Simon Edgar

Checkpoint Systems, a pioneer in source to shopper solutions, has announced the launch of the G40, a small footprint acrylic antenna specifically designed to tackle theft in convenience stores. With small format stores growing at an exponential rate globally, the need to protect merchandise in high traffic, small footprint environments is increasing. The compact RF-based, G40 EAS antenna offers a solution to cover areas where installation of traditional EAS proves challenging. Maximising space for product displays, delivering accurate detection between pedestals while back-shielding against false alarms caused by customers walking behind the antenna. Full system connectivity for remote servicing The antenna, built on Checkpoint’s trusted EVOLVE electronics platform, delivers full system connectivity for remote servicing, management reporting and system updates to minimise downtime. Simon Edgar, Senior Director of EAS Solutions at Checkpoint Systems commented: “The G40’s high-performance, small form factor, focusses on tough to protect areas offering retailers a cost effective, efficient EAS antenna that doesn’t eat into valuable space, meaning retailers can still maximise selling space while minimising losses.” The G40 is available immediately.

Checkpoint Systems has unveiled the world’s most compact full performance, customisable, RF EAS antenna – the S20. S20 RF EAS antenna Retailers are dramatically ramping up investment in store design to improve the overall consumer experience and with store designs leading to a potential sales increase of up to 40%*, there is a justifiable return. With 50 years’ experience, Checkpoint Systems are collaborating with retailers and brands to align EAS antennae with these new store concepts. By reconfiguring the electronics used in EAS, Checkpoint has blown open design possibilities, meaning retailers no longer have to compromise on the EAS antenna at the entrance and the overall store design vision. This new generation of EAS antenna is designed for retailers whose brand image and customer experience are everything This new generation of EAS antenna is designed for retailers whose brand image and customer experience are everything. For the first time in the history of EAS antenna, the unique configuration of the S20 allows the traditional ‘gate’ look to be replaced with a visually appealing, elegant, sleek design. By introducing this pioneering technology, Checkpoint has actively changed the dynamic, helping retailers balance loss prevention with aesthetics. High impact LEDs  Over and above its revolutionary sleek design, the S20 can be completed with custom finishes, textures and graphics to offer a wide choice of visual appearances. High impact LEDs deliver eye-catching accents to any store entrance and are available in a range of colors to complement brand identity. The S20 is ideal for apparel retailers looking to attract customers into their stores, maximise trading space and keep store entrances clear, the S20 can be free standing, wall or door mounted and works directly against metal. Remote service capabilities and data reporting help to improve up-time as Checkpoint’s engineers can continuously monitor the status, enabling issues and trends to be identified in real-time, ensuring the investment is performing efficiently.  Remote service capabilities We have opened the door to a new generation of EAS antenna for retailers wanting to balance protection with design" Simon Edgar, Senior Director of Product Management, EAS Systems at Checkpoint Systems, commented, “There is not a lot that is ‘traditional’ about retail today. All physical stores face challenges to attract and retain customers and, in these new environments, ‘traditional’ doesn’t fit. We have opened the door to a new generation of EAS antenna for retailers wanting to balance protection with design, to fit the overall vision of their brand and store concept.” “The S20 is truly unique and offers apparel stores the excellent detection that they require, in a design that is sleek and elegant, with customisable options also available. Our striking new antenna design offers a beautiful profile and great performance, enhancing store aesthetics, improving the customer experience and controlling loss effectively – without compromise.”

Checkpoint pioneered RF technology’s use in the retail industry and is now ushering in a new era through the introduction of a brand new electronics platform that is resetting the boundaries of what is achievable, both in terms of antenna design and functionality. Simon Edgar, Senior Director EAS Systems & Software at Checkpoint Systems, gives some information about the thought process behind the new NEO system. 1. Checkpoint is noted as inventing the first Radio Frequency-based Electronic Article Surveillance system, what would you say has been the main driver for you to re-think the whole Radio Frequency design? “Checkpoint has a long reputation of delivering quality RF hardware and labels. We have maintained our position as the market leader as we’re always looking for ways to improve the solutions we offer. That said, there are only so many antenna designs and innovations that you can come up with, while working from the same blue print. With the rapid rate of change retailers are having to adapt to, it made sense that our solutions were able to cope with these changes, particularly the increasing demand for connectivity between multiple new technologies and sensors. That’s when we started to think outside of the box, about redefining the antenna design – so that this valuable piece of hardware is fit for the rigours of today’s retail environment.” 2. How did you set about creating NEO? “Discussions about a new electronics platform started a couple of years ago. As technology changes, the options to adapt our electronics platform also open up, so we started to re-think the traditional RF loop concept. Bricks and mortar stores are striving to be more technologically advanced and connected in everything they do, in order to bring new customers through the doors and maximise their sales.As technology changes, the options to adapt our electronics platform also open up, so we started to re-think the traditional RF loop concept" So it made sense to apply the same philosophy to our antenna portfolio. We’re extremely proud of what we have achieved in such a short period of time. It demonstrates that we’re at the forefront of retail technology and not many vendors can have a market ready product available within just eight months.” 3. How many people have been involved in its development? “The project was split in two, with an electronics development team and an antenna design team. All together the project has involved Checkpoint employees from around the globe, including 20 engineers, 10 technical designers and the entire senior management team of Checkpoint. This doesn’t include marketing, sales and our customers – who have been involved throughout the process. It has been a true team effort and we have combined the wealth of retail experience and technical know-how within our business to create something really special.” 4. Acousto-Magnetic (AM) technology has presented some benefits to retailers over Radio Frequency, including wider aisles. Why have you continued to invest in RF? “We believe that RF technology has more benefits than Acousto-Magnetic, including cost, detection and energy usage. It has always been our preferred option for antenna, labels and source tagging – where we protect manufactured goods straight out of the factory. The latter often involves a wide selection of differing tag sizes and formats, and when we started to investigate new ways to lay out the electronics, previous performance boundaries related to tag size started to melt away. We soon realised that the NEO platform would enable us to incorporate new connected technology, while early test results showed the detection rates in the new electronics configuration was outstanding, enabling retailers to achieve the same distance between antennas that AM technology provides.” 5. You are using NEO to develop sensors for different vertical markets, why is it important that different stores have different types of antenna? “When shopping on the high street or in malls, you usually spend a few hours browsing. Stores spend a lot of time to make their displays appealing and ensuring entrances are as open as possible to entice people in. As such there has been increasing demand for antenna designs that are minimalistic and deliver a clear eye line to the displays, rather than customers’ not being able to see past the point of entry/exit security systems. In contrast, grocery or DIY stores tend to have more frequent footfall, often with trolleys. Designs for these environments need to be sturdy enough to take a few knocks and last a good few years under these harsher conditions. Thanks to the NEO electronics platform, the scope for varied designs has opened up dramatically, so over the next 12 months expect to see some exciting design concepts that can be utilised across the retail industry.” 6. Do you see the adoption of RFID speeding up across Europe, and is that why being able to upgrade to RFID is important? “RFID has been talked about for a while and many retailers are now beginning to adopt this technology. We are also seeing the emergence of Bluetooth and NFC, while some retailers are experimenting with other wireless technology, Chatbots, VR, AR and AI. The customer journey is more complex and a diverse range of solutions are being created that help stores communicate with customers and improve the shopper experience.Over the next 12 months expect to see some exciting design concepts that can be utilised across the retail industry" So really, it’s not just about upgrading to RFID anymore, it’s about all round connectivity. By offering a wide range of ‘intelligent’ options, our NEO electronics present retailers with the ability to upgrade at any time; we are expanding retailer options beyond what has ever been possible with entry/exit systems.” 7. Connectivity is a key USP of NEO; how are retailers looking to connect their stores and what are the common challenges? “As we just touched on, connectivity is playing an ever increasingly important role in the retail industry. Different technologies can be combined to provide wider information and hugely valuable, actionable data for retailers. NEO will become an active contributor to this data flow and will provide many different insights that will help a retail store run more effectively, not only in reducing losses, but improving customer engagement.” 8. 75% of retailers globally say their major investments in the next decade will be in in-store tech. Why is it important retailers introduce new technologies, like NEO, into their stores now? “Recent studies have shown that bricks and mortar stores are still an important part of the customer journey. In fact, a large percentage of shoppers still want to visit stores despite the ease of shopping online. But however they choose to shop, their expectations remain similar – they want to easily find what they are looking for, they expect instant customer service, and, perhaps most importantly, they want an easy checkout. This is where technology, like NEO, becomes a key part of a physical store’s modern day infrastructure. Delivering actionable, real time data to staff in-store, can significantly improve the consumer experience, keeping customers loyal and the store relevant in this new landscape.”

As physical stores look to push the boundaries of retail design, demand for non-intrusive security systems at the store entrance/exit is growing. Checkpoint Systems, a supplier of source to shopper solutions for the global retail industry, has responded with the launch of an underfloor RFID antenna, UF-1. Delivering the same market-leading quality as Checkpoint’s more traditional EAS antennas, but using unique, patented RFID reader technology, the UF-1 system offers a large read range, with the added benefit of harnessing the power of RFID data to improve inventory management within a completely invisible solution. Checkpoint Wirama RadarTM technology UF-1 is suited to a wide array of projects; from those wanting aesthetically pleasing, open entrances to malls that restrict the use of traditional EAS antennas across their openings, and retailers that need wide, obstruction free store doorways. Using patented Checkpoint Wirama RadarTM technology, the underfloor RFID-enabled solution can identify the direction of a tag passing over the antenna, whether into the store, out of the store, or along the door. It is also able to determine if an item is simply located nearby the exit or potentially being stolen – minimising false alarms. Simon Edgar, Senior Director - Product Management at Checkpoint Systems, commented: “We’re hugely excited to be launching this new underfloor RFID solution that will enable retailers to become even more creative with their store designs and help them improve their customers’ in-store experience. UF-1 is advanced floor-based solution and we expect it to be extremely popular among RFID early adopters.”

Checkpoint Systems, a supplier of source to shopper solutions for the global retail industry, has announced a radical shake-up of its range of electronic article surveillance (EAS) antennas, with the introduction of a revolutionary new electronics platform. Unveiled at NRF’s Big Show, NEO will deliver enhanced detection and connectivity to retailers, enabling them to improve store operations. The powerful new electronics represent a seismic shift in the way radio frequency-based (RF) EAS solutions perform in store and enable the sensors to become a key part of the connected store environment. Available immediately, NEO will debut in a range of new, more aesthetically pleasing antenna designs, aiding retailers that are looking to create a more enticing shop entrance. NEO pushes the capabilities of RF-based EAS solutionsNEO will debut in a range of new, more aesthetically pleasing antenna designs to create more enticing shop entrances NEO pushes the capabilities of RF-based EAS solutions, boosting the standard detection range by up to 35% so that retailers can increase the distance between each antenna to 2.7m. The unique electronics deliver superior detection and mean the sensors are capable of protecting the smallest of labels – including those used on cosmetics products against theft, in either the current aisle width setup or wider. A first for the retail industry, NEO-enabled antennas will feature wireless Bluetooth connectivity. This means that stores will no longer have to connect antennas via underfloor cabling – a costly and time-consuming process. Its remote connectivity ensures that the EAS investment is maximised, with Checkpoint providing a live system health check and online service support, while alarm-related data can be synchronised to the cloud to provide real-time actionable insights. New NP10 and NP20 sensors With smaller, more efficient electronics, the antenna’s footprint has been minimised. The new NP10 and NP20 sensors – the next generation of the highly successful P10 and P20 devices are the first to include NEO electronics. Developed for grocery and big box retailers, they will feature a less intrusive, lightweight, more contemporary look with a brushed metal frame. Importantly the antennas have been designed with RFID in mind, with retailers able to seamlessly upgrade their sensors without any impact on the antenna frame. The challenges faced by retailers 50 years ago are inherently different than those faced today" Simon Edgar, Senior Director of Product Management for EAS/RFID Systems and Software at Checkpoint Systems, commented: “We designed the blueprint for the very first EAS antenna and it’s exciting to be the one ushering in a new era for the technology. The challenges faced by retailers 50 years ago are inherently different than those faced today. Retailers are now led by data and NEO is pivotal to loss prevention sensors becoming part of the connected store. The revolutionary electronics that we’ve developed allow for the seamless transfer of data to the cloud which ultimately helps stores to make informed business decisions, based on analytics.” The NP10 and NP20 sensors are available immediately, and Checkpoint will unveil further designs for other vertical markets throughout 2018.

It has been proven that fitting rooms present retailers with a great opportunity to sell more merchandise, but can also act as a “safe haven’ for dishonest shoppers to conceal garments and steal them. According to the most recent Global Retail Theft Barometer, apparel retail specialists have one of the highest shrinkage rates globally, accounting for 1.8% of sales. To help minimise the risk of this concealment theft, Checkpoint Systems, a global leading provider of source to shopper solutions to the retail industry, has announced the launch of a new solution – ApparelGUARD. Magnet detection technology Available as part of the connected store Solution Application EVOLVE-Store™, this unique magnet detection technology is installed in individual fitting rooms. It identifies when someone carrying an illegally obtained security tag detacher enters the cubicle. It then looks for its movement as a dishonest shopper attempts to remove tags from merchandise. The alarm is triggered when ApparelGUARD antennas have sensed both events – minimising false alarms. An alert is sent via the EVOLVE-Store Live App to ensure the incident is responded to by a member of staff. The solution is easy to install and can protect up to 10 fitting rooms, either as a standalone application or it can be networked into an existing EAS infrastructure using a special API. Peace of mind for retailers Simon Edgar, Senior Director - Product Management at Checkpoint Systems, from Checkpoint Systems commented: “ApparelGUARD represents a new way fitting rooms are protected. Retailers are aware of the conundrum posed by allowing shoppers to try merchandise on in-store, but allowing them to do so is a key element of providing an interactive experience and it’s proven to increase sales. This solution will give retailers peace of mind, providing a visual deterrent to make dishonest customers think twice before using them as a haven to detach tags.”