RFID End User Survey Results: Nearly Half to Increase Budgets in 2010

NEW YORK - December 14, 2009

Every year, ABI Research conducts a comprehensive survey of companies currently using, deploying, or piloting/evaluating RFID. This year more than 115 qualified organizations from across the world responded to ABI Research’s annual RFID end-user survey.

Nearly half (49%) of those respondents currently using, deploying, evaluating, or piloting RFID report that they expect their RFID budgets to increase in 2010. “ABI Research considers this a welcome result in these difficult economic conditions,” says practice director Michael Liard. “Moreover, 100% of those organizations with rollouts currently in progress intend to increase their RFID budgets next year.”

The picture is fairly rosy in other parts of the market too: nearly another one third of respondents report that their 2009 RFID spending levels will remain unchanged in 2010, while only about 11% intend to cut their RFID budgets.

As in past years, the overwhelming majority of respondents rated “business process improvement” as the number one driver for their adoption of RFID. The second-most important driver was considered to be the need to reduce non-labor costs.

ROI timeframe is also a critical consideration for most companies considering RFID deployment, and comparing the ROI assumptions reported in 2009 with those from 2008, the survey found that considerably more companies – 48% as opposed to 37% in 2008 – expect their investment to be recouped within 12 months. “Shorter ROI timeframe expectations are yet another sign of users’ growing confidence in the RFID business case,” notes Liard.

ABI Research’s “Annual RFID End User Survey Top Line Results” report provides the high-level, top-line results from the firm’s annual survey. Expanded to include more than 200 tables and charts, the study provides analysis of respondents’ RFID usage plans, primary adoption drivers, specific applications, supported operating frequencies, current and anticipated transponder and reader volumes, RFID expenditures and budget direction, vendor sources and selection criteria, and demographics.  Non-user responses are also analyzed to gain perspective into reasons for not adopting RFID.

It is a component of the RFID Research Service, which also includes other Research Reports, Research Briefs, Market Data, ABI Insights, ABI Vendor Matrices, and analyst inquiry support.

ABI Research provides in-depth analysis and quantitative forecasting of trends in global connectivity and other emerging technologies. From offices in North America, Europe and Asia, ABI Research’s worldwide team of experts advise thousands of decision makers through 28 research and advisory services. Est. 1990. For more information visit www.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500.