Which of these retail technology inventions was first patented in 1952 by Norman Woodland and Bernard Silver, but wasn't commercially implemented until 1974?

The retail industry has been transformed by numerous technological innovations over the decades. From humble beginnings to sophisticated systems, these inventions and discoveries have shaped how we shop and how retailers operate. This trivia question focuses on a pivotal technological development that revolutionized retail inventory management and checkout processes worldwide. Test your knowledge about this significant retail technology milestone!

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The barcode scanning system
The electronic point-of-sale (EPOS) terminal
The electronic anti-theft tag
The automated inventory management software