From the supply chain to the store floor and beyond, RFID tags continue to prove their multidisciplinary benefits.

Eric Brotherhood (Best Security Industries' SVP/GM)
by Matt Pillar

While far from ubiquitous, RFID tags are being exploited by many leading retailers for the purposes beyond supply chain and inventorry management. Eric Brotherhood, SVP and GM at Best Security Industries, says they're making headway in LP, too. We asked Brotherhood a few questions about where RFID goes from here.

Are security applications driving RFID purchases in retail, or is security an ancillary benefit to the supply chain /inventory management applications for RFID?

Brotherhood: The big stores conducting full EPC (electronic product code) initiatives have gone from logistics to EAS (electronic article surveillance), and the standards have been moving in that direction Some srn1tll et apparel retailers have also applied the technology to special functions first and then moved on to EAS, such as Prada and Lee Jeans, which enable store-level inventory visibility, cross selling/upselling, loyalty programs, and speed of checkout using RFID. Has applications seem to be the tail end add-on to these features. However, one quick extra EAS function made possible by RFID has been dressing room monitoring and the tracking of movement of items between departments.
We became interested in the technology because it appeared to be the only way to cover wide entrances, since microwave systems are no longer being made and many malls are no longer allowing pedestals. However, it seems to be more rare for EAS to start with RFID and then push into other store applications from there. It is, however, the easiest to implement without having to change system-wide software and business processes.