ABI Research is conducting its new State of RFID Survey in September 2026 to assess the use of Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology across enterprise verticals. This invaluable feedback will help uncover emerging RFID use cases, deployment challenges, investment areas, and lucrative opportunities for technology providers. If you’re a technology vendor operating in the RFID space, we invite you to help shape the survey and gain exclusive access to the full results once finalized.
Here’s what the research survey entails.
Who Are We Surveying?
Led by Research Director Tancred Taylor, ABI Research is surveying 450 executives and decision-makers who currently use or are considering using UHF RFID in Northern Europe, North America (United States and Canada), and India. With 150 respondents from each region, the survey targets the following industries:
- Retail (apparel, food & beverage, home goods, etc.)
- Manufacturing (pharmaceutical, automotive, textiles, etc.)
- Logistics (post & parcel, Third-Party Logistics (3PL)/Logistics Service Provider (LSP), etc.)
What Kind of Questions Will We Ask RFID End Users?
The survey will consist of 30+ questions covering 7 broad areas:
- Demographics/Firmographics: Country of origin, job role, industry, company size, and number of facilities owned or operated.
- Current Usage & Technology Choices: Current UHF RFID adoption level, use of RFID labels/readers/software, target applications, Return on Investment (ROI) drivers, and more.
- Operational Challenges: Top severity of obstacles to UHF RFID deployments (e.g., regulatory, labor, waste, shrink/loss, etc.), upcoming workflows being considered in the next 24 months, and factors that will accelerate RFID investment.
- Investment Levels & Decisions: Planned investment over the next 2 years, RFID expansion priorities, difficult-to-justify cost elements, and funding tactics.
- Software, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Machine Learning (ML): RFID operating model (standalone, Warehouse Management System (WMS)/Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)/Manufacturing Execution System (MES)/POS integration, data integration, etc.) and AI usage.
- Barriers: Top technology, operational, and commercial barriers/sticking points to RFID adoption.
- Additional Technologies: Investment in supporting technologies and workflows (vision systems, smart labels, Radio Frequency (RF)/Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS), software systems, inventory control, loss prevention, etc.) and where UHF RFID retains an advantage.
Survey Sponsor Customization Options
Before the survey launches, ABI Research is seeking survey partners to help shape the research and gain deeper, customized insights.
As a survey partner, organizations can customize survey questions to align with their competitive and strategic goals. Partners may also submit confidential questions that will be asked as part of the research but excluded from any published or shared results, ensuring proprietary insights remain exclusive to them.
Question Customization & Insertion
- Participants may add up to 3 questions and provide input on response options to ABI Research questions.
- Probe deeper on select technologies.
- Inquire about specific technological challenges.
Confidential Questions
- By default, all survey participants will have access to questions and results from ABI Research and other participants.
- Results from Confidential Questions are eliminated from charted results and made available only to the sponsoring participant.
- Priced at US$2,000 per question.
On a bespoke basis, survey sponsors may customize the panel by increasing the number of respondents and setting quotas for specific industries, markets, or job roles.
How Will the Survey Results Be Published?
Survey sponsors will gain exclusive access to the results through the following deliverables fully provided by ABI Research:
- Excel: Raw, full survey results (excl. Sponsored Questions) in Excel format.
- PowerPoint: Charted, full survey results (excl. Confidential Questions) in PowerPoint format.
- Analysis Report: Final survey analysis report in PowerPoint format, including summarized results coupled with analyst commentary.
- Delivery Session: Analysts will lead a 60-minute delivery session to review the results with each participant.
If you’re a technology vendor seeking tailored insight into RFID customer challenges and wish lists, partner with ABI Research today and ensure your organization gets the answers it needs to enhance long-term strategic planning.
Tancred Taylor