useful for a larger batch when the read zone is controlled.
Turn auto scan off when several products are nearby, when switching SKU, or when reviewing the EPC list. In that case, scan in smaller batches to avoid wrong reads.
A common mistake is leaving auto scan running while moving from one size to another. Before changing groups, stop scanning, review the current list, then continue with the next group.
Import by variant group: same model, same size, same color, and same warehouse. Each group should have its own EPC list so the system knows exactly which tags belong to which variant.
In Sense Inventory, select the first variant, scan all tags for that group, check quantity, then move to the next variant. Even if the purchase data came from Excel/CSV, verify groups while EPCs are added.
Do not put multiple variants on the reader at once and fix them later. That easily links EPCs to the wrong variant, and the wrong variant's stock goes up.
No. Each RFID tag carries a unique code, and the system recognizes a code it has already seen and warns instead of adding it again. One item is counted once.
When you see a duplicate warning, check which receipt and status that code belongs to. If it was already received earlier, skip it. If the tag was linked to the wrong product, unlink it, relink correctly, then receive it.
Do not force a duplicate through just to hit a quantity. That inflates stock, and the next count reports extras.
After the receipt is confirmed, the system stores the EPC as the identity of one physical item. The record usually includes EPC, SKU, variant, current warehouse, stock status, receipt, time, and operator.
Sense Inventory uses that record for Inventory Count, Stock Out, and reconciliation history. When the EPC is read later, the system knows where the item should be and whether it is available.
Most of this information is stored in Sense Inventory, not fully written into the RFID chip. If the system record is deleted or edited incorrectly, the tag can still be read but inventory meaning will be wrong.
Stock increases when the Stock In receipt is confirmed, not when the reader first sees the tag. Before confirmation, the EPC list is still draft data.
In Sense Inventory, scan the tags, check each line, remove unknown or duplicate EPCs, then confirm the receipt. Only after completion does the receiving warehouse quantity increase.
If stock does not increase, check whether the receipt is still draft, has duplicate EPC errors, was posted to the wrong warehouse, or the user does not have confirmation permission.
Place only the group being imported in the reader zone and keep other products away. RFID can read through packaging or short distance, so nearby goods may be captured.
In Sense Inventory, work by tray or small batch: place goods on the reader, wait for the EPC list to stabilize, remove them, then process the next group. Delete any unknown EPC before confirming.
Check that too many tags are not stacked, two variants are not mixed, and loose labels are not sitting near the reader.
Do not import the whole shipment right away. Take one sample product, apply one RFID label, then scan and stock it in as usual, using the same device you will use for real.
Then open the stock screen: if stock increased for the right product and variant, and the history looks correct, the system is ready. Only then label and import the full shipment.
This catches mistakes early. If the test shows the wrong product, the wrong warehouse, or the tag reads intermittently, stop and fix it first: check the product record, the label placement, and the read zone, then try again. One wrong item is much easier to fix than a whole wrong shipment.
After confirming the receipt, check product stock, warehouse stock, and EPC history. All three should match: quantity increased, the warehouse is correct, and each EPC is in stock.
In Sense Inventory, open the imported product, filter by receiving warehouse, and open tag history for a sample EPC.
If quantity is wrong, return to the receipt and check which line is missing EPCs, which EPC was duplicated, or whether the receipt was posted to another warehouse.
Stock Out
Use Stock Out for goods leaving inventory, with a reason and EPC history.
Use Stock Out whenever goods leave a warehouse. Examples include return to supplier, damage write-off, internal use, area movement, or correction after review.
In Sense Inventory, create a Stock Out document, choose the source warehouse and reason, scan or select products/EPCs, then confirm. After confirmation, stock decreases from the selected warehouse.
Do not leave the reason blank. It is what explains later why stock went down.
A Stock Out document should include source warehouse, reason, product or EPC list, quantity, and notes when reconciliation is needed. For RFID stock, the EPC list is more important than a total quantity because each EPC is one item.
In Sense Inventory, choose the warehouse first, select a clear reason, then scan tags or choose product lines. Review quantity and EPCs before confirming.
Common mistakes are choosing the wrong warehouse, using a vague reason, or exporting by quantity without checking EPCs. Later reconciliation becomes difficult when the reason is unclear.
A transfer should clearly record the source warehouse, destination warehouse, and item list. With RFID, scan EPCs so the exact physical items leaving and arriving are known.
In Sense Inventory, use a transfer flow if available. If using Stock Out and Stock In, stock out from the source and stock in to the destination with the same EPC list.
Do not create new EPCs for tagged goods that are only moving location. Transfer changes location, not product identity.
If the document is not confirmed, remove the wrong EPC or product line from the document and scan the correct item. Confirm only when the on-screen list matches the goods physically leaving.
If the document is already confirmed, create an adjustment or return-in action depending on your internal process and permission. Check EPC history before correcting the status.
Do not directly edit stock quantity to hide the mistake. That removes the trace of who exported the wrong item, when, and why.
Yes. A proper Stock Out should save the operator, time, warehouse, reason, and product/EPC list. This explains why inventory decreased.
In Sense Inventory, choose a clear reason and use separate staff accounts. When reconciling, open the document history or EPC history to see what happened.
Avoid shared accounts and blank reasons. Without clear audit data, warehouse variance is hard to trace later.
Run one closed loop with a single item: stock it in, watch stock go up, then stock the same item out and watch stock go down. If both directions are right, the reader, the labels, and the software all agree.
In Sense Inventory, use one test product and one test label: do a Stock-in, open the history to see the tag enter the warehouse, then do a Stock-out and see it leave with the right status.
If the loop misses reads, doubles up, or hits the wrong warehouse, stop and fix that first, before handing the system to staff with real goods.
Create a separate test warehouse and a few test products. Anything staff receive or issue there never touches your real stock, so they can practice freely.
In Sense Inventory, name it clearly, like TEST warehouse, use test labels, and note a test reason. If you must practice on real goods, post a reversing adjustment immediately afterwards.
At the end of the day, make sure reports contain no practice transactions. Once training is done, clean up: delete or lock the test data per your process.
Inventory Count
Scan a defined scope, compare EPCs with system stock, and handle variances with review.
Start by choosing the warehouse or area, connecting the handheld reader, and creating a count session. Then follow a steady scan path so the reader captures EPCs on the shelves.
In Sense Inventory, open Inventory Count, choose the scope, connect the device, and begin scanning. After one area is scanned, review EPC count and variance before moving to another area.
Do not start scanning and walk through many areas without a scope. If the scope is unclear, the report cannot tell whether an item is truly missing or simply outside the scanned area.
The scope must be clear: whole warehouse, one zone, one shelf, one product group, or one count shift. The scope decides which system stock list the scanned EPCs are compared against.
In Sense Inventory, choose the warehouse and filters before starting the session. If only one shelf is counted, do not compare it with the whole warehouse; if the whole warehouse is counted, the scan path must cover all areas.
A common mistake is counting part of a warehouse and reading the report as a full count. That makes many items look missing when they simply were not scanned.
Missing means the system expected an EPC in the selected scope but it was not scanned. Extra means an EPC was scanned but was not expected there. Unassigned means the EPC is readable but not linked to a SKU. Wrong location means the EPC belongs to an item that is assigned to another warehouse or area.
In Sense Inventory, handle each group differently: rescan or find missing items, check the location of extra items, link unassigned tags, and move or correct wrong-location items.
Do not adjust stock in bulk as soon as variances appear. RFID can miss tags because of angle, distance, or blocked labels, so suspicious areas should be rescanned first.
It should not count twice when the system counts by EPC. The reader may detect the same tag many times, but the count result should treat it as one physical item.
In Sense Inventory, the count session groups repeated reads by unique EPC. You can pass the reader over the same shelf again to improve coverage without creating fake quantity.
If quantity increases every time the same tag is read, check the scan mode or tag data. Correct results must be based on unique EPCs, not raw read events.
It should not adjust stock immediately after scanning. Inventory Count creates a comparison result; stock adjustment should require review and confirmation by an authorized user.
In Sense Inventory, review missing, extra, unassigned, and wrong-location items after the session. Rescan doubtful areas, resolve each group, then create stock adjustment only when needed.
If stock changes automatically before scan quality is confirmed, valid items may be removed or nearby items may be added by mistake.
The results speak only for the area you chose to count. Count shelf A and the missing or extra numbers are about shelf A, not the whole warehouse.
In Sense Inventory, name the session clearly, for example Main warehouse - shirt shelf - level 2, so when you read the report later you know exactly what the numbers cover.
A common mistake: quick-count one corner, then use that variance to adjust the whole warehouse. To adjust total stock, count the full scope first.
The phone or tablet controls the count session and shows results; the handheld reader emits RF and reads EPCs from shelves. The connection must stay stable during the session.
In Sense Inventory, connect the reader to the mobile device, choose the count session, and start scanning. Staff move the reader while watching read counts and warnings on the screen.
Check battery, Bluetooth or network, connection range, and warehouse permissions. If the device disconnects mid-session, stop and verify that collected data has synced.
Scan with a fixed route: left to right, top to bottom, shelf by shelf, with steady distance and speed. For dense goods or blocked tags, rescan from another angle.
In Sense Inventory, watch whether EPC count increases while passing each shelf. If the number stops too early or is lower than expected, return to that shelf before ending the session.
Common mistakes are walking too fast, scanning only one face of the shelf, holding the antenna too far away, or letting metal cartons block tags. A clear route makes count results more trustworthy.
After scanning, do not stop at the total number. Review variances, rescan suspicious areas, resolve unassigned or wrong-location EPCs, then confirm the result.
In Sense Inventory, save the count session, view or export the report, create actions for missing or extra items, and record any stock adjustment history. A manager should review large variances before closing the session.
Check that the session scope is clear, unusual EPCs are resolved, and adjustments have reasons. If the report is saved but not acted on, the same issues will repeat in the next count.
