THE ULTIMATE REVIEW – ALPHA O-TAGS
I’ve worked in the LP industry for the past 10 years. I routinely get to test out/play with all sorts of protective devices and security tags. Whether I’m trying to find a practical solution to a specific shoplifting problem, or testing out a new device that will be used chain wide, I’ve had the chance to really get to know what products work and which ones aren’t that effective. I thought to myself a few nights ago, why not share this insight with other retailers? I know you are having the same problems I am. So I give you the first in a multi-part series. I want to focus on the Alpha O-Tag today. It’s really an awesome little device.
Key Features
1. The O-Tags come in two different sizes, small and large. This is great if you are applying them to different types of products, as sometimes, one size does not fit all.
2. The tag has an inner cushion that will protect your merchandise from damage. I really like this part since I mainly use them in my stores on golf clubs. That little detail really does prevent the clubs from being scuffed by the tag.
3. Just like all Alpha hard tags, the O-tag is very easily removed/applied. There’s no hassle, no fuss or the potential to damage the tag because you can’t remove it. (I’m sure we’ve all been there).
4. Works with RF/AM systems
Uses
1. Like I said above, I mainly use them on golf clubs in my store. For a long time, we were having huge amounts of shrink in loose golf clubs. Whether it be customer’s stealing them or switching prices, we were posting some serious shrink. We still have that thief that comes in every now and then that tries, but these tags really do make it difficult to steal.
2. Baseball bats – for you sporting goods guys and girls out there. Bats are very difficult to tag. You want your customer to be able to touch/feel/swing the bat, but obviously you still need to protect the merchandise. There’s not a lot of Alpha hard tags out there to protect baseball bats, but I’ve used them at a previous job and found them to be very effective.
3. Fishing rods – I know what you’re thinking… who isn’t going to notice the guy stealing a fishing rod! It happens more than you would ever imagine. Most thieves in this arena price switch merchandise. Having the tag applied over a certain dollar amount can help your cashier team to better identify high value merchandise. So if they have a customer with a rod that is ringing up $14.99 and it has an O-Tag applied, then they know something is wrong and should contact a manager.
4. Corded Power Tools – how big of a target of these? Thieves love power tools. They are easy to resell. Either to customers in the parking lot, online or down the street at a pawnshop. I’ve not found an Alpha hard tag that does a better job at securing my displays. Simply attaching the tag to the electrical cord makes it very difficult for a thief to get it out the door without being noticed.
I really wanted to include a section of negative points on this tag, but honestly, I don’t have any. I’ve used these tags quite a few times throughout my career and they really get the job done. Will a thief that is determined to steal the product be able to pry the tag off the item? Probably, if they have enough time. Will it stop an opportunistic thief? Every time. If you’re having trouble with shrink in golf, baseball, tools or fishing rods, this could very well be your answer. It’s another great tool to have in your arsenal against shoplifters.
For more information about O-Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
I’ve worked in the LP industry for the past 10 years. I routinely get to test out/play with all sorts of protective devices and security tags. Whether I’m trying to find a practical solution to a specific shoplifting problem, or testing out a new device that will be used chain wide, I’ve had the chance to really get to know what products work and which ones aren’t that effective. I thought to myself a few nights ago, why not share this insight with other retailers? I know you are having the same problems I am. So I give you the first in a multi-part series. I want to focus on the Alpha O-Tag today. It’s really an awesome little device.
Key Features
1. The O-Tags come in two different sizes, small and large. This is great if you are applying them to different types of products, as sometimes, one size does not fit all.
2. The tag has an inner cushion that will protect your merchandise from damage. I really like this part since I mainly use them in my stores on golf clubs. That little detail really does prevent the clubs from being scuffed by the tag.
3. Just like all Alpha hard tags, the O-tag is very easily removed/applied. There’s no hassle, no fuss or the potential to damage the tag because you can’t remove it. (I’m sure we’ve all been there).
4. Works with RF/AM systems
Uses
1. Like I said above, I mainly use them on golf clubs in my store. For a long time, we were having huge amounts of shrink in loose golf clubs. Whether it be customer’s stealing them or switching prices, we were posting some serious shrink. We still have that thief that comes in every now and then that tries, but these tags really do make it difficult to steal.
2. Baseball bats – for you sporting goods guys and girls out there. Bats are very difficult to tag. You want your customer to be able to touch/feel/swing the bat, but obviously you still need to protect the merchandise. There’s not a lot of Alpha hard tags out there to protect baseball bats, but I’ve used them at a previous job and found them to be very effective.
3. Fishing rods – I know what you’re thinking… who isn’t going to notice the guy stealing a fishing rod! It happens more than you would ever imagine. Most thieves in this arena price switch merchandise. Having the tag applied over a certain dollar amount can help your cashier team to better identify high value merchandise. So if they have a customer with a rod that is ringing up $14.99 and it has an O-Tag applied, then they know something is wrong and should contact a manager.
4. Corded Power Tools – how big of a target of these? Thieves love power tools. They are easy to resell. Either to customers in the parking lot, online or down the street at a pawnshop. I’ve not found an Alpha hard tag that does a better job at securing my displays. Simply attaching the tag to the electrical cord makes it very difficult for a thief to get it out the door without being noticed.
I really wanted to include a section of negative points on this tag, but honestly, I don’t have any. I’ve used these tags quite a few times throughout my career and they really get the job done. Will a thief that is determined to steal the product be able to pry the tag off the item? Probably, if they have enough time. Will it stop an opportunistic thief? Every time. If you’re having trouble with shrink in golf, baseball, tools or fishing rods, this could very well be your answer. It’s another great tool to have in your arsenal against shoplifters.
For more information about O-Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Alpha Shark Tags – 5 WC blog 05
Return fraud – 4
Taking A Bite Out Of Return Fraud With Alpha Shark Tags
Retail theft is a major headache for any retailer. It may be an opportunist who takes a drink from a cooler and consumes it while shopping then drops it somewhere in the store and fails to pay for it. It could be a booster stealing thousands of dollars of merchandise then selling it on the street. Whatever the cause, all of it affects the profitability of the store. Retail theft prevention programs often focus on efforts to stop shoplifting, but neglect Return Fraud and the costly impact it has on businesses. While there are a myriad of tools available for deterring and preventing theft, preventing return fraud can be a daunting task. Using Alpha Shark Tags is one effective tool retailers may use to combat this activity.
Once upon a time I worked for a department store that sold higher end clothing lines. We had dye tags and electronic article surveillance tags on merchandise that assisted in theft deterrence, but were of little value in preventing return fraud. Since the merchandise was purchased through the point of sale the tags were properly removed or deactivated. I wish we had the Alpha Shark Tag available to us at that time. The Alpha Shark Tag is a small, brightly colored, plastic tag that is placed on clothing by the retailer. It is the purchaser who is required to remove it by cutting it off once they leave the store. It is a one-time use product and by forcing the customer to cut off the device after purchase the possibility of replacing it on the clothing and returning it is removed. The buyer can take it home, and try the merchandise on again or give it as a gift with the tag still intact. If the buyer or the gift recipient wants to return the item the tag should be required to be in place. Since the Alpha Shark Tag is so bright and visible, when properly attached to a garment, the attire cannot be worn with the intent of returning it later.
I recall the complaints of the sales associates and area managers who were responsible for processing returns of soft lines items. Often they suspected a dress or an outfit had been worn once or twice, but due to return policies of the company they were required to take the merchandise back. Now the issue was not that the item had been worn, it goes without saying there will be legitimate returns of clothing that may not fit, or simply are not a style someone prefers. The merchandise returns that angered the associates were the pieces of merchandise that smelled of perfume, cigarette smoke or other odors. The associates were well aware of items that had been purchased and worn to a party then refunded. My future wife worked in this store and educated me on what the perpetrators of the return fraud were doing. Depending on the placement of the merchandise tags, those committing the fraud would tuck the tag back in the clothing and tape it up inside the item. They might also carefully slide the tags off of the plastic attachment and when they were done wearing the item they would slip the tags back on, bring in the garment with the receipt and get their money back. I learned a lot from my wife and the other sales associates, but my hands were tied. As long as the “customer” followed the store policies, they were going to get their refund.
It is a fact that many who commit return fraud do not see themselves as doing anything wrong. They believe they are working within the guidelines established by the stores and therefore they think they are playing by the rules. The fact is, these “customers” are damaging merchandise and it is the retailer who is required to take a loss through a significant markdown or by being forced to defect the merchandise out of stock. It is a profit loss to the store either way. Companies large and small could minimize losses by implementing a strong fraud prevention program. Using Alpha Shark Tags and ensuring they are placed in a highly visible location on merchandise coupled with a clearly stated and enforced return policy will add to a store’s profit margin.
For more information about Alpha Shark Tags contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Retail theft is a major headache for any retailer. It may be an opportunist who takes a drink from a cooler and consumes it while shopping then drops it somewhere in the store and fails to pay for it. It could be a booster stealing thousands of dollars of merchandise then selling it on the street. Whatever the cause, all of it affects the profitability of the store. Retail theft prevention programs often focus on efforts to stop shoplifting, but neglect return fraud and the costly impact it has on businesses. While there are a myriad of tools available for deterring and preventing theft, preventing return fraud can be a daunting task. Using Alpha Shark Tags is one effective tool retailers may use to combat this activity.
Once upon a time I worked for a department store that sold higher end clothing lines. We had dye tags and electronic article surveillance tags on merchandise that assisted in theft deterrence, but were of little value in preventing return fraud. Since the merchandise was purchased through the point of sale the tags were properly removed or deactivated. I wish we had the Alpha Shark Tag available to us at that time. The Alpha Shark Tag is a small, brightly colored, plastic tag that is placed on clothing by the retailer. It is the purchaser who is required to remove it by cutting it off once they leave the store. It is a one-time use product and by forcing the customer to cut off the device after purchase the possibility of replacing it on the clothing and returning it is removed. The buyer can take it home, and try the merchandise on again or give it as a gift with the tag still intact. If the buyer or the gift recipient wants to return the item the tag should be required to be in place. Since the Alpha Shark Tag is so bright and visible, when properly attached to a garment, the attire cannot be worn with the intent of returning it later.
I recall the complaints of the sales associates and area managers who were responsible for processing returns of soft lines items. Often they suspected a dress or an outfit had been worn once or twice, but due to return policies of the company they were required to take the merchandise back. Now the issue was not that the item had been worn, it goes without saying there will be legitimate returns of clothing that may not fit, or simply are not a style someone prefers. The merchandise returns that angered the associates were the pieces of merchandise that smelled of perfume, cigarette smoke or other odors. The associates were well aware of items that had been purchased and worn to a party then refunded. My future wife worked in this store and educated me on what the perpetrators of the return fraud were doing. Depending on the placement of the merchandise tags, those committing the fraud would tuck the tag back in the clothing and tape it up inside the item. They might also carefully slide the tags off of the plastic attachment and when they were done wearing the item they would slip the tags back on, bring in the garment with the receipt and get their money back. I learned a lot from my wife and the other sales associates, but my hands were tied. As long as the “customer” followed the store policies, they were going to get their refund.
It is a fact that many who commit return fraud do not see themselves as doing anything wrong. They believe they are working within the guidelines established by the stores and therefore they think they are playing by the rules. The fact is, these “customers” are damaging merchandise and it is the retailer who is required to take a loss through a significant markdown or by being forced to defect the merchandise out of stock. It is a profit loss to the store either way. Companies large and small could minimize losses by implementing a strong fraud prevention program. Using Alpha Shark Tags and ensuring they are placed in a highly visible location on merchandise coupled with a clearly stated and enforced return policy will add to a store’s profit margin.
For more information about Alpha Shark Tags contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Does you bar or nightclub offer bottle service with the addition of the EASy Bottle? If not, let me venture to describe how an average night goes at your place. First of all, your bottle service tables may or may not get booked up. People have heard the rumors about your business and they aren’t comfortable coming there. Nothing ruins a good night out like gunfire. Bottle service is supposed to offer the patrons an upscale experience, but the drinks are poured a little too freely there too, and there are a lot of fights that get reported. The members of the party are generally expected to split the cost of those top shelf liquors they are required to buy, but there’s the one guy that keeps making his drinks a lot stronger than the others. He is feeling ten foot tall and bulletproof, and of course, he’s got a big mouth to go with that feeling. And of course, this doesn’t even account for the times that minors have been a part of the group and gotten drinks there. Of course, so far those are just rumors, but this will definitely keep away some valuable business. I would never go to a bar where they had got caught serving drinks to people under the legal age.
That’s all a lot of hypothetical problems, but when you have a group of people that have several bottles of the strong stuff, you are asking for it if you have no control of the situation. With the EASy bottle system in use at your bar or nightclub, you are putting your business back in control. The bottle locks keep the bottles secured until the hostess opens them. She can easily and quickly open the bottles with one hand, and never keep the customers waiting. All the drinks will be poured consistently and evenly so you don’t have that one guy with super strong mixes, and the other people being forced to settle for weak ones. If they are all there to have a good time, and split the cost, then they all have the right to enjoy themselves. This can significantly reduce the threat of fights out on the dance floor and out in the parking lot. If the hostess sees that someone has had too much, she can cut them off. And it takes the threat of having a minor come in undetected right off the table. If the hostess sees someone new come into the party, she can immediately card him or her and ensure your business is following the law. If you were in the latter situation, you could be held responsible for any damages caused if they get into a wreck or any other trouble.
Bottle service with EASy bottle has another perk you may not have thought about. If you have bottle locks in place, you reduce the risk of losing bottles to dishonest employees as well. Attach them to all your bottles in your storage room, and you’ve got a winning situation back there. It’s like you’ve hired a whole extra security crew without having to pay them or give them benefits. You get all the benefits instead. You see, if your bottles are locked shut, they are useless to a thief. The bottle will break before that bottle lock comes off. Keep the magnet keys protected at all times, and you won’t have to worry about the free booze parties that happen way too often after a nightclub closes and the manager has gone home. Bottle locks keep your valuable extra inventory on the shelves until you need them, and there’s no way for someone to just sneak in and have a drink on the house during their break. This also stops dishonest bartenders from watering down your bottles.
Keep the trust of your community, give them a good safe time, and protect your inventory. You can’t lose with bottle service and the EASy bottle.
For more information on Bottle Service, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 or Bottle-services.net
CHECKPOINT TAGS HELP BUST ORC RING
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again now; return fraud is one of the biggest fraud schemes affecting retailers right now. This fraud can occur in so many different ways, it’s almost overwhelming to the stores. Individuals can simply walk into the store and grab merchandise; if a cashier isn’t paying attention, a refund can be given to that individual. Thieves will also steal from one store, then immediately drive to the next closest store to return the stolen goods for store credit. Even more brazen thieves will steal the product from the store, go out to their car and then immediately return to that very same store and get a refund for the merchandise THEY JUST STOLE!. It’s a huge issue in my stores that we combat every single day. The only thing that slows down the thieves is our Checkpoint Tags; and that’s been challenged lately as well.
My stores carry a plethora of high end apparel items, so making sure we have security tags on clothes is of the utmost importance. For a long time, this was helping us battle the shoplifters. I once had a large group making fraudulent refunds. It seemed like every day a different person was returning merchandise to one of my stores. It was frustrating as the product that they were targeting was secured with Checkpoint tags. I couldn’t figure out where they were getting the product from and I didn’t understand how my physical security measures weren’t being more effective. Until a very attentive cashier broke the case for me.
At this point, I had identified 10 individuals whom were making large dollar returns on a specific pair of athletic pants. Since it takes almost no effort to place security tags on clothes, I made sure to instruct all my stores to tag these pants. They were a bit under the normal threshold for tagging, but we were getting slammed with theft. Weeks went by and I kept seeing return after return from this same group. It would always be a different suspect, but they would all get out of the same, very distinctive vehicle (think small car with 37” rims), so I knew they were all connected. What I didn’t know was how they were connected and how they were beating me.
One afternoon, I received a phone call from a cashier at one of my stores. This cashier had just processed another return for someone from this group and she noticed something was amiss. After the suspect left the store, the cashier very carefully inspected the clothing. She noticed that there was a small hole in the fabric where the Checkpoint tag should’ve been. Since the fabric was stretch-fit, it was very difficult to see. Without realizing it, this cashier helped me to bust this case wide open!
After that phone call, I started calling managers at every store that had recently been targeted. I made them pull any recent returns and inspect them for damage. Sure enough there were holes in every pair in the exact position where the hard tags were once placed. This group had been cutting a very small hole in the stretchy fabric. They were then able to stretch the hole over the hard tag, causing only minimal damage. It was almost impossible to see, but the evidence was there. Sometimes, putting security tags on clothes simply isn’t enough.
After a few more weeks, the long arm of the law finally caught up with this group. We found out that the ring leader was a heroin dealer, and the owner of that classy looking car. He would get users to steal and make the refunds for him in order to pay for the drug. He would then sell the store credits to local pawnshops. Detectives were able to make a very strong case against him by using testimony from several of those caught. Not only did he go down for conspiracy, organized retail crime and felony shoplifting, when he was apprehended, he had a large amount of heroin in his possession. He was eventually sentenced to life in prison. (At the time, my state had a mandatory life sentence for anyone convicted of distributing heroin). All of that from something as simple as a cashier noticing a hole where a Checkpoint Tag should’ve been.
For more information Clothing Security, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again now; return fraud is one of the biggest fraud schemes affecting retailers right now. This fraud can occur in so many different ways, it’s almost overwhelming to the stores. Individuals can simply walk into the store and grab merchandise; if a cashier isn’t paying attention, a refund can be given to that individual. Thieves will also steal from one store, then immediately drive to the next closest store to return the stolen goods for store credit. Even more brazen thieves will steal the product from the store, go out to their car and then immediately return to that very same store and get a refund for the merchandise THEY JUST STOLE!. It’s a huge issue in my stores that we combat every single day. The only thing that slows down the thieves is our Checkpoint Tags; and that’s been challenged lately as well.
My stores carry a plethora of high end apparel items, so making sure we have security tags on clothes is of the utmost importance. For a long time, this was helping us battle the shoplifters. I once had a large group making fraudulent refunds. It seemed like every day a different person was returning merchandise to one of my stores. It was frustrating as the product that they were targeting was secured with Checkpoint tags. I couldn’t figure out where they were getting the product from and I didn’t understand how my physical security measures weren’t being more effective. Until a very attentive cashier broke the case for me.
At this point, I had identified 10 individuals whom were making large dollar returns on a specific pair of athletic pants. Since it takes almost no effort to place security tags on clothes, I made sure to instruct all my stores to tag these pants. They were a bit under the normal threshold for tagging, but we were getting slammed with theft. Weeks went by and I kept seeing return after return from this same group. It would always be a different suspect, but they would all get out of the same, very distinctive vehicle (think small car with 37” rims), so I knew they were all connected. What I didn’t know was how they were connected and how they were beating me.
One afternoon, I received a phone call from a cashier at one of my stores. This cashier had just processed another return for someone from this group and she noticed something was amiss. After the suspect left the store, the cashier very carefully inspected the clothing. She noticed that there was a small hole in the fabric where the Checkpoint tag should’ve been. Since the fabric was stretch-fit, it was very difficult to see. Without realizing it, this cashier helped me to bust this case wide open!
After that phone call, I started calling managers at every store that had recently been targeted. I made them pull any recent returns and inspect them for damage. Sure enough there were holes in every pair in the exact position where the hard tags were once placed. This group had been cutting a very small hole in the stretchy fabric. They were then able to stretch the hole over the hard tag, causing only minimal damage. It was almost impossible to see, but the evidence was there. Sometimes, putting security tags on clothes simply isn’t enough.
After a few more weeks, the long arm of the law finally caught up with this group. We found out that the ring leader was a heroin dealer, and the owner of that classy looking car. He would get users to steal and make the refunds for him in order to pay for the drug. He would then sell the store credits to local pawnshops. Detectives were able to make a very strong case against him by using testimony from several of those caught. Not only did he go down for conspiracy, organized retail crime and felony shoplifting, when he was apprehended, he had a large amount of heroin in his possession. He was eventually sentenced to life in prison. (At the time, my state had a mandatory life sentence for anyone convicted of distributing heroin). All of that from something as simple as a cashier noticing a hole where a Checkpoint Tag should’ve been.
For more information Clothing Security, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
“Ban the box! Ban the Box!” The mantra is picking up steam as the movement heads across the country. What is “the box” you ask? The “box” is the small box for a checkmark found on many job applications across the country asking about one’s criminal history experience. The “Ban the Box” movement has resulted in over 100 cities and 18 states across the country enacting laws that in effect banned the box and prohibited employers from asking the question on employment applications. Many people misinterpret the box as prohibiting employers from ever considering criminal history, which the movement would likely relish; however that is not the case. Employers are still permitted to run employee background checks. It is the timing of questions about the applicant’s criminal background check that is effected by the box.
In states that still have the box on their employment applications, employers are permitted to inquire about criminal histories on the applications and they use those answers as their first pre-employment screening and eliminate potential candidates for positions based on their having checked the box. In states that have banned the box employee background checks can still be run but they can only be inquired at the formal interview or after a conditional offer. This purportedly allows the candidate to present their best side, should they have a criminal record, without fear of being eliminated and never having a chance to get to the interview. Proponents of the movement cite high criminal history rates caused by tougher sentencing standards, especially in regard to drug offenses, which are also reportedly unfair to minority populations.
That may be true and no one would likely argue against the belief that one often deserves a second chance when they make a mistake and may be a completely different person than they were when they had their brush with the law. The question remains as to how much risk you as an employer are willing to accept. One premise of employee background checks is they are important because “the best indicator of future success is past performance.” In other words, one who has committed crimes and taken shortcuts in the past in likely to do so again in the future.
My experience in both the public sector in law enforcement and the private sector in security and loss prevention has found this premise to hold a great deal of credence. I can recall many instances where companies I have worked for decided that the CEO or other senior executive’s “gut instinct” of a person was more reliable than the pre-employment screening completed by our reputable background check company. The result was almost inevitably that the company would regret its decision to make an exception on the background check policy and hire someone with a criminal history indicative of problems.
One included a district manager who had a history of drug offenses and a couple of tips were received indicating he was using again or still. He then is directed to take a drug test (driving himself of course) and has to stop at a local head shop to get a bag of synthetic urine that you then microwave to body temperature and attach to your leg. He probably should have not microwaved it so long as the lab technician had to inform us that our employee was in mortal danger because his urine was in excess of 110 degrees. Even after that blunder, his advocating executive let him agree to drug counseling and he was once again caught reoffending and confessed to us he never stopped since his criminal arrest for possession with intent that should have been a flag to eliminate him from consideration.
Pre-employment screening by a reputable background check company is our best defense (if we listen to them) to the risk posed by hiring someone with a checkered past. It gives us the opportunity to evaluate the potential risk even in states where they “ban the box.” Just as the applicant deserves the right to at least get in front of you to present their experience, you deserve the right to have a background check company evaluate the risk posed by their background. You have to know it to evaluate it.
For more information on employee background checks contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
