What kind of store needs a Checkpoint System? In my opinion, any type of business can benefit and exceed their shrink and budget expectations if they make the investment. With it’s recognizable design, and industry leading product protection capabilities, there is no better choice. Considering all the different tools that are compatible with this system, the possibilities for stopping losses are almost endless. There are the Checkpoint labels that adhere to almost any packaging. These can even have your store’s name and address printed on them. If your store sells clothing or accessories, Checkpoint hard tags are what you need. They can be attached as a pin or via lanyard, and their level of inventory control is unmatched. Those are just two examples; there are many more.
In any case, the reality of the impact to your business’ bottom line cannot be ignored. Small businesses are the backbone of many communities. Their contributions are undeniable, and when a business thrives that success spreads to the surrounding area and attracts more stores. When a local store becomes a destination for loyal shoppers, it can attract shoplifters as well. When you sell hot items that people want, you are almost certainly going to have external theft.
Checkpoint Systems can be the deterrence you need. The pedestals alone tell a would-be thief that their chances of getting out the door without detection are slim. Add the labels or tags, in visible locations on the products you sell, and you have the right equation to solve a big problem before it happens.
I was in a local gift shop recently and the only loss prevention measure they had in place was a sign that read “smile, you are on camera”. I was not convinced of this nor was I impressed in the least. This little place sells trendy purses that are very popular in our area. They also sell expensive collectible items that are usually only available to people in our small town from mail order catalogs or from an all day trip to a much bigger city. I was amazed at how little concern they seemed to have for all this high retail inventory just sitting there. My own store is less than a mile down the street, so I know the issues they must face, but seem to be ignoring. We may be in a small town, but the theft problem is really big. In my store it can range from petty thefts of packs of beef jerky to high dollar hair straighteners. It is a daily battle just to keep the boosters at bay, so to me, it is unbelievable to have one person behind the counter, alone in a store, with nothing more than a sign to ward of theft.
We have a Checkpoint System at our location, and it’s value to us is immeasurable. The thing is, when we identify products that we know will likely be targeted for theft, we take the steps to protect them immediately. If we miss the opportunity and discover the loss after the fact, we chalk it up as a lesson learned, and we attach Checkpoint labels or Checkpoint tags, depending on the merchandise, so it does not happen again.
Signs may help stuff sell, but as far as loss prevention, they miss the mark. Don’t depend on a sign to change the mind of a thief. Depend on a Checkpoint System.
For more information contact us at 1.770.426.0547 or Antishoplifting.net
What kind of store needs a Checkpoint System? In my opinion, any type of business can benefit and exceed their shrink and budget expectations if they make the investment. With it’s recognizable design, and industry leading product protection capabilities, there is no better choice. Considering all the different tools that are compatible with this system, the possibilities for stopping losses are almost endless. There are the Checkpoint Labels that adhere to almost any packaging. These can even have your store’s name and address printed on them. If your store sells clothing or accessories, Checkpoint Hard Tags are what you need. They can be attached as a pin or via lanyard, and their level of inventory control is unmatched. Those are just two examples; there are many more.
In any case, the reality of the impact to your business’ bottom line cannot be ignored. Small businesses are the backbone of many communities. Their contributions are undeniable, and when a business thrives that success spreads to the surrounding area and attracts more stores. When a local store becomes a destination for loyal shoppers, it can attract shoplifters as well. When you sell hot items that people want, you are almost certainly going to have external theft.
Checkpoint Systems can be the deterrence you need. The pedestals alone tell a would-be thief that their chances of getting out the door without detection are slim. Add the labels or tags, in visible locations on the products you sell, and you have the right equation to solve a big problem before it happens.
I was in a local gift shop recently and the only loss prevention measure they had in place was a sign that read “smile, you are on camera”. I was not convinced of this nor was I impressed in the least. This little place sells trendy purses that are very popular in our area. They also sell expensive collectible items that are usually only available to people in our small town from mail order catalogs or from an all day trip to a much bigger city. I was amazed at how little concern they seemed to have for all this high retail inventory just sitting there. My own store is less than a mile down the street, so I know the issues they must face, but seem to be ignoring. We may be in a small town, but the theft problem is really big. In my store it can range from petty thefts of packs of beef jerky to high dollar hair straighteners. It is a daily battle just to keep the boosters at bay, so to me, it is unbelievable to have one person behind the counter, alone in a store, with nothing more than a sign to ward of theft. We have a Checkpoint System at our location, and it’s value to us is immeasurable. The thing is, when we identify products that we know will likely be targeted for theft, we take the steps to protect them immediately. If we miss the opportunity and discover the loss after the fact, we chalk it up as a lesson learned, and we attach Checkpoint Labels or Checkpoint Tags, depending on the merchandise, so it does not happen again.
Signs may help stuff sell, but as far as loss prevention, they miss the mark. Don’t depend on a sign to change the mind of a thief. Depend on a Checkpoint System.
For more information contact us at 1.770.426.0547 or Antishoplifting.net
If you are losing merchandise and you aren’t quite sure where it is going, perpetual item audits or counts could help you monitor your high risk items. Merchandise audits are one of the best ways to track merchandise quickly identify what, and how much you are losing. These audits can be used for any type of merchandise, but should be a part of your overall bottle security plan for your establishment if you own or manage a bar or liquor store.
Putting bottle locks on liquor bottles is a great way to deter theft, but you also want to take extra measures that allow you to keep track of key items. I have used these audits for years with great success. One tip I can give you is that you should not be doing them from your office. You may laugh, but I have heard of people not taking the audits seriously and doing them from memory or pencil whipping the form, which does you absolutely no good and you might as well not do them at all if that is going to happen. Yes, they can sometimes be tedious if you are counting a lot if items, but it will pay off in the end. You don’t have to monitor everything in the store with this log, just items that you feel need the extra attention. Start off by picking a small list of maybe about ten items that you can keep an eye on and go from there.
The idea is to keep an ongoing inventory of these items at all times. You can set the times that you complete the audit, but make sure it’s completed once a day at very least. I usually count merchandise two to three times a day, because that narrows the time of loss down a little better that only once. Completing the counts at least twice a day will save you hours of video review if you find that you are missing merchandise during the audit. Once you complete the audits on a regular basis, you will know exactly what you are missing at all times. You can then take this information and use it to beef up you bottle security strategy. In fact, this will allow you to see how well the bottle locks you put on the liquor bottles are working.
What I have done when creating an audit log is type all of the information into a spreadsheet on the computer. Then I print it out and take it to the sales floor and start counting. If you must, you can just use a pen and paper to complete the counts. The advantage to putting the information into a spreadsheet is that you can save the form and update the counts in the computer after you complete the log. Some fields you’ll want to have on the log are the date, time, item description, item number or SKU, quantity counted, previous quantity counted, variance, notes, the name of the person who is completing the log, and also include counts that your system keeps if applicable.
Although this may sound like a lot of work, it’s really not that difficult. The more you do it, the faster you will get at completing the form. Just don’t get too fast, or you might wind up miscounting the merchandise.
For more information contact us: (bottle security) or call 1.770.426.0547
If you are losing merchandise and you aren’t quite sure where it is going, perpetual item audits or counts could help you monitor your high risk items. Merchandise audits are one of the best ways to track merchandise quickly identify what, and how much you are losing. These audits can be used for any type of merchandise, but should be a part of your overall bottle security plan for your establishment if you own or manage a bar or liquor store.
Putting Bottle Loks on liquor bottles is a great way to deter theft, but you also want to take extra measures that allow you to keep track of key items. I have used these audits for years with great success. One tip I can give you is that you should not be doing them from your office. You may laugh, but I have heard of people not taking the audits seriously and doing them from memory or pencil whipping the form, which does you absolutely no good and you might as well not do them at all if that is going to happen. Yes, they can sometimes be tedious if you are counting a lot if items, but it will pay off in the end. You don’t have to monitor everything in the store with this log, just items that you feel need the extra attention. Start off by picking a small list of maybe about ten items that you can keep an eye on and go from there.
The idea is to keep an ongoing inventory of these items at all times. You can set the times that you complete the audit, but make sure it’s completed once a day at very least. I usually count merchandise two to three times a day, because that narrows the time of loss down a little better that only once. Completing the counts at least twice a day will save you hours of video review if you find that you are missing merchandise during the audit. Once you complete the audits on a regular basis, you will know exactly what you are missing at all times. You can then take this information and use it to beef up you bottle security strategy. In fact, this will allow you to see how well the Bottle Loks you put on the liquor bottles are working.
What I have done when creating an audit log is type all of the information into a spreadsheet on the computer. Then I print it out and take it to the sales floor and start counting. If you must, you can just use a pen and paper to complete the counts. The advantage to putting the information into a spreadsheet is that you can save the form and update the counts in the computer after you complete the log. Some fields you’ll want to have on the log are the date, time, item description, item number or SKU, quantity counted, previous quantity counted, variance, notes, the name of the person who is completing the log, and also include counts that your system keeps if applicable.
Although this may sound like a lot of work, it’s really not that difficult. The more you do it, the faster you will get at completing the form. Just don’t get too fast, or you might wind up miscounting the merchandise.
For more information contact us: (bottle security) or call 1.770.426.0547
If you are utilizing tools such as Alpha Keepers, and Checkpoint tags on your merchandise, and still seeing shrink in those items, you may need to make some changes to your daily plan. Product protection is key to keeping your assets on the shelf and available for sale, but if you don’t make smart business decisions you could be lessening their effectiveness. If you make the investment into these products, your business doesn’t become Fort Knox. Anti-Shoplifting also includes knowing the tools shoplifters use to defeat your efforts.
My store sells a lot of different items, but I know I have to keep an eye on some particular ones like scissors, box cutters, and even tin foil. A tin foil lined bag will hold a lot of items tagged with Checkpoint labels, and can have the ability to scramble the system so it doesn’t alarm when they exit. Then you have no idea you’ve just been wiped out, at least until you happen to walk by that section. By then it’s too late, and your chances of getting your merchandise back are slim. Don’t make the mistake of blindly filling a shelf of high retail items simply because they are in Alpha Keepers. Limit your shelf quantities, so if you do take a hit, it won’t be so massive.
Don’t get me wrong, tools like Alpha Keepers and Checkpoint labels are priceless when it comes to deterrence. Anti-Shoplifting efforts have the biggest impact on people that are thinking about stealing. You can quickly change their minds because they see these being used, and the fear of being caught is suddenly greater than the desire to take the product. One example I use, for my store in particular, is razor cartridge refills. If someone comes in and sees that these things are a bit pricey, they may decide to just steal them instead. If the package is enclosed in an Alpha Keeper, that idea is easily put aside. My razor cartridge loss has been all but eliminated. The issue with shoplifters comes into play when you have a professional come in and conceal them in something like the foil-lined bag, or even a foil-lined baby stroller, and get away with everything you have on the shelf. You have to identify how the theft happened and be proactive in stopping it from happening again. Don’t fill the shelf to capacity when the product comes back in. You do not want to become a known target. Be on the lookout for people coming in and standing around that area, and especially if they are in possession of a giant shoplifter bag!
Another thing I do to boost my Anti-Shoplifting reputation in the community is by putting the Checkpoint labels on the inside panel of my Alpha Keepers. It may be redundant, but the point is not to add alarm potential for the inventory. I actually do this with the mindset that I will see the theft happen and get it reported before the thieves get too far away. Shoplifters in groups usually steal from multiple locations in one day. If they are caught, you have a better chance of getting back your store’s merchandise if it is identifiable. Believe me, the police appreciate that too.
For more information contact us at Antishoplifting.net or call 1.770.426.0547
If you are utilizing tools such as Alpha Keepers, and Checkpoint Labels on your merchandise, and still seeing shrink in those items, you may need to make some changes to your daily plan. Product protection is key to keeping your assets on the shelf and available for sale, but if you don’t make smart business decisions you could be lessening their effectiveness. If you make the investment into these products, your business doesn’t become Fort Knox. Anti-Shoplifting also includes knowing the tools shoplifters use to defeat your efforts.
My store sells a lot of different items, but I know I have to keep an eye on some particular ones like scissors, box cutters, and even tin foil. A tin foil lined bag will hold a lot of items tagged with Checkpoint Labels, and can have the ability to scramble the system so it doesn’t alarm when they exit. Then you have no idea you’ve just been wiped out, at least until you happen to walk by that section. By then it’s too late, and your chances of getting your merchandise back are slim. Don’t make the mistake of blindly filling a shelf of high retail items simply because they are in Alpha Keepers. Limit your shelf quantities, so if you do take a hit, it won’t be so massive.
Don’t get me wrong, tools like Alpha Keepers and Checkpoint labels are priceless when it comes to deterrence. Anti-Shoplifting efforts have the biggest impact on people that are thinking about stealing. You can quickly change their minds because they see these being used, and the fear of being caught is suddenly greater than the desire to take the product. One example I use, for my store in particular, is razor cartridge refills. If someone comes in and sees that these things are a bit pricey, they may decide to just steal them instead. If the package is enclosed in an Alpha Keeper, that idea is easily put aside. My razor cartridge loss has been all but eliminated. The issue with shoplifters comes into play when you have a professional come in and conceal them in something like the foil-lined bag, or even a foil-lined baby stroller, and get away with everything you have on the shelf. You have to identify how the theft happened and be proactive in stopping it from happening again. Don’t fill the shelf to capacity when the product comes back in. You do not want to become a known target. Be on the lookout for people coming in and standing around that area, and especially if they are in possession of a giant shoplifter bag!
Another thing I do to boost my Anti-Shoplifting reputation in the community is by putting the Checkpoint Labels on the inside panel of my Alpha Keepers. It may be redundant, but the point is not to add alarm potential for the inventory. I actually do this with the mindset that I will see the theft happen and get it reported before the thieves get too far away. Shoplifters in groups usually steal from multiple locations in one day. If they are caught, you have a better chance of getting back your store’s merchandise if it is identifiable. Believe me, the police appreciate that too.
For more information contact us at Antishoplifting.net or call 1.770.426.0547
About two years ago, I started making a few changes in my lifestyle. I was working long hours and my eating habits had deteriorated. I think anyone who’s ever worked in the LP field has been here. I decided it was time to give up the big chain stores and fast food and focus on eating healthier. So instead of running down to that mega store to buy boxed product loaded with preservatives and other junk, I started shopping at my local, hometown grocers and markets. I found the quality of food to be so much better and I love the idea of my money staying in the local community. With the background that I have, I did see how many of these smaller stores had little protections in place to prevent theft. Grocery store theft is a problem for the mass retailers, so I can only imagine what it does for the smaller stores who lack adequate controls.
Grocers operate on a razor thin margin, and have a plenthora more issues than most big box retailers. Think about this… when’s the last time a television set expired? Every day is a battle against the expiration date of literally, everything in the store, in addition to shoplifters. One trend is quickly gaining steam across the nation is meat theft. Could you imagine buying your eggs and milk and seeing a shoplifter place a few steaks down her shirt? It happens. Every single day, and if you’re a small business, you could be losing thousands of dollars each week to this pervasive theft trend.
When I first got into the LP industry as an undercover agent, I can remember the speech given to countless shoplifting suspects by local law enforcement. “Maybe if you were stealing food for your family, instead of *insert non-essential electronic item*, I might let you off with a warning.” Does steak theft fit into this category, now, or would the speech be, “If you were stealing bread and water and not this $25 cut of beef, I’d let you off.”? Where is the line drawn? I can understand a father and provider being backed so far into a corner that shoplifting a few groceries may seem like the best alternative to a bad situation, but why do most people get so offended when someone is caught shoplifting steaks, or other high priced cuts of meat?
I’ve never seen anyone get offended when I catch a shoplifter stealing a $400 handbag, and I’ve never once heard “Maybe if you only stole that $20 handbag, it’d be different.” So why the beef over meat theft? I have a few ideas that may point to why it invokes such a reaction, how it can be prevented and what your store can do to better protect its product and keep the prices low for the legitimate shoppers. You’ll have to read parts 2 and 3 to find out though.
For more information, contact us: Grocery Store Meat Theft, or call 1.770.426.0547
About two years ago, I started making a few changes in my lifestyle. I was working long hours and my eating habits had deteriorated. I think anyone who’s ever worked in the LP field has been here. I decided it was time to give up the big chain stores and fast food and focus on eating healthier. So instead of running down to that mega store to buy boxed product loaded with preservatives and other junk, I started shopping at my local, hometown grocers and markets. I found the quality of food to be so much better and I love the idea of my money staying in the local community. With the background that I have, I did see how many of these smaller stores had little protections in place to prevent theft. Among the other myriad of challenges I satered to notice in these smaller grocers, shoplifting steaks seemed to be the biggest problem.
Grocers operate on a razor thin margin, and have a pleathora more issues than most big box retailers. Think about this… when’s the last time a television set expired? Every day is a battle against the expiration date of literally, everything in the store, in addition to shoplifters. One trend is quickly gaining steam across the nation is meat theft. Could you imagine buying your eggs and milk and seeing a shoplifter place a few steaks down her shirt? It happens. Every single day, and if you’re a small business, you could be losing thousands of dollars each week to this pervasive theft trend.
When I first got into the LP industry as an undercover agent, I can remember the speech given to countless shoplifting suspects by local law enforcement. “Maybe if you were stealing food for your family, instead of *insert non-essential electronic item*, I might let you off with a warning.” Does shoplifting steak fit into this category, now, or would the speech be, “If you were stealing bread and water and not this $25 cut of beef, I’d let you off.”? Where is the line drawn? I can understand a father and provider being backed so far into a corner that shoplifting a few groceries may seem like the best alternative to a bad situation, but why do most people get so offended when someone is caught shoplifting steaks, or other high priced cuts of meat?
I’ve never seen anyone get offended when I catch a shoplifter stealing a $400 handbag, and I’ve never once heard “Maybe if you only stole that $20 handbag, it’d be different.” So why the beef over meat theft? I have a few ideas that may point to why it invokes such a reaction, how it can be prevented and what your store can do to better protect its product and keep the prices low for the legitimate shoppers. You’ll have to read parts 2 and 3 to find out though.
For more information, contact us: Grocery Store Meat Theft, or call 1.770.426.0547
Thieves target just about every item there is out there. Seriously, nothing is safe anymore. When I saw a few years back that detergent and soap were some of the heaviest shoplifted items, I wanted to just give up. It’s hard to run a store when that shoplifter is trying to find every imaginable way to take your hard earned money. It’s the same whether you work in a large national retailer, or a hometown, around the corner home improvement store. The only difference in the two is the big retailer can absorb thousands of dollars in shrink. Can you?
If your little store could take $100k in shrink, then it’s probably not just a little store. A thief will not target one store. From my years of work in this field, I’ve learned that, depending on the individual booster, they target a certain type of merchandise. They will then steal that item from whomever has it on their shelves. I worked a lot with other retailers investigating criminal rings, and it’s all too common to see the same shoplifter targeting multiple stores all for the same item. Typically, they go for merchandise that cannot be easily secured and target stores that have little, or no control measures in place.
Take for example, saws and drills. Aside from locking them in a store room, the security is limited. Thankfully, the Alpha O-Tag solves this problem. Power tools are a very commonly targeted item for a couple of reasons. They are hard to secure, home improvement stores are always busy and they can be easily sold at a pawnshop, or even right in your own parking lot!
Alpha O-Tags can save you thousands of dollars in lost product. The tags can be simply attached to the electrical cords of the tools and it makes it almost impossible for a thief to steal it. You don’t need to be a national retailer to think about theft prevention. Shoplifters hurt us all and they don’t care that each time they steal, they are taking money out of your pockets. Take control of your profits and see what the Alpha O-Tags can do for you.
For more information, contact us: KW, or call 1.770.426.0547
Thieves target just about every item there is out there. Seriously, nothing is safe anymore. When I saw a few years back that detergent and soap were some of the heaviest shoplifted items, I wanted to just give up. It’s hard to run a store when that shoplifter is trying to find every imaginable way to take your hard earned money. It’s the same whether you work in a large national retailer, or a hometown, around the corner home improvement store. The only difference in the two is the big retailer can absorb thousands of dollars in shrink. Can you?
If your little store could take $100k in shrink, then it’s probably not just a little store. A thief will not target one store. From my years of work in this field, I’ve learned that, depending on the individual booster, they target a certain type of merchandise. They will then steal that item from whomever has it on their shelves. I worked a lot with other retailers investigating criminal rings, and it’s all too common to see the same shoplifter targeting multiple stores all for the same item. Typically, they go for merchandise that cannot be easily secured and target stores that have little, or no control measures in place.
Take for example, saws and drills. Aside from locking them in a store room, the security is limited. Thankfully, the Alpha O-Tag solves this problem. Power tools are a very commonly targeted item for a couple of reasons. They are hard to secure, home improvement stores are always busy and they can be easily sold at a pawnshop, or even right in your own parking lot!
Alpha O-Tags can save you thousands of dollars in lost product. The tags can be simply attached to the electrical cords of the tools and it makes it almost impossible for a thief to steal it. You don’t need to be a national retailer to think about theft prevention. Shoplifters hurt us all and they don’t care that each time they steal, they are taking money out of your pockets. Take control of your profits and see what the Alpha O-Tags can do for you.
For more information, contact us at losspreventionsystems.com, or call 1.770.426.0547
