RFID-based Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) is a technological method for deterring and detecting the theft of consumer goods. The goal of RFID-based EAS is to leverage the benefits of the EPC (Electronic Product Code) and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) for EAS functionality including visibility, improved inventory tracking, and process productivity. Recently, the GS1 released the Strategic Overview Guide and Technical Implementation Guide for EPCglobal RFID-based Electronc Article Surveillance (EAS) for reusable and disposable tags. With this guide for RFID-based EAS comes a lot of questions, some of which are answered below:

How do companies use RFID-based EAS?
Companies that use RFID-based EAS typically encode EPC numbers onto RFID tags to identify their items within the supply chain and retail settings.

What abilities do RFID-based EAS bring to manufacturers and retailers?
For retailers, RFID-based EAS provides an easier way for store clerks to manage inventory and assist customers, making shopping more convenient and stocking shelves easier. In addition RFID-based EAS is a great detector of theft.

In a manufacturing environment, a RFID-based EAS system can use one tag that secures the product while identifying the product uniquely, regardless of the retail partner. Manufacturers also gain visibility into the retail environment since they are able to protect their brand from counterfeiting in addition to knowing which store their products went to.

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As mobile communications continue to grow and consumers are doing practically everything from their cellular phones, it’s important for companies to realize that standards are necessary. The GS1 has noticed the growing mobile communication market and has developed a Management Board to implement a set of standards for it.

The GS1 Management Board plans to develop global standards for Mobile Commerce, leading global companies to support development of global standards for trusted, efficient communication between businesses and consumers via mobile phones.

The GS1 Management board has recently agrees that they need to become a key player in creating a trusted and efficient communication between businesses and consumers (B2C). The board recognized the opportunity for the industry to extend GS1 standards that are already being used for Business-to-Business (B2B) processes to the realm of B2C. The following areas will be affected:

• Identification Keys
• Data Carriers (Bar codes and RFID tags)
• Product data related to consumer information
• Data exchange

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Recently, we’ve talked a lot about GS1 standards and synchronization, but what exactly is the GS1, and who are they to make all these standards in which everyone must follow?

For the past 30 years, the GS1, a non-profit organization, has been dedicated to the design and implementation of global standards for the supply chain. Their standards provide a framework that allows businesses throughout the world to ensure that products, services, and information is moved efficiently and securely. In addition, their standards ensure effective changes between companies, acting as basic guidelines that aid interoperability and provide structure. By bringing companies from all parts of the supply chain together, GS1 standards make the supply chain faster, more efficient, less complicated, and less costly.

Since the GS1 is a neutral organization, it would be difficult to do business without them because there would be no standardization format on which companies throughout the world could all agree on and consistently enforce amongst themselves.

In addition to their standards, GS1 barcodes are the most well-known and universally recognized. Since the advent of barcodes, the GS1 has been building and managing barcode standards, enabling businesses to automatically identify products in a consistent manner, helping everyone to work more efficiently throughout the supply chain.

Intermec, a leader in the AIDC industry, is sponsoring the very first joint GS1/GSMP JAG Meeting. The GS1 GSMP (Global Standards Management Process), in conjunction with EPCglobal JAG (Joint Action Group), will be hosting a conference on March 23-27, 2009 at the Hilton Airport hotel in Los Angeles, California.

The primary function of the meeting is to provide businesses with standardization processes that can improve workflow, efficiency, and security of all aspects of the supply chain. Implementing RFID technology in conjunction with barcodes will be a key aspect of the conferences, focusing on how following their standards will assure interoperability and optimize the value of both technologies.

Intermec will specifically be sponsoring the Networking Dinner, held on Wednesday, March 25th. All attendees will have the opportunity to win a Sony PSP 3000, courtesy of Intermec. Simply drop your business card at the door, enjoy the festivities, and you could be a winner!

If you are interested in attending the GS1 joint GSMP JAG Meeting 2009, you can register here. Be sure to attend the Networking dinner sponsored by Intermec!