May 12, 2009I am trying to source an RFID tag that can be utilized for inventory and stock management within our stores. I would like the tag to be covert, as I intend to use it as a security device. Can you advise if there is something like this that actually exists, that can be used immediately?
—Jan, Australia
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Dear Jan,
Almost any passive RFID tag can be employed for inventory management in apparel retail, because apparel is RF-friendly. The right one depends on many factors, such as the layout of your stores, the applications for which you intend to use the tags, and so forth. I know of several companies that have developed RFID tags that can be sewn into labels, but I do not know any that currently market them.
Privacy concerns make it dangerous to use tags in clothing. If your customers learn there is a tag embedded in their clothes that they can't see, they will assume you are using it to spy on them. Checkpoint Systems and ADT have developed combination EAS-RFID tags that might be a better option (see Checkpoint Bridges EAS-RFID Gap, New System Joins RFID and EAS and RFID News Roundup: ADT Europe Develops RFID-EAS System).
—Mark Roberti, Editor, RFID Journal