i-Pads are getting used more and more these days in hospitals. From patient check-ins to entertainment for children in a doctor’s office to keep them calm new uses for Android tablets and i-pads are being discovered it seems on an almost daily basis. Our family has used i-pads at a “minute clinic” in a drug store for registering and filling out new patient information at a nationally known doctor office chain. But take a moment to think about this, if you have a queasy stomach drop to the next paragraph, if you are in a doctor’s office or you are visiting a “minute clinic” you are probably there because you or someone you are caring for is sick. That means all of those other people that visit there are probably also sick. Vomiting, coughing, dripping noses and creepy little viruses and bugs you can’t even pronounce are most likely waiting for you on the surfaces of whatever those patients touch, including mobile devices. This gives me cause for concern for the hospital on two points. From a security standpoint, many of the mobile devices are not protected to prevent theft. They may have protocols in place to try to prevent hacking but the devices themselves could be stolen along with any private information that may be contained on them. The second issue is the health concerns with shared tablets. I-Pad theft can be controlled by using a Bug Tag on each one and a Checkpoint Classic N10 pedestal at the doors to the building. The health issue is another matter altogether.
The i-Pads and Android tablets hospitals and physician’s offices are employing are being used to register patient’s, share medical information, store issued prescription and other HIPPA protected data. Should any of the information be compromised through data breaches or theft of mobile devices, the owning facility is held responsible. A Bug Tag can be attached to each device and provide electronic article surveillance protection (EAS) to prevent tablet or i-Pad theft. Since the tags have the EAS technology built into them when a tagged device is carried into the area of a door that has a Classic N10 pedestal there, the device will trigger an alarm within the pedestal. This alarm alerts staff that a device is being carried out and the i-Pad or tablet can be recovered saving both the hardware and the potential theft of protected personal information.
In an article in popsci.com, “I is for infection? The role of iPads in Pathogen Spread” by Jason Tetro, November 4, 2014, the writer cites a study in that took place at Northwestern University. “…in the Department of Pharmacy Practice. The group gave all 30 faculty members an iPad for their work. They were not given any instructions on how to care for the tablet nor how to clean it. Six months later the iPads were swabbed and the bacteria cultured.” The results after the cultures were tested found, “The most surprising was the relative lack of interest in cleaning. During the six months, only half the faculty members cleaned their iPads, even once.” It is concerning that in a hospital environment, medical professionals would neglect to consider cleaning an iPad or tablet that they have carried into different treatment rooms.
How difficult would it be for clinics and hospitals to disinfect mobile devices such as medical i-Pads and tablets? The journalofhospitalinfection.com, June 2014, volume 87, issue 2 article abstract, “Disinfecting the iPad: evaluating effective methods”, by V. Howell, A. Thoppil, M. Mariyaselvam, R. Jones, H. Young, S. Sharma, M. Blunt, P. Young, the results of the study found, “With the exception of Clostridium difficile, Sani-Cloth CHG 2% and Clorox wipes were most effective against MRSA and VRE, and they were significantly better than the Apple-Recommended plain cloth…”. In other words, most of the yucky things that can spread illnesses could be taken care of easily with wipes like those now being provided by many stores to wipe down their shopping carts when you walk in.
Take the time to bug AND de-bug your i-Pads and medical tablets. Use the Bug Tag and Classic N10 towers to prevent i-Pad theft and protect equipment and patient information. Use Clorox wipes to get rid of the rest of the bugs you don’t want spread from patient to patient.
Bug Tags are important and we can help you with them. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
ELECTRONIC ARTICLE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM ARE THE HIGHEST QUALITY THEFT DETERRENCE SYSTEM IN RETAILERS!
ELECTRONIC ARTICLE SURVEILLANCE -3 ML Blog 02
STOP SHOPLIFTING- 4
With 12 years of Loss Prevention experience, I’ve seen it ALL. In today’s world of fast paced technology, there is a plethora of possibilities for preventing theft. I have been lucky enough to work with a majority of them. This has helped me gain extensive knowledge on what truly works to stop shoplifting in retailers.
When I’m traveling to complete store visits, I am surprised on how many retailers are still using outdated merchandise protection standards in their stores. This allows shoplifters to continue to drain profits each year. During these visits, I meet with the store managers and always ask to see their 3 year shrink trend. I am consistently seeing out dated merchandise protection devices in the stores who are constantly trending high in shrink each year. I explain to the store managers that if they are losing money each year, then it’s time to think about trying a system that has been known to positively impact shrink in retailers. Out with the old, in with the new! I visited a store manager who ran a 20 million dollar per year location. His shrink was trending higher each year, and his last shrink number consisted of $238k. We went over his Shrink Action Plan for the store to stop shoplifting and increase profits for the following year. The plan had good “reasoning” to it, but were the actions they had listed to be executed really impactful to reduce shrink the following year? Absolutely not.
The store was doing the same actions each year and stuck in repetition. The numbers were rising showing that the plan was not working. This location was still utilizing an “ink tag” system, and could not remember the last time they updated any of their merchandise protection standards. They did not realize all the new technology that was now available to retailers. I explained to the store manager about investing in an Electronic Article Surveillance System and how this would increase sales, protect high dollar merchandise, and improve shelf availability for the shoppers. They would finally be able to stop shoplifting and change how they were doing things. We created a new plan and were able to get approval to receive an Electronic Article Surveillance System for the store. The security labels for the system were an easy transition for the store. They could be placed not only on high dollar clothing, but also on bedding, footwear, food products, and even electronics. Based on the feedback I received, the store was extremely surprised on how the alarm was easy to respond to. They couldn’t believe how many times the alarm would stop shoplifting right before their eyes. Before this, they had no way of really tracking how much merchandise was going straight out the door! It was very exciting to hear the positive feedback, but without seeing the numbers after the following inventory we would not know how effective the new system truly would be. I needed to see what the shrink number would be after making the change to the new Electronic Article Surveillance System.
After inventory was completed, the store’s final numbers came in at just $62k, an estimated gain of $176k! This was the first year this store had a reduction in almost 4 years. The store was finally able to break their shrink trend! The store has been off the Shrink Focus list ever since that year, and anytime we see a store with outdated Security Systems, we try out best to show them what really works.
Get more information on the Electronic Article Surveillance System, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
With 12 years of Loss Prevention experience, I’ve seen it ALL. In today’s world of fast paced technology, there is a plethora of possibilities for preventing theft. I have been lucky enough to work with a majority of them. This has helped me gain extensive knowledge on what truly works to stop shoplifting in retailers.
When I’m traveling to complete store visits, I am surprised on how many retailers are still using outdated merchandise protection standards in their stores. This allows shoplifters to continue to drain profits each year. During these visits, I meet with the store managers and always ask to see their 3 year shrink trend. I am consistently seeing out dated merchandise protection devices in the stores who are constantly trending high in shrink each year. I explain to the store managers that if they are losing money each year, then it’s time to think about trying a system that has been known to positively impact shrink in retailers. Out with the old, in with the new! I visited a store manager who ran a 20 million dollar per year location. His shrink was trending higher each year, and his last shrink number consisted of $238k. We went over his Shrink Action Plan for the store to stop shoplifting and increase profits for the following year. The plan had good “reasoning” to it, but were the actions they had listed to be executed really impactful to reduce shrink the following year? Absolutely not.
The store was doing the same actions each year and stuck in repetition. The numbers were rising showing that the plan was not working. This location was still utilizing an “ink tag” system, and could not remember the last time they updated any of their merchandise protection standards. They did not realize all the new technology that was now available to retailers. I explained to the store manager about investing in an Electronic Article Surveillance System and how this would increase sales, protect high dollar merchandise, and improve shelf availability for the shoppers. They would finally be able to stop shoplifting and change how they were doing things. We created a new plan and were able to get approval to receive an Electronic Article Surveillance System for the store. The security labels for the system were an easy transition for the store. They could be placed not only on high dollar clothing, but also on bedding, footwear, food products, and even electronics. Based on the feedback I received, the store was extremely surprised on how the alarm was easy to respond to. They couldn’t believe how many times the alarm would stop shoplifting right before their eyes. Before this, they had no way of really tracking how much merchandise was going straight out the door! It was very exciting to hear the positive feedback, but without seeing the numbers after the following inventory we would not know how effective the new system truly would be. I needed to see what the shrink number would be after making the change to the new Electronic Article Surveillance System.
After inventory was completed, the store’s final numbers came in at just $62k, an estimated gain of $176k! This was the first year this store had a reduction in almost 4 years. The store was finally able to break their shrink trend! The store has been off the Shrink Focus list ever since that year, and anytime we see a store with outdated Security Systems, we try out best to show them what really works.
Get more information on the Electronic Article Surveillance System, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Prevent shoplifting-3 WC Blog 366
O Tag – 3
Retail Anti-theft Devices-3
To Stop Or To Deter Thieves To Prevent Shoplifting; Tips To Help You Decide The Approach That Fits Your Needs – Part 2
In part 1 of this article I reviewed how store managers/owners can decide if they are going to prevent shoplifting by detaining or apprehending shoplifters or are they going to rely on retail anti-theft devices such as Alpha Security products. I also covered some tips for consideration when the decision is made to make apprehensions. People react differently in situations where they are being accused of theft, even when they know they are guilty. In this part of the article I would like to give you some tips on behaviors and actions you can look for to help you have an idea how a suspect is going to react when approached or detained.
I did mention retail anti-theft devices and recognize that some readers may not be aware of these products or how they can be used as a deterrent to shoplifting if you are not comfortable with the idea of approaching or detaining suspected shoplifters. Alpha Security products such as the O Tag, is one example of a family of what are known as electronic article surveillance (EAS) devices. These items operate on a radio frequency (rf) signal and come in the form of soft tags that peel off a roll and come in a variety of sizes to protect items as small as cosmetics, or a boxed item such as large as a television. Hard tags that pin to merchandise, an O Tag that secures around a tube or round object like a golf club and cable locks that can be looped around merchandise and tightened is all made to act in conjunction with EAS towers often located at entry/exit doors of stores. When a tagged item is carried into the detection field of the towers an audible alarm and flashing lights are activated. Trained store employees respond to the alarm and conduct receipt check and recover merchandise and in some cases the alarm actually causes a shoplifter to drop merchandise and flee.
If you have made the decision that you or your store managers or Loss Prevention Associates are going to detain shoplifting suspects here are some tips to help you assess a situation:
• Is the suspect in the store and concealing merchandise? Often it is best to “customer service” someone to prevent shoplifting until they leave. If you know what the person is concealing or attempting to conceal, politely approach them and ask if they need help with whatever the item is. In other words specifically mention the item and by doing so they know that you are aware of what they have and are attempting to do. I have used this approach to point out something someone was hiding under other merchandise and while they were prying at EAS tags. I never accuse them of anything I just offer to help them with it or I can hold it at the register while they continue to shop. Usually they will just leave the store.
• If you are going to allow apprehensions for shoplifting, know your state and local requirements for stopping someone. Some states require the suspect to exit the store while others may permit passing all points of sale. Some states actually allow someone to be stopped for concealment of merchandise and at one time (though I have not checked on it recently) my state actually allowed stopping someone for taking merchandise from one department to another. A chain store may have one governing set of policies so that they are consistent across the board and usually will have the strictest policies. This ensures there is minimal room for making a bad stop which can cost a lot in lawsuits and court time.
• Keep your eye on the suspect at all times, don’t allow yourself to get distracted. A shoplifter will do one of three things, be cooperative, and flee if they see an opportunity to run or fight the person stopping them so they can get away. By keeping an arm length away and watching the person, if they strike out, the strike can be avoided or deflected. At that point let them run, don’t engage in a fight.
• If a suspect runs because retail anti-theft devices like an O Tag activate an alarm, let them go and don’t follow. If a suspect is pursued and were to be hit by a vehicle or injure a party while fleeing, you may be held responsible.
You may be deciding whether or you want to apprehend thieves to prevent shoplifting now and in the future. Whatever your decision, get professional training from Loss Prevention Systems Inc. experts who can guide you in how to handle shoplifters and make an informed decision on how you want to proceed.
Get more information on retail anti-theft devices, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
In part 1 of this article I reviewed how store managers/owners can decide if they are going to prevent shoplifting by detaining or apprehending shoplifters or are they going to rely on retail anti-theft devices such as Alpha Security products. I also covered some tips for consideration when the decision is made to make apprehensions. People react differently in situations where they are being accused of theft, even when they know they are guilty. In this part of the article I would like to give you some tips on behaviors and actions you can look for to help you have an idea how a suspect is going to react when approached or detained.
I did mention retail anti-theft devices and recognize that some readers may not be aware of these products or how they can be used as a deterrent to shoplifting if you are not comfortable with the idea of approaching or detaining suspected shoplifters. Alpha Security products such as the O Tag, is one example of a family of what are known as electronic article surveillance (EAS) devices. These items operate on a radio frequency (rf) signal and come in the form of soft tags that peel off a roll and come in a variety of sizes to protect items as small as cosmetics, or a boxed item such as large as a television. Hard tags that pin to merchandise, an O Tag that secures around a tube or round object like a golf club and cable locks that can be looped around merchandise and tightened is all made to act in conjunction with EAS towers often located at entry/exit doors of stores. When a tagged item is carried into the detection field of the towers an audible alarm and flashing lights are activated. Trained store employees respond to the alarm and conduct receipt check and recover merchandise and in some cases the alarm actually causes a shoplifter to drop merchandise and flee.
If you have made the decision that you or your store managers or Loss Prevention Associates are going to detain shoplifting suspects here are some tips to help you assess a situation:
• Is the suspect in the store and concealing merchandise? Often it is best to “customer service” someone to prevent shoplifting until they leave. If you know what the person is concealing or attempting to conceal, politely approach them and ask if they need help with whatever the item is. In other words specifically mention the item and by doing so they know that you are aware of what they have and are attempting to do. I have used this approach to point out something someone was hiding under other merchandise and while they were prying at EAS tags. I never accuse them of anything I just offer to help them with it or I can hold it at the register while they continue to shop. Usually they will just leave the store.
• If you are going to allow apprehensions for shoplifting, know your state and local requirements for stopping someone. Some states require the suspect to exit the store while others may permit passing all points of sale. Some states actually allow someone to be stopped for concealment of merchandise and at one time (though I have not checked on it recently) my state actually allowed stopping someone for taking merchandise from one department to another. A chain store may have one governing set of policies so that they are consistent across the board and usually will have the strictest policies. This ensures there is minimal room for making a bad stop which can cost a lot in lawsuits and court time.
• Keep your eye on the suspect at all times, don’t allow yourself to get distracted. A shoplifter will do one of three things, be cooperative, and flee if they see an opportunity to run or fight the person stopping them so they can get away. By keeping an arm length away and watching the person, if they strike out, the strike can be avoided or deflected. At that point let them run, don’t engage in a fight.
• If a suspect runs because retail anti-theft devices like an O Tag activate an alarm, let them go and don’t follow. If a suspect is pursued and were to be hit by a vehicle or injure a party while fleeing, you may be held responsible.
You may be deciding whether or you want to apprehend thieves to prevent shoplifting now and in the future. Whatever your decision, get professional training from Loss Prevention Systems Inc. experts who can guide you in how to handle shoplifters and make an informed decision on how you want to proceed.
Get more information on retail anti-theft devices, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
People Counting Systems-4 WC Blog 386
door counting sensor-3
Make Sense Of Your Store Promotions By Using A Door Counting Sensor
Working in an academic library I am constantly learning new things that can be applied to other jobs or businesses. One example of this is a departmental assessment that we are currently conducting as a part of a larger assessment the college is going through. The college formed a committee that identified areas the college wants to focus on in order to achieve specific goals outlined in a strategic plan. That focus is on student retention, academic excellence, etc. In the process of completing the library assessment plan, we are learning how to put it together this year but in preparation for the next year assessment what I have learned is that we have to be more thoughtful in what we do. What I mean is this, rather than doing a project or making a change for the sake of doing it, we are going to have a reason for doing it and that reason should have some type of measurement to it. For example, last year we moved some of our video collection to another floor to make space for group study and provide access to more power supplies. We knew it needed to be done we had studied the behaviors of students the year before. What we failed to do was have numbers to substantiate the need for the change. On the other hand, what we could do was show the increase in patron counts as a result of the changes because that is something we were already tracking. We were able to at least demonstrate an increase in the number of people using that floor during the school year. The same process can be applied to retail stores by using people counting systems.
People counting systems assist store owners in keeping track of the number of people entering the store. By installing a door counting system at the entrance/exit of a building, managers can determine the busiest days of the week, the busiest hours and balance work schedules around that information. Additionally, a door counting sensor can be a stand-alone device or you can have it attached to your electronic article surveillance pedestal if you have a Checkpoint System protecting your merchandise from theft. If your store does have the pedestals, the door counting sensor also tracks the door alarm activity and gives store owners a report of what times alarms are going off. This information can be helpful in comparing to alarm activity logs to see if alarm activity is being addressed and if alarm activations are theft related. If there are a lot of alarms at specific times of the day a store manager may determine a person may need to be assigned as a door greeter to respond to alarms.
If a manager were to be put an assessment type program in place, the people counting systems will allow stores to measure the impact of sales initiatives. What do I mean by this? Let’s say a store owner decided he/she wanted to try to drive sales and reach out to the community. The manager has a 3-day weekend sale that provides military veterans with a 20% discount on all purchases with proof of their service, either a retired military I.D. or a Department of Defense form 214. The sale is promoted in social media, in newspapers and on store windows, doors, and signage throughout the store. Since the door counting sensor is in place, a baseline for this weekend can be compared to other weekends and to the same weekend the prior year(s). The sale is run and at the completion of the sale not only are register receipts compared but foot traffic is as well. I know you may be thinking that if sales are up isn’t that good enough? No, that won’t tell the whole story because you were giving discounts, so it isn’t apples to apples. You want to compare retail traffic because that will show if your promotion garnered additional people to visit your location. You could have a new batch of shoppers who never visited before. Receipts may only be up slightly but you could well have drawn in future clients who will be willing to shop in your store in the future. That is the kind of assessment information you want to measure.
People counting systems are not just another statistic gathering tool. They can be a powerful means of evaluating sales promotions, social media impact and customer service impact. It is up to owners and managers to decide if they want to keep flying by the seat of their pants or be strategic in how they conduct business and drive up sales.
Need information on people counting systems? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Working in an academic library I am constantly learning new things that can be applied to other jobs or businesses. One example of this is a departmental assessment that we are currently conducting as a part of a larger assessment the college is going through. The college formed a committee that identified areas the college wants to focus on in order to achieve specific goals outlined in a strategic plan. That focus is on student retention, academic excellence, etc. In the process of completing the library assessment plan, we are learning how to put it together this year but in preparation for the next year assessment what I have learned is that we have to be more thoughtful in what we do. What I mean is this, rather than doing a project or making a change for the sake of doing it, we are going to have a reason for doing it and that reason should have some type of measurement to it. For example, last year we moved some of our video collection to another floor to make space for group study and provide access to more power supplies. We knew it needed to be done we had studied the behaviors of students the year before. What we failed to do was have numbers to substantiate the need for the change. On the other hand, what we could do was show the increase in patron counts as a result of the changes because that is something we were already tracking. We were able to at least demonstrate an increase in the number of people using that floor during the school year. The same process can be applied to retail stores by using people counting systems.
People counting systems assist store owners in keeping track of the number of people entering the store. By installing a door counting system at the entrance/exit of a building, managers can determine the busiest days of the week, the busiest hours and balance work schedules around that information. Additionally, a door counting sensor can be a stand-alone device or you can have it attached to your electronic article surveillance pedestal if you have a Checkpoint System protecting your merchandise from theft. If your store does have the pedestals, the door counting sensor also tracks the door alarm activity and gives store owners a report of what times alarms are going off. This information can be helpful in comparing to alarm activity logs to see if alarm activity is being addressed and if alarm activations are theft related. If there are a lot of alarms at specific times of the day a store manager may determine a person may need to be assigned as a door greeter to respond to alarms.
If a manager were to be put an assessment type program in place, the people counting systems will allow stores to measure the impact of sales initiatives. What do I mean by this? Let’s say a store owner decided he/she wanted to try to drive sales and reach out to the community. The manager has a 3-day weekend sale that provides military veterans with a 20% discount on all purchases with proof of their service, either a retired military I.D. or a Department of Defense form 214. The sale is promoted in social media, in newspapers and on store windows, doors, and signage throughout the store. Since the door counting sensor is in place, a baseline for this weekend can be compared to other weekends and to the same weekend the prior year(s). The sale is run and at the completion of the sale not only are register receipts compared but foot traffic is as well. I know you may be thinking that if sales are up isn’t that good enough? No, that won’t tell the whole story because you were giving discounts, so it isn’t apples to apples. You want to compare retail traffic because that will show if your promotion garnered additional people to visit your location. You could have a new batch of shoppers who never visited before. Receipts may only be up slightly but you could well have drawn in future clients who will be willing to shop in your store in the future. That is the kind of assessment information you want to measure.
People counting systems are not just another statistic gathering tool. They can be a powerful means of evaluating sales promotions, social media impact and customer service impact. It is up to owners and managers to decide if they want to keep flying by the seat of their pants or be strategic in how they conduct business and drive up sales.
Need information on people counting systems? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Clothing security -4 WC Blog 388
Checkpoint Tags-3
Understanding The Unspoken Crime Of Underwear Theft And How Checkpoint Tags Can Undercut The Shoplifting Underworld
According to Merriam-Webster the following are slang or alternative words that refer to underwear; cutty sark (a term formed from the outdated words “cutty” meaning short and “sark” for shirt describing a short nightgown which they say inspired a famous ship name and that name inspired the brand of whiskey that goes by that name today). Knickers, a standard word for underwear mainly in Britain and a singlet another British term for a sleeveless undershirt. Other words include, tighty whities, underdrawers, unionsuit, unmentionables and pretties. I mention these little tidbits because to be honest I think it’s funny. Also, when we talk about clothing security I would guess that most of the time people tend to think of shirts, shoes, pants, dresses, skirts etc. I have caught thieves stealing all of these items. In addition to this list of stolen garments I have apprehended people stealing hats, socks, ties, purses, scarves and yes, underdrawers and all sorts of umentionables. It seems that when Checkpoint tags are used for clothing security to prevent shoplifting pretties and knickers are often overlooked for some reason.
Clothing security tags come equipped with electronic article surveillance (EAS) technology built into them. A radio frequency signal produced by Checkpoint tags is set to a specific frequency that can be picked up by EAS pedestals if they are carried into the detection field of the pedestals. This means a protected garment can be carried throughout the store by customers but if a crook decides to attempt to shoplift the item the tag will cause the pedestal alarms to activate and alert employees that a theft is taking place. Employees, in response to the alarm, go to the pedestals and conduct a receipt check and recover merchandise. In case you’re wondering why someone couldn’t just remove the tags and leave the store with the stolen merchandise, Checkpoint tags can only be removed with a Checkpoint detachment key. Attempts to pry the tags off or circumvent the security of the tags results in damaged merchandise and that defeats the reason the criminal is stealing in the first place.
Is it a big deal to protect underwear when you take the time to protect all the other clothing in your store? There are some statistics from The Adair Group that can potentially sway opinions one way or the other:
• According to their website, 15% of women own underwear that is five to ten years old. Ten percent of men have underwear that has seen over ten years of use. By these statistics it wouldn’t seem there is a lot of underwear being sold if it’s worn for so long.
• The website also says that the average British woman owns 34 pair of underwear while the average American woman owns 21. Based on this information it would seem there may be a market for underwear.
• Finally, they say that Euromonitor data for 2014 showed the global underwear market was worth over $110 billion dollars.
Of course it is this last piece of information that clears up any question as to why there needs to be clothing security for underwear. $110 billion dollars in underwear sales is a lot of money and therefore it is profitable enough to be a market for shoplifters.
Thieves will steal clothing if they can make money off of it through resale or if they can use it themselves. Don’t allow shoplifters to leave your shelves and racks naked due to theft. Use Checkpoint tags on all of your clothing, undergarments included and install EAS pedestals at the store entry/exit points. You will prevent shoplifting and see unmentionable increases in underwear sales.
Checkpoint Tags are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
According to Merriam-Webster the following are slang or alternative words that refer to underwear; cutty sark (a term formed from the outdated words “cutty” meaning short and “sark” for shirt describing a short nightgown which they say inspired a famous ship name and that name inspired the brand of whiskey that goes by that name today). Knickers, a standard word for underwear mainly in Britain and a singlet another British term for a sleeveless undershirt. Other words include, tighty whities, underdrawers, unionsuit, unmentionables and pretties. I mention these little tidbits because to be honest I think it’s funny. Also, when we talk about clothing security I would guess that most of the time people tend to think of shirts, shoes, pants, dresses, skirts etc. I have caught thieves stealing all of these items. In addition to this list of stolen garments I have apprehended people stealing hats, socks, ties, purses, scarves and yes, underdrawers and all sorts of umentionables. It seems that when Checkpoint tags are used for clothing security to prevent shoplifting pretties and knickers are often overlooked for some reason.
Clothing security tags come equipped with electronic article surveillance (EAS) technology built into them. A radio frequency signal produced by Checkpoint tags is set to a specific frequency that can be picked up by EAS pedestals if they are carried into the detection field of the pedestals. This means a protected garment can be carried throughout the store by customers but if a crook decides to attempt to shoplift the item the tag will cause the pedestal alarms to activate and alert employees that a theft is taking place. Employees, in response to the alarm, go to the pedestals and conduct a receipt check and recover merchandise. In case you’re wondering why someone couldn’t just remove the tags and leave the store with the stolen merchandise, Checkpoint tags can only be removed with a Checkpoint detachment key. Attempts to pry the tags off or circumvent the security of the tags results in damaged merchandise and that defeats the reason the criminal is stealing in the first place.
Is it a big deal to protect underwear when you take the time to protect all the other clothing in your store? There are some statistics from The Adair Group that can potentially sway opinions one way or the other:
• According to their website, 15% of women own underwear that is five to ten years old. Ten percent of men have underwear that has seen over ten years of use. By these statistics it wouldn’t seem there is a lot of underwear being sold if it’s worn for so long.
• The website also says that the average British woman owns 34 pair of underwear while the average American woman owns 21. Based on this information it would seem there may be a market for underwear.
• Finally, they say that Euromonitor data for 2014 showed the global underwear market was worth over $110 billion dollars.
Of course it is this last piece of information that clears up any question as to why there needs to be clothing security for underwear. $110 billion dollars in underwear sales is a lot of money and therefore it is profitable enough to be a market for shoplifters.
Thieves will steal clothing if they can make money off of it through resale or if they can use it themselves. Don’t allow shoplifters to leave your shelves and racks naked due to theft. Use Checkpoint tags on all of your clothing, undergarments included and install EAS pedestals at the store entry/exit points. You will prevent shoplifting and see unmentionable increases in underwear sales.
Checkpoint Tags are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
