Clothing Security-4 WC blog 33
Clothing Security tags-3
Checkpoint tags-3
Make Clothing Security Part Of Your Inventory Action Plan
The New Year is approaching and with it a new round of inventories for retailers. Anyone who has been in retail for more than a year has probably experienced inventory in one form or another. You may have been involved in the preparation or the actual count and verification process. Following inventory, stores will receive results and make action plans to address high shortage departments. If your store is a specialty business, such as only selling apparel, you may have high shortage SKU’s. For the purposes of this article, I would like to address clothing security and the things that should be included in a shortage action plan, including the use of clothing security tags.
There are a lot of factors that can come into play in creating clothing shortage. Obviously theft is a major contributor, both internal and external. Operational factors play a role in shortage also. Does the store utilize clothing security of any type, such as Checkpoint tags? If not, I would recommend that a sound shortage action plan should include clothing security of some type. If the store does use clothing security tags, who places them on the merchandise and how consistent is the placement? Security tags on clothing act as a deterrent to theft by being visible to thieves and they will activate a store EAS system if the store has one. When placement of tags is inconsistent it negates the deterrent value because thieves simply look for the items that are not tagged.
Over the last 25 years, I have been involved in store inventories in one capacity or another. I have counted merchandise, prepped stores for inventory, audited inventory and I have been the designated “inventory captain”, overseeing inventory for the store from start to finish. I have also learned that the creation of shortage action plans can be a team effort or dumped on the Loss Prevention department with the expectation that most of the shortage is theft related and it should be Loss Prevention’s job to address it. I have also seen shortage action plans created that look very good on paper but there is no follow up or accountability built in the plan. Many stores do not have an in-store Loss Prevention staff to create a shortage action plan after an inventory. In those cases, it falls on a store management team to create the plan. Where there is a Loss Prevention department, even if it is a district level manager, stores should partner with Loss Prevention and seek assistance in the formation of an effective plan. From an operational side it may be the store manager commits to having an associate dedicated to auditing clothing security tagging for consistency. Stores can also incorporate in a plan specific training for fitting room attendants and cashier training that includes shortage prevention strategies like looking inside boxes, comforters, and purses for possible hidden merchandise. Training should include proper response to EAS activations, and handling the interaction if unpaid merchandise is located during an alarm response.
Action items are good but two more components that are musts on an effective shortage plan are assignments of responsibility for an action item and time frames. Holding a specific person(s) accountable to an action item makes it more likely that item will be completed. When a plan is vague there is a tendency for no one to take responsibility. The second must is having a target date for follow up or completion. Let’s say an assistant store manager is going to audit Checkpoint tags on jeans, or clothing security tags on leather coats, there need to be expectations on the plan that say how frequently audits will be completed. This may be once a week or once every two weeks. The follow up for the assistant manager may be a results review with the store manager once a week. The other side of the equation is if the assistant manager is finding opportunities, they need to hold the tagger(s) accountable.
Checkpoint tags and other clothing security devices are an effective means to preventing clothing theft and can improve inventory loss due to theft. If your store is experiencing shortage in clothing and you can use some help to get it under control look into what Checkpoint Systems can do for you.
For more information about clothing security contact us or call 1.855.426.0547
A new year comes with a new round of inventories for retailers. Anyone who has been in retail for more than a year has probably experienced inventory in one form or another. You may have been involved in the preparation or the actual count and verification process. Following inventory, stores will receive results and make action plans to address high shortage departments. If your store is a specialty business, such as only selling apparel, you may have high shortage SKU’s. For the purposes of this article, I would like to address clothing security and the things that should be included in a shortage action plan, including the use of clothing security tags.
There are a lot of factors that can come into play in creating clothing shortage. Obviously theft is a major contributor, both internal and external. Operational factors play a role in shortage also. Does the store utilize clothing security of any type, such as Checkpoint tags? If not, I would recommend that a sound shortage action plan should include clothing security of some type. If the store does use clothing security tags, who places them on the merchandise and how consistent is the placement? Security tags on clothing act as a deterrent to theft by being visible to thieves and they will activate a store EAS system if the store has one. When placement of tags is inconsistent it negates the deterrent value because thieves simply look for the items that are not tagged.
Over the last 25 years, I have been involved in store inventories in one capacity or another. I have counted merchandise, prepped stores for inventory, audited inventory and I have been the designated “inventory captain”, overseeing inventory for the store from start to finish. I have also learned that the creation of shortage action plans can be a team effort or dumped on the Loss Prevention department with the expectation that most of the shortage is theft related and it should be Loss Prevention’s job to address it. I have also seen shortage action plans created that look very good on paper but there is no follow up or accountability built in the plan. Many stores do not have an in-store Loss Prevention staff to create a shortage action plan after an inventory. In those cases, it falls on a store management team to create the plan. Where there is a Loss Prevention department, even if it is a district level manager, stores should partner with Loss Prevention and seek assistance in the formation of an effective plan. From an operational side it may be the store manager commits to having an associate dedicated to auditing clothing security tagging for consistency. Stores can also incorporate in a plan specific training for fitting room attendants and cashier training that includes shortage prevention strategies like looking inside boxes, comforters, and purses for possible hidden merchandise. Training should include proper response to EAS activations, and handling the interaction if unpaid merchandise is located during an alarm response.
Action items are good but two more components that are musts on an effective shortage plan are assignments of responsibility for an action item and time frames. Holding a specific person(s) accountable to an action item makes it more likely that item will be completed. When a plan is vague there is a tendency for no one to take responsibility. The second must is having a target date for follow up or completion. Let’s say an assistant store manager is going to audit Checkpoint tags on jeans, or clothing security tags on leather coats, there need to be expectations on the plan that say how frequently audits will be completed. This may be once a week or once every two weeks. The follow up for the assistant manager may be a results review with the store manager once a week. The other side of the equation is if the assistant manager is finding opportunities, they need to hold the tagger(s) accountable.
Checkpoint tags and other clothing security devices are an effective means to preventing clothing theft and can improve inventory loss due to theft. If your store is experiencing shortage in clothing and you can use some help to get it under control look into what Checkpoint Systems can do for you.
For more information about clothing security contact us or call 1.855.426.0547
Clothing Security-4 WC blog 15
Clothing Security Tags-4
Checkpoint tags -5
Clothing Security Tags Can Fit Delicates And Denims
Clothing security can be a tough proposition at times. Some fabrics are too delicate for pin style hard tags. Some pieces of clothing need protection but the item is too difficult to try on if the right clothing security tags are not chosen. I am always interested to see what different retailers are doing to protect merchandise, it’s just the loss prevention geek I am. My poor wife gets stuck having to answer some of my questions about women’s clothing and security. Recently my wife and I were in a store shopping and I noticed that a lot of Checkpoint tags were being used on merchandise. As we passed the women’s clothing department, a fixture of pricey brassieres was on the aisle. I noticed that despite the price point there was no security device anywhere to be found. I stopped my wife and pointed this out to her. After a not so subtle sigh (her way of telling me to stop playing security) she told me that tags tend to make it hard for women to fit brassieres on properly. “Oh, I guess that makes sense”, I thought to myself. I think my wife’s thought was, “That’s a man for you”.
When we finished our shopping trip I began investigating some more, because it doesn’t make sense that with all the technology that exists for clothing security something doesn’t exist for any item that would be difficult to try on. Let’s face it, we guys tend to try it on, if it reasonably fits, that’s good enough for us. And to be fair, we don’t have the same concerns as women when it comes to fitting clothes. So I began thinking about other items that might cause the same consternation for women, bathing suit tops, and work-out clothes such as sports bras. What I found is there are Checkpoint tags that can meet the requirements. Clothing security for delicate items, such as silk materials and hard to fit items including swim tops and brassieres is possible. Checkpoint’s Apparel clip HT@S device is a perfect solution for retailers because it is a pin-free tag that is applied at the source. There are no pins involved so no holes puncture the garment. As the name implies, merchandise is tagged at the source so there are no store hours spent tagging. These hard tags, though small, work with the store’s existing EAS alarm antennas.
For more durable clothing items, such as jeans and expensive jackets Checkpoint also has a Gen 3 Hard Tag that does include a pin. These clothing security tags will also work with an EAS system and will provide a visual deterrent to thieves. These tags can be placed on merchandise at the store, or can also be applied at the source, saving store payroll dollars. Checkpoint tags are easy to take off so customers aren’t delayed in line while the cashier removes the devices.
If a store uses the source tagging option, merchandise tagging is consistent. One of the problems I see in store tagging programs often involves inconsistency, either tag placement or some items not tagged at all. Source tagging will ensure clothing security tags are placed in the same location on merchandise, making it a more visible deterrent to thieves and it also makes it easier for cashiers to not have to hunt for security devices. I have watched cashiers spend time hunting for security tags, causing delays in the checkout line. I have also watched the distraction caused to customers when Checkpoint tags are missed and the alarm is set off as the customer attempts to leave the store.
Clothing security tags are available for almost all clothing items on the market today. From delicate silk materials such as men’s ties to expensive leather motorcycle jackets, Checkpoint tags are available for all clothing lines. Implementing a source tagging program, stores can save payroll dollars and ensure consistency and accuracy at the point of sale. Check out what clothing security can do to enhance your profits and prevent theft.
For more information about Clothing Security contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Clothing security can be a tough proposition at times. Some fabrics are too delicate for pin style hard tags. Some pieces of clothing need protection but the item is too difficult to try on if the right clothing security tags are not chosen. I am always interested to see what different retailers are doing to protect merchandise, it’s just the loss prevention geek I am. My poor wife gets stuck having to answer some of my questions about women’s clothing and security. Recently my wife and I were in a store shopping and I noticed that a lot of Checkpoint tags were being used on merchandise. As we passed the women’s clothing department, a fixture of pricey brassieres was on the aisle. I noticed that despite the price point there was no security device anywhere to be found. I stopped my wife and pointed this out to her. After a not so subtle sigh (her way of telling me to stop playing security) she told me that tags tend to make it hard for women to fit brassieres on properly. “Oh, I guess that makes sense”, I thought to myself. I think my wife’s thought was, “That’s a man for you”.
When we finished our shopping trip I began investigating some more, because it doesn’t make sense that with all the technology that exists for clothing security something doesn’t exist for any item that would be difficult to try on. Let’s face it, we guys tend to try it on, if it reasonably fits, that’s good enough for us. And to be fair, we don’t have the same concerns as women when it comes to fitting clothes. So I began thinking about other items that might cause the same concern for women, bathing suit tops, and work-out clothes such as sports bras. What I found is there are Checkpoint tags that can meet the requirements. Clothing security for delicate items, such as silk materials and hard to fit items including swim tops and brassieres is possible. Checkpoint’s Apparel clip HT@S device is a perfect solution for retailers because it is a pin-free tag that is applied at the source. There are no pins involved so no holes puncture the garment. As the name implies, merchandise is tagged at the source so there are no store hours spent tagging. These hard tags, though small, work with the store’s existing EAS alarm antennas.
For more durable clothing items, such as jeans and expensive jackets Checkpoint also has a Gen 3 Hard Tag that does include a pin. These clothing security tags will also work with an EAS system and will provide a visual deterrent to thieves. These tags can be placed on merchandise at the store, or can also be applied at the source, saving store payroll dollars. Checkpoint tags are easy to take off so customers aren’t delayed in line while the cashier removes the devices.
If a store uses the source tagging option, merchandise tagging is consistent. One of the problems I see in store tagging programs often involves inconsistency, either tag placement or some items not tagged at all. Source tagging will ensure clothing security tags are placed in the same location on merchandise, making it a more visible deterrent to thieves and it also makes it easier for cashiers to not have to hunt for security devices. I have watched cashiers spend time hunting for security tags, causing delays in the checkout line. I have also watched the distraction caused to customers when Checkpoint tags are missed and the alarm is set off as the customer attempts to leave the store.
Clothing security tags are available for almost all clothing items on the market today. From delicate silk materials such as men’s ties to expensive leather motorcycle jackets, Checkpoint tags are available for all clothing lines. Implementing a source tagging program, stores can save payroll dollars and ensure consistency and accuracy at the point of sale. Check out what clothing security can do to enhance your profits and prevent theft.
For more information about Clothing Security contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
RL-178
(Clothing security tags-4), (Checkpoint tags-4)
The Thin Line Between Customer Satisfaction and Loss of Profits
In any retail setting, you want to do everything possible to make sure your customers stay happy, and keep coming back to shop in your store. We all know that you have to make exceptions to the rules sometimes, but where do you draw the line? I recently observed something in a store that immediately got my attention, and made me wonder where the line should be drawn between making customers happy and following protocol regarding the use and removal of clothing security tags or any other merchandise protection devices.
A customer came into the store the other day carrying several pieces of clothing with clothing security tags still attached to the garments. The Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) alarm sounded as she walked into the store, and she approached an employee at the customer service desk. The customer said that she purchased the items, but the cashier failed to remove the Checkpoint tags from the clothing items that she purchased. What happened next was a bit disturbing to me at the time, but the employee had to make a judgement call.
The employee then removed the Checkpoint tags from the clothing items without even checking if the customer had a receipt for the items she claimed to have purchased. The customer then told the cashier helping her, that she lost the receipt for the purchase. As I witnessed this from a distance, I was in disbelief, and I then went to talk to the employee as the customer left the store. What I didn’t know at the time was that another nearby cashier remembered seeing that customer making the purchase earlier on in the day. Out of curiosity, I then asked the employee what they would have done if the other cashier hadn’t recognized the customer, and the cashier said that they probably would have done the same thing.
Depending on what your company or store policy is, what might normally happen in this situation is that the cashier should verify the receipt, and if the customer could not produce a receipt, then the matter would be referred to a supervisor. On the other hand, you may want to empower your cashiers to make reasonable decisions for purposes of customer satisfaction, provided that the adjustment for the customer wasn’t some absurd amount of money. Whether or not an exception is provided to the customer, the transaction should still be researched if possible. If you have video or register journal text available, it would be a good idea to take a look and see what actually happened. The cashier that should have removed the Checkpoint tags from the clothing should be talked to, as well as checking to see if the EAS alarm went off at the door when the customer originally exited the store with the merchandise. If the alarm didn’t sound, you may need to call and have your equipment serviced so something like this doesn’t happen again in the future.
Although the store policy didn’t say that you could remove clothing security tags based off of an employee’s memory of an earlier purchase, the cashier’s intentions were to make the customer happy so they would continue to shop in the store. Though this was most likely an honest mistake on the part of the original cashier, anyone who happened to be in the area when this conversation took place could try this in the future in order to have a cashier remove Checkpoint tags from stolen clothing items.
For more information about clothing security tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
In any retail setting, you want to do everything possible to make sure your customers stay happy, and keep coming back to shop in your store. We all know that you have to make exceptions to the rules sometimes, but where do you draw the line? I recently observed something in a store that immediately got my attention, and made me wonder where the line should be drawn between making customers happy and following protocol regarding the use and removal of clothing security tags or any other merchandise protection devices.
A customer came into the store the other day carrying several pieces of clothing with clothing security tags still attached to the garments. The Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) alarm sounded as she walked into the store, and she approached an employee at the customer service desk. The customer said that she purchased the items, but the cashier failed to remove the Checkpoint tags from the clothing items that she purchased. What happened next was a bit disturbing to me at the time, but the employee had to make a judgement call.
The employee then removed the Checkpoint tags from the clothing items without even checking if the customer had a receipt for the items she claimed to have purchased. The customer then told the cashier helping her, that she lost the receipt for the purchase. As I witnessed this from a distance, I was in disbelief, and I then went to talk to the employee as the customer left the store. What I didn’t know at the time was that another nearby cashier remembered seeing that customer making the purchase earlier on in the day. Out of curiosity, I then asked the employee what they would have done if the other cashier hadn’t recognized the customer, and the cashier said that they probably would have done the same thing.
Depending on what your company or store policy is, what might normally happen in this situation is that the cashier should verify the receipt, and if the customer could not produce a receipt, then the matter would be referred to a supervisor. On the other hand, you may want to empower your cashiers to make reasonable decisions for purposes of customer satisfaction, provided that the adjustment for the customer wasn’t some absurd amount of money. Whether or not an exception is provided to the customer, the transaction should still be researched if possible. If you have video or register journal text available, it would be a good idea to take a look and see what actually happened. The cashier that should have removed the Checkpoint tags from the clothing should be talked to, as well as checking to see if the EAS alarm went off at the door when the customer originally exited the store with the merchandise. If the alarm didn’t sound, you may need to call and have your equipment serviced so something like this doesn’t happen again in the future.
Although the store policy didn’t say that you could remove clothing security tags based off of an employee’s memory of an earlier purchase, the cashier’s intentions were to make the customer happy so they would continue to shop in the store. Though this was most likely an honest mistake on the part of the original cashier, anyone who happened to be in the area when this conversation took place could try this in the future in order to have a cashier remove Checkpoint tags from stolen clothing items.
For more information about clothing security tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Clothing Security-4 , Security Tags On Clothes-2 ,Clothing Alarm-3
No Clothing Alarm Can Mean An Invitation To Theft Rings
Clothing theft rings are on the rise. These groups are figuring out the best ways to get in and get out with a lot of stuff that is worth a lot of money. If your store is not putting security tags on clothes, you may be next on one of these group’s agenda. I’ve looked into two of these groups and the details of their cases are astounding. These people are organized; they have the all the plans and logistics worked out before they ever start. One group only had five people and the other had as many as sixteen working for them. They did the research and figured out which stores had a clothing alarm in place and which ones had no type of clothing security at all.
One group was a family, and the members were a mother, three of her adult children, and a brother-in-law. They primarily went to small stores and specialty boutiques. They primarily stole lingerie and accessories. They would drive around, find these stores in strip malls, go in as a harmless looking family, and wipe them out. When they gathered up enough merchandise they would have neighborhood yard sales. They became very popular where they lived because of all the great deals they had. Finally someone caught on and turned them in, but not before they amassed thousands of dollars’ worth of stolen goods in a storage facility. Sadly, with little to help identify where the items came from, most of the merchandise was not returned to the stores that it.
Security tags on clothes can be a more valuable addition than simply just a theft deterrent. They can also be stamped with your store information for easy identification in the event there is a recovery. They can be placed in obvious places, like price tags, or even sewn into hidden seams and pockets. Until the clothing security tags have been deactivated, they will cause the clothing alarm to sound! This is a big deal when you deal with the following type of theft ring.
This was the group that employed sixteen people at times. Each member that entered the stores played a part and had an assigned task for the thefts to be successful. First were the ones stuffing the bags. They were given shopping lists and their jobs were to gather those items. They were warned to not pick up anything that had a clothing security tag attached. Next came the ones responsible for distracting the staff. Just in case the first group raised any suspicions, the second group was to keep the employees busy with questions and random conversations. Lastly came folks that were to actually remove the bags from the store. If the clothing alarm sounded, the second group was to act casual and continue browsing while the last group made a run for it. Other members would come back and pick them up later in a different vehicle. This ring of people actually got away with tens of thousands worth of merchandise from several different locations. They picked their stores based on ease of escape routes, and lack of clothing security. They knew where they could be most successful. They had a truck they drove around that advertised “Name Brands At Great Prices!”. That truck is the reason they finally got caught. They had a stolen license plate on it. Thank goodness for dumb crooks.
For more information on clothing security, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 or Clothingsecurity.net
Clothing theft rings are on the rise. These groups are figuring out the best ways to get in and get out with a lot of stuff that is worth a lot of money. If your store is not putting security tags on clothes, you may be next on one of these group’s agenda. I’ve looked into two of these groups and the details of their cases are astounding. These people are organized; they have all the plans and logistics worked out before they ever start. One group only had five people and the other had as many as sixteen working for them. They did the research and figured out which stores had a clothing alarm in place and which ones had no type of clothing security at all.
One group was a family, and the members were a mother, three of her adult children, and a brother-in-law. They primarily went to small stores and specialty boutiques. They primarily stole lingerie and accessories. They would drive around, find these stores in strip malls, go in as a harmless looking family, and wipe them out. When they gathered up enough merchandise they would have neighborhood yard sales. They became very popular where they lived because of all the great deals they had. Finally someone caught on and turned them in, but not before they amassed thousands of dollars’ worth of stolen goods in a storage facility. Sadly, with little help to identify where the items came from, most of the merchandise was not returned to the stores.
Security tags on clothes can be a more valuable addition than simply just a theft deterrent. They can also be stamped with your store information for easy identification in the event there is a recovery. They can be placed in obvious places, like price tags, or even sewn into hidden seams and pockets. Until the clothing security tags have been deactivated, they will cause the clothing alarm to sound! This is a big deal when you deal with the following type of theft ring.
This was the group that employed sixteen people at times. Each member that entered the stores played a part and had an assigned task for the thefts to be successful. First were the ones stuffing the bags. They were given shopping lists and their jobs were to gather those items. They were warned to not pick up anything that had a clothing security tag attached. Next came the ones responsible for distracting the staff. Just in case the first group raised any suspicions, the second group was to keep the employees busy with questions and random conversations. Lastly came folks that were to actually remove the bags from the store. If the clothing alarm sounded, the second group was to act casual and continue browsing while the last group made a run for it. Other members would come back and pick them up later in a different vehicle. This ring of people actually got away with tens of thousands worth of merchandise from several different locations. They picked their stores based on ease of escape routes, and lack of clothing security. They knew where they could be most successful. They had a truck they drove around that advertised “Name Brands At Great Prices!”. That truck is the reason they finally got caught. They had a stolen license plate on it. Thank goodness for dumb crooks.
For more information on clothing security, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 or Clothingsecurity.net
Clothing Security-3 , Checkpoint Tags-2 , Security Tags On Clothes-3
Don’t Lose Your Pants Over Lack Of Security
I saw two different headlines yesterday that should be eye openers for any clothing retailer. First a guy came into a small independent clothing store in a mall and slipped a $169 pair of jeans on, put his own back on over them, and went out the door. Luckily for the store owner that noticed the guy didn’t return the jeans to the rack, the thief failed to remove his name tag. Unfortunately, that name tag clearly indicated he worked at another store in the same mall. He was quickly detained and ticketed. Most cases for clothing security aren’t that simple, of course. In another news story, a guy came into a similar small store and managed to get thirteen pairs of jeans worth about $2,000. He draped them over his arm and walked right out. There were no Checkpoint tags on them, so by the time the empty rack was discovered, it was just too late. Without security tags on clothes, you may as well send out invitations to steal. Word gets out in the community and on blogs dedicated to shoplifting, so losses will start to happen.
In order to do clothing security right, you need the tools that are proven industry leaders. That’s why managers and owners should take a look at Checkpoint tags. There are multiple options to choose from. Basic labels can be adhered to the back of the price tag. This sends a clear message and is a strong deterrent in itself. These nifty tags can also be sewn into pockets and seams and hidden for a less obvious approach. There are also hard tags that can be pinned on. There’s no need to worry. Hard tags will protect the merchandise without detracting from the look of the product or causing any damage. They are attached and removed easy and quickly, so there is little training required for your staff.
Without security tags on clothes, the chances of a big loss are always looming. There’s enough to do when you’re in retail. You’ve got to build displays, price the goods, and provide excellent customer service so that you can create and keep a loyal base of shoppers. The most jaw dropping story of all is the worst case of clothing theft I have ever read about. A store had a display of designer jeans hanging on a rack near the front door. The point was to allow passersby to see the display and create awareness that this specialty store had this product. When you have a small business and you can get an advantage over a big box store, you take chances to get the attention of people looking for this product. This store may have gone a little overboard with their attempt though. $17,000 worth of designer jeans gone in mere seconds. A couple thieves, a getaway car near the exit, plus a store that does not employ any type of security tags on clothes equals a disaster. This store was so busy trying to get the local shoppers to notice that they actually had these highly sought after styles they forgot the basics of clothing security. Never, and I mean never, place a rack of frequently targeted items near the exit. This store had gotten those jeans on consignment. Imagine that phone call. Now they had no jeans, no profit from the sales, and no clues on the thieves identity. That loss could have been mitigated with the investment into Checkpoint tags. Take clothing security serious, and hopefully your store will never experience something so terrible.
For more information on clothing security ideas, contact us or call1.770.426.0547 or Clothingsecurity.net
I saw two different headlines yesterday that should be eye openers for any clothing retailer. First a guy came into a small independent clothing store in a mall and slipped a $169 pair of jeans on, put his own back on over them, and went out the door. Luckily for the store owner that noticed the guy didn’t return the jeans to the rack, the thief failed to remove his name tag. Unfortunately, that name tag clearly indicated he worked at another store in the same mall. e was quickly detained and ticketed. Most cases for clothing security aren’t that simple, of course. In another news story, a guy came into a similar small store and managed to get thirteen pairs of jeans worth about $2,000. He draped them over his arm and walked right out. There were no Checkpoint tags on them, so by the time the empty rack was discovered, it was just too late. Without security tags on clothes, you may as well send out invitations to steal. Word gets out in the community and on blogs dedicated to shoplifting, so losses will start to happen.
In order to do clothing security right, you need the tools that are proven industry leaders. That’s why managers and owners should take a look at Checkpoint tags. There are multiple options to choose from. Basic labels can be adhered to the back of the price tag. This sends a clear message and is a strong deterrent in itself. These nifty tags can also be sewn into pockets and seams and hidden for a less obvious approach. There are also hard tags that can be pinned on. There’s no need to worry. Hard tags will protect the merchandise without detracting from the look of the product or causing any damage. They are attached and removed easy and quickly, so there is little training required for your staff.
Without security tags on clothes, the chances of a big loss are always looming. There’s enough to do when you’re in retail. You’ve got to build displays, price the goods, and provide excellent customer service so that you can create and keep a loyal base of shoppers. The most jaw dropping story of all is the worst case of clothing theft I have ever read about. A store had a display of designer jeans hanging on a rack near the front door. The point was to allow passersby to see the display and create awareness that this specialty store had this product. When you have a small business and you can get an advantage over a big box store, you take chances to get the attention of people looking for this product. This store may have gone a little overboard with their attempt though. $17,000 worth of designer jeans gone in mere seconds. A couple thieves, a getaway car near the exit, plus a store that does not employ any type of security tags on clothes equals a disaster. This store was so busy trying to get the local shoppers to notice that they actually had these highly sought after styles they forgot the basics of clothing security. Never, and I mean never, place a rack of frequently targeted items near the exit. This store had gotten those jeans on consignment. Imagine that phone call. Now they had no jeans, no profit from the sales, and no clues on the thieves identity. That loss could have been mitigated with the investment into Checkpoint tags. Take clothing security serious, and hopefully your store will never experience something so terrible.
For more information on clothing security ideas, contact us or call1.770.426.0547 or Clothingsecurity.net
