Alpha Keepers -5 WC blog 24
Prevent Shoplifting – 3
Retail Anti Theft Devices-3
Alpha Keepers A Clear Choice For Customer Service
When I walk into a store, I am always evaluating what the store is doing in terms of merchandise protection. What do they have behind their customer service counters? How does that particular store arrange their products and does that arrangement affect staffing and also customer service. I look at retail anti-theft devices and how they are used and how consistent is the store in using those devices. I am also looking to see if Alpha Keepers are used in a store and if not, what do the out-of-stocks look like on their shelves?
Sometimes when I am doing my ‘studying’ I see items protected in protective boxes I had not considered previously. For example, when I started working in an office supply store, I had no idea that for them, printer ink could be such a high theft item. I took note of two strategies that are used by this retailer to prevent shoplifting of ink. First is a corral strategy, the use of gondola shelving and a point of sale counter to create an enclosed area with only one access point. This allows staff to monitor those who enter to select ink cartridges. The other strategy to prevent shoplifting is the use of Alpha Keepers to hold the higher priced cartridge boxes.
Because the protective boxes are designed so well, the customer can see all of the information they need on the cartridge box, the type of cartridge, the printer model it is used in, and other manufacturer information. The box itself is secure and requires the use of a detachment key to open it, allowing a customer the ability to continue shopping if they want to do so with the ink in their possession. I find that the corral effect tends to make customers feel like they have to leave products at the counter or they feel like they can’t go into the area without permission. There is a significant deterrence value in the corralling products as well as, using retail anti-theft devices to work together to keep product in the store. Should a thief attempt to walk out of the store with an Alpha Keeper box, the electronic article surveillance antenna will be set off, adding one more layer of protection to the product.
From an operations viewpoint, the concept being used to prevent shoplifting is beneficial because additional staffing is not required if only one cashier is scheduled to work and that person is stationed at the register where the ink is corralled. Sales and returns are all conducted at the single point of sale and if necessary a back-up cashier can always be requested to open another register. Customers are able to walk into the area and select their ink and if they require assistance, the cashier is right there. If Alpha Keepers were not being used, it would be incumbent on the cashier to not only ring up customers, they would also have to be the person to find and select ink for patrons and hold it until they were ready to complete their shopping.
This brings me back to my point on critiquing what I see in so many stores and consider ‘what if’ questions, for example; What if those items sold only from customer service counters were placed in protective boxes and made available for selection by the customer? How many customers leave a store angry because they had to wait for a cashier to retrieve an item only available behind a customer service counter (such as cartons of cigarettes)? How many customers abandon shopping carts because they get tired of waiting behind someone who has to have merchandise retrieved from behind another counter?
Alpha Keepers come in a wide range of sizes and styles offering a retail anti-theft solution to meet the needs of almost every retailer. Take a look at what is available in Alpha products and see if you might be able to improve sales by making merchandise more available to your customers.
For more information about Alpha Keepers, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
.
When I walk into a store, I am always evaluating what the store is doing in terms of merchandise protection. What do they have behind their customer service counters? How does that particular store arrange their products and does that arrangement affect staffing and also customer service. I look at retail anti-theft devices and how they are used and how consistent is the store in using those devices. I am also looking to see if Alpha Keepers are used in a store and if not, what do the out-of-stocks look like on their shelves?
Sometimes when I am doing my ‘studying’ I see items protected in protective boxes I had not considered previously. For example, when I started working in an office supply store, I had no idea that for them, printer ink could be such a high theft item. I took note of two strategies that are used by this retailer to prevent shoplifting of ink. First is a corral strategy, the use of gondola shelving and a point of sale counter to create an enclosed area with only one access point. This allows staff to monitor those who enter to select ink cartridges. The other strategy to prevent shoplifting is the use of Alpha Keepers to hold the higher priced cartridge boxes.
Because the protective boxes are designed so well, the customer can see all of the information they need on the cartridge box, the type of cartridge, the printer model it is used in, and other manufacturer information. The box itself is secure and requires the use of a detachment key to open it, allowing a customer the ability to continue shopping if they want to do so with the ink in their possession. I find that the corral effect tends to make customers feel like they have to leave products at the counter or they feel like they can’t go into the area without permission. There is a significant deterrence value in the corralling products as well as, using retail anti-theft devices to work together to keep product in the store. Should a thief attempt to walk out of the store with an Alpha Keeper box, the electronic article surveillance antenna will be set off, adding one more layer of protection to the product.
From an operations viewpoint, the concept being used to prevent shoplifting is beneficial because additional staffing is not required if only one cashier is scheduled to work and that person is stationed at the register where the ink is corralled. Sales and returns are all conducted at the single point of sale and if necessary a back-up cashier can always be requested to open another register. Customers are able to walk into the area and select their ink and if they require assistance, the cashier is right there. If Alpha Keepers were not being used, it would be incumbent on the cashier to not only ring up customers, they would also have to be the person to find and select ink for patrons and hold it until they were ready to complete their shopping.
This brings me back to my point on critiquing what I see in so many stores and consider ‘what if’ questions, for example; What if those items sold only from customer service counters were placed in protective boxes and made available for selection by the customer? How many customers leave a store angry because they had to wait for a cashier to retrieve an item only available behind a customer service counter (such as cartons of cigarettes)? How many customers abandon shopping carts because they get tired of waiting behind someone who has to have merchandise retrieved from behind another counter?
Alpha Keepers come in a wide range of sizes and styles offering a retail anti-theft solution to meet the needs of almost every retailer. Take a look at what is available in Alpha products and see if you might be able to improve sales by making merchandise more available to your customers.
For more information about Alpha Keepers, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
.
