Selle Italia will use RFID chips to track aftermarket saddles

Gray marketing and rampant online discounting are twin evils plaguing a host of brands. But Selle Italia is beefing up its fight to maintain control over its products and pricing. Next month the Italian company will begin to insert RFID chips into its aftermarket saddles during regular production runs. RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) chips will help the company spot products that have been diverted into unauthorized sales channels, said Dan Mckenna, commercial director of Vittoria Industries North America. Vittoria distributes Selle Italia in the U.S. market.