Systems, methods and computer program products for the centralized control of radio frequency identification (RFID) readers are described herein. An input event control embodiment operates by receiving a signal from a non-RFID input device and commanding an RFID reader associated with the non-RFID input device to begin reading. According to an alternative time coordination embodiment, non-overlapping time slots are assigned to a plurality of RFID readers, and the RFID readers read only during their respective non-overlapping time slots. According to an alternative combined input event control/time coordination embodiment, non-overlapping time slots are assigned to a plurality of RFID readers. A signal from a non-RFID input device is received, and an RFID reader associated with the non-RFID input device is commanded to begin reading. However, such RFID reader only begins to read at the beginning of its next assigned time slot.