The holidays are almost upon us, and retail stores are scrambling to improve security at a time when loss prevention is critical. According to the ‘Jack L. Hayes International Annual Retail Theft Survey’, more than 1.2 million shoplifters and dishonest employees were arrested during a single holiday season. The survey polled 25 of the largest retail big box companies in the US, with 23,250 stores participating. More than $225 million worth of goods were recovered from the theft that manifested these crimes. Data like this motivates retail managers to invest in the best retail security tags from a top security company to help protect profits during the time when people are spending the most, and competition is fierce to define the leading brands in your space.
This article is intended to help retail managers learn what types of security measures should be taken during the holidays to help prevent shoplifting, with a focus on tags and anti-theft technology.
Visual Deterrent Retail Security Tags are Some of the Best Anti-Theft Products
Today’s shoplifter is savvy; yesterday’s retail security tag technology is easy to disarm and remove. Even if you invest in the latest technology when it comes to retail security tags, thieves will still try to tamper with the tags and the product. However, visual deterrent retail security tags like the InkGuard by CONTROLTEK rob thieves of the reward in stealing the product, as colored ink is displayed through transparent packets in the tag that will explode upon tampering, thus ruining the value of the product. When shoplifters enter a store with the intention to steal luxury apparel, but the items are protected with ink exploding retail security tags, the risk simply isn’t worth the reward, and they move on to target other shops.
InkGuard retail security tags are ideal for high-end designer wear, sports wear,denim, leathers, coats, and outerwear. The tags are easy for your employees to apply and remove using the designated tool, and they are light and unobtrusive so as not to interfere with the shopper’s experience when trying on or examining an item. Finally, the InkGuard can come with EAS technology for additional protection.
Apparel is a top seller for holiday gifts, and as such, having the right retail security tags for clothing is critical to protecting your bottom line. Consider the InkGuard as an option.
Some of the Best Retail Security Tags are Designed for Small Items
When it comes to protecting smaller items such as jewelry, lingerie, belts, hats, gloves, footwear, and accessories, the best retail security tags will be small yet powerful. For such items CONTROLTEK has designed the SlimGuard, a highly versatile security tag ideal for the fine and delicate products that carry a high-end price tag, and that people love to buy for their holiday stocking stuffers. The SlimGuard security tag is extremely durable and yet slim enough with a low profile to protect delicate items without creating obstruction for shoppers. Many retail security tags for small items are easy for shoplifters to hack into and remove, so as a store manager you want to make sure that you invest in the right small retail security tags that have the durability you need to protect your merchandise. Like their other retail security tags, CONTROLTEK designed the SlimGuard to be very easy for employees to attach and remove. Finally, the SlimGuard can be purchased with a pin system or a lanyard–both ideal options for protecting your products during the busy holiday season.
Invest in RFID Technology for Retail Security Tags
The best retail security tags will have additional features that increase security, and this is where RFID technology enters the picture. RFID (radio frequency identification) uses radio waves to identify product location and track its movement. Most retail stores using this technology place RFID readers at points of entry in and out of the store. If the RFID retail security tags have not been removed by a store employee, alarms will sound. Some retail stores, especially those that sell high-end products such as designer clothing boutiques or jewelry shops, will place their RFID readers several feet in front of the exit with a locking device that goes off on the doors when the alarm sounds. This way the shoplifter can be stopped before exiting the facilities, and if security personnel are present, they will be able to recover the goods and apprehend the shoplifter 100% of the time.
There are other reasons why RFID tags decrease shoplifting at retail stores, and why many of the most successful stores invest in this technology. For example, experienced shoplifters know exactly what RFID technology is, and if you have the right retail security tags from CONTROLTEK equipped with this technology, the incentive to steal is dramatically reduced. In fact, multiple studies show that retail security tags with RFID technology reduce shoplifting between 55% and 75%
RFID tags also influence shoplifters to give up their plan thanks to an audible alarm. When the tag passes a RFID reader, an alarm goes off announcing that a theft attempt is in progress thus drawing attention from everyone in the store, including your employees or any security personnel. Some stores will even post signage letting would-be shoplifters know that alarms will activate upon theft attempts. The beauty of RFID retail security tags is that there are a plethora of other steps that can be taken to accommodate your strategy to reduce shrink, and this allows retail store managers to be highly creative in protecting their bottom line.
Protect Your Merchandise during the Holiday Season: Call CONTROLTEK for the Best Retail Security Tags
For decades, CONTROLTEK has been one step ahead of the loss prevention industry by creating the most innovative retail security tags for any product type you can think of, using several technologies and designs. This allows our experts to work with your leadership team to package together the best retail security tags solution for your products and store. Now is the time holiday shopping is starting to pick up. Call today and let us show you how we can improve your security and take your business to the next level with retail security tags that will improve store efficiency and significantly decrease theft.