Barely Making A Profit Due To Clothing Theft? Address The Problem By Using Security Tags On Clothes

Wardrobe malfunctions seem to be an all too familiar term in the entertainment industry. Who can forget the one that seemed to start it all, the Superbowl XXXVIII half-time escapade? No, this is not a re-visitation of the (YUCK) sordid event. This is an article on clothing security but when I speak of clothing security, I don’t mean using suspenders to prevent pants from falling down or ensuring buttons are properly secured so clothing doesn’t come undone. The only big reveal here is going to show you how you can prevent clothes from being stolen. When garments aren’t properly secured shoplifters take advantage of the situation and remove them…from your store. The result is lost profit for the store, increased stock shortage, and the need to increase prices on other items to make up for the loss. How can a retailer prevent shelves and racks from being stripped bare? Retailers can stop theft by using security tags on clothes.

Checkpoint tags are an effective means of discouraging thieves from attempting to deprive you of your products. All of the tags are built with radio frequency (rf) technology that works with electronic article surveillance (EAS) towers usually located at store entry/exit points. Garments that are protected with clothing security tags set off the tower alarms when the merchandise is carried into the receiver’s detection field. Whether a tag is hidden in a pocket or pinned directly to the item, the pedestal can “sense” the Checkpoint tags and begin alarming appropriately. Beeping noises and flashing lights let employees know that a tag has been detected and unpaid merchandise is about to be removed from the store. Staff then respond and recover clothes through receipt checks or a thief dumping product and running.

Clothing security tags can be in a soft version that is peeled off of a roll of tags. They can be stuck to hang tags, plastic bags that hold socks or undergarments and even hidden in a jacket, pant or shirt pocket. Hiding a tag is useful if a “visible” soft tag is hung on a manufacturer’s hang tag. Should a thief pull the hang tag off they won’t think to look for a hidden Checkpoint tag and the pedestal will still alarm. The hard tag versions are pinned to the garment with the intention that they are visible to thieves and immediately deter any thought of theft. Hard Checkpoint tags are built to be almost impossible to pry off. If a shoplifter decides to try to force one of these clothing security tags off they damage the item and render it unserviceable. So not only do tags act as a deterrent to shoplifting they also stop it dead in its tracks.

The naked truth about security tags on clothes is that while they are an effective means of reducing theft, they are rarely used to their fullest potential. Many retailers will apply them to high end or more expensive merchandise but fail to place them on everything. These half measures make little sense. More protection would mean more savings from reduced shortage. Think about it like this, how many people would leave home and only lock the front door? Why lock the back door too when 50% of the home is secure? No one does this. They lock all the doors to ensure NOTHING is stolen. You don’t buy a home insurance policy to protect half of a house you buy it to protect the whole thing. Store managers should protect all of the clothing in a store and take full advantage of the benefits of a Loss Prevention system.

Security tags on clothes prevent exposure to needless theft and profit loss. Use Checkpoint tags and EAS pedestals to cover your store against shoplifters and see how much money can be added to your bottom line.

Need information on clothing security? Give us a call at1.770.426.0547 now.