Alpha Keepers-5 WC blog 229
Protect infant formula-3
Prevent shoplifting-4
Empty Shelves Of Infant Formula Starving Your Profits? Prevent Shoplifting With Alpha Keepers; Part 1
Many of you are familiar with Alpha Keepers, the anti-theft devices used to prevent shoplifting. You’ve seen these clear boxes protecting DVD’s, video games and if you’ve been to some of the bigger retail stores, even health and beauty products. What you may not know about Alpha Keepers is that they are also available to protect infant formula. Why would baby formula need to be protected? If your store(s) sell baby formula you need to know that it is a high theft item for several reasons which I will discuss shortly. I used to work for a big box retail store and it was a theft issue for us, but we were limited in what we could do to prevent the theft of our cans. We marked our cans with permanent stickers, we put security cameras in the area and we conducted live surveillances but we never made significant apprehensions. We knew from our inventory numbers they were going missing, we just struggled to prevent shoplifting of the merchandise. We would have been far more successful if we had Alpha Keepers at the time to aid us.
I have been to stores that use locking display cases to protect infant formula but this is not the best method to prevent shoplifting. Alpha Keepers designed for baby formula are better suited for driving up sales and keeping shortage down. The clear, solid plastic design permits parents or caregivers to read labels, note warnings and see content information about the product. The keepers are also built so that they can be detected when they are in the range of electronic article surveillance antennas. Keepers are detected by antennas and cause an antenna alarm and lights to be set off when a box gets too close to the antenna. This means that when a shoplifter attempts to smuggle product out the door, even if hidden under clothes or in a bag, alarms warn employees a theft is occurring. Employees can then take steps to recover the merchandise. Sales improve because merchandise that was being stolen is now on the floor and available to honest customers. The shopper can carry the item around without the bother of waiting for an employee with a key to come by and unlock a case, then walk the merchandise to the register for the patron. Shoppers that don’t have to wait are more prone to buy what they came to the store to pick up.
What is driving this theft of baby formula are two major factors. First, the high price of formula makes it difficult for many families to afford it, especially if it is one of the specialty products. I can tell you that when our twins were born, my wife and I had to put them on a special formula that cost us around $29.00 a can. The regular can at that time was around $10.00 each. The price of the specialty formula has now almost doubled since that time. You can guess that it was a struggle to keep up with this for two babies. We were a fairly young family at the time and we incurred a significant amount of credit card debt to ensure our babies were fed. For a family without the resources we had available to us, I can only imagine the fear and anxiety this could cause. I am not justifying that anyone would steal anything, especially with government and charitable aid available, but it is a little easier to understand how a mother or father might be tempted to steal to provide for a baby.
In part 2 of this series I will tackle the second major reason for the high theft of this item. Regardless of the reason for theft, it is important for store owners to protect infant formula from shoplifting but lock up cases or limiting quantities on display are not the best defense. Use Alpha Keepers to prevent shoplifting and keep product available for paying customers. Your customers will thank you with continued patronage and sales.
Alpha Keepers are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Many of you are familiar with Alpha Keepers, the anti-theft devices used to prevent shoplifting. ou’ve seen these clear boxes protecting DVD’s, video games and if you’ve been to some of the bigger retail stores, even health and beauty products. hat you may not know about Alpha Keepers is that they are also available to protect infant formula. hy would baby formula need to be protected? f your store(s) sell baby formula you need to know that it is a high theft item for several reasons which I will discuss shortly. I used to work for a big box retail store and it was a theft issue for us, but we were limited in what we could do to prevent the theft of our cans. We marked our cans with permanent stickers, we put security cameras in the area and we conducted live surveillances but we never made significant apprehensions. e knew from our inventory numbers they were going missing, we just struggled to prevent shoplifting of the merchandise. We would have been far more successful if we had Alpha Keepers at the time to aid us.
I have been to stores that use locking display cases to protect infant formula but this is not the best method to prevent shoplifting. Alpha Keepers designed for baby formula are better suited for driving up sales and keeping shortage down. The clear, solid plastic design permits parents or caregivers to read labels, note warnings and see content information about the product. The keepers are also built so that they can be detected when they are in the range of electronic article surveillance antennas. Keepers are detected by antennas and cause an antenna alarm and lights to be set off when a box gets too close to the antenna. This means that when a shoplifter attempts to smuggle product out the door, even if hidden under clothes or in a bag, alarms warn employees a theft is occurring. Employees can then take steps to recover the merchandise. Sales improve because merchandise that was being stolen is now on the floor and available to honest customers. The shopper can carry the item around without the bother of waiting for an employee with a key to come by and unlock a case, then walk the merchandise to the register for the patron. Shoppers that don’t have to wait are more prone to buy what they came to the store to pick up.
What is driving this theft of baby formula are two major factors. First, the high price of formula makes it difficult for many families to afford it, especially if it is one of the specialty products. I can tell you that when our twins were born, my wife and I had to put them on a special formula that cost us around $29.00 a can. The regular can at that time was around $10.00 each. The price of the specialty formula has now almost doubled since that time. You can guess that it was a struggle to keep up with this for two babies. We were a fairly young family at the time and we incurred a significant amount of credit card debt to ensure our babies were fed. For a family without the resources we had available to us, I can only imagine the fear and anxiety this could cause. I am not justifying that anyone would steal anything, especially with government and charitable aid available, but it is a little easier to understand how a mother or father might be tempted to steal to provide for a baby.
In part 2 of this series I will tackle the second major reason for the high theft of this item. Regardless of the reason for theft, it is important for store owners to protect infant formula from shoplifting but lock up cases or limiting quantities on display are not the best defense. Use Alpha Keepers to prevent shoplifting and keep product available for paying customers. Your customers will thank you with continued patronage and sales.
Alpha Keepers are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
FIVE REASONS TO NEVER RUN AN EMPLOYEE BACKGROUND CHECK
You don’t need to know who you hire!
I don’t know why managers and owners think they need to run an employee background check! I mean, it’s not like people lie during an interview. All you have to do is ask if they have ever committed any crimes, and legally they have to tell you the truth. Furthermore, I’ve never met anyone who has lied to me about something so important. I’ve hired hundreds of people and not a single one has ever stolen THAT much from me. I mean, come on, what’s a few thousand dollars amongst friends?
Managers always have psychic abilities.
Part of being a manager is to pass a psychic exam; not to be confused with a physiological exam, which would disqualify about half… but our mental state is not in question right now. Why should you waste time and effort in a pre-employment screening when you have managers that can predict the future with complete certainty? All of my managers carry mini crystal balls, which you can go get from the Wal-Mart now; they’re real fancy, not like those fake crystal balls from the infomercials. The point is that there’s absolutely no need for you to worry about anything. You’re mangers have your back on this one, there’s no need to fret over employee background checks.
You can afford a little shrink now and then.
Seriously, what’s it matter if you lose a few bucks here and there. Maybe you should pay your employees more if they’re always stealing from you. That’s all an employee background check is going to tell you, anyway! It’ll just show all the low-down places that poor guy or girl had to steal from just to make ends meet before landing on your doorstep! Cut them some slack, will ya!
Customers aren’t really that important.
Sure, they give you money, keep you and your employees paid and are essentially your business’s life blood, but other than that they can just be a down-right annoyance! If you use a pre-employee screening you might only hire people that care about the customers. That mean that all those rude customers who want you to wait on them hand and foot will just keeping coming back. How are you supposed to work under those conditions!
Why waste time building a culture of honesty?
The only thing a pre-employment screening will do for your business is to help foster a culture of honesty, integrity and hard work that pays off. Why on Earth would any business want that? I don’t want the same employees hanging around for years, as I’m pretty sure they’d end up stealing way too much. Turnover is good for a business, no matter what those so called “experts” say. Forego the employee background check process I say. Hiring should be like a box of chocolates (who doesn’t love chocolates?)!!
For more information about Employee Background Checks contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
You don’t need to know who you hire!
I don’t know why managers and owners think they need to run an employee background check! I mean, it’s not like people lie during an interview. All you have to do is ask if they have ever committed any crimes, and legally they have to tell you the truth. Furthermore, I’ve never met anyone who has lied to me about something so important. I’ve hired hundreds of people and not a single one has ever stolen THAT much from me. I mean, come on, what’s a few thousand dollars amongst friends?
Managers always have psychic abilities.
Part of being a manager is to pass a psychic exam; not to be confused with a physiological exam, which would disqualify about half… but our mental state is not in question right now. Why should you waste time and effort in a pre-employment screening when you have managers that can predict the future with complete certainty? All of my managers carry mini crystal balls, which you can go get from the Wal-Mart now; they’re real fancy, not like those fake crystal balls from the infomercials. The point is that there’s absolutely no need for you to worry about anything. You’re mangers have your back on this one, there’s no need to fret over employee background checks.
You can afford a little shrink now and then.
Seriously, what’s it matter if you lose a few bucks here and there. Maybe you should pay your employees more if they’re always stealing from you. That’s all an employee background check is going to tell you, anyway! It’ll just show all the low-down places that poor guy or girl had to steal from just to make ends meet before landing on your doorstep! Cut them some slack, will ya!
Customers aren’t really that important.
Sure, they give you money, keep you and your employees paid and are essentially your business’s life blood, but other than that they can just be a down-right annoyance! If you use a pre-employee screening you might only hire people that care about the customers. That means that all those rude customers who want you to wait on them hand and foot will just keep coming back. How are you supposed to work under those conditions!
Why waste time building a culture of honesty?
The only thing a pre-employment screening will do for your business is to help foster a culture of honesty, integrity and hard work that pays off. Why on Earth would any business want that? I don’t want the same employees hanging around for years, as I’m pretty sure they’d end up stealing way too much. Turnover is good for a business, no matter what those so called “experts” say. Forego the employee background check process I say. Hiring should be like a box of chocolates (who doesn’t love chocolates?)!!
For more information about Employee Background Checks, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
Look, I’m not a salesman by any stretch of the imagination. I tried that once in my college years and my boss told me I couldn’t sell water to a camel in the desert. I suppose that’s why I majored in criminal justice… With that being said, you’ve got to see the benefit of a Checkpoint Security System. If you own, run or manager a retail store, you’re being impacted by theft. Don’t believe me? Go make a quick pass down a back aisle, or somewhere secluded in the store. I bet you find empty packages; and that’s just what you can physically see!
Retailers, for years have tried to stop shoplifting. That’s why Loss Prevention was created. If you let your losses go completely un-checked, then you wouldn’t be in business for very long. The fatal flaw in most retailer’s way of thinking is that there is some single solution, pie in the sky, magic wand waving, hocus pocus method that once in place, you’ll never have to worry about loss again. I hate to break it to you, but that’s simply not true. In fact, I wish I could invent that tool… I wouldn’t have to do this for a living J
What you need is a multi-faceted approach to stop shoplifting. The first step, is installing a Checkpoint security system. I know you’ve seen them in other retailers, they’re most identifiable by those white, or grey towers at the entrance and exit doors. You’ve probably even thought that they were just too expensive for your store, or maybe, just maybe, you thought you didn’t have a shoplifting problem. Once you install a Checkpoint security system, the possibilities are practically endless on what you can do to prevent shoplifting.
Having a problem with people stealing meat in your community grocery store? Well, you can’t identify when your beef re-animates unless you have a Checkpoint security system set up. Same holds true for all you small boutiques out there. What’s your current plan to identify a shoplifter when they exit your store with clothing they “forgot” to pay for? What about you, the local hardware store owner? Your mortgage and kid’s college is riding on a profitable year. How do you identify a shoplifter as they leave your store with a new power drill down their pants?
Bottom line here is your bottom line. If you’re OK with some shoplifting losses, here and there, then this isn’t meant for you. If you’ve grown tired of people coming into your store, stealing your merchandise and taking food off your table, then listen up. Thieves do not stop. They do not take holidays and they will also be a problem for anyone in the retail business. They are, in fact a lot like water; they take the path of least resistance. So if you don’t have a Checkpoint security system installed, then you are where the water flows through. Get smart about protecting your business. Install a tower and use some labels. A little (and I mean TINY) investment in this solution will pay for itself within months and the criminals will have to find a softer target!
For more information about, Checkpoint security systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
Alpha Shark Tags-3 WC Blog 102
Wardrobing-5
Return Fraud-3
Dressing For Success May Result In Stores Being Victims Of Wardrobing; Prevent Return Fraud With Alpha Shark Tags Part 1
I have not had to go to a job interview in several years and I know if I were to start looking for work, I would have to invest in some new “interview” clothes. In my current jobs, I wear business casual in an academic library and I wear a company supplied shirt and black slacks in my retail job. Neither set of attire would be appropriate for an interview with a new company. This caused me to start seeking the latest train of thought on what to wear to a first interview since expectations do change over time. As I started reading on the subject I was taken aback by some of the prices that would be incurred in that first suit investment and have to wonder if there was the potential for some return fraud or wardrobing? If someone is seeking their first job can they really afford the cost of the first interview suit, let alone a wardrobe? What is an appropriate amount to spend on that suit?
What is wardrobing is and how it is a form of return fraud? Wardrobing is a term used to describe someone who buys clothing, wears it once or twice and then returns it with the receipt and the tags for a full refund. The intention of the person who wardrobes is not to keep a purchase, it is not even a “rental” since they generally receive all of their money back. The purpose, for a wardrobe, is to be seen in a new outfit then return it at no cost to themselves. Having worked in retail over 26 years now, I have seen this activity. It is frustrating as a manager to deal with it because you can have a strong suspicion the item was worn but company policies require the return to be taken back since all tags and a receipt are presented. There is a way to fight this kind of fraud and that is by using Alpha Shark Tags on all apparel sold in the store. Alpha Shark Tags are brightly colored tags that are pinned to an item and unlike electronic article surveillance tags, NOT removed at the check lane when the purchase is made.
The Alpha Shark Tag prevents return fraud because the store sets a policy that an item cannot be returned once the tag is removed, period. When the item is purchased, the patron takes the item home, tries it on (or gives it as a gift with a gift receipt) and when they are sure they like it and the way it fits, they cut the tag off. It cannot be replaced since it is a one-time use design. When properly placed on a piece of clothing at the store, the Alpha Shark tag will be in a prominent location that ensures it will be seen if worn in public. Since the idea is to give the impression a new outfit has been bought, being seen with a wardrobing tag on the clothes would be embarrassing.
What should the new job seeker expect to pay for that interview suit? According to an article titled, “Top 5 Job Spending Splurges You Should Make by Kathryn Tuggle, published May 11, 2012, in foxbusiness.com, “Although spending thousands of dollars on a suit isn’t always necessary, Tolan says you should expect to spend at least $500 to get a suit that looks sharp…even if your current suit isn’t worn out, Victor Talbot Scognamiglio, style consultant and Owner at Victor Talbots Menswear in New York, says if you haven’t purchased a new suit in the last three years, you should do so.” Most articles I have found on the subject seem to lean towards the $500 price tag to spend on a new suit, although some recognize there are people on tight budgets and suggest shopping with discount retailers and even consignment shops.
Whatever the situation may be, an interview may be pricey and some may be tempted to engage in wardrobing rather than risk breaking the bank for a suit they may only wear once. You don’t need to take a loss in order for someone else to land a job, use Alpha Shark Tags and keep yourself in business.
Need information on wardrobing? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
I have not had to go to a job interview in several years and I know if I were to start looking for work, I would have to invest in some new “interview” clothes. In my current jobs, I wear business casual in an academic library and I wear a company supplied shirt and black slacks in my retail job. Neither set of attire would be appropriate for an interview with a new company. This caused me to start seeking the latest train of thought on what to wear to a first interview since expectations do change over time. As I started reading on the subject I was taken aback by some of the prices that would be incurred in that first suit investment and have to wonder if there was the potential for some return fraud or wardrobing? If someone is seeking their first job can they really afford the cost of the first interview suit, let alone a wardrobe? What is an appropriate amount to spend on that suit?
What is wardrobing is and how it is a form of return fraud? Wardrobing is a term used to describe someone who buys clothing, wears it once or twice and then returns it with the receipt and the tags for a full refund. The intention of the person who wardrobes is not to keep a purchase, it is not even a “rental” since they generally receive all of their money back. The purpose, for a wardrobe, is to be seen in a new outfit then return it at no cost to themselves. Having worked in retail over 26 years now, I have seen this activity. It is frustrating as a manager to deal with it because you can have a strong suspicion the item was worn but company policies require the return to be taken back since all tags and a receipt are presented. There is a way to fight this kind of fraud and that is by using Alpha Shark Tags on all apparel sold in the store. Alpha Shark Tags are brightly colored tags that are pinned to an item and unlike electronic article surveillance tags, NOT removed at the check lane when the purchase is made.
The Alpha Shark Tag prevents return fraud because the store sets a policy that an item cannot be returned once the tag is removed, period. When the item is purchased, the patron takes the item home, tries it on (or gives it as a gift with a gift receipt) and when they are sure they like it and the way it fits, they cut the tag off. It cannot be replaced since it is a one-time use design. When properly placed on a piece of clothing at the store, the Alpha Shark tag will be in a prominent location that ensures it will be seen if worn in public. Since the idea is to give the impression a new outfit has been bought, being seen with a wardrobing tag on the clothes would be embarrassing.
What should the new job seeker expect to pay for that interview suit? According to an article titled, “Top 5 Job Spending Splurges You Should Make by Kathryn Tuggle, published May 11, 2012, in foxbusiness.com, “Although spending thousands of dollars on a suit isn’t always necessary, Tolan says you should expect to spend at least $500 to get a suit that looks sharp…even if your current suit isn’t worn out, Victor Talbot Scognamiglio, style consultant and Owner at Victor Talbots Menswear in New York, says if you haven’t purchased a new suit in the last three years, you should do so.” Most articles I have found on the subject seem to lean towards the $500 price tag to spend on a new suit, although some recognize there are people on tight budgets and suggest shopping with discount retailers and even consignment shops.
Whatever the situation may be, an interview may be pricey and some may be tempted to engage in wardrobing rather than risk breaking the bank for a suit they may only wear once. You don’t need to take a loss in order for someone else to land a job, use Alpha Shark Tags and keep yourself in business.
Need information on wardrobing? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Retail anti-theft device: 4
Alpha Ink Tag: 3
Prevent shoplifting: 3
An Alpha Ink Tag Can Provide Your Business With Deterrence And Detection At An Affordable Cost
Being in loss prevention you tend to see a lot of interesting things; people will try and steel anything they can get their hands on. In one of the stores I worked in, we had plain clothes loss prevention (LP) staff walking throughout the store watching people and LP monitoring store cameras, in order to prevent shoplifting. On one occasion we had a lady in the apparel department who was acting suspiciously. This behavior was identified via camera system, at which time the floor LP was contacted to check into it. This lady was looking around and pushing her bag into the clothing racks as if she was trying to conceal her bag. The camera would not allow a good enough visual to determine if she was concealing store property in her bag. The floor LP arrived and was watching her from a distance as he pretended to shop, but he also was unable to confirm if a theft had occurred. He watched her for approximately ten minutes before she noticed him and departed the area. She continued to shop and purchased a couple of items before leaving the store. As she left the EAS system went off and alerted store staff. Our floor LP, that had been watching her earlier, made contact with her. They reviewed her purchases against her receipt and did not identify anything unusual. Upon further investigation, the LP staff located several items in her bag that she had taken from the apparel department. She became very upset to learn that she had mistakenly taken an item that had a retail anti-theft device attached. She was so upset that she had made that mistake that she was yelling and was extremely angry towards the staff. It was apparent that this wasn’t her first shoplifting, and that she was very familiar with retail anti-theft devices, and how to avoid that type of detection. Fortunately for us, in her covert attempt to steal our property, she mistakenly took a product that had an Alpha ink tag attached to it.
In this case we were lucky enough to stop a frequent shoplifter with the use of an Alpha ink tag. Although, we learned the hard way how easy it is for someone to steal from us if we are only partially protected. We did not use retail anti-theft devices on all of our property; instead we only tagged those items of high value or those with higher theft rates. In our attempt to save cost on security, we ultimately made ourselves more vulnerable to the professional shoplifters. Alpha ink tags are a cost efficient way to add protection to all of your merchandise and prevent shoplifting in your stores. These tags are extremely strong and durable and are equipped with EAS technology. The EAS technology works to notify you in the event a person tries to leave the store with the merchandise, but also works as a deterrent. These tags are designed so that ink is expelled when a person tries to remove the tag from the garment, thus rendering the merchandise un-useable. They also are available in standard or super lock strengths, depending on your needs. These tags are re-useable and provide an unobtrusive way to protect your property from theft.
I know I was thankful that day that our retail anti-theft device was able to identify the shoplifter. Hopefully this will deter her from coming back to our store to shoplift, and will force her to choose other retail options in the future. We did learn a valuable lesson that day; always do your best to protect all of your property, not just some of it. The best way to truly prevent shoplifting is to utilize an Alpha ink tag. They are a cost-efficient way to deter and detect theft, and provide EAS alerting capability, to enhance your existing loss prevention program.
For more information about Alpha ink tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Being in loss prevention you tend to see a lot of interesting things; people will try and steel anything they can get their hands on. In one of the stores I worked in, we had plain clothes loss prevention (LP) staff walking throughout the store watching people and LP monitoring store cameras, in order to prevent shoplifting. On one occasion we had a lady in the apparel department who was acting suspiciously. This behavior was identified via camera system, at which time the floor LP was contacted to check into it. This lady was looking around and pushing her bag into the clothing racks as if she was trying to conceal her bag. The camera would not allow a good enough visual to determine if she was concealing store property in her bag. The floor LP arrived and was watching her from a distance as he pretended to shop, but he also was unable to confirm if a theft had occurred. He watched her for approximately ten minutes before she noticed him and departed the area. She continued to shop and purchased a couple of items before leaving the store. As she left the EAS system went off and alerted store staff. Our floor LP, that had been watching her earlier, made contact with her. They reviewed her purchases against her receipt and did not identify anything unusual. Upon further investigation, the LP staff located several items in her bag that she had taken from the apparel department. She became very upset to learn that she had mistakenly taken an item that had a retail anti-theft device attached. She was so upset that she had made that mistake that she was yelling and was extremely angry towards the staff. It was apparent that this wasn’t her first shoplifting, and that she was very familiar with retail anti-theft devices, and how to avoid that type of detection. Fortunately for us, in her covert attempt to steal our property, she mistakenly took a product that had an Alpha ink tag attached to it.
In this case we were lucky enough to stop a frequent shoplifter with the use of an Alpha ink tag. Although, we learned the hard way how easy it is for someone to steal from us if we are only partially protected. We did not use retail anti-theft devices on all of our property; instead we only tagged those items of high value or those with higher theft rates. In our attempt to save cost on security, we ultimately made ourselves more vulnerable to the professional shoplifters. Alpha ink tags are a cost efficient way to add protection to all of your merchandise and prevent shoplifting in your stores. These tags are extremely strong and durable and are equipped with EAS technology. The EAS technology works to notify you in the event a person tries to leave the store with the merchandise, but also works as a deterrent. These tags are designed so that ink is expelled when a person tries to remove the tag from the garment, thus rendering the merchandise un-useable. They also are available in standard or super lock strengths, depending on your needs. These tags are re-useable and provide an unobtrusive way to protect your property from theft.
I know I was thankful that day that our retail anti-theft device was able to identify the shoplifter. Hopefully this will deter her from coming back to our store to shoplift, and will force her to choose other retail options in the future. We did learn a valuable lesson that day; always do your best to protect all of your property, not just some of it. The best way to truly prevent shoplifting is to utilize an Alpha ink tag. They are a cost-efficient way to deter and detect theft, and provide EAS alerting capability, to enhance your existing loss prevention program.
For more information about Alpha ink tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
