Alpha Thunder Tags- 4 WC blog 82
Retail Anti-Theft Device-3
Protect Store Devices AND Merchandise With Alpha Hard Tags
Retail mobile devices can be protected by the same retail anti-theft devices used to protect merchandise. In today’s retail environment, managers are using many different mobile devices to conduct daily operations. From tablets to handheld scanners, including i-pods and i-pads, devices are being used to track sales information, daily checklists, schedules, etc. I currently work part time in a retail store and we use mobile devices for a myriad of different tasks. I can scan to check store stock levels for merchandise, stockroom and sales floor locations for product that may appear to be out of stock and I can see if any of our nearby stores have the product if we are out of an item. We can even complete a credit card or debit card transaction sales transaction with our mobile devices to keep our customers from waiting in checkout lines. Interestingly, while the store uses Alpha Security products to prevent shoplifting, it does not use anything to protect these handheld devices that are so important to day to day operations. It would benefit not only my employer, but ANY retailer which uses mobile technology to protect these devices with Alpha Thunder Tags.
Alpha Thunder Tags work in conjunction with an electronic article surveillance system (EAS). When a piece of merchandise or equipment that has one of these retail anti-theft devices attached passes through an EAS antenna, the antenna alarm sounds and lights flash. These tags also have a built in alarm that activates if a device passes through an antenna and goes a certain distance away. In the event someone should attempt to remove a tag from a device, a tamper alarm activates and staff can respond to the alert, a loud, high pitched tone and prevent a theft.
You might be wondering how anyone would steal a store mobile device. Doing so is fairly straight forward. Although we wear holsters to carry our devices it is not uncommon to find scanners lying around the store. Sometimes they have been put down next to a register while a sales floor employee is helping a cashier with a customer carry-out. Other times they are put down after scanning a piece of merchandise and there is bending or reaching involved to get to the item. Once a device is left unattended, if there is no retail anti-theft device on the unit, it can be a target of opportunity for a thief. I recall one time when I was a Loss Prevention Manager for a store, I was monitoring one of our sales counters and noticed a store two-way radio had been left on the counter unattended. I watched it to see which associate would pick it back up so I could speak to them about their error. No employee came back to get the radio but a customer in the store DID pick it up and proceeded to walk into the parking lot with it. I stopped the would-be thief and retrieved the radio. When I asked him what he thought he was doing he said it was just sitting there so he was going to try to find the owner. I wasn’t convinced that was what he was going to do I was, however just glad to get the radio back. As I reflect on it now and I see how much more technology has grown in retail I have to wonder what would have happened had the radio been a Manager On Duty’s tablet instead! Using Alpha Thunder Tags on store owned devices can prevent these types of incidents and prevent the chance for data breaches, not to mention simply the expense of replacing a tablet or store mobile device.
Whether someone steals equipment from a retailer as a prank or they intend to try to resell it, the loss still negatively affects the business. Why not use retail anti-theft devices that are already on hand to protect your handheld devices along with your merchandise? Protect business PDA’s, tablets and mobile devices with Alpha Thunder Tags.
For more information on Alpha Thunder Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Retail mobile devices can be protected by the same retail anti-theft devices used to protect merchandise. In today’s retail environment, managers are using many different mobile devices to conduct daily operations. From tablets to handheld scanners, including i-pods and i-pads, devices are being used to track sales information, daily checklists, schedules, etc. I currently work part time in a retail store and we use mobile devices for a myriad of different tasks. I can scan to check store stock levels for merchandise, stockroom and sales floor locations for product that may appear to be out of stock and I can see if any of our nearby stores have the product if we are out of an item. We can even complete a credit card or debit card transaction sales transaction with our mobile devices to keep our customers from waiting in checkout lines. Interestingly, while the store uses Alpha Security products to prevent shoplifting, it does not use anything to protect these handheld devices that are so important to day to day operations. It would benefit not only my employer, but ANY retailer which uses mobile technology to protect these devices with Alpha Thunder Tags.
Alpha Thunder Tags work in conjunction with an electronic article surveillance system (EAS). When a piece of merchandise or equipment that has one of these retail anti-theft devices attached passes through an EAS antenna, the antenna alarm sounds and lights flash. These tags also have a built in alarm that activates if a device passes through an antenna and goes a certain distance away. In the event someone should attempt to remove a tag from a device, a tamper alarm activates and staff can respond to the alert, a loud, high pitched tone and prevent a theft.
You might be wondering how anyone would steal a store mobile device. Doing so is fairly straight forward. Although we wear holsters to carry our devices it is not uncommon to find scanners lying around the store. Sometimes they have been put down next to a register while a sales floor employee is helping a cashier with a customer carry-out. Other times they are put down after scanning a piece of merchandise and there is bending or reaching involved to get to the item. Once a device is left unattended, if there is no retail anti-theft device on the unit, it can be a target of opportunity for a thief. I recall one time when I was a Loss Prevention Manager for a store, I was monitoring one of our sales counters and noticed a store two-way radio had been left on the counter unattended. I watched it to see which associate would pick it back up so I could speak to them about their error. No employee came back to get the radio but a customer in the store DID pick it up and proceeded to walk into the parking lot with it. I stopped the would-be thief and retrieved the radio. When I asked him what he thought he was doing he said it was just sitting there so he was going to try to find the owner. I wasn’t convinced that was what he was going to do I was, however just glad to get the radio back. As I reflect on it now and I see how much more technology has grown in retail I have to wonder what would have happened had the radio been a Manager On Duty’s tablet instead! Using Alpha Thunder Tags on store owned devices can prevent these types of incidents and prevent the chance for data breaches, not to mention simply the expense of replacing a tablet or store mobile device.
Whether someone steals equipment from a retailer as a prank or they intend to try to resell it, the loss still negatively affects the business. Why not use retail anti-theft devices that are already on hand to protect your handheld devices along with your merchandise? Protect business PDA’s, tablets and mobile devices with Alpha Thunder Tags.
For more information on Alpha Thunder Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Checkpoint Hard Tags-5 WC blog 78
Electronic Article Surveillance-5
EAS tags-3
Checkpoint Hard Tags – A Profitable Investment
According to the 2014-2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer report, total retail shortage globally was approximately 123.39 billion dollars. North American reported shortage for the year was approximately 36.79 billion dollars. For stores that specialize in clothing and accessories the shrinkage percent was the second highest category, at 1.98% following only behind pharmacies/drugstores at a whopping 2.25% shrinkage rate. Within the Apparel and Fashion Accessories category, the most stolen items were footwear, sports-related clothing and fashion accessories. Employee theft and shoplifting are estimated to have been the cause of 85% of the shrinkage for Apparel Specialist Retailers and of this amount it was almost evenly divided between shoplifting and dishonest employees. There are steps apparel retailers can take to stop shoplifting and prevent some employee theft from draining profits from their business. One of the most effective steps is to install an electronic article surveillance system and then use the Checkpoint mini hard tag on merchandise.
The electronic article surveillance system (EAS) will include an antenna system that alarms when merchandise protected with EAS tags or Checkpoint hard tags is carried within the range of the antennas. The system also includes deactivation pads that deactivate EAS tags and removal devices to take Checkpoint hard tags off of merchandise when it is purchased. Training is also provided so store managers and personnel know how to test the system and respond to EAS alarms appropriately in order to prevent a theft.
Why do I suggest using the Checkpoint mini hard tag, especially if a clothing retailer is just starting to use an electronic article surveillance system? There are a number of Checkpoint hard tags a retailer can choose from to protect softlines products, but the mini tag provides flexibility to tag not only clothing but accessories too. The mini hard tag can be pinned directly to a piece of clothing providing both a visual deterrent to prevent shoplifting and alarm protection if someone tried to exit with a garment that still had the tag on it. This Checkpoint tag can be pinned to clothing accessories, such as ties, scarves, gloves, hats and even belts so the store is not limited in what it can protect. The same can be done with purses and handbags. The Checkpoint mini hard tag makes it simple to select one protective device to secure a wide range of products and eliminates the need to have multiple checkpoint hard tags being used in one store.
For a clothing store that is already using electronic article surveillance products, but has reduced the amount of items being tagged due to cost reduction efforts, let me point out another fact from the Global Retail Theft Barometer. In 2014-2015, for stores that participated in the prior year survey, clothing retailers reduced spending on loss prevention measures, including EAS technology, by .15 percentage points. Shrinkage rates in these stores increased 1.68 percentage points! It may be possible that in some instances stores were using too many different EAS tags, or they may have been attempting to save payroll by reducing the number of sku’s being tagged so tagging did not take as long. I have two suggestions that can help achieve either objective. First, using the mini tag would eliminate some of the need for employing a variety of Checkpoint tags, while still being able to tag nearly all clothing lines carried in the store. The alternative to save payroll would be to look into apparel source tagging options offered by Checkpoint. These options give the store the protection of EAS tagging but the actual tagging of merchandise is done elsewhere, no additional payroll is spent in the store!
Don’t allow theft to shrink your profits. Invest in electronic article surveillance and Checkpoint hard tags to keep your merchandise in the store and available for sale. If you have an EAS system and are looking for new ways to save payroll without degrading clothing security, find out more about source tagging from Checkpoint.
Get more information on Checkpoint hard tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
According to the 2014-2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer report, total retail shortage globally was approximately 123.39 billion dollars. North American reported shortage for the year was approximately 36.79 billion dollars. For stores that specialize in clothing and accessories the shrinkage percent was the second highest category, at 1.98% following only behind pharmacies/drugstores at a whopping 2.25% shrinkage rate. Within the Apparel and Fashion Accessories category, the most stolen items were footwear, sports-related clothing and fashion accessories. Employee theft and shoplifting are estimated to have been the cause of 85% of the shrinkage for Apparel Specialist Retailers and of this amount it was almost evenly divided between shoplifting and dishonest employees. There are steps apparel retailers can take to stop shoplifting and prevent some employee theft from draining profits from their business. One of the most effective steps is to install an electronic article surveillance system and then use the Checkpoint mini hard tag on merchandise.
The electronic article surveillance system (EAS) will include an antenna system that alarms when merchandise protected with EAS tags or Checkpoint hard tags is carried within the range of the antennas. The system also includes deactivation pads that deactivate EAS tags and removal devices to take Checkpoint hard tags off of merchandise when it is purchased. Training is also provided so store managers and personnel know how to test the system and respond to EAS alarms appropriately in order to prevent a theft.
Why do I suggest using the Checkpoint mini hard tag, especially if a clothing retailer is just starting to use an electronic article surveillance system? There are a number of Checkpoint hard tags a retailer can choose from to protect softlines products, but the mini tag provides flexibility to tag not only clothing but accessories too. The mini hard tag can be pinned directly to a piece of clothing providing both a visual deterrent to prevent shoplifting and alarm protection if someone tried to exit with a garment that still had the tag on it. This Checkpoint tag can be pinned to clothing accessories, such as ties, scarves, gloves, hats and even belts so the store is not limited in what it can protect. The same can be done with purses and handbags. The Checkpoint mini hard tag makes it simple to select one protective device to secure a wide range of products and eliminates the need to have multiple checkpoint hard tags being used in one store.
For a clothing store that is already using electronic article surveillance products, but has reduced the amount of items being tagged due to cost reduction efforts, let me point out another fact from the Global Retail Theft Barometer. In 2014-2015, for stores that participated in the prior year survey, clothing retailers reduced spending on loss prevention measures, including EAS technology, by .15 percentage points. Shrinkage rates in these stores increased 1.68 percentage points! It may be possible that in some instances stores were using too many different EAS tags, or they may have been attempting to save payroll by reducing the number of sku’s being tagged so tagging did not take as long. I have two suggestions that can help achieve either objective. First, using the mini tag would eliminate some of the need for employing a variety of Checkpoint tags, while still being able to tag nearly all clothing lines carried in the store. The alternative to save payroll would be to look into apparel source tagging options offered by Checkpoint. These options give the store the protection of EAS tagging but the actual tagging of merchandise is done elsewhere, no additional payroll is spent in the store!
Don’t allow theft to shrink your profits. Invest in electronic article surveillance and Checkpoint hard tags to keep your merchandise in the store and available for sale. If you have an EAS system and are looking for new ways to save payroll without degrading clothing security, find out more about source tagging from Checkpoint.
Get more information on Checkpoint hard tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Alpha Thunder Tags-3 WC blog 92
i-pad theft-4
Tablet theft-4
Protect Popular Mobile Medical Devices With Alpha Thunder Tags
Why are mobile medical devices so popular? Why does there seem to be such a proliferation of them in the medical profession? What kind of devices are being used for medical purposes and are there any risks associated with their use? Let me address the last question first. Mobile medical devices that I am referring to are tablets, i-pads, i-phones, etc. These devices are small, portable and easy for medical staff to carry with them while seeing patients. A far cry from the days of clipboards and file folders with patient information, these devices provide access to the same information but with the added benefit of being easier to navigate through information. Since the devices do carry patient data there is risk associated with them, but tablet theft and i-pad theft risk can be minimized with the use of Alpha Thunder Tags.
Alpha Thunder Tags are anti-theft devices attached directly to the item(s) that needs to be protected. They work with an electronic article surveillance system antenna that emits a loud alarm if someone tries to leave a building with a device. Flashing LED lights of an antenna also alert staff of a security breach. If someone attempts an i-pad theft by removing the anti-theft device, the tag has an internal tamper alarm that activates and alerts personnel of an incident as it happens.
Why the proliferation of mobile medical devices? There a couple of reasons for it, the first being a push by the federal government for medical providers to move to electronic medical records (EMR). The idea being, that digitalizing data and patient information would drive down health care costs. Medical providers are attempting to meet government requirements and therefore the use of mobile devices has increased. While there are medical professionals who are both pro and con on the program, the fact is there are more devices being used and any time there is an increase in something of value, there is always someone out there who would like to steal it. The reason may be simply to get hands on something of value and try to resell it or more concerning, steal it and try to hack information contained on it. In either situation a tablet theft or i-pad theft can be an expensive loss to a medical provider.
Another reason for the proliferation of the devices is that medical providers are finding there are many benefits to using mobile medical i-pads, i-phones and tablets. Patient information is easy to access. Doctors can consult with other physicians on patient diagnosis, medical history can show medications a patient may be on and help a doctor avoid prescribing a medication that may negatively interfere with a drug the patient is already taking. There are also a growing number of medical apps that are available to medical professionals. Some of the top apps available for medical i-phones according to the web site “Healthcare IT News” include:
1. Epocrates – The user can view continually updated clinical data
2. Skyscape Medical Resources – a collection of medical information and decision
3. Eyechart – used to measure visual acuity.
4. Taber’s Medical Dictionary – contains over 60,000 terms, 1,000 photos and 600 patient care statements
5. MedCalc – a medical calculator that provides access to medical formulas and scores.
The list of available apps for doctors and nurses goes on, from Neurology toolkits to Veterinarian tools. With so much information and information sharing available at the touch of a screen, it makes sense why transitioning to a mobile technology would be beneficial to hospitals, clinics and other healthcare providers. It is also understandable how a tablet theft could have negative impacts on a practice if medical data is on a device. The loss of access to these apps could also cause problems if a medical practitioner has come to rely on them for their day to day patient care.
Medical mobile devices have immeasurable value in the health care industry. The opportunities for reducing errors and improving care with new apps are boundless. But, we must not lose sight of the risks associated with mobile devices. They are small and can be easily misplaced or stolen and in the process, patient data may be at risk. Using Alpha Thunder tags is the sensible solution to prevent i-pad theft and tablet theft.
For more information on Alpha Thunder Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Why are mobile medical devices so popular? Why does there seem to be such a proliferation of them in the medical profession? What kind of devices are being used for medical purposes and are there any risks associated with their use? Let me address the last question first. Mobile medical devices that I am referring to are tablets, i-pads, i-phones, etc. These devices are small, portable and easy for medical staff to carry with them while seeing patients. A far cry from the days of clipboards and file folders with patient information, these devices provide access to the same information but with the added benefit of being easier to navigate through information. Since the devices do carry patient data there is risk associated with them, but tablet theft and i-pad theft risk can be minimized with the use of Alpha Thunder Tags.
Alpha Thunder Tags are anti-theft devices attached directly to the item(s) that needs to be protected. They work with an electronic article surveillance system antenna that emits a loud alarm if someone tries to leave a building with a device. Flashing LED lights of an antenna also alert staff of a security breach. If someone attempts an i-pad theft by removing the anti-theft device, the tag has an internal tamper alarm that activates and alerts personnel of an incident as it happens.
Why the proliferation of mobile medical devices? There a couple of reasons for it, the first being a push by the federal government for medical providers to move to electronic medical records (EMR). The idea being, that digitalizing data and patient information would drive down health care costs. Medical providers are attempting to meet government requirements and therefore the use of mobile devices has increased. While there are medical professionals who are both pro and con on the program, the fact is there are more devices being used and any time there is an increase in something of value, there is always someone out there who would like to steal it. The reason may be simply to get hands on something of value and try to resell it or more concerning, steal it and try to hack information contained on it. In either situation a tablet theft or i-pad theft can be an expensive loss to a medical provider.
Another reason for the proliferation of the devices is that medical providers are finding there are many benefits to using mobile medical i-pads, i-phones and tablets. Patient information is easy to access. Doctors can consult with other physicians on patient diagnosis, medical history can show medications a patient may be on and help a doctor avoid prescribing a medication that may negatively interfere with a drug the patient is already taking. There are also a growing number of medical apps that are available to medical professionals. Some of the top apps available for medical i-phones according to the web site “Healthcare IT News” include:
1. Epocrates – The user can view continually updated clinical data
2. Skyscape Medical Resources – a collection of medical information and decision
3. Eyechart – used to measure visual acuity
4. Taber’s Medical Dictionary – contains over 60,000 terms, 1,000 photos and 600 patient care statements
5. MedCalc – a medical calculator that provides access to medical formulas and scores.
The list of available apps for doctors and nurses goes on, from Neurology toolkits to Veterinarian tools. With so much information and information sharing available at the touch of a screen, it makes sense why transitioning to a mobile technology would be beneficial to hospitals, clinics and other healthcare providers. It is also understandable how a tablet theft could have negative impacts on a practice if medical data is on a device. The loss of access to these apps could also cause problems if a medical practitioner has come to rely on them for their day to day patient care.
Medical mobile devices have immeasurable value in the health care industry. The opportunities for reducing errors and improving care with new apps are boundless. But, we must not lose sight of the risks associated with mobile devices. They are small and can be easily misplaced or stolen and in the process, patient data may be at risk. Using Alpha Thunder tags is the sensible solution to prevent i-pad theft and tablet theft.
For more information on Alpha Thunder Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Background Check Company-5 WC blog 62
Background Checks-4
Building A Better Team Is Easier When You Use A Background Check Company
You may not know this, but hiring the right people for your business is EASY! That’s right, everyone who applies will always fill in application information honestly. They never leave gaps in employment, they tell you their entire education background and obviously they will never lie about whether they are re-hirable for a previous job. Would they omit facts about a criminal history? Certainly not! They will tell you about that criminal record, because they know your business might do background checks and find out, right? While we are on the topic, resumes are just as trustworthy. Why would anyone embellish a resume just to get a job? Who is going to be creative about a job title, isn’t that kind of senseless? Awards they have received? Can’t you track down if they weren’t the school Valedictorian? I am being sarcastic in all of this for a reason. People DO lie on applications and on resumes in order to get a job. How pervasive is the problem? “According to a 2014 CareerBuilder survey, fifty-eight percent of hiring managers said they’ve caught a lie on an application; one-third (33 percent) of these employers have seen an increase in resume embellishments post-recession.” (Source; CareerBuilder.com) A professional background check company can provide you with the information on an applicant that he or she may fail to “remember” when completing that job application.
A background check company can uncover information that an applicant may fail to let you know about when they apply for a job with you. Do you require a certain type of degree or certification for a job? A pre-employment screening can validate that someone graduated with that particular diploma. Will the job require driving? It could be helpful to know if the applicant has a clean driving record. What about a credit history? Is the person you are considering for a position financially stable? It may be important for you to know that the person who is going to have access to client credit card information does not have potential credit problems himself. Conducting background checks will help to ensure you are hiring people who are honest in providing information you need to make intelligent hiring decisions.
Having experience in my previous position in retail as a Loss Prevention Manager and in my current position as a shift supervisor in a university library, I have combed through hundreds of applications. I have first-hand experience in seeing “embellishments” and “employment gaps”. I also know what it is to be in crunch time and you have to hire a new person, but you have to go through a lot of applications and resumes. It can be easy to give a benefit of a doubt to what may be an omission. This is especially true when you see an application or resume that at first glance looks very impressive. A background check company can help protect you when you may have been lulled into a false sense of security over a candidate’s application. As the saying goes, “Looks can be deceiving”. I recognize that even those who have had a checkered past need an opportunity to turn their life around. If someone is honest, even about their criminal history employee background checks can confirm a person’s honesty. While I applaud employers who are willing to hire someone who may have experienced problems in their lives, I still think it is prudent to place these new hires in a position that will not put a company at risk. I would not put someone with a prior DUI conviction in a position to drive a company vehicle, at least for a while. Someone that has been convicted of embezzlement would not work in my cash office or at a cash register. I might consider them for a freight stocking position or as a cart attendant to start off.
Hiring the right person for the job should always be a priority. Really knowing who that person is that you are considering for a job can be difficult. A background check company will give you the confidence that your candidate would truly be a good fit for your team. Let employee background checks help you hire the right people to staff your business,
For more information on a background check company, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
You may not know this, but hiring the right people for your business is EASY! That’s right, everyone who applies will always fill in application information honestly. They never leave gaps in employment, they tell you their entire education background and obviously they will never lie about whether they are re-hirable for a previous job. Would they omit facts about a criminal history? Certainly not! They will tell you about that criminal record, because they know your business might do background checks and find out, right? While we are on the topic, resumes are just as trustworthy. Why would anyone embellish a resume just to get a job? Who is going to be creative about a job title, isn’t that kind of senseless? Awards they have received? Can’t you track down if they weren’t the school Valedictorian? I am being sarcastic in all of this for a reason. People DO lie on applications and on resumes in order to get a job. How pervasive is the problem? “According to a 2014 CareerBuilder survey, fifty-eight percent of hiring managers said they’ve caught a lie on an application; one-third (33 percent) of these employers have seen an increase in resume embellishments post-recession.” (Source; CareerBuilder.com) A professional background check company can provide you with the information on an applicant that he or she may fail to “remember” when completing that job application.
A background check company can uncover information that an applicant may fail to let you know about when they apply for a job with you. Do you require a certain type of degree or certification for a job? A pre-employment screening can validate that someone graduated with that particular diploma. Will the job require driving? It could be helpful to know if the applicant has a clean driving record. What about a credit history? Is the person you are considering for a position financially stable? It may be important for you to know that the person who is going to have access to client credit card information does not have potential credit problems himself. Conducting background checks will help to ensure you are hiring people who are honest in providing information you need to make intelligent hiring decisions.
Having experience in my previous position in retail as a Loss Prevention Manager and in my current position as a shift supervisor in a university library, I have combed through hundreds of applications. I have first-hand experience in seeing “embellishments” and “employment gaps”. I also know what it is to be in crunch time and you have to hire a new person, but you have to go through a lot of applications and resumes. It can be easy to give a benefit of a doubt to what may be an omission. This is especially true when you see an application or resume that at first glance looks very impressive. A background check company can help protect you when you may have been lulled into a false sense of security over a candidate’s application. As the saying goes, “Looks can be deceiving”. I recognize that even those who have had a checkered past need an opportunity to turn their life around. If someone is honest, even about their criminal history employee background checks can confirm a person’s honesty. While I applaud employers who are willing to hire someone who may have experienced problems in their lives, I still think it is prudent to place these new hires in a position that will not put a company at risk. I would not put someone with a prior DUI conviction in a position to drive a company vehicle, at least for a while. Someone that has been convicted of embezzlement would not work in my cash office or at a cash register. I might consider them for a freight stocking position or as a cart attendant to start off.
Hiring the right person for the job should always be a priority. Really knowing who that person is that you are considering for a job can be difficult. A background check company will give you the confidence that your candidate would truly be a good fit for your team. Let employee background checks help you hire the right people to staff your business.
For more information on a background check company, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Checkpoint Tags-5 WC blog 72
Clothing Security Tags-4
Clothing Shortage Climbs When Stores Fail To Use Clothing Security Tags
Do you run or own a clothing store or sell clothing as part of your product line? When you complete your inventories, do you have shortage for which you can’t account? You may not be familiar with all the clever ways thieves are stealing from you. There are obvious methods of clothing theft such as wearing items out of the store or hiding them in purses and not paying. But there are other methods you may not be as familiar with when it comes to shortage and theft. Shortage may be the result of employee’s passing merchandise to friends, failing to ring it through the register. It may be theft by the employees themselves. It can be unintentional shortage as a result of not carefully looking at a shopping cart for stray items before the customer leaves the store. The merchandise is overlooked and once the customer is out the door, they may or may not realize the merchandise was not scanned at the register and so they simply take it with them. However it may happen, when merchandise is not paid for, it becomes shortage. Many small business owners do not feel clothing security tags are necessary for their stores. I would like to suggest that even small business owners can benefit by using Checkpoint tags on the products they sell.
How do I know that using Checkpoint tags on clothing make a difference for a store? According to the 2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer shrinkage rates for apparel specialist retailers (in North America) that spent 0.15 percentage points less on loss prevention strategies from 2014 to 2015 saw an increase of 1.68 percentage points in year on year shrinkage rates. Clothing security tags make up a significant part of apparel protection, in addition to other strategies. Checkpoint tags are the hard tags that are pinned to clothing and will activate electronic article surveillance (EAS) antennas at the store entrance or exit when someone attempts to leave the store with merchandise that is still tagged. The tags are reusable so they don’t have to be ordered over and over again. They are also large enough that they provide a visual deterrent to would-be thieves.
By using Checkpoint tags, even if a piece of clothing is put on under another garment, such as a swim suit worn under street clothes or a shirt being worn under a customer’s coat, the clothing security tag will still activate the store EAS antennas. Other methods I have seen shoplifters use to steal clothes are hiding them in a baby stroller, under the baby, under the baby blanket and I have even seen baby strollers brought in with only a doll and blanket. I have dealt with shoplifters who have taken items out of large boxes and stuffed them with hundreds of dollars of clothing. It makes no difference if the items are concealed, if protected with Checkpoint tags, the alarm will sound and alert store staff that something is going through the antenna that is activating the alarm. If an employee is attempting to leave with unpaid merchandise that has security tags on them, they too will trigger the alarm. Having the tags on clothing is often enough to discourage employees from even attempting to steal from their employer. In a situation where a customer forgets merchandise left in a buggy, or it may have fallen on the bottom of a shopping cart, the EAS alarm will still sound when the clothing is about to leave the store. A responding employee can verify it has not been paid for and either, return the item to the sales floor or the customer can choose to purchase the garment.
Don’t allow your store shrinkage rate to climb because you think you can do without protection. Remember that shortage has been shown to increase in stores that have cut back on clothing security expenditures. Reduce your shortage and increase profits with clothing security tags.
For more information on Checkpoint Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Do you run or own a clothing store or sell clothing as part of your product line? When you complete your inventories, do you have shortage for which you can’t account? You may not be familiar with all the clever ways thieves are stealing from you. There are obvious methods of clothing theft such as wearing items out of the store or hiding them in purses and not paying. But there are other methods you may not be as familiar with when it comes to shortage and theft. Shortage may be the result of employee’s passing merchandise to friends, failing to ring it through the register. It may be theft by the employees themselves. It can be unintentional shortage as a result of not carefully looking at a shopping cart for stray items before the customer leaves the store. The merchandise is overlooked and once the customer is out the door, they may or may not realize the merchandise was not scanned at the register and so they simply take it with them. However it may happen, when merchandise is not paid for, it becomes shortage. Many small business owners do not feel clothing security tags are necessary for their stores. I would like to suggest that even small business owners can benefit by using Checkpoint tags on the products they sell.
How do I know that using Checkpoint tags on clothing make a difference for a store? According to the 2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer shrinkage rates for apparel specialist retailers (in North America) that spent 0.15 percentage points less on loss prevention strategies from 2014 to 2015 saw an increase of 1.68 percentage points in year on year shrinkage rates. Clothing security tags make up a significant part of apparel protection, in addition to other strategies. Checkpoint tags are the hard tags that are pinned to clothing and will activate electronic article surveillance (EAS) antennas at the store entrance or exit when someone attempts to leave the store with merchandise that is still tagged. The tags are reusable so they don’t have to be ordered over and over again. They are also large enough that they provide a visual deterrent to would-be thieves.
By using Checkpoint tags, even if a piece of clothing is put on under another garment, such as a swim suit worn under street clothes or a shirt being worn under a customer’s coat, the clothing security tag will still activate the store EAS antennas. Other methods I have seen shoplifters use to steal clothes are hiding them in a baby stroller, under the baby, under the baby blanket and I have even seen baby strollers brought in with only a doll and blanket. I have dealt with shoplifters who have taken items out of large boxes and stuffed them with hundreds of dollars of clothing. t makes no difference if the items are concealed, if protected with Checkpoint tags, the alarm will sound and alert store staff that something is going through the antenna that is activating the alarm. If an employee is attempting to leave with unpaid merchandise that has security tags on them, they too will trigger the alarm. Having the tags on clothing is often enough to discourage employees from even attempting to steal from their employer. In a situation where a customer forgets merchandise left in a buggy, or it may have fallen on the bottom of a shopping cart, the EAS alarm will still sound when the clothing is about to leave the store. A responding employee can verify it has not been paid for and either, return the item to the sales floor or the customer can choose to purchase the garment.
Don’t allow your store shrinkage rate to climb because you think you can do without protection. Remember that shortage has been shown to increase in stores that have cut back on clothing security expenditures. Reduce your shortage and increase profits with clothing security tags.
For more information on Checkpoint Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
