Methods and systems for inventory management are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes receiving, from a first device, product information associated with an article, receiving, from the first device, location information of the first device; identifying a merchant based on the location information, generating an online listing for the article in an online marketplace of the identified merchant, the online listing including the product information; and making the online listing accessible to a plurality of consumers.

Systems and methods for detecting potential theft and identifying individuals having a history of committing theft are presented. An electromagnetic emission associated with a personal electronic device associated with an individual is received. One or more signal properties of the electromagnetic emission are analyzed to determine an emission signature. Video data and video analytics are utilized to determine whether an individual has taken possession of an item. The video analytics are correlated with the emission signature in an attempt to identify the individual having possession of the item. The emission signature and video data are stored for later use during a checkout procedure. If an emission signature detected at a checkout station matches that of the individual having possession of the item, and the item is not processed through the checkout station, an alert is issued and the individual is flagged as a potential shoplifter.

A system for monitoring and controlling shopping cart usage comprises a wheel assembly that attaches to a shopping cart. The wheel assembly includes a wheel, a brake that can be activated to inhibit rotation of the wheel, a controller that controls the brake, a VLF receiver, and an RF transceiver. The RF transceiver may, for example, operate in a 2.4 GHz frequency band. In some implementations, the RF transceiver may be used to detect entry of the shopping cart into a checkout area of the store, and the VLF receiver may be used to detect that the shopping cart is exiting the store. The controller may activate the brake if the shopping cart attempts to exit the store without first passing through a checkout area.

A system detects a transaction outcome by obtaining video data associated with a transaction area and analyzing the video data to obtain at least one video transaction parameter concerning transactions associated with the transaction area. The transaction area can be a video count of items indicated in the video data as detected by an automated item detection algorithm applied to the video data. The system obtains at least one expected transaction parameter concerning an expected transaction that occurs in the transaction area, such as a scan count of items scanned at a point of sale terminal. The system automatically compares the video transaction parameter(s) to the expected transaction parameter(s) to identify a transaction outcome that may indicate fraudulent activity such as sweethearting in a retail environment.

A terminal includes an item scanner. The item scanner determines whether an item that passes within a field of view of the scanner during a transaction has a properly noted barcode recorded for the transaction. When the item fails to have a properly noted barcode an alert is raised in real time for assistance and/or investigation of the transaction.

Systems and methods for operating a marker. The method comprising: receiving, by a Radio Frequency Identification (“RFID”) element of the marker, an RFID deactivation signal transmitted from an external device; and responsive to the RFID deactivation signal, supplying power from the RFID element to a detuner element so that the detuner element switches from a first state to a second state. The marker's resonant frequency is changed to a first value that falls outside of an Electronic Article Surveillance (“EAS”) systems operating frequency range when the detuner element switches from the first state to the second state.

A commodity container includes a main body having a container space, first and second antennas, and a processing circuit. The first antenna is configured to receive tag information from one or more wireless tags in a first range covering at a first region of the container space. The second antenna is configured to receive tag information from one or more wireless tags in a second range covering at a second region the container space. The second range is different from the first range. The processing circuit is configured to store tag information received by the first antenna in a data storage unit, determine whether or not tag information received by the second antenna corresponds to the stored tag information, and generate a control signal for generation of a user notification when the tag information received by the second antenna does not correspond to the stored tag information.

An inventory system, apparatus and method. The method to be used in a cooler that includes a power module provides power to the inventory system from an electric source, battery, WIFI charge, wireless charge and/or combination thereof, a computer processor coupled to the power module, a memory module coupled to the computer processor, an image capturing module coupled to the processor, a movement module coupled to the processor; wherein the movement module triggers the image capturing device to capture images of products in a cooler due to a movement.

A transaction processing system including a sensing device, one or more cameras, and a processor. The sensing device is configured to detect displacement of a commodity item from a commodity display section. The one or more cameras are configured to capture images around the commodity display section. The processor is configured to track a location of each of one or more customers who is determined to have entered a first area around the commodity display section based on the captured images, and upon detection of the displacement of the commodity item by the sensing device, perform an operation to determine a purchasing customer of the commodity item based on the tracked location of each of the one or more customers, and cause purchase registration of the commodity item in association with an ID of the purchasing customer.

A detaching device for releasing a tack body from a tag housing is disclosed. the detaching device includes a housing, a handle pivotally mounted to the housing and configured to pivot about a handle axis. The device further includes a detacher translation mechanism configured to move a detacher portion from a first non-release position to a second release position, wherein the detacher translation mechanism converts rotational movement of the handle about the handle axis to rotational movement of the detacher portion about a first axis, wherein when the detacher portion moves to the second release position, the detacher portion is configured to be received by a receiving portion of the tag housing thus releasing the tack body from the tag housing.