It has been proven that fitting rooms present retailers with a great opportunity to sell more merchandise, but can also act as a “safe haven’ for dishonest shoppers to conceal garments and steal them. According to the most recent Global Retail Theft Barometer, apparel retail specialists have one of the highest shrinkage rates globally, accounting for 1.8% of sales.
To help minimise the risk of this concealment theft, Checkpoint Systems, a global leading provider of source to shopper solutions to the retail industry, has announced the launch of a new solution – ApparelGUARD.
Magnet detection technology
Available as part of the connected store Solution Application EVOLVE-Store™, this unique magnet detection technology is installed in individual fitting rooms. It identifies when someone carrying an illegally obtained security tag detacher enters the cubicle. It then looks for its movement as a dishonest shopper attempts to remove tags from merchandise. The alarm is triggered when ApparelGUARD antennas have sensed both events – minimising false alarms. An alert is sent via the EVOLVE-Store Live App to ensure the incident is responded to by a member of staff.
The solution is easy to install and can protect up to 10 fitting rooms, either as a standalone application or it can be networked into an existing EAS infrastructure using a special API.
Peace of mind for retailers
Simon Edgar, Senior Director - Product Management at Checkpoint Systems, from Checkpoint Systems commented: “ApparelGUARD represents a new way fitting rooms are protected. Retailers are aware of the conundrum posed by allowing shoppers to try merchandise on in-store, but allowing them to do so is a key element of providing an interactive experience and it’s proven to increase sales. This solution will give retailers peace of mind, providing a visual deterrent to make dishonest customers think twice before using them as a haven to detach tags.”