How Can We Monitor Inventory in Real Time to Prevent Theft?

We believe that to begin prosecuting felony-level shoplifters, we require a system that would use item-specific RFID tags, door readers and surveillance footage. Is there a system available for this? Is there an off-the-shelf system that links to video?

—David

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David,

Tyco Retail Solutions, Checkpoint Systems, SML, PervasID and other companies offer retail solutions that could enable you to monitor your inventory in near-real time. You could install gate readers near the exits of your stores. These firs do not provide an off-the-shelf system that links to video, but this could certainly be accommodated. The challenge would be in tagging all of the items at your stores. You would need to either require suppliers to tag everything, or have your staff tag items at the distribution center before sending them to stores. This could prove to be a labor-intensive process.

—Mark Roberti, Founder and Editor, RFID Journal