We are frequently asked what the difference is between Alpha Security devices that have 1 Alarm, 2 Alarm and 3 Alarm features. In the Clothing Security world we can use those devices in conjunction with a Clothing Alarm and other clothing security tags. These devices are used for merchandise that we have a more serious theft problem with or that shoplifters have targeted that may not be able to utilize traditional security tags on clothes.

Alpha Security 1 Alarm – These types of Clothing Security tags or devices will only trigger the antennas at the doors. A regular hard tag or label will do this. However, Alpha also has Spider Wraps, Cable Loks and other items that will cause an alarm and can sometimes be more conducive to your packaging needs.

Alpha Security 2 Alarm – A 2 alarm device will do what a 1 alarm device does plus it will “self-alarm”. Self-alarm means that if a shoplifter tries to remove the device by either cutting the cables, prying the device off or damaging it, the device itself will go into alarm. These 2 alarm devices have a built in sounder that produces about 90 dB of sound. That will immediately draw attention to the shoplifter. Normal repeated use by customers and store personnel will not cause an alarm. These devices are very robust.

Alpha Security 3 Alarm – These devices do everything that a 1 and 2 alarm device do plus when the shoplifter tries to leave the property the 3 alarm devices built in sounder, again about 90 dB goes off. The shoplifter then has a choice they can run down the street or mall with this sounder going off, attracting attention to themselves or they can drop the merchandise. The sounder will last up to 10 minutes once the shoplifter passes through the antennas.

These Clothing Security tags are as durable as any Checkpoint Tags or Alpha Clothing Security device. They have excellent construction, solid plastic welds and high quality electronic components. Of course the added benefit is that they are reusable over and over saving you money and labor. Alpha High Theft Solutions are not intended to be for all merchandise. It is clearly more cost effective to use Checkpoint Tags for the bulk of your merchandise. But remember your Clothing Alarm is only as good as the security tags on clothes.

 Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Checkpoint Tags, a Clothing Alarm, Clothing Security or Clothing Security tags to put Security tags on clothes and an Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system. 

For more information on Checkpoint Tags, Clothing Security, Clothing Alarm, or Clothing Security tags how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547

Having a clothing alarm in your store is obviously the best clothing security device you can employ. That being said the system is only as good as the people and policies that work and are enforced within those same four walls. Being a multi unit loss prevention manager allowed me to see how good or how bad a clothing alarm could work depending on the store staff. In the good stores the employees were trained from day one on the importance of clothing security, how to place security tags on clothes, how the clothing security tags functioned and how to properly react to a clothing alarm.

Knowledgeable store managers understood that having a Checkpoint system was a benefit that if worked with properly could reduce the store’s shrink. They also understood that the weakest employee would be their weakest link in shrink reduction. An inept employee could have negative effects on the clothing alarm system in a number of ways; for example, they could improperly place security tags on clothes causing damage to the product or offering little or no deterrence to the potential shoplifter, they could simply forget to apply the checkpoint tags and they could improperly react to a clothing alarm by overreacting or not reacting at all. The good store managers are always on top of training and auditing compliance of the consistency and proper application of the checkpoint tags.

One of my stores was constantly having issues with attempts and successful defeats of the clothing security tags. This is a huge red flag that there are much larger problems within the store. I immediately called my district sales counterpart to review and crunch some numbers. We sat down and reviewed inventory counts as well as daily, weekly and monthly sales trends and quickly realized that shrink was trending up and sales were trending down. I knew this would be the case but I wanted my sales partner to be there when I put the two trends together so that he could see how I came about that conclusion from a few defeated checkpoint tags. In an attempt to defeat security tags on clothes you bring a lot of attention to yourself as well as make a lot of noise. Having this many repeated offenses within one store told me that the staff was not employing good customer service and had become task oriented as opposed to paying attention to their surroundings and more importantly to the customer. I invited my sales partner to sit in the LP office and watch the performance of his staff. Within an hour we had concluded that indeed a mass training effort was needed, and as a side note he helped me and one of my store detectives apprehend a shoplifter who had cut a couple checkpoint tags off of some shirts and stuffed them down his pants.

My sales partner could not believe we had found poor sales numbers and poor customer service practices as a result of finding defeated clothing security tags. I explained to him that the checkpoint system is helpful on many levels and every piece if studied can give you insight as to the entire business not merely loss prevention. From that point on we shared a great partnership that opened many insights for both of us into either side of the business.

That type of partnership allows for deeper understanding of business decisions that on the surface you with which you may not agree. Clothing security is imperative and necessary but one must never forget to utilize every facet of the checkpoint system. I always tell my peers never doubt what a checkpoint system can do for your business.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Checkpoint Tags, a Clothing Alarm, Clothing Security or Clothing Security Tags to put Security Tags on Clothes and an Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system.

For more information on Checkpoint tags, clothing security, clothing alarm, or clothing security tags how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547