EAS stands for Electronic Article Surveillance and is a foolproof method to prevent shoplifting from stores, book pilferages from libraries, and taking away properties from commercial buildings. For this purpose, surveillance companies fit special electronic tags into items. If a customer tries to take these items out of the door without deactivating the labels at the buying counters, the doors will sound an alarm.
How does EAS work?
This technology works with the help of detection antennas present at the store’s exit and the electronic tags on the items. The antennas are able to emit electromagnetic radiations continuously, and in case a customer takes an activated item across, a short electromagnetic signal causes an alarm. This is due to the interaction between the tag and the antenna.A variety of electromagnetic frequencies are used for the detection of theft. EAS systems of EM (electromagnetic) and AM (acoustic magnetic) types work with low electromagnetic frequencies. There is also an RF type that works on higher radio frequencies.
Purchase in bulk
Any company can purchase EAS labels online in bulk. It would usually require labels of different dimensions as per the diverse product types being sold. While purchasing in bulk, companies would surely be able to take advantage of discounts. Also, these labels are not seasonal and will be required throughout the year. Therefore, it is important to search for a reliable vendor for the same.Advantages of using EAS labels
Prevention of theft is the most obvious advantage of getting EAS labels for any organization. The other benefits are as follows:- Increases staff safety- Since items in the stores are no longer targets for shoplifters, the sales personnel do not have to worry unnecessarily. There are very few confrontations with shoplifters as well. Employees can now focus on increasing sales instead of worrying about safety.
- Open displays- The more items are hidden from view, the lesser are the chances of customers asking about them. Without EAS, stores had to make use of display cases and cabinets to lock high-value items, which is no longer necessary. Open display of merchandise is certainly helpful in promoting sales.
- Affordable- Considering that these labels make use of modern technology, they are not expensive. Almost every store will be able to purchase them online. All of these are available in self-installation packs. Product manufacturers can put tags into their packaging or products, which is known as source tagging.
- Easy to use- After the installation of tags, attaching them is also very simple. These tags, available in different sizes and types, are applicable to a variety of merchandise. The list of merchandise can include apparel, electronic items, liquor, food products, and others. It takes only a few seconds to activate or deactivate it, enabling customers to check out quickly.
- High ROI- The security tags purchased from reputed vendors are very reliable and durable. Loss prevention benefits from them are high year after year. Hard tags are reusable and there is absolutely no maintenance.
Role of eCommerce
As per a recent report by Future Market Insights, global smart labels are expected to register a high CAGR of 13% during the period 2019-29. This growth has been largely due to the demand for logistics management solutions and high-quality inventory for the online healthcare industry. In addition, the rising demand for food products online has also led to a spurt.Today’s consumers demand a lot of information from the food product labels. They want to see important information about food quality, ingredients, and other information. With the integration of this information, the sale of e-commerce food products with EAS labels is clearly expected to rise.
The growth of e-commerce has been instrumental in boosting sales across both developed and developed economies. Increasing penetration of the Internet and varied customer spending patterns have fueled the growth of this industry.
High volume products
Labels are never detached but are always deactivated. Therefore, they are ideally suited for use on high volume items such as packaged meat or non-perishable groceries. Though the label is deactivated while making payment, the product remains protected.What to do where labels are difficult to attach?
As mentioned earlier, a massive variety of shapes and sizes are available among EAS labels. Even items such as shoes and handbags can get labels with the help of lanyards and cables. Tags may be difficult to attach to certain items, but not labels. These labels provide discrete protection for perfumes, electronic accessories, CDs, games, and other items.Tags can be reused several times, but labels are meant for single use.
