Clothing security- 4 WC Blog 524
Checkpoint tags-5
Checkpoint Tags Help Offset Tight Employee Budgets
Clothing security can be difficult for small and medium size retailers that have limited resources. As a Retail Loss prevention Manager I had to deal with shoplifters and employees who have stolen clothes so I have seen the various methods employed by criminals. One of the favorite forms of theft for shoplifters and I include employees in this, is the use of fitting rooms and restrooms to commit their crimes. Rather than trying to hide merchandise in a purse, shopping bag or under their clothing and risk being observed by store cameras or plain clothes security they go where they know that cameras are not permitted. Thieves know that most stores restrict Loss Prevention personnel from making what are known as “fitting room” stops and the same applies to restrooms. In order to prevent shoplifting many of the large retailers will spend payroll on a fitting room attendant. This person’s job is supposed to be taking all merchandise from a customer, separating the items, inspecting to be sure nothing is in between items and there are not multiple items on a single hanger. It may not be feasible for smaller stores to spend scarce payroll dollars on a fitting room attendant. This is where clothing security can be enhanced in the form of Checkpoint tags available from Loss Prevention Systems Inc.
Checkpoint tags for clothing are available in a sturdy design that is built to prevent shoplifters from defeating them. Tugged, pulled, pried or beaten on these tags will hold up to the most severe punishment. Of course it should be pointed out that in my encounters with anyone trying to pull a tag off of clothing they are usually putting so much effort into it they become obvious. Those shoplifters that choose to try to conceal tagged clothing and attempt to get out of a store will set off an electronic article surveillance (EAS) alarm pedestal. The alarms and lights of the pedestals are so bright and noisy that employees respond and recover merchandise through a check of the culprit’s receipt. An employee well trained on appropriate EAS alarm response knows how to keep encounters calm and recover merchandise without a nasty confrontation.
The question arises, “Why can’t I just look in a fitting room and if there are empty hangers then I can simply stop the suspect?” You can never be absolutely sure that a hanger is an indicator of theft. Some people try on clothes and if they find a garment they like they don’t bother putting it back on a hanger. When I was a Loss Prevention Associate and brand new to the retail world I worked in a department store. I vividly recall going into a fitting room and bringing out a handful of clothes hangers. I showed them to the associates at the register and told them that someone had probably stolen the items that went on those hangers. The associates were none too pleased with me, a guy new to L.P. and retail. One of the associates took the hangers and told me that they do count items going in and out, not necessarily hangers. That associate, who is now my wife, kindly reminds me of that encounter from time to time to keep me humble. Clothing security was a priority then and items were counted but we did not use Checkpoint tags as much then as we should have. Clothing alarm tags can reduce the need to have a fitting room attendant for stores without the payroll to staff that position.
Restrooms can be another problem altogether because they are often in a corner or out of the main aisles of the store. EAS towers can be placed outside of the restrooms and if merchandise with Checkpoint tags is taken in the tower alarms will sound there too. Towers can’t be placed outside of a fitting room because the purpose of a fitting room is to take merchandise in to try on. Security tags on clothes provide protection for retailers when they can’t afford to place a person at the fitting room. As I mentioned if they tamper with tags they will damage the clothes, leave the tags in place and they will activate alarms.
If you have the resources to afford a fitting room attendant to stop shoplifting then continue to do so and let Checkpoint tags be a supplement to your security efforts. If you don’t have the resources, tag all of your merchandise with clothing security tags and watch your profits grow.
Get more information on Checkpoint tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Clothing security can be difficult for small and medium size retailers that have limited resources. As a Retail Loss prevention Manager I had to deal with shoplifters and employees who have stolen clothes so I have seen the various methods employed by criminals. One of the favorite forms of theft for shoplifters and I include employees in this, is the use of fitting rooms and restrooms to commit their crimes. Rather than trying to hide merchandise in a purse, shopping bag or under their clothing and risk being observed by store cameras or plain clothes security they go where they know that cameras are not permitted. Thieves know that most stores restrict Loss Prevention personnel from making what are known as “fitting room” stops and the same applies to restrooms. In order to prevent shoplifting many of the large retailers will spend payroll on a fitting room attendant. This person’s job is supposed to be taking all merchandise from a customer, separating the items, inspecting to be sure nothing is in between items and there are not multiple items on a single hanger. It may not be feasible for smaller stores to spend scarce payroll dollars on a fitting room attendant. This is where clothing security can be enhanced in the form of Checkpoint tags available from Loss Prevention Systems Inc.
Checkpoint tags for clothing are available in a sturdy design that is built to prevent shoplifters from defeating them. Tugged, pulled, pried or beaten on these tags will hold up to the most severe punishment. Of course it should be pointed out that in my encounters with anyone trying to pull a tag off of clothing they are usually putting so much effort into it they become obvious. Those shoplifters that choose to try to conceal tagged clothing and attempt to get out of a store will set off an electronic article surveillance (EAS) alarm pedestal. The alarms and lights of the pedestals are so bright and noisy that employees respond and recover merchandise through a check of the culprit’s receipt. An employee well trained on appropriate EAS alarm response knows how to keep encounters calm and recover merchandise without a nasty confrontation.
The question arises, “Why can’t I just look in a fitting room and if there are empty hangers then I can simply stop the suspect?” You can never be absolutely sure that a hanger is an indicator of theft. Some people try on clothes and if they find a garment they like they don’t bother putting it back on a hanger. When I was a Loss Prevention Associate and brand new to the retail world I worked in a department store. I vividly recall going into a fitting room and bringing out a handful of clothes hangers. I showed them to the associates at the register and told them that someone had probably stolen the items that went on those hangers. The associates were none too pleased with me, a guy new to L.P. and retail. One of the associates took the hangers and told me that they do count items going in and out, not necessarily hangers. That associate, who is now my wife, kindly reminds me of that encounter from time to time to keep me humble. Clothing security was a priority then and items were counted but we did not use Checkpoint tags as much then as we should have. Clothing alarm tags can reduce the need to have a fitting room attendant for stores without the payroll to staff that position.
Restrooms can be another problem altogether because they are often in a corner or out of the main aisles of the store. EAS towers can be placed outside of the restrooms and if merchandise with Checkpoint tags is taken in the tower alarms will sound there too. Towers can’t be placed outside of a fitting room because the purpose of a fitting room is to take merchandise in to try on. Security tags on clothes provide protection for retailers when they can’t afford to place a person at the fitting room. As I mentioned if they tamper with tags they will damage the clothes, leave the tags in place and they will activate alarms.
If you have the resources to afford a fitting room attendant to stop shoplifting then continue to do so and let Checkpoint tags be a supplement to your security efforts. If you don’t have the resources, tag all of your merchandise with clothing security tags and watch your profits grow.
Get more information on Checkpoint tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Clothing security is important to me. I want to see stores keep merchandise out of the hands of shoplifters and available to customers like myself. It is also important to me as a consumer to be able to look at the merchandise I want to purchase. Retailer owners and managers I have a pet peeve I am going to share with you. Those cute little bundle packs of pajama sets that you like to put the cute little ribbon on are annoying! Ughhh, it is such a pain to try to take the ribbon off so I can see what a set looks like in order to decide if I want to purchase it as a gift. By the time I am done it looks like a bull went through a china shop. I have pajama tops strewn all over the place, bottoms on the floor and forget about the ribbons. Oh, I try to put them back in the proper bundles and my work speaks for itself. You should take a look at my gift wrapping techniques. I have had clerks walk up and tell me not to worry about my mess they would take care of it. What I think they meant was, please don’t shop in my department any more, just go away. The jaw drop is the giveaway for me when they are approaching from across the store. Along with the fact that bundles never go back together the way they were before I touched them there is the issue of clothing security. Usually the pajama top is the item that can be seen when wrapped. The pants are covered up so if the retailer is using Checkpoint tags to protect clothing from theft you are protecting the entire set.
Checkpoint tags offered through Loss Prevention Systems Inc. are used to stop thieves from stealing your merchandise. The tags work in unison with Checkpoint electronic article surveillance (EAS) towers. The clothing security tags send out radio waves that operate on a specific frequency. These waves are picked up by the towers when tagged merchandise is carried into the detection field of the towers. Once a tag is detected the tower blares out a powerful alert that can be heard through a store and many towers have flashing lights that indicate a tag has been detected. Alert employees will answer the alarm and conduct receipt checks and resolve the reason for the alarm. In most situations these alarms result in the recovery of merchandise or a purchase by the offender. A thief who has been confronted does not want to risk being prosecuted so it is not uncommon for them to say they forgot about the item or they thought the cashier rang it up. A trained employee can avoid creating a disturbance and diffuse a situation by offering an excuse for the “error” and providing an opportunity for a purchase or return of the goods.
I realize some readers are concerned about what it might cost to continually purchase Checkpoint tags for all of the new merchandise that comes into the store. Think about those pajama bundles and how they seem to come in for different seasonal events especially Christmas and Valentine’s Day. And gosh, if I have to worry about increased sales because merchandise is available to purchase won’t I have to buy even more clothing security tags? The tags are reusable. When a garment is brought to the register the tag is removed by the cashier and placed in a bin so they can be put on new freight when it arrives. A special detachment tool is required to take tags off of merchandise. Unless a tool were to fall into the hands of a criminal there is little chance a tag can be forced off of a garment without causing damage to the product. Checkpoint tags can be used over and over and over again greatly reducing the need for replacements.
Bundle your pajama sets together to drive sales and profits. Remember two things, first protect all of the pieces against shoplifting with Checkpoint tags. Second, don’t get mad at folks like me who unbundle your pretty packages and can’t seem to get them back together again correctly!
For more information about Checkpoint tags contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
5 REASONS TO USE CLOTHING SECURITY TAGS
There are plenty of reasons to secure the clothing in your store with Checkpoint Tags; so many that I’d never be able to list them all. So, I won’t. What I will do is give you my top 5 reasons for doing so. Take in mind that every business is different and every category presents certain unique challenges associated with reducing shrink. These are, in my opinion, the best reasons to use EAS in apparel.
1. It Deters Crime
This is a no-brainer. If a shoplifter sees Clothing Security Tags in place, they are less likely to try and steal that item. Not only are you reducing external theft, you also keep the criminal element out of your store. Think about this; a large percentage of shoplifters are stealing to support a drug habit. Drug users are more likely to commit enhanced crimes like robbery, assault, vehicle burglary and even worse while spiraling down. By making shoplifting difficult, you eliminate a constant flow of this demographic into your store, thus reducing the overall likelihood of being impacted by other crimes associated with habitual shoplifters.
2. Maintain your Inventory
One often overlooked consequence of utilizing Checkpoint Tags is that you’re able to maintain better inventory. How frustrating is it when a customer is shopping for that last jean that the system says you have on hand, but you can’t locate it? Chances are, that jean was stolen. By securing those popular lines of clothing, your inventory has a chance to remain accurate, which not only helps you plan out your orders, but maintains your integrity to your customer.
3. Customer Service
This one plays right into #3. You may think of customer service as greeting and engaging the customers that walk in the door, or ask you for assistance. Think of how many customers come into your store on a daily basis. How many of them asked for help? Chances are, it’s a relatively small percentage. A major pillar of good customer service is having the product available, in reach of the customer and in-stock. Applying Clothing Security Tags on your merchandise allows you to accomplish all of those. Think about an advertised “hot item” you recently ran. How would your customers feel if they came to the store for that specific item only to find that all of them had been stolen?
4. Return on Investment
This almost goes without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway; Checkpoint Tags provide an almost immediate return on investment. Tags are cheap; like, super cheap. By spending a few cents on a hard tag, you can save a $200 loss if we use a good designer jean as an example. Think about that for just a minute. What else is out there that cost less than $1 and will give you a return of 2,000%?
5. It’s a Good Business Decision
Ultimately, everything you do for your store needs to make good business sense. You wouldn’t order a new hot pink, rhinestone encrusted, holes in the knees pair of pants unless Miley Cyrus was wearing them, and the same is true for any loss prevention solution. Utilizing Clothing Security Tags is good business. If one single product that costs mere pennies, can reduce crime in your store, help maintain accurate inventory that makes your customers happy, and provides significant ROI, then there’s no reason you shouldn’t have it in your retail tool-kit. It just makes sense.
Need information on Clothing Security, Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
There are plenty of reasons to secure the clothing in your store with Checkpoint Tags; so many that I’d never be able to list them all. So, I won’t. What I will do is give you my top 5 reasons for doing so. Take in mind that every business is different and every category presents certain unique challenges associated with reducing shrink. These are, in my opinion, the best reasons to use EAS in apparel.
1. It Deters Crime
This is a no-brainer. If a shoplifter sees Clothing Security Tags in place, they are less likely to try and steal that item. Not only are you reducing external theft, you also keep the criminal element out of your store. Think about this; a large percentage of shoplifters are stealing to support a drug habit. Drug users are more likely to commit enhanced crimes like robbery, assault, vehicle burglary and even worse while spiraling down. By making shoplifting difficult, you eliminate a constant flow of this demographic into your store, thus reducing the overall likelihood of being impacted by other crimes associated with habitual shoplifters.
2. Maintain your Inventory
One often overlooked consequence of utilizing Checkpoint Tags is that you’re able to maintain better inventory. How frustrating is it when a customer is shopping for that last jean that the system says you have on hand, but you can’t locate it? Chances are, that jean was stolen. By securing those popular lines of clothing, your inventory has a chance to remain accurate, which not only helps you plan out your orders, but maintains your integrity to your customer.
3. Customer Service
This one plays right into #3. You may think of customer service as greeting and engaging the customers that walk in the door, or ask you for assistance. Think of how many customers come into your store on a daily basis. How many of them asked for help? Chances are, it’s a relatively small percentage. A major pillar of good customer service is having the product available, in reach of the customer and in-stock. Applying Clothing Security Tags on your merchandise allows you to accomplish all of those. Think about an advertised “hot item” you recently ran. How would your customers feel if they came to the store for that specific item only to find that all of them had been stolen?
4. Return on Investment
This almost goes without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway; Checkpoint Tags provide an almost immediate return on investment. Tags are cheap; like, super cheap. By spending a few cents on a hard tag, you can save a $200 loss if we use a good designer jean as an example. Think about that for just a minute. What else is out there that cost less than $1 and will give you a return of 2,000%?
5. It’s a Good Business Decision
Ultimately, everything you do for your store needs to make good business sense. You wouldn’t order a new hot pink, rhinestone encrusted, holes in the knees pair of pants unless Miley Cyrus was wearing them, and the same is true for any loss prevention solution. Utilizing Clothing Security Tags is good business. If one single product that costs mere pennies, can reduce crime in your store, help maintain accurate inventory that makes your customers happy, and provides significant ROI, then there’s no reason you shouldn’t have it in your retail tool-kit. It just makes sense.
Need information on Clothing Security, Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
HOW TO DETAIN A SHOPLIFTER AND THE IMPORTANCE OF CHECKPOINT TAGS
So, you have a shoplifting problem in your store. You’re not sure exactly what to do about it. You’re using Checkpoint Tags on your product, but the criminals are still running rampant. You’re frustrated, annoyed, and frankly, pretty angry. You’re about two days away from snapping a shoplifter in half. Does this sound like you? If it does, you’ve come to the right place. You need some guidance on how to physically confront and handle a thief.
First things first. What I’m going to lay-out for you should be a guide. Not every store is the same and not every line here may mesh well with your particular store set up. I simply want to share with you my decade of work in the Loss Prevention field in order to help you with your shoplifting problem. Since the majority of my time has been spent in clothing retailers, that’s the examples I will draw upon, but this guide can be applied across any industry that sells things to the open public. So when I use a term for Clothing Security, just image the types of things you can apply that to in your particular store. Now, that’s out of the way, let’s get down to business.
First, take a good look at the product you carry, and the losses you are experiencing. Focus your resources on the top losses in your store. You’ll get the most return on your investment this way. Before every season, I beef up my Clothing Security strategy on what was a high loss item last year, and what will most likely be trending this year. That’s your defense. You have to have a defense; otherwise you’ll like the 2016 Saints. Now let’s go to offense.
It’s 4pm and you notice Billy-Bob hovering around some high end jackets. You notice that he appears more interested in the Checkpoint Tags than the actual jacket. So, being such a savvy manager, you walk over, you greet Billy-Bob and offer to help him find the right size. Well, Billy-Bob says he’s got in under control and walks away with that $400 jacket. You’re intuition tells you something isn’t right, so you keep a good close watch of Billy-Bob as he finds a nice, secluded section of your store.
From your vantage point, Billy-Bob can’t see you, but you have the best view in the house. You watch as Billy-Bob rips off the Checkpoint Tags that you so carefully placed and just as fast, tucks the jacket into his waistline. What do you do? You can either approach him right now and get your stuff back, or you can have him arrested for stealing. A slap on the wrist does not work with these people, so your answer should be “send him to jail!”.
What you want to do is what for Billy-Bob to leave the store completely, that way he can’t argue that he was still going to pay for it. Once he passes your last register and makes it out of the door, then there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Billy-Bob had full intention of stealing from you. Once Billy-Bob does make it outside, use reasonable force to detain him until the police arrive. Remember the word REASONABLE. Often, it’s as easy as asking the suspect to simply turn around and come back into the store. Don’t get into an all-out brawl with a shoplifter. It’s never worth it.
Once the police arrived, you can explain what happened. Be sure to remain professional, even with the adrenaline flow. Explain that you watched Billy-Bob defeat your Clothing Security device and conceal product and leave the store. ALWAYS press charges. Words spreads fast in the criminal world that you don’t mess around and the more people you send to jail, the smaller the target becomes on your store.
Need information on Checkpoint Tags? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
So, you have a shoplifting problem in your store. You’re not sure exactly what to do about it. You’re using Checkpoint Tags on your product, but the criminals are still running rampant. You’re frustrated, annoyed, and frankly, pretty angry. You’re about two days away from snapping a shoplifter in half. Does this sound like you? If it does, you’ve come to the right place. You need some guidance on how to physically confront and handle a thief.
First things first. What I’m going to lay-out for you should be a guide. Not every store is the same and not every line here may mesh well with your particular store set up. I simply want to share with you my decade of work in the Loss Prevention field in order to help you with your shoplifting problem. Since the majority of my time has been spent in clothing retailers, that’s the examples I will draw upon, but this guide can be applied across any industry that sells things to the open public. So when I use a term for Clothing Security, just image the types of things you can apply that to in your particular store. Now, that’s out of the way, let’s get down to business.
First, take a good look at the product you carry, and the losses you are experiencing. Focus your resources on the top losses in your store. You’ll get the most return on your investment this way. Before every season, I beef up my Clothing Security strategy on what was a high loss item last year, and what will most likely be trending this year. That’s your defense. You have to have a defense; otherwise you’ll like the 2016 Saints. Now let’s go to offense.
It’s 4pm and you notice Billy-Bob hovering around some high end jackets. You notice that he appears more interested in the Checkpoint Tags than the actual jacket. So, being such a savvy manager, you walk over, you greet Billy-Bob and offer to help him find the right size. Well, Billy-Bob says he’s got in under control and walks away with that $400 jacket. You’re intuition tells you something isn’t right, so you keep a good close watch of Billy-Bob as he finds a nice, secluded section of your store.
From your vantage point, Billy-Bob can’t see you, but you have the best view in the house. You watch as Billy-Bob rips off the Checkpoint Tags that you so carefully placed and just as fast, tucks the jacket into his waistline. What do you do? You can either approach him right now and get your stuff back, or you can have him arrested for stealing. A slap on the wrist does not work with these people, so your answer should be “send him to jail!”.
What you want to do is what for Billy-Bob to leave the store completely, that way he can’t argue that he was still going to pay for it. Once he passes your last register and makes it out of the door, then there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Billy-Bob had full intention of stealing from you. Once Billy-Bob does make it outside, use reasonable force to detain him until the police arrive. Remember the word REASONABLE. Often, it’s as easy as asking the suspect to simply turn around and come back into the store. Don’t get into an all-out brawl with a shoplifter. It’s never worth it.
Once the police arrived, you can explain what happened. Be sure to remain professional, even with the adrenaline flow. Explain that you watched Billy-Bob defeat your Clothing Security device and conceal product and leave the store. ALWAYS press charges. Words spreads fast in the criminal world that you don’t mess around and the more people you send to jail, the smaller the target becomes on your store.
Need information on Checkpoint Tags? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Clothing Alarm-3 WC Blog 484
Clothing Security Tags-5
Getting Your Attention With A Clothing Alarm
I don’t know about you but I find alarms get my attention and a clothing alarm is meant to do the same thing. I think of my alarm clock waking me for work in the morning when I am in a deep sleep. That incessant beeping noise seems to come upon me suddenly and I am startled by the noise. I also get chewed out by my wife when I hit the snooze button and get up and shower and the alarm goes off again. My job is in a college library. When the alarm pedestal, at the doors, sound due to items that have not been properly checked out or are not supposed to leave the building I find my attention is immediately drawn to the location where the alarm activated. Then there is the fire alarm in our building that sounds occasionally due to a faulty sensor but we have to treat it as a real fire. That alarm is loud and certainly grabs my attention. There are also flashing ceiling lights that are meant to catch the attention of patrons and serve to alert any patrons who may be hard of hearing. All of these alarms do basically the same thing that clothing security tags do when they activate electronic article pedestals; they arouse the attention of anyone nearby.
I would be remiss if I did not spend time telling you what clothing security tags are and how they work. Clothing security tags may be soft tags that can be peeled from a roll of tags and applied to products or to hang tags. In some cases manufacturers may apply a tag to a piece of cardboard and conceal it in a product such as a purse or wallet. The other types of tags are made of a hard, heavy duty piece of plastic with a pin on one side and a clip that holds the tag in place. The tags are almost indestructible and require a special tool to remove them from a garment. Trying to take them off with any other means causes significant damage to clothing items. The removal tools are controlled by stores making them difficult to obtain by an individual who is not a retailer. Hard tags also have circuitry built into them that allows them to work with Checkpoint towers. It is the towers that will sound the alarm and flash the lights that gain the attention of employees (and the shoplifters!).
Is a clothing alarm really enough to deter shoplifters? It is. For one thing consider this, if it didn’t concern a thief whether an alarm was going to sound they wouldn’t go out of their way to try to force tags off of clothing so they could steal it. As a Loss Prevention Associate at a department store I watched as shoplifters attempted to take tags off of clothes. They would pull and twist but get flustered and abandon merchandise then often try to find something that was not tagged. I recall one young woman I caught for shoplifting but no clothing alarm had activated when she walked out of the doors. When I had her empty her purse of its contents there was a pair of jeans that were cut near the hip and waistband. I recognized that this was where clothing security tags would have been located. I asked if she knew the jeans couldn’t be worn. She acknowledged that she knew it but was too afraid to leave them. I reminded her that she would have been better off not having stolen at all and the removal of the tag had proven her intent. In most instances though the thief just gives up on the tagged products, stock shortage results prove it.
Clothing security tags can help reduce theft and improve profits for your store(s). Don’t be alarmed if you aren’t already using them, Loss Prevention Systems Inc. can help you get started. All it takes is a phone call.
Need information on clothing security tags? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
I don’t know about you but I find alarms get my attention and a clothing alarm is meant to do the same thing. I think of my alarm clock waking me for work in the morning when I am in a deep sleep. That incessant beeping noise seems to come upon me suddenly and I am startled by the noise. I also get chewed out by my wife when I hit the snooze button and get up and shower and the alarm goes off again. My job is in a college library. When the alarm pedestal, at the doors, sound due to items that have not been properly checked out or are not supposed to leave the building I find my attention is immediately drawn to the location where the alarm activated. Then there is the fire alarm in our building that sounds occasionally due to a faulty sensor but we have to treat it as a real fire. That alarm is loud and certainly grabs my attention. There are also flashing ceiling lights that are meant to catch the attention of patrons and serve to alert any patrons who may be hard of hearing. All of these alarms do basically the same thing that clothing security tags do when they activate electronic article pedestals; they arouse the attention of anyone nearby.
I would be remiss if I did not spend time telling you what clothing security tags are and how they work. Clothing security tags may be soft tags that can be peeled from a roll of tags and applied to products or to hang tags. In some cases manufacturers may apply a tag to a piece of cardboard and conceal it in a product such as a purse or wallet. The other types of tags are made of a hard, heavy duty piece of plastic with a pin on one side and a clip that holds the tag in place. The tags are almost indestructible and require a special tool to remove them from a garment. Trying to take them off with any other means causes significant damage to clothing items. The removal tools are controlled by stores making them difficult to obtain by an individual who is not a retailer. Hard tags also have circuitry built into them that allows them to work with Checkpoint towers. It is the towers that will sound the alarm and flash the lights that gain the attention of employees (and the shoplifters!).
Is a clothing alarm really enough to deter shoplifters? It is. For one thing consider this, if it didn’t concern a thief whether an alarm was going to sound they wouldn’t go out of their way to try to force tags off of clothing so they could steal it. As a Loss Prevention Associate at a department store I watched as shoplifters attempted to take tags off of clothes. They would pull and twist but get flustered and abandon merchandise then often try to find something that was not tagged. I recall one young woman I caught for shoplifting but no clothing alarm had activated when she walked out of the doors. When I had her empty her purse of its contents there was a pair of jeans that were cut near the hip and waistband. I recognized that this was where clothing security tags would have been located. I asked if she knew the jeans couldn’t be worn. She acknowledged that she knew it but was too afraid to leave them. I reminded her that she would have been better off not having stolen at all and the removal of the tag had proven her intent. In most instances though the thief just gives up on the tagged products, stock shortage results prove it.
Clothing security tags can help reduce theft and improve profits for your store(s). Don’t be alarmed if you aren’t already using them, Loss Prevention Systems Inc. can help you get started. All it takes is a phone call.
Need information on clothing security tags? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
