Ardene: Fast-Fashion Destination

Ardene’s expansion, paired with a large volume of merchandise and the fast turn of their apparel inventory, made shrink control a challenge. Ardene was looking for innovative ways to help reduce loss, improve store operations and enhance the shopper environment. To do this, they needed retail technology to help protect their assets, while ensuring a frictionless shopping environment within their stores. In 2015, Ardene started with Electric Article Surveillance (EAS) systems in their stores. They began to learn quickly that “one size does not fit all,” and as their store formats and locations changed, so did the needs for loss prevention (LP) solutions. Some solutions are more appropriate than others for different configurations and environments.

In 2017, Ardene opened a new type of store, with larger mall exits which created new challenges to help control shrink, as wide exits allowed more shopper traffic to flow in and out of stores, testing the effectiveness of the storefront solution capabilities. Additionally, some malls didn’t allow LP pedestals, which presented another hurdle and a need to identify other effective solutions. As Ardene grew, so did their need for LP solution options. They were in need of various solutions to provide consistent, innovative shrink control for their 400 diverse store configurations and shopping mall regulations – ideally from a single solution provider.

To fulfill their varied requirements, Arden turned to Sensormatic Solutions and first installed EAS systems in their stores for merchandise protection. Ardene implemented source tagging and storefront detection systems for additional loss prevention and for improved cost and shrink control measures. Leveraging the wide range of Sensormatic Solutions’ connected, scalable technologies and strategic insights, Ardene was able to have connected loss prevention solutions suitable to meet the unique needs of their various store locations and configurations, as well as meeting mall compliance when pedestals were restricted.

For the majority of its stores, Ardene selected Sensormatic’s Synergy solution. Synergy seamlessly integrates different technologies including Acousto Magnetic (AM), RFID, Video and Infrared sensors, bringing together critical and actionable data for predictive real-time shrink analytics that will help enhance Ardene’s loss prevention efforts now and in the future. For stores located within malls restricting pedestals, Ardene selected the Sensormatic RFID Overhead EAS System, providing wide exit coverage and merchandise protection while invisible at the store entrance. Designed to be installed above a store entry, it takes up no floor space and offers a discreet alternative to traditional EAS floor systems, allowing stores to meet mall compliance where applicable.

For stores with large mall exits, Ardene chose the Sensormatic Floor-Max AM system, which was a perfect EAS detection option for the store’s wide exits to maximize customer flow and optimize merchandising floor space. The system’s hidden antennas provide invisible, yet effective, anti-theft protection for wide exits or open architecture requirements. These solutions were also able to provide actionable insights similar to those gathered by the Synergy solution in the majority of the Ardene stores.

Ardene engaged with Sensormatic, as their LP partner, for a complete rollout of various Sensormatic loss prevention solutions in three phases over a three-year period. By having the flexibility with installation formats and technology solutions, Ardene will be able to gather actionable, timely shrink insights and improve merchandise protection regardless of store layout. The assortment of Sensormatic best-in-class solutions and professional services will help reduce shrink and labor costs, and protect inventory – all while supporting Ardene’s ability to grow and scale in new markets and reach new customers. Ardene is taking loss prevention to another level by leveraging connected, innovative technologies to meet their unique needs and provide a frictionless shopping environment.

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Sensormatic Solutions is a global leader in enabling smart and connected shopper engagement. By combining critical insights into retail inventory, shopper traffic and loss prevention, Sensormatic Solutions powers operational excellence at scale and helps create unique shopping experiences. Our solutions deliver real-time visibility and predictive analytics for accurate decision-making across the enterprise, enabling retailers to confidently move into the future. With more than 1.5 million data collection devices in the retail marketplace, we capture 40 billion shopper visits and track and protect billions of items each year. Our retail portfolio features the premier Sensormatic^®, ShopperTrak^® and TrueVUE™ brands.

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