Removing shop tag from a shirt

I bought a shirt a couple of weeks ago in a large chainstore that has a practice of tagging its goods with one of those round electronic devices that causes the alarm to go off at the door if its not removed.

This tag was not removed by the cashier when I paid for the shirt (with cash) and I don't know how I got out of the shop with it still attached, but I did. I didn't even see it until I went into the bag last night and took it out to wear.

The tag is clicked onto the shirt in way that looks like it's not going to come off. I've had a go pulling at it and am afraid I'm going to put an ugly, conspicuous-looking hole in my good shirt.

Suggestions from friends have been to take it back to the shop and ask them to remove it, but I have lost the receipt and have no proof of purchase. Id be afraid to walk it back into the store, ve the alarms go off and then be accused of trying to steal the shirt.

Any other suggestions?

How about phoning the shop first and explaning what happened? Arrange a time to go back in so that they are expecting you.

Be aware that some of those devices release a dye if you try to force it open. I'd go back to the shop and explain what happened. I'm sure its not the first time this has happened...Do you have any transaction proof e.g. credit card etc?

I know they need to use these tags for security reasons but honestly the sometimes put them in the most awkward places don't they?

Paulone said:

Suggestions from friends have been to take it back to the shop and ask them to remove it, but I have lost the receipt and have no proof of purchase. Id be afraid to walk it back into the store, ve the alarms go off and then be accused of trying to steal the shirt.

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Do this, but ring them first.

It depends on what type of tag it is - eg magnetic.
A lot of them can be removed - I ain't saying how - but i'm sure Google will look for you

ubiquitous said:

Do this, but ring them first.

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Wrap it in tinfoil when bringing it back. That'll probably stop it setting any alarms off.

ClubMan said:

Wrap it in tinfoil when bringing it back. That'll probably stop it setting any alarms off.

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Excellent idea - tinfoil works at blocking those pesky martian brian waves as well.

Clubman - I presume this is you when you're not ironing?

Paulone, this happened to me a few months ago - I bought a dress in Monsoon and the tag was left on it by mistake. The alarm never went off either. My husband noticed when I tried it on at home so I took it back (with the receipt and in the original bag) and they removed the tag, but they did ask to see the receipt first.

I would echo the suggestions of other posters to ring and talk to someone in the shop and explain the situation. If you just went in without ringing first, they could well have a problem with it. I'm sure they've come across this problem before...

M

I purchased a top in Dunnes and the tag was left on. My husband attemped to remove it but no joy.
I phoned the shop and arranged to bring it back, I was advised that
if my husband had removed it there was dye in the tag which would ruin the top. anyways, once the assistant removed the tag, there was a hole in the garment, obviously from my husband messing with it.
k

Same happened to me.

Tag was left on went into another shop and bought something and as I was leaving the tag went off.

Guy in the shop was very helpful and looked again to see if he left his tag on. Tried to leave the shop again but it went off again. So we realsied it was a previous purchase from another shop and he removed that tag for me as well.

Probably from the company I work with tbh, I remove security tags all the time for customers, receipt or not, you just know by looking at it and the bag it just came out of that they didn't just pick it up from a unit a minute ago. Also we don't have security barries (wow stupidity there..tags but no barriers) I'm always polite about it, but I don't say sorry- I wasn't the tool that didn't bother to check. If you have a strong enough magnet it would come off, but I wouldn't recommend force, there's dye inside the tags.

CatherineB said:

Probably from the company I work with tbh, I remove security tags all the time for customers, receipt or not, you just know by looking at it and the bag it just came out of that they didn't just pick it up from a unit a minute ago. Also we don't have security barries (wow stupidity there..tags but no barriers) I'm always polite about it, but I don't say sorry- I wasn't the tool that didn't bother to check. If you have a strong enough magnet it would come off, but I wouldn't recommend force, there's dye inside the tags.

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You're the customer's point of contact though...you represent the company and therefore should apologise.

Why oh why do Irish consumers maintain a constant abuse of their own rights by throwing away the receipts. Thankfully I'm not in retail, but if I were the company policy would be to tell all punters without a receipt to go to hell.

A Good electricians snips, or cable cutters, just keep chawing thru the plastic till it falls apart, you need to be careful not to damage treads in the article. If there is dye in it, well thats another story.
Its hard to bring a present back to the United states just to get a tag undone, ,,, so it happens everywhere that the stupid things are left in undetected.