Retail Security

Customer Service Season

It’s that time of year again.  Customer service season is upon us.  It’s easy to keep the lines of communication open during the slow months of summer, but it’s that much more important to double your efforts in the busy fall months.  During the fall season retailers experience increased traffic in their stores and concurrently an increase in shoplifting.  When the wave of theft begins it is important that retail security providers and their loss prevention counterparts are able to work together to prevent the development of a shrinkage tsunami.  When employing an anti shoplifting strategy no person need go it alone.  Rely on your security tag provider to be a partner in loss prevention.  We can and must stem the tide of losses.

It’s only human…

Guilty feelings are often felt buy retail store employees when pressing charges against a shoplifter.  It’s only human to feel sympathy for your fellow man when you see him in trouble.  The important thing to remember is that enabling the shoplifting to continue by not pressing charges would be the real tragedy.  If shoplifters are not provided a wake up call in the form of criminal prosecution they just keep on stealing.  Stealing has a consequence and that consequence is proscribed by the law of the land.  Break the law face the wheel. 

Changes on the Retail Security Landscape

As with all industries, the retail security trade sees people come and go.  Salesmen at the majors and the little guys bounce around until they often fade away.  It is rare however that an EAS company will change ownership completely.  When it does happen it usually indicates a major change in the marketplace.  Sensormatic consolidated it’s dominance over the EAS industry through the execution of many well timed buy outs in addition to manufacturing the best products in the industry.  The companies that were purchased were either incorporated into the larger fold or they were fazed out.  Either way the moves lowered the competition level in the EAS industry thereby strengthening the industry leader.  As smaller EAS companies sell out or change ownership outside of the traditional formula (selling to a major) it will be interesting to see how the retail security map will be redrawn. 

Sticker prices to remain low in 2007

Good news for retailers.  Security tag sticker prices look like they will remain low in 2007.  After a fabulous 2006 for retailers purchasing Checkpoint or Sensormatic labels, many were concerned that low priced sticker supplies were eroding.  Well rest easy because a huge supply of adhesive eas tags have been purchased by various loss prevention dealers guaranteeing a competitive pricing structure.  Retailers will be the beneficiary of some recent high profile warehouse liquidations.

What to avoid when purchasing your first EAS system…

If you are entering the EAS tag world for the first time it is important that you research your purchase to make sure it is going to be supportable for the next decade.  There are many technologies and products that are on the decline and should be avoided by retailers who are not already using them.  This is a list of products that we only recomend for retailers who have already implemented these systems and are there by “locked in” to a less mainstream EAS solution.

1. Knogo

2. Sensormatic Microwave

3. Sensormatic Ultragators (Supertags are far better)

4. 1.8 RF Checkpoint or Ketec systems

 Stick with Sensormatic AM or 8.2 RF Ketec or Checkpoint Systems so that you know you will have parts and service available in the future.

Security Tags - Technologies

We sell three different types of security tags. 

 1.  AM or Acousto Magnetic tags.  These tags work with Sensormatic AM or UltraMax systems.  These tags will not work with Sensormatic Microwave systems. 

2. Sensormatic Microwave Tags.  These tags will not work with Acousto Magnetic systems.  Microgators and Ultragators are not compatible. 

3. RF or Radio Frequency Tags.  These tags work with Checkpoint Systems and Ketec.  RF tags will not work with Sensormatic systems. 

Security Tags - The Best of Breed

HarryG Security sells all types of retail security tags, but a few stand out as the best o f breed. 

At the top of the hill is the undisputed retail security tag heavyweight champ: The Sensormatic Supertag.  Supertags are not only the best AM (Acousto Magnetic) security tag out there.  Supertags are the best of any technology.  They are released with a mechanical detacher.  They can work around most metal objects.  They are compatible with ink tags, and they are the toughest tags to defeat. 

At the top of the hill for RF (Radio Frequency) security tags sits 2 worthy competitors: The ovni tag and the clam tag.  Ovni tags are great because they offer the highest level of detection at the door, and they also use cone pins with a raised pin receptacle making it almost impossible to cut the pin.  Clam tags offer great detection a completely hidden pin and the added plus of a new shaped extra strength magnetic detacher.  Classic detachers will not open a clam tag making the odds of a shoplifter bringing in a detacher and successfully using it very low.  Ovnis use a classic detacher.  Ovnis offer good pin protection and the best pick up possible.  Clam tags offer great pin protection, good pick up, and hard to obtain detachers.  Both tags are valuable anti-shoplifting tools. 

Harryg Security Tags

If you don’t see the tags you need call 1-866-Hard-Tag