Electronic article surveillance is a made for preventing shoplifting from retail stores, pilferage of books from libraries or removal of properties from office buildings. Special tags attached to wines, clothes, jewelries or books.

These tags are removed or deactivated by the sale person when the item is properly bought or checked out. At the exits of the store, a detection system sounds an alarm or otherwise alerts the staff when it senses any active tags not deactivated or detached.

Some stores also have detection systems at the entrance to the restrooms that sound an alarm if someone tries to take unpaid merchandise with them into the restroom.

For high-value goods that are to be manipulated by the customer, wired alarm clips called spider wrap may be used instead of tags.