Could Hidden EAS Benefit Your Store?
Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) has evolved in recent years to fit businesses' need for a nice consumer experience.
The antenna and pedestals, which are a key component of EAS, may now be hidden in plain sight, providing a welcoming entrance while securing precious products in the store.
Here's everything you need to know about covert Electronic Article Surveillance and why it's become so popular.
What is hidden EAS?
Antennas are an important part of the EAS loss prevention system. These antennae, which guard the entrance to the retail location, are in continual connection to security labels and tags placed on merchandise.
Whenever a tagged or labelled item reaches these antennas, an audible alarm alerts workers that an item may be on its way out of the store.
Antennas were quite evident until recently, but now sellers have an option. Because of advancements in EAS technology, antennas may now be hidden behind the store's doorframe, beneath the floor of the foyer, or perhaps even overhead, allowing the customer's first impression to be dominated by the store's design rather than security.
So, who makes the concealed EAS suit, and what are the possibilities?
Hidden EAS Options
EAS solutions can be easily hidden in the floor of your store, at the entryway overhead, or embedded into the frame of the doorways. INEO Clarity system is another option for a “hidden” EAS system, with a clear, high-tensile strength acrylic material.
Under floor
Under floor EAS includes placing the EAS transmitter in a concealed recess at the entryway, taking up no store space and providing complete discretion.
Overhead
If near the floor isn't for you, advanced technology helps in tracking and tracking anything from above.
A tiny, square overhead antenna is used in this arrangement, which is placed near the entryway. It's an RFID system that works with encoded RFID frequency tags that can not only notify employees of theft, but also monitor things and help with inventory management.
Within the Doorframe
Another alternative is to hide your EAS inside a store's entryway, which is available for various door frame sizes and has minimal effect on the floor.
Two small receivers are hidden inside the sides of the entryway, and little wires run around the doorjamb to power the equipment.
What to Consider?
Although each solution improves aesthetics, the overall structure of your business may influence which choice is best for you.
Whether you employ RF or AM, the frequency of the EAS tags.
The width of your doorway - some systems are only suitable for narrower entrances, whereas others need the installation of additional modules to achieve a wider width.
The measurement of your ceiling height – An overhead antenna must be placed low enough in the sky for items to be within range.
The depth under your floor — If you want to install an underfloor system, you'll need to build a 20mm hole to house the antennae. This level of complexity is not seen in every store.
The appearance of your entryway – Some methods involve the construction of panel to house the hidden antenna, which are not pedestals.
Gaining Popularity
In an era when the customer experience is everything, hidden EAS is gaining traction. However, it is not an option that all shops will want to use.
For some, the conspicuous presence of an antenna acts as a theft deterrent. Others may not be able to accommodate concealed EAS because of the actual arrangement of their doorway.
Hidden EAS, on the other hand, may provide a multitude of benefits for merchants who place a premium on the appearance and feel of their doorway.
More information about hidden EAS may be found here, as well as a list of security tags and labels that are compatible with a wide range of concealed EAS systems.
Additional resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_article_surveillance
https://www.securitytags.com/hidden-benefits-eas/
https://www.ineoproducts.com/blogs/news/how-to-use-security-tags
https://www.ineoproducts.com/blogs/news/loss-prevention-in-five-levels
