How do paper thin barcodes prevent theft?

Question

i read a bunch of stuff about radio transmitting barcodes, but do paper thin upc's such as those on books have radio transmitters on them?

Answer 1

No, upc's and barcodes are just used for price check and identification. They usually will put a magnetic strip inside a product (The square sticker) that will trip the security sensors.

Answer 2

I don't know if they have radio transmitters, but I worked in a bookstore as recently as a year ago, and most books wouldn't set off the alarms. Expensive books, DVDs, CDs etc. were given a small square that is white and has a magnetized strip spiraled through it. This would set them off- but we as a store had to add them. We taped them onto dvd's and CDs cellophane, with books we usually hid them among the pages. DVD's and CD's also often have something similar inside the packaging from the manufacturer- books generally don't. I have seen other bookstores stick them to a page, but then to rip it off once purchased ruins that page of the book, which is unfair to paying customers. Most inexpensive books have none at all. There are pads at the registers to demagnatize items once paid for.