After trials of a new tag, the sports clothing retailer JD has seen a 50pc reduction in losses at their Oxford Street store, as well as the displacement of crime to other stores; including JD stores not using the new Concept Tag. Tim Edwards, Profit Protection Director at JD Sports collaborated with a Swiss manufacturer, Agon Systems and its two Danish inventors to produce a new EAS tag called the Concept Tag.
The tags have been introduced in JD’s flagship stores in London’s West End, Manchester’s Trafford and Arndale Centre and Birmingham’s Bull Ring, as well as Glasgow, Stratford, Newcastle, Amsterdam, Nice, Marseille and Lyon. It is calculated that a roll out of this innovation across the group would equate to a loss reduction in the region of £5m, or about the same as a 5pc increase in pre tax profits.
Tim Edwards is pictured speaking about the roll-out at a recent Retail Fraud conference. He said: “If I were to explain the difference between the Agon Concept Tag and old EAS systems I would say it was this. The Agon Concept Tag actually works!”
Agon Systems say that their Concept Tag is the product of six years of R&D to solve the problem of EAS tag removal by criminals, as it is recognised they can acquire detachers for conventional tags online and then use them for illicit tag removal and theft. And, shoplifters have found various ways to remove tags even without a detacher.
Sean Welch, MD at Agon Systems said: ”Obviously we are delighted with the results, which indicate that the Concept Tag is a real game changer for retailers protecting desirable clothing. To boost profits by 5% or more retailers would usually have to open stores, invest in buildings, stock and marketing and even then not be guaranteed a result. Simply introducing the Concept Tag, which works with all existing EAS systems, is now proven to be a sure fire way to dramatically increase a retailer’s bottom line.”
For more on the Concept Tag: http://www.agon-systems.com.
