Prevent Shoplifting-3                                                                                                       WC blog 147
Retail Anti-theft devices-5
Alpha Hang Tag-5
An Alpha Hang Tag Can Offer Big Protection For Small Products 
     I love it when I have opportunity to prevent shoplifting at my current retail job because it often fits so neatly into an article about retail anti-theft devices.  I no longer work in retail Loss Prevention, but even as a part time sales associate I still find I can use those skills I developed after almost 20 years in the Loss Prevention Field.  The other night as we were about ten minutes from closing, a “customer” came into the store to “look at” some art supplies.  The customer was wearing an oversized t-shirt, rather loose fitting jeans and a ball cap.  I walked over to the customer and greeted him and began talking to him about the three boxes of art pencils and pens in his hands, as well as a clipboard.  The boxes were about $17.99, $38.99 and $29.99 in value.  The customer was very talkative and seemed to be all over the place in his conversation with me.  After about five minutes of my “chatting” with him and offering to hold and ring up his purchase, my customer decided he would “think about” coming back to buy the items.  He left the store as closing time was announced by part of the building lights going out.  Why did I think he was going to steal the items?  The customer was in a known high theft area and clip boards are often used to hide merchandise held in a hand until an opportunity to conceal it arises.  Also, there was no retail anti-theft device on these items.  For these particular items it is a missed opportunity for the store to not be utilizing an Alpha Hang Tag to protect them from theft.
      The Alpha Hang Tag is a heavy duty, plastic, retail anti-theft device that is attached to the hang tag of peg hook merchandise.  Because clamshell packaging comes in different thicknesses, The Alpha Hang tag is available with a short or long pin that clamps into the main housing of the device.  The tags are designed to activate electronic article surveillance antennas if they enter into the detection field of the antenna.  Even when merchandise protected with the hang tag is concealed under clothing, like an oversized t-shirt and loose fitting jeans, the EAS radio frequency can penetrate the clothing and read the tag. Because they have a snug fit to cover the peg hook tab, hang tags are extremely difficult to remove from merchandise. 
     Why are these art items not protected to prevent shoplifting if the store experiences a significant amount of theft of this category of merchandise?  I don’t know the answer to the question.  Some of the items in the category are small and it is possible that no one has considered that retail anti-theft devices like the Alpha Hang Tag can work on the merchandise.  The store does have an electronic article surveillance system and uses other types of retail anti-theft devices on merchandise to prevent shoplifting.  It is important to remember that shoplifters target merchandise for several reasons.  First, the item is small and easy to conceal so the thief is less likely to be caught in the act of stealing.  Second, if the shoplifter is a professional they may be stealing items that can be resold and the higher the dollar value, the more money they will get for the merchandise.  Frequently boosters will get in the neighborhood of twenty-five cents on the dollar for stolen goods.  Third, people shoplift merchandise they don’t think is protected.  Few people want to take a chance an alarm is going to activate and alert employees to their crime.  I don’t know what motivations my “customer” had, but the items I believe he wanted to steal could have fit all three reasons for being targeted. 
     Don’t allow your store to be vulnerable to shoplifters.  Deter thieves in the first place by using an Alpha Hang Tag on your peg hook merchandise.  Profits increase when you invest in merchandise protection products.
Get more information on Alpha Hang Tag, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
       
     

I love it when I have opportunity to prevent shoplifting at my current retail job because it often fits so neatly into an article about retail anti-theft devices. I no longer work in retail Loss Prevention, but even as a part time sales associate I still find I can use those skills I developed after almost 20 years in the Loss Prevention Field. The other night as we were about ten minutes from closing, a “customer” came into the store to “look at” some art supplies. The customer was wearing an oversized t-shirt, rather loose fitting jeans and a ball cap. I walked over to the customer and greeted him and began talking to him about the three boxes of art pencils and pens in his hands, as well as a clipboard. The boxes were about $17.99, $38.99 and $29.99 in value. The customer was very talkative and seemed to be all over the place in his conversation with me. After about five minutes of my “chatting” with him and offering to hold and ring up his purchase, my customer decided he would “think about” coming back to buy the items. He left the store as closing time was announced by part of the building lights going out. Why did I think he was going to steal the items? The customer was in a known high theft area and clip boards are often used to hide merchandise held in a hand until an opportunity to conceal it arises. Also, there was no retail anti-theft device on these items. For these particular items it is a missed opportunity for the store to not be utilizing an Alpha Hang Tag to protect them from theft.

The Alpha Hang Tag is a heavy duty, plastic, retail anti-theft device that is attached to the hang tag of peg hook merchandise. Because clamshell packaging comes in different thicknesses, The Alpha Hang tag is available with a short or long pin that clamps into the main housing of the device. The tags are designed to activate electronic article surveillance antennas if they enter into the detection field of the antenna. Even when merchandise protected with the hang tag is concealed under clothing, like an oversized t-shirt and loose fitting jeans, the EAS radio frequency can penetrate the clothing and read the tag. Because they have a snug fit to cover the peg hook tab, hang tags are extremely difficult to remove from merchandise. 

Why are these art items not protected to prevent shoplifting if the store experiences a significant amount of theft of this category of merchandise? I don’t know the answer to the question. Some of the items in the category are small and it is possible that no one has considered that retail anti-theft devices like the Alpha Hang Tag can work on the merchandise. The store does have an electronic article surveillance system and uses other types of retail anti-theft devices on merchandise to prevent shoplifting. It is important to remember that shoplifters target merchandise for several reasons. First, the item is small and easy to conceal so the thief is less likely to be caught in the act of stealing. Second, if the shoplifter is a professional they may be stealing items that can be resold and the higher the dollar value, the more money they will get for the merchandise. Frequently boosters will get in the neighborhood of twenty-five cents on the dollar for stolen goods. Third, people shoplift merchandise they don’t think is protected. Few people want to take a chance an alarm is going to activate and alert employees to their crime. I don’t know what motivations my “customer” had, but the items I believe he wanted to steal could have fit all three reasons for being targeted. 

Don’t allow your store to be vulnerable to shoplifters. Deter thieves in the first place by using an Alpha Hang Tag on your peg hook merchandise. Profits increase when you invest in merchandise protection products.

 

Get more information on Alpha Hang Tag, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.