No matter the inventory or the clientele, retail sales outlets are popular targets of shop lifting and theft. There are a variety of security solutions that many stores implement in hopes of combating this inventory loss including, security surveillance cameras and security guards. However, the most widely used anti-theft security option is electronic article surveillance or EAS. While electronic article surveillance may sound unfamiliar chances are you have seen it in action at many retail outlets across Canada. Every time you are in a store and you hear an individual set off an alarm as they exit, that is electronic article surveillance at work.
How Electronic Article Surveillance Works
There are three main components of any electronic article surveillance system; the security tag, the security tag detacher and the detection system. The first element of an electronic article surveillance system is the security tag. Security tags are items that you are probably familiar with as many businesses use them to protect a variety of different products. Everything from books, to appliances, to clothing use a form of security tag to prevent shoplifting. The security tag that is most common is the hard plastic rectangle that is placed on many large clothing items like, sweaters, jackets, suits and dresses. This security tag is made highly visible in order to deter shoplifting from taking place. When shoplifters see this tag they realize that attempting to take the item out of the store will set off an alarm. This brings us to the second part of electronic article surveillance.
Attaching a security tag to a piece of inventory is not enough to protect it from being stolen. In order to effectively protect your products you must also place a detection system at all entrances into your store. Detection systems are tall gate like structures that are commonly seen in most retail outlets. When a security tag crosses the threshold between the two posts of the detection system an alarm will sound. Therefore any article that is affixed with a proper security tag will not be able to be taken outside of the store without alerting the staff as well as other customers. The simple placement of a detection system at the entrance of a retail store is enough to discourage a shoplifter from entering in the first place.
Understanding Electronic Article Surveillance
This probably sounds great. You attach security tags to the items in your store, you put up a detection system at the entrance and nothing can leave your store without you knowing. But what about the items you sell, the items you want leaving the store, how do you get the security tags off these items so your paying customers don’t set off the alarm? This is where the third element of the electronic article surveillance system, the security tag detacher, comes into play. The security tag detacher is a simple handheld machine that attaches to the security tag and releases it from the item leaving no scratches and no marks. The security tag detacher allows you to safely detach the security tag and reuse it. It also allows for your customers to leave happy.There are many other aspects and elements of electronic article surveillance that we will examine on this blog in the coming weeks. For now if you have any questions on electronic article surveillance, security tags, detection systems or security tag detachers please contact SafeTech.