Title: Shopper attitudes about privacy and the likelihood of disabling an RFID tag

Authors: Ronald B. Larson; Bruce G. Ferrin

Addresses: Mid-America Consultants International, 811 2nd Avenue North, Suite 284, Fargo, ND 58102, USA ' Haworth College of Business, Western Michigan University, 1903 West Michigan Avenue, 3268 Schneider Hall, Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5430, USA

Abstract: Successful omnichannel retailing of consumer goods will probably require item-level RFID tags. Consumer concerns about privacy may limit implementations of item-level tagging and slow omnichannel growth. This study tests consumer reactions to a tag that can be disabled by customers after purchase. Two surveys examined relationships between support for and use of this type of RFID tag and privacy concerns, demographics, and behaviours. Many of the expected relationships were not found, suggesting that simply placing this type of tag on products is unlikely to significantly ameliorate privacy concerns. Targeted communications at individuals in specific segments (e.g., those nervous about new technologies, those actively involved in an organised religion, etc.) that explain the technology and reassure consumers may complement the adoption of these special RFID tags and help overcome the barrier created by privacy concerns.

Keywords: radio frequency identification; RFID; omnichannel retailing; privacy; technology anxiety; religiosity; disabled RFID tag.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLSM.2021.113441

International Journal of Logistics Systems and Management, 2021 Vol.38 No.3, pp.325 - 342

Received: 18 Apr 2019
Accepted: 26 May 2019
Published online: 05 Mar 2021 *

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