Some people call it being frugal. Others say it’s a way to keep up with the latest fashions without breaking the bank. Even more people justify it by saying how great the markup is on apparel and that online retailers can afford it. I call it theft. I’m talking of course about wardrobing. When someone purchases an item, usually a piece of apparel, and wears it only a few times before returning it to the store. Are you really in business to rent clothing? Of course not. You need to protect your profits from fraudsters like this, and using Alpha Shark Tags as part of your company’s loss prevention strategy is a great way to do just that.
I’ll admit this to the internet. I have a close family member who does this. I found out recently at a family gathering. I overheard her talking with some cousins. The younger cousins were all in awe because she always seems to have the latest styles and they were, I gather, wanting fashion advice. I’ll never understand the mind of a teenage girl…I was there for the BBQ and adult beverages. We’re from Mars… I get it. So as they are talking, I hear her give the younger girls some fantastic advice. “Shop online, and then when you wear the clothes, hide the price tags like this (showing a hidden tag under her arm). Once you’ve worn it a time or two, just send it back and get a refund.” I couldn’t believe what I just heard. I didn’t get say anything since the BBQ was done and really forgot about it for a few weeks.
If you have an online store, this is happening to you. I can guarantee that the younger group will try it and get away with it and it will be shared with more and more people. This is happening everywhere, and you, the retailer are the victim. You’re going to end up footing the bill for these people to rent your clothes. Want to stop it? Invest a little into Alpha Shark Tags. These bright red tags are placed someone very visible on the item and are easily removed at home by the customer. You should adopt a return policy that denies a refund to items that have the shark tag removed or tampered with. Unless we see a new fashion trend where the shark tag becomes a fashion accessory, this can stop this from happening to you!
For more information, contact us: Shark Tags, or call 1.770.426.0547
Some people call it being frugal. Others say it’s a way to keep up with the latest fashions without breaking the bank. Even more people justify it by saying how great the markup is on apparel and that online retailers can afford it. I call it theft. I’m talking of course about wardrobing. When someone purchases an item, usually a piece of apparel, and wears it only a few times before returning it to the store. Are you really in business to rent clothing? Of course not. You need to protect your profits from fraudsters like this, and using Alpha Shark Tags as part of your company’s loss prevention strategy is a great way to do just that.
I’ll admit this to the internet. I have a close family member who does this. I found out recently at a family gathering. I overheard her talking with some cousins. The younger cousins were all in awe because she always seems to have the latest styles and they were, I gather, wanting fashion advice. I’ll never understand the mind of a teenage girl…I was there for the BBQ and adult beverages. We’re from Mars… I get it. So as they are talking, I hear her give the younger girls some fantastic advice. “Shop online, and then when you wear the clothes, hide the price tags like this (showing a hidden tag under her arm). Once you’ve worn it a time or two, just send it back and get a refund.” I couldn’t believe what I just heard. I didn’t get to say anything since the BBQ was done and really I forgot about it for a few weeks.
If you have an online store, this is happening to you. I can guarantee that the younger group will try it and get away with it and it will be shared with more and more people. This is happening everywhere, and you, the retailer are the victim. You’re going to end up footing the bill for these people to rent your clothes. Want to stop it? Invest a little into Alpha Shark Tags. These bright red tags are placed someone very visible on the item and are easily removed at home by the customer. You should adopt a return policy that denies a refund to items that have the Shark Tag removed or tampered with. Unless we see a new fashion trend where the Shark Tag becomes a fashion accessory, this can stop this from happening to you!
For more information, contact us: Shark Tags, or call 1.770.426.0547
Studies show that about 55% of drug theft from a pharmacy is caused by burglaries and armed robberies. Sadly, the other 45% is stolen by the employees themselves. “You gotta believe.” This is also a key in stopping internal drug theft before it starts. After being in the retail pharmacy business for over 14 years, I have seen a number of cases, and each time it happens I hear people say they just cannot believe this person would steal from their workplace. If you do not think it can happen in your business, it probably already has. Anti-theft measures and tools in a pharmacy, like inventory tracking and RX caps, are important factors in deterring and detecting prescription drug theft.
There is a certain level of trust that any manager or owner must have in their employees in order to be able to ever go home at night. They can become like family to you. But with a perception of need, the availability of the product, and their own internal justification, drug theft and diversion is a true and distinct possibility.
Most high level controlled drugs and narcotics are in some kind of safe or locked cabinet. Unfortunately, this does not stop them from being taken. A pharmacist can have an addiction problem or the more tenured technicians could be given access to these by an over-trusting pharmacist. One helpful tool to add to these most targeted and highly addictive pain relievers is RX caps. These secure the bottles until they are ready to be dispensed. Then they are opened with a special key when needed. There would need to be a check and balance system in place in order to not only protect the keys, but also to monitor their use. If there is an attempt to remove a bottle from the designated area, the detection system would cause an alarm to sound. Depending on the alarm level, the RX caps can also self alarm due to tampering or continue to emit sound a certain distance from the area.
There also needs to be an inventory tracking system that will alert the staff to a problem or an exception. If you buy 3 bottles of Drug-A every ordering cycle, you should be dispensing an amount sufficient enough to warrant the purchase. If you notice that the ordering of Drug-A has been “upped” to 5 bottles every cycle while the dispensing remains at the 3 bottle level, it should cause a red flag immediately. Maybe there is a problem with the ordering system. You certainly do not want to have all of that inventory building on your shelves when it is not needed. They may expire before they are ever used up. The other distinct possibility is that someone is ordering the extra bottles to cover diversion. If your system indicates you have the pills in stock and they are not there, then someone will start to investigate quicker than if the 3 bottles needed are sitting on the shelf as expected.
Between these two tools, RX caps and intense tracking, the threat of drug theft and diversion can be significantly decreased and even deterred. If employees know you are watching, tracking and protecting the inventory, they will be less likely to attempt to steal. They may still perceive the need, but you have taken away the opportunity.
For more information contact us: 1.770.426.0547 or Antishoplifting.net
Studies show that about 55% of drug theft from a pharmacy is caused by burglaries and armed robberies. Sadly, the other 45% is stolen by the employees themselves. “You gotta believe.” This is also a key in stopping internal drug theft before it starts. After being in the retail pharmacy business for over 14 years, I have seen a number of cases, and each time it happens I hear people say they just cannot believe this person would steal from their workplace. If you do not think it can happen in your business, it probably already has. Anti-theft measures and tools in a pharmacy, like inventory tracking and Alpha RX caps, are important factors in deterring and detecting prescription drug theft.
There is a certain level of trust that any manager or owner must have in their employees in order to be able to ever go home at night. They can become like family to you. But with a perception of need, the availability of the product, and their own internal justification, drug theft and diversion is a true and distinct possibility.
Most high level controlled drugs and narcotics are in some kind of safe or locked cabinet. Unfortunately, this does not stop them from being taken. A pharmacist can have an addiction problem or the more tenured technicians could be given access to these by an over-trusting pharmacist. One helpful tool to add to these most targeted and highly addictive pain relievers is Alpha RX caps. These secure the bottles until they are ready to be dispensed. Then they are opened with a special key when needed. There would need to be a check and balance system in place in order to not only protect the keys, but also to monitor their use. If there is an attempt to remove a bottle from the designated area, the detection system would cause an alarm to sound. Depending on the alarm level, the RX Caps can also self alarm due to tampering or continue to emit sound a certain distance from the area.
There also needs to be an inventory tracking system that will alert the staff to a problem or an exception. If you buy 3 bottles of Drug-A every ordering cycle, you should be dispensing an amount sufficient enough to warrant the purchase. If you notice that the ordering of Drug-A has been “upped” to 5 bottles every cycle while the dispensing remains at the 3 bottle level, it should cause a red flag immediately. Maybe there is a problem with the ordering system. You certainly do not want to have all of that inventory building on your shelves when it is not needed. They may expire before they are ever used up. The other distinct possibility is that someone is ordering the extra bottles to cover diversion. If your system indicates you have the pills in stock and they are not there, then someone will start to investigate quicker than if the 3 bottles needed are sitting on the shelf as expected. Between these two tools, Alpha RX caps and intense tracking, the threat of drug theft and diversion can be significantly decreased and even deterred. If employees know you are watching, tracking and protecting the inventory, they will be less likely to attempt to steal. They may still perceive the need, but you have taken away the opportunity.
For more information contact us: 1.770.426.0547 or Antishoplifting.net
When making a decision on where to buy quality clothing, a good home entertainment system, or even some new furniture for your house, how do you usually decide where to shop? Most people turn to Google to find the closest location with the best deal. One thing that Google doesn’t have is a recommendation from someone you trust. If your best friend suggests shopping at a certain store, you trust their recommendation, right? Especially if they brag about the great customer service experience, prices, and the quality merchandise. This recommendation carries a lot of weight for you, builds a credible reputation for the business. Creating a reputation can also help a store to prevent shoplifting.
Believe it or not, this occurs with a store’s reputation of security, customer service, and how easy it is to steal from that store. However, criminals spread word of mouth about poor customer service, unsecure merchandise, poor alarm response and ultimately ability to shoplift undetected. These attributes make a store more appealing for shoplifters to target. If the word on the street is that a store is hard to steal from undetected, most shoplifters will choose a better-recommended store.
Over the many years that I have been working in retail loss prevention, I have observed and apprehended hundreds of shoplifters. I have also witnessed many shoplifters and thieves case a store to size up its security. There are a few things I have witnessed shoplifters pay close attention to when sizing up a “score.”
The first thing that they look for is merchandise security. Are most expensive items locked up on the sales floor? Do they have locking peg hooks, Alpha spider wraps, Alpha 3 Alarm cables, or other Alpha security devices? How difficult would it be to defeat any security devices without being detected? If you have one of your best-selling items left unsecured and ready for the taking, it is at high risk for shoplifting. Items that are shoplifted tend to be the same items that are in high demand for paying customers, and are thus high-selling items.
The next thing they size up is store staffing. Does the store have a lot of employees? Are those employees busy accomplishing tasks on the sales floor, or are they greeting every customer that comes within fifteen feet of them? At what time is the store staffed the least? Do employees have a good knowledge of what product is in their store? All of these help a thief decide whether they are likely to be approached or caught by an employee while they are shoplifting. Likewise, engaging customers and providing a great customer experience is one of the best ways to prevent shoplifting.
The third most important aspect of security that shoplifters will assess is the store’s security system. Do they have a Checkpoint security system or other electronic article surveillance that will sound an alarm at the door? Are the devices that will activate the alarm on the desired merchandise? Are there many cameras and public-view monitors around the store that will detect their theft? Is there an armed guard at the entrance? A weaker security system within a store certainly does make it a more desirable target for thieves.
When making a decision on where to buy quality clothing, a good home entertainment system, or even some new furniture for your house, how do you usually decide where to shop? Most people turn to Google to find the closest location with the best deal. One thing that Google doesn’t have is a recommendation from someone you trust. If your best friend suggests shopping at a certain store, you trust their recommendation, right? Especially if they brag about the great customer service experience, prices, and the quality merchandise. This recommendation carries a lot of weight for you, builds a credible reputation for the business. Creating a reputation can also help a store to prevent shoplifting.
Believe it or not, this occurs with a store’s reputation of security, customer service, and how easy it is to steal from that store. However, criminals spread word of mouth about poor customer service, unsecure merchandise, poor alarm response and ultimately ability to shoplift undetected. These attributes make a store more appealing for shoplifters to target. If the word on the street is that a store is hard to steal from undetected, most shoplifters will choose a better-recommended store.
Over the many years that I have been working in retail loss prevention, I have observed and apprehended hundreds of shoplifters. I have also witnessed many shoplifters and thieves case a store to size up its security. There are a few things I have witnessed shoplifters pay close attention to when sizing up a “score.”
The first thing that they look for is merchandise security. Are most expensive items locked up on the sales floor? Do they have locking peg hooks, Alpha Spider Wraps, Alpha 3 Alarm Cables, or other Alpha security devices? How difficult would it be to defeat any security devices without being detected? If you have one of your best-selling items left unsecured and ready for the taking, it is at high risk for shoplifting. Items that are shoplifted tend to be the same items that are in high demand for paying customers, and are thus high-selling items.
The next thing they size up is store staffing. Does the store have a lot of employees? Are those employees busy accomplishing tasks on the sales floor, or are they greeting every customer that comes within fifteen feet of them? At what time is the store staffed the least? Do employees have a good knowledge of what product is in their store? All of these help a thief decide whether they are likely to be approached or caught by an employee while they are shoplifting. Likewise, engaging customers and providing a great customer experience is one of the best ways to prevent shoplifting.
The third most important aspect of security that shoplifters will assess is the store’s security system. Do they have a Checkpoint Security System or other electronic article surveillance that will sound an alarm at the door? Are the devices that will activate the alarm on the desired merchandise? Are there many cameras and public-view monitors around the store that will detect their theft? Is there an armed guard at the entrance? A weaker security system within a store certainly does make it a more desirable target for thieves.
Keep in mind how these three elements of safety and security are present in your store, and what you are doing to prevent theft. Know that these things do not only affect who walks into the store, but also what people are saying about your store out on the street.
For more information contact us: Prevent Shoplifting or call 1.770.426.0547
Everyone wants to stop shoplifting in their store. It’s really a no-brainer. If you got rid of the theft problem, your sales would increase, your profitability would rise and your business would be in better financial health. It only makes sense. You’ve probably scratched your head some nights after finding out about a loss and thought about all the ways you could have prevented that loss and saved your store money. You’re not alone. Small to medium sized retails stores across the country are in the same predicament. You want to minimize theft, but you don’t want to impact your sales, nor do you want to alienate your legitimate shopper. So where do you find the balance.
I had a store last week email me a photo of a section of their fishing line. It was completely empty. The store manager told me that over the past two weeks, a group of people were stealing his shelves bare. I offered to send him some checkpoint labels, however he stated that it would take too much time for him to apply the tags on his product at the store. This manager made the first mistake of combatting shoplifting. He’s thinking too much like a manager, and not enough like a loss prevention professional. You have to find a balance. A few weeks had gone by and it was time for an LP store visit in that store. From my monthly notes, I remembered the fishing line problem, so that was the first place I walked to when I entered the store. What I found drove me insane…
The store manager, who refused my advice on the checkpoint labels as a tool to combat loss had installed a locked glass case for the fishing line. I called the store manager over to discuss, since this was against company policy. Now, the store manager was thinking too much like LP. (Hey, if I could run a successful store with everything locked up, I would). He stated that he was sick of the theft and that he needed to do something. I asked him to run the sales report on this category. He very abrasively asked why I was worried about his sales! It’s quite a common misconception that people have about the loss prevention industry. I’m not here just catch shoplifters, or bust employees. I’m here because I care about the financial well-being of the company. I will do whatever is necessary to eliminate losses as well as enhancing sales to improve overall profitability. That was too much for this manager to understand… Nothing like have a difficult personality to work with.
In short order, his sales had plummeted nearly 500% since he installed the glass doors. He was losing more money from missed sales than what he was losing from shrink. It was a wakeup call and it was finally time for the store to start using the checkpoint labels. Not long after my visit, I sent the store a good amount of labels for them to start using as soon as they removed the glass case. Amazingly enough, it only took about one hour for a store employee to properly tag all the fishing line with those checkpoint labels. 4 payroll hours less than the glass install. Moreover, Just as I knew it would, his sales bounced back and theft decreased dramatically. Shoplifters really don’t want to get caught, so if they encounter any type of EAS device, they will most likely move on.
For more information, contact us: Checkpoint Labels, or call 1.770.426.0547
Everyone wants to stop shoplifting in their store. It’s really a no-brainer. If you got rid of the theft problem, your sales would increase, your profitability would rise and your business would be in better financial health. It only makes sense. You’ve probably scratched your head some nights after finding out about a loss and thought about all the ways you could have prevented that loss and saved your store money. You’re not alone. Small to medium sized retails stores across the country are in the same predicament. You want to minimize theft, but you don’t want to impact your sales, nor do you want to alienate your legitimate shopper. So where do you find the balance.
I had a store last week email me a photo of a section of their fishing line. It was completely empty. The store manager told me that over the past two weeks, a group of people were stealing his shelves bare. I offered to send him some Checkpoint Labels, however he stated that it would take too much time for him to apply the tags on his product at the store. This manager made the first mistake of combatting shoplifting. He’s thinking too much like a manager, and not enough like a loss prevention professional. You have to find a balance. A few weeks had gone by and it was time for an LP store visit in that store. From my monthly notes, I remembered the fishing line problem, so that was the first place I walked to when I entered the store. What I found drove me insane…
The store manager, who refused my advice on the Checkpoint Labels as a tool to combat loss had installed a locked glass case for the fishing line. I called the store manager over to discuss, since this was against company policy. Now, the store manager was thinking too much like LP. (Hey, if I could run a successful store with everything locked up, I would). He stated that he was sick of the theft and that he needed to do something. I asked him to run the sales report on this category. He very abrasively asked why I was worried about his sales! It’s quite a common misconception that people have about the loss prevention industry. I’m not here just catch shoplifters, or bust employees. I’m here because I care about the financial well-being of the company. I will do whatever is necessary to eliminate losses as well as enhancing sales to improve overall profitability. That was too much for this manager to understand… Nothing like have a difficult personality to work with.
In short order, his sales had plummeted nearly 500% since he installed the glass doors. He was losing more money from missed sales than what he was losing from shrink. It was a wakeup call and it was finally time for the store to start using the Checkpoint Labels. Not long after my visit, I sent the store a good amount of labels for them to start using as soon as they removed the glass case. Amazingly enough, it only took about one hour for a store employee to properly tag all the fishing line with those Checkpoint Labels. Four payroll hours less than the glass install. Moreover, just as I knew it would, his sales bounced back and theft decreased dramatically. Shoplifters really don’t want to get caught, so if they encounter any type of EAS device, they will most likely move on.
For more information about Checkpoint Labels – contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
If you have been searching for a cost effective solution to protect merchandise that you have displayed on peg hooks, there is a new device that makes the process extremely easy. Checkpoint Systems has come up with yet another great anti-shoplifting device that will help you reduce theft in your store. The iS Autopeg Tag is a retail theft prevention device that can simplify the way you currently protect your hanging merchandise. These devices can be used instead of hard plastic keepers, or soft security tags that you may usually place on some items. One big advantage with these devices vs. using soft tags is that they are completely reusable, so once they are taken off by cashiers upon purchase, they can go right back and be placed on the next item. Unlike keepers, these devices leave the merchandise packaging out for the customer to handle, yet still keep your merchandise protected. In fact, they can be used with the same EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance) system you already have in place for standard Checkpoint Tags and Labels. That means that the alarm will still go off at the door if the shoplifter tries to exit the store without purchasing the protected items.
The Autopeg tags are a snap to use, literally. The device works by simply clicking the small device on to the hole in the top of the merchandise packaging that holds the item on the peg hook. It’s that simple. Ease of use is extremely important when dealing with merchandise protection, because it will cut down on training time for your employees and device removal time at the checkout. That’s less money you’ll have to spend on payroll, and less angry customers you’ll have waiting in line at the register, which is always good. Happy customers and less expenses equals a happy boss, and a profitable store.
If an anti-shoplifting device is complicated to use, it is much more likely that it will be put on the device improperly, or employees being intimidated to even use them at all. I’ve seen employees struggling with retail theft prevention devices before, and it’s never a good situation. With these tags, you just snap them on, and snap them off, so it can’t get much easier. Not much training will be needed, because they can also be used with your existing tag detachers or S3 keys that you are already using.
You no longer have to worry about where you are going to place a tag on the packaging without sacrificing the brand name or important manufacturer information on your products. This is a problem that I’ve seen some stores deal with, and they sometimes decide to just forget about the security aspect in order to preserve the brand and appearance of the product. They even come in two different colors, which are grey or yellow, and are also RFID upgradable. The durability of the device is what you would expect from Checkpoint Systems. It provides a solid product that makes it very difficult for thieves to get their hands on your store’s merchandise. The iS Autopeg tags are versatile, and can be used on many different types of high-theft products such as batteries, printer ink cartridges, razor cartridges, or any other type of hanging merchandise that you need to protect.
For more information contact us: (anti-shoplifting) or call 1.770.426.0547
If you have been searching for a cost effective solution to protect merchandise that you have displayed on peg hooks, there is a new device that makes the process extremely easy. Checkpoint Systems has come up with yet another great anti-shoplifting device that will help you reduce theft in your store. The iS Autopeg Tag is a retail theft prevention device that can simplify the way you currently protect your hanging merchandise. These devices can be used instead of hard plastic keepers, or soft security tags that you may usually place on some items. One big advantage with these devices vs. using soft tags is that they are completely reusable, so once they are taken off by cashiers upon purchase, they can go right back and be placed on the next item. Unlike keepers, these devices leave the merchandise packaging out for the customer to handle, yet still keep your merchandise protected. In fact, they can be used with the same EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance) system you already have in place for standard Checkpoint Tags and Labels. That means that the alarm will still go off at the door if the shoplifter tries to exit the store without purchasing the protected items.
The Autopeg tags are a snap to use, literally. The device works by simply clicking the small device on to the hole in the top of the merchandise packaging that holds the item on the peg hook. It’s that simple. Ease of use is extremely important when dealing with merchandise protection, because it will cut down on training time for your employees and device removal time at the checkout. That’s less money you’ll have to spend on payroll, and less angry customers you’ll have waiting in line at the register, which is always good. Happy customers and less expenses equals a happy boss, and a profitable store.
If an anti-shoplifting device is complicated to use, it is much more likely that it will be put on the device improperly, or employees being intimidated to even use them at all. I’ve seen employees struggling with retail theft prevention devices before, and it’s never a good situation. With these tags, you just snap them on, and snap them off, so it can’t get much easier. Not much training will be needed, because they can also be used with your existing tag detachers or S3 keys that you are already using.
You no longer have to worry about where you are going to place a tag on the packaging without sacrificing the brand name or important manufacturer information on your products. This is a problem that I’ve seen some stores deal with, and they sometimes decide to just forget about the security aspect in order to preserve the brand and appearance of the product. They even come in two different colors, which are grey or yellow, and are also RFID upgradable. The durability of the device is what you would expect from Checkpoint Systems. It provides a solid product that makes it very difficult for thieves to get their hands on your store’s merchandise. The iS Autopeg tags are versatile, and can be used on many different types of high-theft products such as batteries, printer ink cartridges, razor cartridges, or any other type of hanging merchandise that you need to protect.
For more information contact us at losspreventionsystems.com or call 1.770.426.0547
