We’ve all seen them; we’ve all heard their piercing sound, those annoying little devices known as clothing security tags. Security tags on clothes can be especially inconvenient in the fitting room. But if we remove the inconvenient annoyance factor and actually look at the bottom line, make money and prevent loss; these tags will soon become the norm. Clothing security tags or Checkpoint tags were created to prevent loss and help protect a company’s assets.

High dollar items are always the first to be protected. This makes sense considering the dollar amount for this particular inventory. Checkpoint tags are good for items of high dollar. What about items of lesser value? Why not protect all assets of high or low value with checkpoint tags?

What about clothing security tags? Clothing security is not always priority but once considered over a period of time how much loss in clothing adds up; one might see the need for security tags on clothes. Clothing security is important considering consumers will always need clothes. Next to food, clothes are a necessity which means companies will always make money and always lose money from this particular kind of merchandise. The bonus to security tags on clothes is tagging can be very discreet and less annoying if thought through and placed properly on or within the item.

A clothing alarm can be used on items in bulk. Ever tried on a high dollar item and got your arm caught tangled in the cord connected to an alarm?

A clothing alarm helps prevent the consumer or shoplifter from having full access to a particular item(s). The lack of full access a clothing alarm has keeps the employee alert and aware of consumers or shoplifters around these particular items. After all great customer service is the best deterrent to shoplifting.

Keeping clothing security tags and other security tags on and within items keeps an honest man honest and sends a shoplifter somewhere else. If you take away the opportunity and use all preventive measures to protect all assets, profit made will most certainly outweigh loss.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase clothing security tags or a clothing alarm.

For more information on Checkpoint tags, clothing security, clothing alarm, clothing security tags or security tags on clothes contact us or call 1.770.426.4567

While most everyone in the United States has seen an EAS tag, not everyone really knows what they are. Clothing security tags, specifically Checkpoint tags are two hard pieces of plastic. One side has a steel pin attached. The other side has a tiny hole to receive the pin as it pierces through the material of a garment.

Once clamped together, the checkpoint tags are virtually indestructible. They require the use of a detacher to remove them. I have seen shoplifters try to pry them off, cut them off, and even burn the plastic off. Very little have succeeded. The ones that did ended up destroying the clothing they were trying to steal, or they busted the ink inside.

Clothing security tags that are referred to as ink tags are a hard EAS tag that has two ampoules of dye in one of the sides. There is generally a blue dye and a glow in the dark dye that stain whatever the inks come in contact with.

EAS refers to electronic article surveillance. In basic terms, the security tags on clothes have an RF transmitter inside. When it crosses the path of a clothing alarm (the big towers flanking the doors of a retailer) an audible alarm goes off.

Security tags on clothes, or EAS tags are available and used in the majority of large chain stores. It is equally beneficial for small boutiques and other small box stores to utilize the EAS tags in their clothing security.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase a clothing alarm or clothing security tags 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

Every shoplifter that has ever walked into a store with the intention of stealing has probably had a dry run in their mind of how it’s going to go down. They have systematically thought through what they want to take, from what type of clothing to size quantity and possibly even color. They know about where in the store the items are located. They also know how they are going to get out, and whether they are using the merchandise for personal use or if it will be a resale (pawn, e-bay, etc).

Clothing security should have the same amount of thoughtfulness put into it from your end. If a criminal is going to make an attempt at your store, you should make it as difficult as possible for them to succeed. With the right clothing security in place, you may even prevent the thieves from ever stepping foot in your establishment.

The usage of clothing security tags alongside a clothing alarm has statistically been proven as a reliable form of clothing security. Countless retailers from a variety of sales and geographical demographics have proven their reduction of shrink is directly tied to the installation of a clothing alarm and security tags on clothes.

Don’t let the criminal mind get the best of you. Plan and prepare security tags on clothes to give the criminals a run for their money instead of yours.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase a clothing alarm or clothing security tags 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

Once upon a time, I worked for a high-end retailer. It was a very different atmosphere as the entire staff was basically scared to death of their clientele. They were so afraid that they would offend a client and the client would never shop with them again. To a certain extent, I understood. A large majority of the sales associates were commission based and a loss of client could mean a serious cut in their paycheck each month.

What I struggled with was convincing the employees, and sometimes the management, that clothing security was a necessity that if done correctly would not impede their mission of world-class service.

We half-heartedly put security tags on clothes. Fitting room doors were routinely left unlocked because it was easier than having tan associate be available to unlock them. It really was no surprise that we routinely found price tags stuffed into corners of the fitting rooms.

I talked till I was blue in the face about the importance of clothing security. I would walk the store locking doors and putting security tags on clothes.

It wasn’t until one night when a gang of about five guys walked into the store grabbed every designer purse they could carry and ran out the door. They all came crying to me as if I had a magical way to bring all of their product back. I unfortunately had to tell them that they would be without those sales to their customers.

Because they didn’t listen to my initial advice, they had to turn away customers because they were out of merchandise. It was a hard lesson for everyone to learn.

The positive side was that I now had the full attention of the store, and together we created one of the best clothing security programs the store had ever seen.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase a clothing alarm or clothing security tags 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

Did you watch the runway shows in Paris? Yeah, I didn’t either. I know that they were going on, and it’s just a matter of time before they (or a reasonable knock off) start to hit the shelves. The reason why I didn’t watch was I had been tied up with a new shipment of clothes that needed to have Checkpoint tags attached.

I am lucky to be with a company that is so adamant about putting security tags on clothes. They understand that consistency is undeniably important to clothing security. Time after time it has been documented in post apprehension interviews with not only shoplifters, but also in employee theft cases that criminals will actively search out clothing that does not have any form of clothing security like a Checkpoint tag.

Security tags on clothes are above all a visual deterrent. It stops a shoplifter’s plan of attack. They think go in, take stuff, hurry out. If they have to add a step like “take security tags off of clothes”, their plans start to falter. Unsure of themselves and the situation, they will most likely back off rather than run the risk of being caught.

Weather you have a high end boutique with straight from the runway designs, or last season’s middle market versions, make sure to include the hottest accessory around: clothing security tags.

 Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase a clothing alarm or clothing security tags 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

One of my all time problematic areas of clothing security has been in the fitting rooms. I can’t even tell you the countless hours I have spent brainstorming new security measures specifically for that area of the store. The mix of protecting the privacy of a customer and the balance of payroll hours spent to monitor a fitting room creates a difficult task at best.

Additionally, the fitting rooms attract a few different types of theft. There is the opportunist. They are the ones who don’t come in to steal, but faced with an unclean fitting room and no watchful eyes to do a piece count, an extra item or two is liable to walk out the door.

Then there are the amateurs who know they want to steal a piece of clothing, but are way to nervous to do it on the sales floor. They will wait for hours in a fitting room until they are the only ones left. They will also take a chance against clothing security tags. Some have the fore thought to bring in a pair of wire cutters in an attempt at hacking off the pin of a clothing security tag.

The best bet to protecting a fitting room from theft is to keep the fitting rooms monitored. While I would love to suggest installing locks, I understand that it can cause a big customer issue. If a customer can’t find an employee to unlock them, you can potentially loose a sale. Next use checkpoint tags whenever possible. Often shoplifters will bypass stealing if faced with the prospect of having to remove one. They won’t run the risk of setting off a clothing alarm with a Checkpoint tag still attached.

With these simple couple of additions to your clothing security, your fitting rooms will stand a better chance of being theft free.

 Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase a clothing alarm or clothing security tags 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

One of my all time problematic areas of clothing security has been in the fitting rooms. I can’t even tell you the countless hours I have spent brainstorming new security measures specifically for that area of the store. The mix of protecting the privacy of a customer and the balance of payroll hours spent to monitor a fitting room creates a difficult task at best.

Additionally, the fitting rooms attract a few different types of theft. There is the opportunist. They are the ones who don’t come in to steal, but faced with an unclean fitting room and no watchful eyes to do a piece count, an extra item or two is liable to walk out the door.

Then there are the amateurs who know they want to steal a piece of clothing, but are way to nervous to do it on the sales floor. They will wait for hours in a fitting room until they are the only ones left. They will also take a chance against clothing security tags. Some have the fore thought to bring in a pair of wire cutters in an attempt at hacking off the pin of a clothing security tag.

The best bet to protecting a fitting room from theft is to keep the fitting rooms monitored. While I would love to suggest installing locks, I understand that it can cause a big customer issue. If a customer can’t find an employee to unlock them, you can potentially loose a sale. Next use checkpoint tags whenever possible. Often shoplifters will bypass stealing if faced with the prospect of having to remove one. They won’t run the risk of setting off a clothing alarm with a Checkpoint tag still attached.

With these simple couple of additions to your clothing security, your fitting rooms will stand a better chance of being theft free.

 Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase a clothing alarm or clothing security tags 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

 

These are desperate times and with desperate times come desperate measures as a great man once said.  However that phrase doesn’t always apply in a positive manner.  Shoplifters, specifically the ones who are new to ‘the game’ are becoming more desperate in their methods and behaviors.  This of course makes clothing security a more dangerous game for those of us in the Loss Prevention field.

The other day we had a pair of women on camera that gathered a large bundle of clothing and then proceeded to cut off the clothing security tags using tin snips and a fish gutting knife.  They moved in such erratic and nervous patterns that my team knew right away that police intervention would be needed.  When the women had stashed their stolen goods in their bags and dumped the clothing security tags all over the floor they made for the store entrance where they were greeted by one of my teammates and three members of the local police department.

Neither woman went without putting up a fight.

In the end they were cuffed and taken away for shoplifting, resisting arrest, and attempted assault of a police officer with a deadly weapon.  Lucky for them no one suffered any injuries, but still, it could’ve been a much bloodier ordeal.  As things become more and more hopeless I am certain we will hear more stories with much more tragic endings.

But of course when things get bad it’s us, the people in loss prevention that see some of the worst of it.  As I said before, clothing security is becoming a dangerous game.  All we can do is keep our heads and not do anything stupid.

 Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase a clothing alarm or clothing security tags.

For more information on Checkpoint tags, clothing security, clothing alarm, or clothing security tags contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547

 

I was involved in a case recently regarding a high dollar theft of jeans. Two males had come into the store. They both went behind an unopened cash wrap and picked up some empty shopping bags. They then made a beeline toward our new display of high dollar jeans.  They each took half of the stack and headed to the fitting rooms.

Our fitting rooms are supposed to be locked, but I guess that the associate had forgotten to lock them up after the last customers had used them. So now our thieves had about fifteen pairs of jeans (each), empty store bags, and open – unattended fitting rooms. Well, you can put two and two together to figure out what happened next. The two emerged from the fitting rooms with now full shopping bags.   Off they went to the exit doors to make their grand escape. We were there waiting for them as they exited.

During the interview with the subjects they told us how easy it was to steal because no one was paying attention. And they, for the most part were right. There were several breakdowns to our clothing security. This is the sort of incident I use to train my store associates on the importance of clothing security. It’s not just about having clothing security tags, it’s about being watchful of your surroundings.

While the store may not have been paying attention, we sure were. We watched the pair blatantly go behind the counter and laugh as they scooped up the jeans and headed toward the fitting room. We tell the associates these are the red flags to watch for.  It makes them feel more empowered about what they can and can’t do. I know that next time, the clothing alarm and me won’t be the only ones watching for shoplifters.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase a clothing alarm or clothing security tags.

For more information on Checkpoint tags, clothing security, clothing alarm, or clothing security tags contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547

While employed as an agent for a department store, one issue that we never stopped confronting was fitting room theft. It might be assumed that the amount of shoplifting that occurs in this location would probably be similar, if not equal, to the restroom because both places offer privacy. However, carrying an armful of clothing into a designated area for trying on apparel isn’t devious at all, whereas smuggling merchandise into a lavatory should raise some red flags.

The corporation I worked for expected fitting room attendants to count the merchandise going into the room and coming out and verifying that there were security tags on clothes. In reality, this is not the way the system operated. I found myself going over the procedures with these associates almost weekly. The reason why the salespeople weren’t following these guidelines was not because they didn’t care, but their focus was on their own department, sorting merchandise, and running racks back to the floor.

Shoplifters are normally prepared for a store’s fitting room procedures and have an arsenal of techniques to thwart clothing security efforts. Even if an attendant is diligently counting merchandise in and out, they may have apparel double-hung on one hanger, have items hidden inside other items, or “swap-out” their old clothing for a new article without causing a clothing alarm. So how can retailers reduce their vulnerability to fitting room theft and beef up their store’s clothing security when thieves are continuously improving the way they steal?

The best and most-widely used solution for fitting room pilferage is the application of clothing security tags or security tags on clothes. Depending on a store’s needs, they’re available in an array of sizes, shapes, and styles. In the security industry, Checkpoint tags are unsurpassed for good reason: for over forty years they have worked with retailers to provide innovative and technologically-advanced solutions to address theft. Even if a customer going into the fitting room looks suspicious, retailers can be confident that Checkpoint tags won’t let their merchandise disappear in there.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase a clothing alarm or clothing security tags.

For more information on Checkpoint tags, clothing security, clothing alarm, or clothing security tags contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547