Do store security tags damage hats?

[Brinybay]

Went to the local Burlington Coat Factory today to check if they had any new fedora hats. Purpose was two-fold, I'm looking for a stylish but cheap hat for general purposes, mostly when I'm going out to go scuba diving from shore or on a boat, one that I won't worry about a lot if it falls on the ground or get a little salt spray on (as apposed to my $104 Akubra), i.e. a "beater" hat. Also was shopping for a friend who wants just a cheap "vintage looking" hat for an upcoming Roaring 20s party.

Anyway, I found an Indy-style hat for myself that I liked, it was size small, and I normally wear a medium, but it still fit ok, just a wee snug, but something I thought I could stretch out just from wearing it.

But half the hats there had those security tags on the brims. Not that I planned on stealing it, I was a little concerned about the damage to the hat from attaching the security tag. Granted, it was only a $20 hat, but still, I don't want to buy damaged goods.

So I asked the guy in the men's dept about it, and he assured me that it does no damage to the hat. So I paid for the hat, and as I was headed to the door, I checked where the security tag was on the brim. There was a small ring in the felt that was barely noticeable, no big deal. But also, to my dismay, there was a small hole clear through the brim where the security tag was attached. It wasn't just an indentation, you could see clear through the hole. As I said, even though it was just a cheap hat, I didn't want to pay for damaged goods, so I turned right around and returned the hat, and pointed out why.

I guess my question is was I justified in being concerned about the small hole? It was wool felt, and as far as I know, holes, even small ones, don't heal. If I'm wrong, I'll go back and buy it again. If I'm correct, then that really limits the selection they have, because they have those security tags on about 1/2 to 3/4 of the hats they have at my local BCF. Why some and not others, I'm not sure.

 

[Feraud]

Technically the hole will not spread and destroy the hat. I too feel that an unnecessary hole in a hat takes away some value from it.
Not everyone feels the same way about holes in felt. When Paddy was in NYC we took him to Cheap Jack's. Paddy found a nice a vintage fedora that had the price tag driven through the crown along the ribbon. He approached the owner to haggle the price down a couple of bucks. The owner felt the hat was in no way damaged and would not even knock off the price of sales tax!
Paddy wisely left the hat.

 

[dhermann1]

Sounds consistent with everything I've heard about Cheap Jack's. I stopped going there years ago when I saw them wrecking perfectly good vintage garments by the hundreds.

 

[Feraud]

Yep. I've heard that too. To rudely haggle over a few bucks to make a sale is cheap indeed..

 

[J.T.Marcus]

I checked where the security tag was on the brim. There was a small ring in the felt that was barely noticeable, no big deal. But also, to my dismay, there was a small hole clear through the brim where the security tag was attached. It wasn't just an indentation, you could see clear through the hole...It was wool felt, and as far as I know, holes, even small ones, don't heal...

You can usually fix what you described, by dipping your finger in cold water and dabbing it on the hole and the "ring." Most of the time, when it dries, the hole (and/or the compression mark) will be gone. Sometimes (not often), you might have to brush it lightly, too.

 

[HamletJSD]

I don't know how many you have around town, but you might try some other BCF's. I don't think I have seen one with security tags through the hats ... It might just be a particularly paranoid proprietor.

 

[J. M. Stovall]

Security tags don't damage hats...
people damage hats.

 

[WideBrimm]

Security tags don't damage hats...
people damage hats.

Hmmmm........Sounds vaguely familiar. I often find hats in thrift shops which have price tags stapled into the hats. To me it all depends on the value of the hat. Sure, I'd rather not have such holes in hats, no mater how small they are. But, if the hat doesn't cost much, I'll live with it. If I'm going to pay the better part of $100. that's another matter. And negotiating a discount usually sounds like a good idea.

 

[funneman]

I purchased a lot of two Penny's Marathon hats on ebay and was dismayed to find upon arrival that the Open Road clone clearly had been stabbed through the brim, right on the front by a security tag at one time. (You'd think they would have at least had the decency to stab it somewhere less noticable.)

At any rate, I hit it with some steam, gave the spot a good stiff brushing and the hole vanished. In fact, I had forgotten about it until I saw this thread.

For a ten dollar BCF hat I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[wldthistle]

I can't understand this... I haven't experienced it with hats, but I've seen security tags punching holes in the delicate fabric of some clothes. A month or so ago, I was with a friend who was buying a dress at an upscale department store. They're selling dresses that cost hundreds of dollars, and ruining them with security tags. Luckily they happened to have the dress my friend wanted in the back, and it hadn't been secured/damaged yet.

I guess some people don't care if their new purchases have holes in them. I just wish the stores and their employees would respect those of us who' do care, and show a little care and pride in what they do and what they sell.

 

[Brinybay]

You can usually fix what you described, by dipping your finger in cold water and dabbing it on the hole and the "ring." Most of the time, when it dries, the hole (and/or the compression mark) will be gone. Sometimes (not often), you might have to brush it lightly, too.

Thanks for the tip, I'll try that.

 

[Mr. 'H']

Technically the hole will not spread and destroy the hat. I too feel that an unnecessary hole in a hat takes away some value from it.
Not everyone feels the same way about holes in felt. When Paddy was in NYC we took him to Cheap Jack's. Paddy found a nice a vintage fedora that had the price tag driven through the crown along the ribbon. He approached the owner to haggle the price down a couple of bucks. The owner felt the hat was in no way damaged and would not even knock off the price of sales tax!
Paddy wisely left the hat.

I too had this experience in Cheap Jacks. The hats all had the tag punched through the felt. And the owner was so rude about it when I asked him why he did that. Seems like a really dumb idea to ruin hats like that.

 

[Feraud]

I find it depressing to see the hats at Cheap Jack's with intentionally punched holes in the felt.

 

[Spellflower]

My favorite hat, my Dobbs 20 has a tiny splinter of green plastic through the brim in the front. Some idiot must have stabbed one of those price tags through it, and then some more concerned person must have carefully trimmed it on either side to avoid leaving a hole. Kind of like leaving shrapnel in a wound.

I used to go to a thrift store in Philly where all the prices of non-clothing items were written in permanent marker. I asked about it and they told me it would come off, but of course it didn't. It didn't matter too much for the toaster I bought there, but I had to pass up a perfectly good clock radio because the price was written right over the LCD! Fortunately their prices were so low, it didn't matter on most stuff, but it still seems like a silly way to do things.

 

[gluegungeisha]

They won't damage the hats if they're put in properly. The secondhand/vintage store I work at uses different types of tags and sensors, depending on the item.

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Are Holes Considered Damage? Are You Kidding?

[/QUOTE] I guess some people don't care if their new purchases have holes in them. I just wish the stores and their employees would respect those of us who' do care, and show a little care and pride in what they do and what they sell.[/QUOTE]

HERE, HERE! Well said. (Aw foot! Somehow I botched the quote box deal when I edited its content. Moving on...)

It's obvious that thieves are the real "damagers" here that motivate the tags to begin with dammit, but to buy something new at any price that comes already damaged and in need of repair really urks me personally and I don't think I could bring myself to do it.

On the other hand, this thread has brought up some great techniques for repair of such damage by knowledgeable Loungers. You folks are a treasure.

"Holes in new hats are something up with which I will not put".

 

[nickwellings]

Don't do this...

Pierce the security tag through the crown of the hat. Upon removing it, there's a big hole right on the top of the hat!

Witnessed in a Paris store...about 100 hats, all ruined imo!

This one was €30.....

 

[KarlCrow]

i'd buy it for €30

 

[nickwellings]

The hole was very big! I asked the lady to show me. Much larger than a sewing needle. More like knitting needle diameter!

 

[moontheloon]

unbelievable .... scratch that.... totally believable

SMH