LP Versus The Network

IP (Internet protocol)-enabled LP technology is proving its benefit, but who can afford the bandwidth?

Retail loss prevention's "big three" technologies – EAS (electronic article surveillance) tags, CCTV (closed-circuit television)/DVRs (digital video recorders), and alarms – proved their ROI as stand-alone theft deterrents decades ago. One or more of these solutions are now ubiquitous among nearly all tiers of retail. Recent advancements have added significantly to the value they bring to the table, most notably integration of these solutions with the WAN. But few merchants, even among tier-one retailers, have taken advantage of all an IP-integrated LP network has to offer.

One will need only cruise the aisles of the NRF (National Retail Federation) LP show (June 11-13, 2007) in San Diego to experience the multidisciplinary value proposition modern LP technology brings. There, you'll see DVRs that also count store traffic, tied to the WAN and controlled centrally at headquarters, where software analyzes not only recorded behavior traditionally considered suspicious, but traffic patterns as well. You'll see EAS tags that communicate wirelessly with the LAN to monitor the movement of tagged merchandise in the store, enabling both tighter LP and inventory control. And you'll see demonstrations of centrally monitored alarm systems that allow security and risk professionals to respond to store-level incidents from thousands of miles away.