What's good for a hypermarket is death for a bookstore.

Anti-theft systems are divided into four main technologies: acoustomagnetic, radio frequency, electromagnetic and radio magnetic. All of them have a very wide range of applications, but in each specific case it is necessary to analyze a number of parameters essential for selecting equipment. Then the return on equipment will be high, and the cost of acquisition and ownership will be minimal possible.

Supermarkets/hypermarkets grocery, household, construction

To protect hypermarkets and supermarkets, you can use a system of any of the above technologies. However, when choosing, it is necessary to consider the strengths and weaknesses of each type of anti-theft system: take into account the compatibility of the protective label and sensors with different types of goods, the possibility of using reusable sensors, the level of interference at the installation site of the system, the cost of deactivators, sensors and the entire system. One of the key parameters is also the width of the protected passage and the response coefficient of the system when carrying a protective label through the gate.
Most often, supermarkets and hypermarkets install systems of acoustomagnetic and radio frequency technologies, which are distinguished by a high response coefficient to protective labels (in acoustomagnetic technology this figure is more than 95%, in radio frequency — about 90%).
As a rule, anti-theft protection systems in supermarkets and hypermarkets are installed in the checkout aisles, since this method of installing anti-theft antennas is most convenient for retail outlets with high traffic. At the entrance/exit to the sales area, anti-theft protection systems are installed in small supermarkets. The option of installing antennas in the checkout aisles is more expensive, but the effectiveness of such protection is much higher than when installing systems at the exit. Semi-professional thieves know about this and most often decide not to take risks.
To protect the goods, protective labels of the appropriate technology are used. One of the main requirements is invisibility and inaccessibility for the buyer, as well as the impossibility of removing it from the surface of the goods. That is why labels are often disguised as price tags and bar codes, pasted inside the product packaging, etc. When installing radiomagnetic and electromagnetic technology systems, low-visibility labels with the ability to protect metallized surfaces are used.
To protect expensive goods, a label and a security tag are often used at the same time (naturally, made using the same technology), in addition, it is necessary to use safes (for audio, video cassettes and disks) and hard sensors (for clothing or expensive alcohol).

Boutique of clothes, shoes, accessories

To protect clothing and shoe stores, anti-theft antennas of radio frequency and acoustomagnetic technologies are used, which are installed at the exit. Contactless deactivators with built-in sound notification of deactivation of security labels and removers for hard sensors are located on cash desks.
In order to effectively protect more expensive goods, which are usually most susceptible to theft, it is necessary to use hard tags and protective labels hidden in the goods and not visible to thieves.
A hard tag (fastened with a special lock) is made of impact-resistant plastic, is less susceptible to mechanical destruction and can be removed from the goods only with a special device, which ensures maximum protection of the goods.

The tag is attached to the fabric with a specially sharpened nail that does not tear its fibers, but pushes them apart and passes between them. It is impossible to remove such a tag on your own, since there is a system of metal balls inside that clamp the nail in a special way. For maximum protection, some tags have built-in paint nails. If you pull the nail, the ampoule inside it automatically opens and the paint spills onto the product, rendering it unusable.
The protective sensors must be attached very firmly, but at the same time they must not damage the appearance of the product or cause inconvenience to the buyer when trying it on. Hard tags and loops must not be attached to fasteners, lace holes, belt holes, etc. In cases where the product cannot be pierced with a nail (shoes, bags), tags are attached to the product using metal cables and strings that are threaded through any hole or buckle. Currently, there are specialized protective tags for shoes, glasses, ties, expensive underwear, etc. They are more expensive than standard ones, since they are more difficult to manufacture, but due to their effectiveness, they are in steady demand.
When protecting one type of product, it is advisable to place labels and sensors in the same places — this will help sellers quickly find and remove protective accessories. It is necessary to remember which products have double protection and remove the additional accessory at the checkout after payment, otherwise double protection loses all meaning. To detach the tag from the product, cashiers use special magnetic keys-removers.
One of the most pressing issues for clothing and shoe stores is combating theft using bags or clothing lined with foil – booster bags. According to statistics, 80% of thefts committed by professional thieves are committed using such devices. At the same time, such clothing or bags may look completely normal.
The protection of the store from booster bags is provided by anti-theft systems of radio frequency technology with a built-in metal detector. These anti-theft antennas allow detecting a buyer with such a device at the entrance and then, depending on the approaches of a particular store to security issues, either restricting the buyer's access inside (for example, asking him to hand over the bag), or tracking him in the store itself to prevent theft.
Acoustomagnetic technology systems also have additional protection — anti-theft equipment has a built-in alarm system for the Super Tag hard sensor removers, which allows protecting the store from their unauthorized entry.

Pharmacies, perfume and cosmetics stores

When protecting a self-service store in this segment, it is necessary to take into account a number of parameters. Firstly, the assortment mostly consists of small goods. Secondly, almost all goods are in packaging. The most suitable under these conditions are anti-theft antennas of electromagnetic and acoustomagnetic technologies, which are installed at the entrance/exit to the sales area.
A distinctive feature of electromagnetic technology is the ability to protect metallized surfaces and the appearance of labels — barely noticeable, virtually invisible marks can operate even if they are damaged or torn, which significantly increases the efficiency of this system.
Acoustomagnetic technology also has small-sized protective labels that can protect small items. The advantage of this technology is labels whose wedge-shaped form allows them to be placed inside the package without opening it.
Another advantage of the acoustomagnetic technology is the use of a contactless deactivator with an audible notification of the deactivation of the protective label. Contactless deactivation allows you to place labels inside the package, the cashier does not waste time searching for it, which cannot be said about electromagnetic technology with a contact deactivator.

Household appliances and electronics stores

Electronics and home appliance stores offer a wide range of products that, despite their relatively small size, can be expensive. Therefore, to protect products in this segment, anti-theft antennas of acoustomagnetic technology are used — the most effective systems with the highest response rate. At the same time, the use of compact new generation systems ensures maximum free space and protection of wide passages.
The main advantage of the acoustomagnetic technology is that the protective label and contactless deactivator with audible deactivation notification allow you to protect a wider range of goods than other technologies, hiding the label under the product packaging. To protect difficult to protect goods in small packages, it is also possible to use special reusable hard sensors.
In addition, the systems of acoustic magnetic technology can work together and synchronize well in one store or in one sales area with almost any other anti-theft systems of any technology and brand, which is completely unacceptable, for example, for radio frequency technology systems. These systems also have a function of «detection of a jammer» — an illegal device that is used by professional thieves in stores to prevent triggering of anti-theft sensors and labels. The function «detection of a jammer» recognizes the presence of such a device and activates a special alarm.
For additional protection of goods, it is also necessary to use goods protection systems on shelves. Thanks to the unique variety of specialized sensor sensors, the system provides reliable protection for a larger range of goods in open display, for example, electronic equipment consisting of two or more elements, such as laptops, cell phones and radio telephones, computer equipment, photo and video cameras, household appliances, power tools, etc.The protection of the product consists of attaching (sticking, clamping, fastening) a sensor connected to the security system unit to it. In this case, the buyer gets the opportunity to take the product in his hands and examine it in more detail, which is a mandatory condition for making a decision to purchase electronics. However, an attempt to damage the integrity of the wiring or disconnect the sensor from the product when the system is in security mode causes an alarm to be triggered.
In addition, protective plastic boxes are sometimes used for additional protection of some products (video cameras, tools, photo cameras, etc.).
It should also be noted that some models of acoustomagnetic technology not only provide a high degree of product protection, but are also an advertising and information carrier. The advertising poster is inserted into anti-theft frames and secured with special ties. Replacing posters does not require special skills and can be done at any time and with any frequency. Thus, information about ongoing promotions, discounts, new products, etc. can be quickly placed on anti-theft systems.

Audio and video product stores

When choosing a security system for self-service stores in this trade segment, it is necessary to consider first of all the technical characteristics of the proposed deactivators, since some deactivators can negatively affect magnetic media.

The most acceptable option for protecting audio and video stores is radio frequency technology systems. Systems of this technology have a wide range of protective labels (including special triangular labels), which can be applied both to the product itself and inside the packaging.
To demagnetize labels pasted on audio and video cassettes, a hand-held deactivator is used, equipped with a small magnet, which kills the label only at close range — with direct contact and at a maximum distance of 3-4 cm. And unlike a tabletop deactivator — a powerful magnet, it is not able to demagnetize the film.
For additional protection of audio-video cassettes and CD/DVD disks, it is necessary to use safes. A safe is a plastic case in which the protected goods are placed. The safe is opened with a special puller by the cashier at the time of payment for the goods. To prevent theft, a protective label is placed in the safe, which, if unauthorized, leads to the alarm being triggered when the goods are brought through the security systems.
For audio and video stores, as well as for clothing stores, systems with a built-in metal detector are relevant to combat professional thieves using a booster bag.

Bookstores, libraries and stationery stores

The most effective anti-theft systems for bookstores, stationery stores and libraries are electromagnetic technology. This is primarily due to the fact that this technology uses a special library label — a thin metal strip with a double-sided adhesive layer that can be glued between pages or into the spine of a book. In addition, electromagnetic technology protective labels can be both deactivated and reactivated for reuse, which is especially important for libraries.

In conclusion, I would like to note that this material contains only general recommendations — when choosing a particular system, you should remember that the most effective system is selected taking into account all the conditions individually for each specific store.