Thank you for visiting us at NRF 2016

Dear Valued Customer,

This June, TrustTag participated the NRF 2016 retail show in Philadelphia and we are happy to announce that our NRF 2016 was a big success thanks to our team effort and all the participants. Our participation in this show is a huge milestone as we took a huge step forward to thrive and expand our business in North America. In the retail show, TrustTag displayed its latest high quality, innovative and precision engineered retail loss prevention products which are designed to meet the needs of retailers. As one of the world leading EAS manufactures, we sent a clear message to all the retailers during the show that our main philosophy since day one is to provide our business partners with high quality, innovative and precision engineered retail loss prevention products.

Last but not the least, we’d like to thank all the participants for visiting us during the show and our dedicated team for making this a great show.

Eas Tag

Everything You Need to Know About EAS Tags

What’s an EAS?

Before we move on to the tags, let us first define what EAS means. EAS stands for electronic article surveillance. They are systems designed to help retailers and anyone else who needs to secure and keep track of merchandise and other assets do just that using various technologies like RF, magnetism, acoustics and even microwave.

What’s an EAS tag?

An EAS tag is one of the three basic components of an EAS system. It is essentially a security device that is attached to a product or any other similar asset to make it constantly visible to a reader and an antenna (the other two components of the system) and ultimately prevent theft.

In most cases, alarms are triggered whenever anyone tries to bring unpaid tagged merchandise out of a store or forcefully removes a tag from a product.

What kinds of EAS tags are available?

 There are two basic categories of EAS tags: active and passive. Simply put, active tags have a built-in power source and are designed to withstand extreme conditions and possess over 100 meters of read range, while passive ones rely on readers and antennas for power to work and have a much smaller read range (up to six meters maximum).

In terms of physical design, however, a tag can come in so many different forms. It can be a hard tag, a sticker, a label, a cable, a hang tag or even a sewn-in piece of cloth. Some are small and practically invisible, while others are big enough to act as a deterrent for would-be shoplifters.

How do they work?

Active EAS tags constantly send out signals to the antennas and readers in fixed time intervals. Passive ones, on the other hand, wait until they receive a request from an antenna and a reader before they can send a signal back. They wouldn’t be able to function otherwise because they work by converting the electronic requests they receive the power that they need to generate and send out a signal of their own.

In either case, the signal the tags send out contain various types of information that the reader then interprets or sends to a data analytics software.

How much do they cost?

In general, active tags cost so much more than their passive counterparts. You can get them for anywhere between $20 and $100 per piece, while passive ones typically cost less than $1.

Why the big price difference? Well, active tags are designed to withstand much harsher working conditions and are able to transmit more information to a wider read zone than passive ones. This is why they are more popular in heavy industries like mining, logistics, gas and oil.

Does this mean you should count passive tags out? Of course not. While active tags may have the advantage in some industries, passive tags are still more cost-effective solution in industries like retail, payment processing and manufacturing.

So, which one should I use?

At the end of the day, it all depends on your needs and budget. But regardless of the option you go for, the bottom line is that EAS tags are a great way to secure your products and other similar assets.

Active Rfid

What are Active RFID EAS Systems?

The basics

Active RFID EAS systems use tags that have their own power source. This enables them to emit a signal of their own, possess impressive read ranges and have massive storage capabilities. The batteries typically last anywhere between three and five years, but when they finally run out of juice, the whole RFID tag will have to be replaced.

The system comes with three basic components: a reader, an antenna and, of course, a tag. It’s more or less the same as any other type of tag-based EAS system.

In most cases, active RFID tags operate using two primary frequencies: 433 MHz and 915 MHz. Choosing which frequency to use depends on the environmental conditions where the tags would be used. 433 MHz tags are generally preferred for non-RF-conducive environments because they emit longer wavelengths that are better able to withstand interference caused by materials like metal and water.

Types

There are two types of active RFID tags: beacons and transponders. As the name implies, beacons continuously emit a signal (typically every three to five seconds) regardless of whether or not it receives a request from a reader. In contrast, transponders function almost just like passive systems where they wait for an actual request from a reader before sending out a signal.

Beacons generally have a much wider transmit range than transponders (hundreds of meters away), but transponders make up for its limited range with its superior battery life.

Applications

With either type having its own set of pros and cons, which one should you choose? Well, it all depends on what you need the tags for.

Beacons are typically used in the mining, gas and oil industries, but are also popular for their cargo tracking capabilities. Transponders, on the other hand, are more suited to close-range applications like secure access control and toll both payment processing.

Cost of ownership

Active RFID systems are typically more expensive than their passive counterparts, with tags costing anywhere between $20 and $100 apiece, depending on how tough and feature-rich you need each tag to be. Considering how you can get passive tags for under a Dollar per piece, active tags are indeed a much more significant investment.

What you are paying for

Let’s start with the most important thing: unparalleled durability. Because active RFID systems are typically used in high-stress situations, harsh weather conditions and extreme temperatures, they are built much tougher than their passive counterparts.

They also give you so much more in terms of functionality. Aside from their vast read ranges, they can also be used to keep track of location, moisture levels and even temperature, which could be vital information depending on the industry that you are working in.

At the end of the day, there are just some applications that passive systems are not equipped to handle. Going the cheaper route, in this case, could easily cost you so much more money in the long run in the form of repairs, replacements, and additional components.

Passive RFID Tag

Passive RFID EAS Systems: A Primer

What’s in it?

A passive RFID EAS system has three basic components: an RFID interrogator or reader, an RFID antenna, and, of course, an RFID tag. It’s practically the same as any other EAS system that uses some form of electronic tags.

Each tag is typically made up of two parts: an antenna and an IC circuit or microchip. It does not have a battery (unlike active RFID tags) and just gets its power from the signal sent by a reader.

How does it work?

The reader sends a signal to the antenna, which converts it into RF waves. The waves are then broadcast within the EAS system’s read zone to be picked up by the tags. Each tag, in turn, uses its internal antenna to convert the waves into energy that is then used by its IC circuit to send a signal back to the reader.

Also known as a backscatter, this return signal is slightly different from the original one. This difference is what ultimately gives the reader all the information that it needs from each tag.

What are its frequency ranges?

Passive EAS systems typically use three frequency ranges: low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF) and ultra-high frequency (UHF).

Despite their very short read ranges, LF waves (125-134 KHz) are extremely long and have the best resistance to interference caused by metal or water. This is why LF tags are commonly used in animal tracking applications.

HF waves (13.56 MHz), on the other hand, fall right smack in the middle in terms of read ranges with its range of up to one meter. They are typically used for data transmission, access control, passport security and pretty much any other similar applications that don’t require long-range readings.

Finally, UHF waves (865-960 MHz) are very short and possess high levels of energy, which gives them a five- to six-meter read range. This makes them perfect for applications like in-store asset or inventory tracking and even race timing.

What do the tags look like?

Passive tags come in all shapes and sizes and are made with all kinds of different materials so there’s no uniform look to speak of. It all depends on what the intended application is. There are tags that are as small and thin as a price tag, but there are also those that are a lot bigger and are made with harder materials like plastic or metal.

UHF Rfid

Five Advantages of Using UHF RFID Tags in Retail

 

Radio frequency basics

 Let’s begin by understanding the different radio frequencies typically used in electronic article surveillance EAS systems: low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF) and ultra-high frequency (UHF). The primary difference between the three is the speed by which the sound waves travel. Simply put, the higher the frequency, the faster the waves move – which brings us to the first advantage of using UHF RFID tags:

Faster data read rate

Faster waves mean faster data transfer. This allows your antennas to receive more information in a much shorter amount of time – up to 20x shorter than HF to be exact. Of course, in the fast-paced world of retail, speed is of the essence, especially if you’re running a big store that’s always packed with rushing customers. There’s just so much going on that you can’t afford to experience any lag in any part of your operation.

 

Better range

 

Another benefit of UHF radio waves is that they travel so much farther than their LF and HF counterparts. This ultimately gives you more wiggle room in terms of how you can layout your store. It also allows you to position each product wherever you want without running the risk of having its tag go out of your antenna’s range.

Lower cost

Every tag-based EAS system relies on two components to work: an antenna or a reader and a whole lot of tags. Obviously, antennas are pretty much a one-time investment (at least until they break down), but tags are more of a regular expense so you’d want something that won’t break the bank. Well, UHF RFID tags are also generally cheaper than LF and HF tags, which is probably why more and more retailers are switching to them.

Better compatibility

Unlike LF and HF tags that follow multiple competing standards, UHF tags comply with a single international Gen2 standard. This means that there are no compatibility issues to worry about when you go UHF. All you have to do is get a good antenna and some decent tags and you’re all set.

Can be read simultaneously

UHF antennas can read hundreds of tags at the same time – which makes it perfect for all sorts of retail applications. No matter how busy your store gets, you can rest assured that your UHF EAS system will be able to keep up.

But aren’t ultra-high frequencies more prone to interference?

Well, in theory, that’s true. This is why in the past, retailers were hesitant to adopt the technology. Liquids and practically any kind of metal can easily jam the signal and cause the system to stop working. This means that anyone who knows the basics of how radio frequencies work can easily trick UHF systems and successfully commit a theft.

The good news is that UHF tags and antennas have come a long way since then. Manufacturers have now successfully implemented various methods to overcome their past limitations.

Of course, at the end of the day, no security measure is 100% effective against all kinds of threats. This is why it’s still a good idea to invest in more than one. Hire a good security team, use strong locks, install mirrors – the more you put in place and the more varied the methods you use, the harder you make it for shoplifters to succeed.

The bottom line

With the new technologies that allow it to overcome the limitations that plagued it in the past, UHF RFID systems are now becoming the preferred solution of retailers all over the world. Couple these with their high-speed and multi-source data transfer and processing, superior cost-effectiveness and worry-free compatibility and you’ve got a product that is truly hard to beat.

Retail Security

Three Keys to Effective Retail Security

 Effective retail security does not require complex plans and highly advanced technologies. A simple strategy that that involves three basic elements is usually enough to get the job done. Let’s take a look:

Hiring the right people, training everyone else

Start by getting people who have experience in loss prevention in the retail industry. Retailers like yourself, in most cases, are not really experts when it comes to retail security, so you need someone who knows exactly what to keep an eye out for, how to respond to perceived threats and how to react when an incident does actually happen.

But what about your staff? Well, this is where the “training everyone else” part comes in. Everything you learn from your security team must be passed on to every member of your staff. Keep in mind that guards can only cover so much ground. You’ll need all the help you can get in keeping your store safe. From the management team all the way to the interns (if you have any), everyone should know at least the basics of retail security.

Making theft difficult

When it comes to theft prevention, simply making committing the act more challenging goes a long, long way. Most would-be shoplifters would just move on to an easier target instead of running the risk of getting caught. And for anyone else who’s still bold enough to try, there are still other security measures to worry about.

So, how exactly do you make theft more difficult? Well, for starters, get a good electronic article surveillance (EAS) system. By simply attaching electronic tags on all your products and then installing sensors on all entry and exit points, you automatically make it much more challenging for people to bring unpaid merchandise out.

Recording everything

Of course, no solution works 100% of the time. More seasoned shoplifters would probably figure out a way to beat your store’s security. But this is where a good CCTV system comes in. By making sure that you record everyone who comes in and goes out of your store – and what they do while inside – you significantly increase your chances of catching shoplifters even after the theft has already been committed.

At the end of the day, experienced and well-trained people, a deterrent and a good video recording system are all you really need to beef up your store’s security.

Clothing Security

Top Three Security Challenges of Running a Clothing Store

Clothing stores seem to be among the top targets of shoplifters. Let’s take a look at the most common reasons behind this and how you can address them below:

Dressing rooms

Whenever a customer goes in one to try some clothes on, you automatically lose any visual contact with them. This essentially gives them a free hand to do anything they want with your merchandise.

Now, the situation shouldn’t be that bad if you were able to keep track of all the items they brought in. Unfortunately, if you weren’t, then there’s really no way you’d know whether there are any missing items once the customer comes out.

Easily concealable merchandise

Small products and even bigger ones that can be made smaller by folding (like clothes) can easily be tucked into a small bag or hidden under loose clothing. This makes it very easy for shoplifters to take unpaid merchandise out of stores with poor security.

Too many distractions

If you’ve had your clothing store for a while, then you probably know just how busy it could be. With people asking your staff for different color and size options all day and then going in and out of your dressing rooms to try stuff out, there’s just too much going on to physically keep track of everything. This presents shoplifters with a whole lot of openings to strike.

The fix

Invest in a good electronic article surveillance (EAS) system so your products are protected even when no one is looking. All it requires you to do is attach some form of security tag, sticker or label onto all the items in your inventory and then put up sensors on all entry and exit points of your store – and you don’t even have to do it yourself. Some providers can actually do it at the manufacturing level.

The end result is that if anyone ever tries to bring an unpaid item out, the security tags will cause the sensors to trigger an alarm, alerting your team to the theft. The same thing happens when someone tries to remove the tags by force.

At the end of the day, while it’s always good to have attentive and well-trained staff, it’s still best to have some form of unmanned security measures in place as a back up to further beef up your store’s security.