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How do security tags work? 
Almost every retailer uses them in some form or another. They remain the main one of the most successful strategies for combatting theft. How exactly do retail security tags work, and why do they remain the most popular and effective way of fighting retail loss? Retail security tags are one element of the loss prevention strategy known as Electronic Article Surveillance.
Initially developed, the concept has become one of the most popular and effective ways of protecting retail products against theft, reducing theft by up to, EAS comprises two key elements and works as follows: Featured product: Electronic article surveillance sees an antenna positioned at the entrance to a store,, or.
This antenna sends out a signal which communicates with security tags or labels positioned on individual products. This tag or label then answers back via small transmitters. Should the signal indicate a product is in proximity to the antenna and therefore leaving the store, an alarm sounds alerting staff an item is being stolen.
Over recent years, have evolved to become increasingly accurate. They can now also be concealed within the entrance to the store to create a more inviting entryway. Featured products: and Antennas generally come in two frequencies, acousto magnetic (AM) or radio frequency (RF). The key difference between them is the frequency at which they operate, which is measured in Hertz.
systems operate at 58 kHz, which means a signal is sent out in pulses or bursts between 50 and 90 times a second while works in a sweep at 8.2 MHz. The tags or labels used instore need to correspond to this frequency. Featured product: (magnet resistant security tag)
- Security tags are used on, fashion,, and even,
- In terms of clothing, each security tag comprises the tag which houses the transmitter and the pin which passes through the item of clothing and locks the security tag into place.
- The tag is then removed at the Point of Sale using, which allows security tags to be reusable.
While security tags are simple to use and swift to detach, there are several features to consider when selecting the correct tag for your store.
- Security tags traditionally use one of two different types of locking systems: magnetic or mechanical.
- When it comes to magnetic locks, these are available in different strengths, ranging from standard to, HyperLock, and Multi-Polar.
- The higher the magnetic strength, the harder it is for the tag to be removed by shoplifters, so a minimum strength of SuperLock is recommended.
Featured products:, and Security tags are available in a variety of shapes ranging from pencil tags to round tags and square. This shape can have a bearing on how hard a tag is to remove illegally. Round tags are often recommended as it makes it harder for a shoplifter to purchase the tag and price it apart.
- When it comes to, they are available in different sizes, and yes, that size matters.
- A pinhead that directly corresponds with the size of the tag is harder to remove, while larger pinheads act as a form of benefit denial.
- In this case, the shoplifter is likely to damage the item should they try to force the pinhead through the garment.
Featured products: and On the topic of benefit denial, some security tags are also available with additional features like, These tiny ampules of ink rupture when a tag is tampered with, staining the garment. A great example of a state-of-the-art security tag with highly secure features is the, This tag includes:
A rounded shape that makes it harder to force open.
A pinhead and tag that correspond in, size also makes it harder to force open.
Ink dye to reduce the likelihood of tampering.
Anti-tamper spikes to also reduce the possibility of tampering.
A patented locking mechanism and power-operated auto-mechanical detacher, which cannot be purchased online.
You can learn more about selecting the correct security tags for your store or browse our, : How do security tags work?
Can you demagnetize security tag?
In retail stores, cashiers can use a magnetic removal tool to turn off the security tag, and then anti-theft strips are demagnetized.
How does security ink tag work?
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia An ink tag used for retail loss prevention. It’s attached to clothing, with a paper price tag underneath. Ink tags are a form of retail loss prevention most commonly used by clothing retailers, Special equipment is required to remove the tags from the clothing.
- When the tags are forcibly removed, one or more glass vials containing permanent ink will break, causing it to spill over the clothing, effectively destroying it.
- Ink tags fall into the loss prevention category called benefit denial,
- As the name suggests, an ink tag denies the shoplifter any benefit for their efforts.
Despite this, shoplifters have found ways around them. Ink tags are most effective if used together with another anti-shoplifting system so that the shoplifter can not use the product or remove the ink tag.
The security tag can be easily removed with a neodymium magnets.
What if cashier forgot to remove security tag?
You take it back to the store, with the receipt showing you purchased it instead of shoplifting, and they will remove it.
Do Not Remove the Care Labels In Your Clothing. Here’s Why: 
We know the tags inside your clothing can be a nuisance. They often stick out, can be itchy, some are quite long BUT, there is important information on them that’s valuable to you and your dry cleaner. Every wardrobe (and household) item you purchase has a care label attached by the manufacture of the garment to direct you in how to wash, dry and treat the item.
The manufacturer is advising you on how to clean the item so that the item maintains its integrity and it remains in “like new” condition. Detouring from any method advised will compromise the item and could possibly damage the item. For your benefit if you’re washing at home, we recommend following the care label exactly if you want to extend the life of your clothing.
Here’s common care label icons you may see on your garments. For our benefit, we depend heavily on the care label to tell us how the item should be cleaned and we follow those instructions to a “T”. For example if it says hand wash cold and lay flat to dry, that is exactly what we will do for your item.
If you must cut out your care label, try to keep the instructions for reference when you need to have it cleaned – especially it the item gets soiled or stained. Our stain removal experts have an array of stain removing solutions and having the care label helps choose the right solution so as not to damage the item.
-S.O. : Do Not Remove the Care Labels In Your Clothing. Here’s Why:
Does Zara return if tag removed?
Does Zara reject returns? – According to their Terms & Conditions, Zara can refuse returns if the products are altered or have missing tags on the garment. For accessories and perfumes, they must be in their original condition and original packaging. Another reason they can reject your return is that it didn’t meet the 30-day window. Zara
Clothing retail giant Zara’s owner Inditex will introduce a new security technology and will phase out hard anti-theft tags in stores this year. The tags will be replaced with chips sewn into garments, which Inditex said will cut checkout times by up to 50%.
- The fashion group said the new technology will help improve customer experience and the purchasing process, as well as facilitate interaction with its products.
- The new system will be progressively implemented in all the concepts and will be the basis for us to continue deepening the digitalisation of stores and their integration with online platforms in the coming years.” Hard tags are generally becoming an outdated concept as more retail giants aim to curb shoplifting.
According to Associated Security, electronic article tags are already widely implemented in retail, leading to an overall 60-80% theft reduction.
Photo: mdbildes (Shutterstock) As an anti-theft measure, clothing stores affix certain items with security tags that will set off an alarm should you attempt to leave with the tag still on the garment. Some tags will also ruin a garment by spilling ink from the tag if you try to remove it yourself.
- This usually isn’t a problem, as long as the tag gets removed before you leave the store, but sometimes clerks can miss a tag at checkout—or you’ll receive a shipped-from-store item ordered online to find out whoever packaged it up left the tag on. Oops.
- If you’re in this situation, here’s what you can do about it.
But first: This should go without saying, but don’t shoplift. It’s not a nice thing to do, and it’s illegal. This post is intended simply as a remedy to a situation we’ve all found ourselves in at one time or another. Use this information for good, people.
Cut it off with a dremel or thin wire cutter. You’re probably not going to want to spend the money on a dremel if you don’t already have one, but if you do, it’s a method eHow endorses, They note that a standard wire cutter won’t work, because they’re often too thick to get into the innards of the security tag. So, get a thin one, Ultimately, however, the dremel will probably be more effective, but it’s definitely the costlier option. This is tip is more aimed at people who happen to have one of these items already, or perhaps a friend with an impressive tool collection.You can use a strong magnet to remove certain types of sensors. This post reveals how to spot them, and this video shows you how to make it work, Another eHow article offers a better solution for some tags— use rubber bands ! Basically, you wrap the rubber band around the pin until it loosens, then pull the tag out. Full instructions here, Do not attempt to freeze the garment and remove an ink tag, Advice to freeze the garment and remove an ink-containing tag through brute force is pretty common online, but it probably isn’t a great idea. A few sites advise that this ink is treated with anti-freeze, meaning it will still stain your clothing even after a night or two in the freezer. Another similar alternative is to wrap a plastic bag around the tag and rip it off, but there’s a high margin for error with this method, too. Just hit it in the right place,
This article was originally published in August 2011 by Adam Dachis and updated on March 1, 2021 by Joel Cunningham to add additional methods and revise and correct old advice. (Updated 3/3/22 with new details)
Does security tag ink wash out?
What Happens When You Attempt to Remove Clothing Security Tags at Home? | Bravo TV Official Site It’s a retail nightmare: you’re about to wear something brand-new to a big event, and as you’re putting it on, you realize the store associate didn’t remove an unsightly plastic security tag.
Uh oh! That scenario (sort of) happened to this season on as Kim and her sister Kyle got ready for Kim’s daughter’s baby shower. “What is hanging out of your dress, Kim?” Kyle asked. “Oh no, that comes right off, you just twist it,” Kim said as she yanked on the security tag and it popped apart. FWIW: The infamous tag on the dress looked like something called a b-tag, which stores use now to prevent shoppers from trying to return a pricey dress after they’ve worn it.
Once you snap that b-tag off, you’re committed to owning that dress for life. Kim pulled her dress out of a Bloomingdale’s bag, and a Bloomingdale’s PR rep confirmed to The Lookbook that the department store still uses in addition to traditional tags in-store for security purposes.
- So let’s put that to bed! In the meantime, what should you do if you end up with a traditional security tag on an item you paid for and took home? “This happens all the time,” says Chris E.
- McGoey, CPP, CSP, CAM.
- The sensor can actually activate the door alarm when you return to the store or another retail store for that matter if it uses the same sensor technology.
It can be quite embarrassing for the innocent shopper.” Here’s Chris’s advice: “Take the dress back to the store and go straight to the return desk. Having a receipt is helpful to allay suspicion. Ask the person at the return desk to remove the tag with their special tag-removal tool.
- Be aware that tag-removal is supposed to signal that the item was purchased so it will draw a certain amount of suspicion when you present a dress with a security tag still attached.
- However, it is a regular occurrence so it shouldn’t be a problem.” The “certain amount of suspicion” he’s referring is related to studies showing that retail associates often profile and make snap judgements about customers’ perceived honesty when they’re returning items, based on, cultural bias, poverty bias, gender bias, and age bias.
There are plenty of people posting online, however, who’ve skipped going back to the store and have tried to take the tag off at home with everything from rubber bands to lighters to heavy-duty magnets — even sticking ink tags in the freezer and then smashing the tag with a hammer.
Would this work? “Many crazy methods have been used by shoplifters to defeat store security measures,” Chris says. You could easily rip the garment while trying this, and if an ink pack explodes, that dress is probably dunzo. “We have had questions about removing the ink from security tags,” said Lorraine Muir, the ‘s director of Textile Testing and Research Services.
“If there is a heavy amount of ink on the fabric, it may not be possible to remove the stain. If only a small amount contacts fabric, it may be possible to lighten or remove the stain.” It all depends on the fabric, the composition and concentration of the staining substance, and how long the stain has set in.
If dark black ink in a security tag contacts a pink satin fabric made of silk, chances of removing the stain completely are low, although it may be possible to lighten the stain,” Lorraine says. Jon Simon of DC’s is equally cautious. “We can remove almost all types of ink – but permanent ink is really permanent – and it would depend on what type of ink that retailer’s security tag was loaded with.
Unfortunately there is no way to know for sure until the customer brings us the garment for testing,” he says. “But we have about five different spotting agents that we use along with several techniques specifically for ink removal. Also, red dye is typically the most difficult to completely remove so if the piece is dyed red it would be less likely that we could completely remove the stain.” If it was a white dress, Jon says he could maybe bleach the entire dress to hide the stain, but it probably wouldn’t match the original white.
We called a few different mall chain stores and posed the question whether a tag could be removed at home. Every store associate said it’s better to remove a security sensor in the store. In other words, don’t try this at home—and a quick scan of your items for tags before you leave the store could save you a headache later.
: What Happens When You Attempt to Remove Clothing Security Tags at Home? | Bravo TV Official Site
How does security ink tag work?
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia An ink tag used for retail loss prevention. It’s attached to clothing, with a paper price tag underneath. Ink tags are a form of retail loss prevention most commonly used by clothing retailers, Special equipment is required to remove the tags from the clothing.
When the tags are forcibly removed, one or more glass vials containing permanent ink will break, causing it to spill over the clothing, effectively destroying it. Ink tags fall into the loss prevention category called benefit denial, As the name suggests, an ink tag denies the shoplifter any benefit for their efforts.
Despite this, shoplifters have found ways around them. Ink tags are most effective if used together with another anti-shoplifting system so that the shoplifter can not use the product or remove the ink tag.
