As retailers one of your key focuses are to prevent retail shrinkage (what’s retail shrinkage?), protect your merchandise and ensure your store security measures are affordable, scalable and effective against shoplifters.
Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) and security tag adoption rate amongst retailers has been on the incline for many years given the terrific success in actively protecting a stores assets with a low business investment.
We’re going to discuss all you need to know about security tags, magnetic security labels and security pins and why retailers all over the world love the little anti theft retail devices.
This page covers the following information about retail security tags, labels and pins:
The cost of retail shrinkage in Australia equates to approx. $3.3 billion each year (as reported, especially during peak retail periods), but with a small investment in retail security (such as security tags, pin and labels) your shop can help protect itself against shoplifters and lost profit.
Retail security tags are not a new technology (although getting better each year) which means it’s common knowledge amongst shoppers that seeing a security label means a store has active shop security in place. This will deter most shoplifters on the spot from stealing your stores goods and catch the less savvy criminal.
Fashion security tags are very flexible anti-theft devices. Not every store owner wants a visible security pin on their products for various reasons. There are both subtle and non-subtle ways to attach and hide retail security labels, pins and tags on clothing and other shop items resulting in a secure item that won’t distract a shopper from making a purchase.
Retail security tags are small items that securely attach to clothing, bottles, labels, accessories and other valuable merchandise which act as an integral part of a shops EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance).
The EAS is a retail security system that uses electro-magnetic, acousto-magnetic or radio frequencies to detect items crossing a detection point in a retail store (usually the entry/exit points of a store).
The security tags emit frequencies that the EAS security towers/pedestals will identify when crossed triggering an alarm to notify retail staff or security.
Electronic Article Surveillance systems can be concealed from the public view but more often you’ll see the security pedestal towers at the entry/exit gates of a shop with security tags securely attached to a store’s product.
We have further details about retail EAS on our useful Retail Security 101 page.
Need a simpler explanation of a retail Electronic Article Surveillance? Basically if a security tag passes the the retail security gates then an alarm will sound protecting your store against shoplifters.
Initially designed to be small and subtle to protect clothing, fashion security tags quickly adapted to protect all varieties of products for sale resulting in optical security tags, liquor bottle security tags, baby formula protection, electronic merchandise security and more.
Rest assured knowing there is the correct shop security tag for your merchandise but if you need assistance in finding the right fit the Instore Security’s friendly retail support team are ready to help.
There is a diverse range of fashion security tags, labels and pins with a variety of magnetic and mechanical security tag removers because clothing items can range from thick winter jackets to delicate, thin undergarments - there is a security tag style that fits all clothing items.
There is the popular Pencil Security Tag which are long, thin and a very diverse option which can fit retail security EAS systems.
Alligator Security Tags which clamp down and require a mechanical tag remover. They are visible to the customer and a major deterrent for shoplifters.
The extremely subtle and easy to hide security pins that are small, unobtrusive which are ideal for footwear, ladies shoes and smaller, softer merchandise and clothing. Retailers love security pins because they are cheap and effective anti-theft security devices.
InStore also offers Alarmed Security Pins, a step up from the typical security pin. Alarming pins allow you to take your standard security tag to the next level and provide an anti tampering alarm. In the event of a thief trying to forcibly remove a tag in store this pin will provide you with an immediate audible alarm.
Check it out here.
Finally there are the common Square Security Tags and Circle Disk Security Tags (also known as Shell Tags) which are among the most popular and commonly used FR frequency security tags in retail. These lightweight security tags incorporate a tag and lock pin which require a magnetic detacher.
Pencil Security Tag
Alarmed Security Pins
Square Security Tags
Liquor bottles are highly targeted among shoplifters due to the ease of concealment and high value of goods. Unfortunately this isn’t just an Australian problem but an issue that alcohol retailers around the world face.
Liquor bottle security tags have been proven to diminish the rate of which wine and spirits are stolen from retails and an effective anti theft procedure.
Many bottle security tags are small and won’t interfere with the shelving and display of the merchandise. They’re reusable, one size fits most bottles and available in RF and AM frequency technology to match your EAS.
Liquid Bottle Security Tags
Optical glasses and sunglasses are fashion accessories that customers need to try on before making the decision to purchase from your shop. The requirement of the product to be accessible and handled by the customer is equally important to the retailers ability to protect the easily pocketed item against shoplifters.
Optical Glasses Security Tags and Sunglasses Security Tags have a specific non-obtrusive design that allows customers to try before they buy. After easily being attached to the arms of the glasses an optical tag detacher is required by staff to remove the security tag once the fashion accessory has been purchased.
As you’ve learnt above, retail security tags have a range of shapes, sizes and technology to ensure that InStore Security have the right fit to meet the anti-shoplifting goals for retail stores and products. Check out some security tags here.
Optical Glasses Security Tags
Sunglasses Security Tags
Security tag removers and security label deactivators are located at a shops checkout counter where staff can remove the security pins allowing the purchased product to pass through the EAS gates without an alarm going off.
The two most common methods of removing a security tag is by mechanical force or magnetic capacity. In your past shopping experiences you may have noticed the retail clerk force the security label or pin into a mechanical fixture or simply wave the item over a security label deactivator mount or antenna.
For security tags with a mechanical locking latch system a mechanical security tag will be required. With the assistance of a retailer's physical effort, there are a range of mounted and hand held security tag detachers and removers that enter a locking system with a unique shape to unlock the mechanism within or to remove the security pin.
Not unlike the above mechanical security tag detacher, a magnetic security tag and pin detacher unlocks an internal mechanism to release the merchandise. Instead of a lock-and-key situation, a mounted or handheld magnetic detacher uses the strong magnetic energy to disengage the internal locks and remove security pins from clothing.
When it comes to deactivating a security label things work a bit differently - once a security label is applied to a product, such as blu rays and console games, the sticky label isn’t easily peeled off (obviously for anti theft reasons).
A security label deactivator needs to be located at the shops point of sale when a retail clerk simply swipes the magnetic security label over a deactivator which breaks the circuit within the label so it stops emitting the frequency a EAS shop security system detects. Because of this the security labels aren’t reusable.
InStore offers a range of mechanical and magnetic security tag detachers which are compatible with a wide range of retail anti theft devices. If your store needs a solution our expert retail anti theft team would be happy to assist.
To conclude our information page about security labels, security tags and security pins we wanted to inform you of a fantastic alternative to the standard security tag.
Not every retailer can or wants to use security tags, labels and pins in their store for a magnitude of reasons - no established an EAS system, too many items, resource limitations, don’t want to distract shoppers, doesn’t fit the aesthetics or image the owner wants to convey - the reasons go on.
Instead of tagging individual merchandise items a simple, affordable and effective anti theft product are Hang Sell Locks, Self Dispensing Hooks and Locking Display Hooks where retailers can hang bulk amount of items in a secure method.
InStore has a range of retail security hook options which can be installed without requiring an existing Electronic Article Surveillance. Have a look or speak to the team to learn more.
InStore has a range of retail security hook options which can be installed without requiring an existing Electronic Article Surveillance. Have a look or speak to the team to learn more.
