In the news just the other day, a merchandising executive for a popular clothing store was sentenced for taking onwards of 25 million dollars in kickbacks from a vendor. Let that sink in for a second. 25 MILLION dollars. That’s a lot of money, even if it was taken over a period of several years. The losses were so hard to track that an employee theft investigation was never thoroughly conducted until after the vendor was indicted for several other legal trade violations.
As story goes, this particular merchandising executive entered into a deal with a particular manufacturer. With the agreement to buy a particular amount of merchandise exclusively from this manufacturer, the executive would receive 50% of the profits.
The executive’s company lost out on possible profits that could have been generated by using other manufacturers that had better pricing, or better quality of products offered.
While it is very unlikely that the majority of small businesses would be put in a position to have 25 Million in kickbacks, that doesn’t mean a trusted employee might have their own kickbacks and under the table partnerships with vendors.
One of the common internal theft schemes found is one between an employee and a vendor where product might be bought back due to damages, expiration dates, etc. The vendors might make a deal with your employee that if they do not send product back for credit to the store, the vendor will split a portion of their commission with the employee.
The employee ends up making some extra cash on the side, and the business is left with merchandise and profit losses.
For more information on employee theft, employee theft investigation or internal theft contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase CCTV Systems that can help you stop Employee Theft and Internal Theft problems and help with your Employee Theft Investigation.
In the news just the other day, a merchandising executive for a popular clothing store was sentenced for taking onwards of 25 million dollars in kickbacks from a vendor. Let that sink in for a second. 25 MILLION dollars. That’s a lot of money, even if it was taken over a period of several years. The losses were so hard to track that an employee theft investigation was never thoroughly conducted until after the vendor was indicted for several other illegal trade violations.
As the story goes, this particular merchandising executive entered into a deal with a particular manufacturer. With the agreement to buy a particular amount of merchandise exclusively from this manufacturer, the executive would receive 50% of the profits.
The executive’s company lost out on possible profits that could have been generated by using other manufacturers that had better pricing, or better quality of products offered.
While it is very unlikely that the majority of small businesses would be put in a position to have 25 Million in kickbacks, that doesn’t mean a trusted employee might have their own kickbacks and under the table partnerships with vendors.
One of the common internal theft schemes found is one between an employee and a vendor where product might be bought back due to damages, expiration dates, etc. The vendors might make a deal with your employee that if they do not send product back for credit to the store, the vendor will split a portion of their commission with the employee.
The employee ends up making some extra cash on the side, and the business is left with merchandise and profit losses.
For more information on employee theft, employee theft investigation or internal theft contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase CCTV Systems that can help you stop Employee Theft and Internal Theft problems and help with your Employee Theft Investigation.
At some point, all bottle service waitresses will be given an unconventional request from their patrons. These high paying clients feel that because they are spending a considerable amount of cash, or because they have money to burn, that the waitress should cater to their unconventional requests. While some of these requests can and should easily be accommodated (an off- menu food request, perhaps?) others, such as drugs or other illegal actions need to be curtailed as quickly as possible.
Many times, these unconventional requests are derived from the perception bottle service patrons get once inside of the nightclub. If the club has very loose overall security controls, a patron is more likely to think that this is someplace they can get away with an illegal request.
One way to help reduce these requests is to ensure that the waitresses are notifying security and management of all unorthodox requests. This way another set of eyes is watching over the situation to make sure nothing gets out of control.
By using Alpha Security EASy bottle for bottle locks, the patron sees that better controls are in place. The more security they see (without it being distracting) the less likely it is that an illegal, unconventional request will be made.
For more information on Bottle Caps, Bottle Lock, Bottle Locks, EASy Bottle or Bottle Services in your Nightclub please contact us at Bottle Service or call 1.770.426.0547
All of the most prominent nightclubs, bars and venues in New York, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, New Orleans, Dallas, Denver, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Virginia Beach, Washington D.C., and Las Vegas use Bottle Services for their best clientele. Don’t let your nightclub miss out on this VIP experience.
At some point, all bottle service waitresses will be given an unconventional request from their patrons. These high paying clients feel that because they are spending a considerable amount of cash, or because they have money to burn, that the waitress should cater to their unconventional requests. While some of these requests can and should easily be accommodated (an off- menu food request, perhaps?) others, such as drugs or other illegal actions need to be curtailed as quickly as possible.
Many times, these unconventional requests are derived from the perception bottle service patrons get once inside of the nightclub. If the club has very loose overall security controls, a patron is more likely to think that this is someplace they can get away with an illegal request.
One way to help reduce these requests is to ensure that the waitresses are notifying security and management of all unorthodox requests. This way another set of eyes is watching over the situation to make sure nothing gets out of control.
By using Alpha Security EASy bottle for bottle locks, the patron sees that better controls are in place. The more security they see (without it being distracting) the less likely it is that an illegal, unconventional request will be made.
For more information on Bottle Caps, Bottle Lock, Bottle Locks, EASy Bottle or Bottle Services in your Nightclub please contact us at Bottle Service or call 1.770.426.0547
All of the most prominent nightclubs, bars and venues in New York, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, New Orleans, Dallas, Denver, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Virginia Beach, Washington D.C., and Las Vegas use Bottle Services for their best clientele. Don’t let your nightclub miss out on this VIP experience.
I should have guessed something was up when first I saw them. For starters, I haven’t seen a peg leg jean in close to twenty-five years. Secondly, those baggy jeans do not make for a good-looking tight roll at the bottom of pants leg. I didn’t suspect golf club theft at first, but it wasn’t long before I knew exactly what was going on.
There was a guy and a girl that came into the store, minutes apart from each other. I guess they wanted to make it seem like they didn’t know each other. When the first one came in I just figured they were a little behind in the fashion department. When the second one came in, I knew something was going on. They both went to the expensive sets of golf clubs, picking them apart, looking for a specific kind of club. They each had a list that they referred back to.
As soon as the first person found the right club, they walked off to a back corner- as far away from the rest of the set as possible. The second one found the club they were looking for and followed suit.
We noticed that the pair had taken the golf club of choice and slid it down one of their pant legs. Now it all made sense. The peg leg jeans were so they could commit golf club theft, with out the clubs falling out the bottom of their pants legs.
Unfortunately for them we were right there to apprehend them. Even more unfortunately, they decided to run. Now, it’s hard enough to run when you have baggy pants falling off at the top, and a tight roll at the bottom of your ankle. It’s even harder when you have a golf club preventing you from bending your knee. In a great heap they fell, making it one of the easiest apprehensions I have ever made.
What we learned was that the duo had been selectively executing golf club theft at several locations. They were trying to piece together sets of golf clubs one club at a time so they could sell them as a full set later.
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Anti-Shoplifting devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system from Checkpoint Systems to stop shoplifting in your store.
For more information on Anti-Shoplifting, Golf Club Security, Pro Shop Security, Golf Club Theft, Pro Shop Theft, Pro Shop Shoplifting, Checkpoint Labels, a Checkpoint Security System, Checkpoint Security Tags, Checkpoint Systems, or Checkpoint Tags and how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us at Retail theft prevention to Stop Shoplifting in your store or call 1.770.426.0547
I should have guessed something was up when first I saw them. For starters, I haven’t seen a peg leg jean in close to twenty-five years. Secondly, those baggy jeans do not make for a good-looking tight roll at the bottom of pants leg. I didn’t suspect golf club theft at first, but it wasn’t long before I knew exactly what was going on.
There was a guy and a girl that came into the store, minutes apart from each other. I guess they wanted to make it seem like they didn’t know each other. When the first one came in I just figured they were a little behind in the fashion department. When the second one came in, I knew something was going on. They both went to the expensive sets of golf clubs, picking them apart, looking for a specific kind of club. They each had a list that they referred back to.
As soon as the first person found the right club, they walked off to a back corner- as far away from the rest of the set as possible. The second one found the club they were looking for and followed suit.
We noticed that the pair had taken the golf club of choice and slid it down one of their pant legs. Now it all made sense. The peg leg jeans were so they could commit golf club theft, with out the clubs falling out the bottom of their pants legs.
Unfortunately for them we were right there to apprehend them. Even more unfortunately, they decided to run. Now, it’s hard enough to run when you have baggy pants falling off at the top, and a tight roll at the bottom of your ankle. It’s even harder when you have a golf club preventing you from bending your knee. In a great heap they fell, making it one of the easiest apprehensions I have ever made.
What we learned was that the duo had been selectively executing golf club theft at several locations. They were trying to piece together sets of golf clubs one club at a time so they could sell them as a full set later.
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Anti-Shoplifting devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system from Checkpoint Systems to stop shoplifting in your store.
For more information on Anti-Shoplifting, Golf Club Security, Pro Shop Security, Golf Club Theft, Pro Shop Theft, Pro Shop Shoplifting, Checkpoint Labels, a Checkpoint Security System, Checkpoint Security Tags, Checkpoint Systems, or Checkpoint Tags and how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us at Retail theft prevention to Stop Shoplifting in your store or call 1.770.426.0547
Clothing security tags are a preventative measure for the amateur shoplifter because the tags are a visible deterrent. Any one can see the tags hanging off of an article of clothing. This keeps these low level shoplifters at bay, mostly because these kinds of thieves are not prepared for how to deal with the attention they would receive if they were to activate a clothing alarm.
Many would not know if they should drop the merchandise and run to save their skin. Should they keep going and hope no one is following them? These are but a mere fraction of the questions shoplifters might think of.
The more they have to plan and calculate their theft, the less likely they will be to execute the plan. Slowly, the amount of work required doesn’t outweigh the benefits from the merchandise they are trying to steal.
As the risk of getting caught increases, the perceived value of taking an item for free is slowly less valuable. It turns from a simple theft to a question of risk, embarrassment, and potential consequences. Clothing security tags have the ability to initiate this kind of internal analysis within a shoplifter, something that an employee may or may not be able to do through customer service.
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Checkpoint Tags, a Clothing Alarm, Clothing Security or Clothing Security Tags to put Security Tags on Clothes and an Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system.
For more information on Checkpoint tags, clothing security, clothing alarm, or clothing security tags how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547
Clothing security tags are a preventative measure for the amateur shoplifter because the tags are a visible deterrent. Any one can see the tags hanging off of an article of clothing. This keeps these low level shoplifters at bay, mostly because these kinds of thieves are not prepared for how to deal with the attention they would receive if they were to activate a clothing alarm.
Many would not know if they should drop the merchandise and run to save their skin. Should they keep going and hope no one is following them? These are but a mere fraction of the questions shoplifters might think of.
The more they have to plan and calculate their theft, the less likely they will be to execute the plan. Slowly, the amount of work required doesn’t outweigh the benefits from the merchandise they are trying to steal.
As the risk of getting caught increases, the perceived value of taking an item for free is slowly less valuable. It turns from a simple theft to a question of risk, embarrassment, and potential consequences. Clothing security tags have the ability to initiate this kind of internal analysis within a shoplifter, something that an employee may or may not be able to do through customer service.
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Checkpoint Tags, a Clothing Alarm, Clothing Security or Clothing Security Tags to put Security Tags on Clothes and an Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system.
For more information on Checkpoint tags, clothing security, clothing alarm, or clothing security tags how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547
Ok, I am just going to admit it up front – my business is shoplifting prevention and the sales/service of Checkpoint Systems and Alpha High Theft products to small and medium sized retailers. With that out of the way, I want to tell you something that I do not understand about retail store owners, managers and the prevention of shoplifting.
Yes, we can install the equipment. However, to be truly successful at pushing shoplifters away from your store, you have to use customer service as a tool to shut down the thieves. I am amazed that store owners do not understand that customer service is the first weapon in the anti-shoplifting arsenal. The beauty of it is that it is a no lose situation. Normally we provide customer service for some of the following reasons:
Help the customer decide what/how much to purchase.
Build trust
Build “our stores” brand
Add-on sales
Create a friendly environment.
These reasons alone are what make customer service a powerful anti-shoplifting tool. Shoplifters hate attention! To do what they do, they must have privacy even for a few seconds. Customer Service blocks their ability to steal.
When you approach a customer and discuss the merchandise they are looking at, in this example let’s say it is bracelets. The customer is judging color, style… and they love the attention especially if you are giving them details about the way it was made, why it is special, the stones in it…. Remember that is probably why they are in your store versus a big box like Target. They are looking for the unusual and the customer service. Try asking someone in a big box about the “stones” in a bracelet they have for sale and the 19 year old stock clerk will look at you like you are an alien.
A shoplifter will react to customer service differently than a good customer who is out enjoying a little “retail therapy”, the shoplifter will shun it.
So what do you do? Keep supplying customer service. In many case the shoplifter will give up and go away. Most likely for good, because in their mind there are much easier targets, your competitors.
But how can you use customer service if you suspect that they have concealed an item? Using our previous example why not ask the “customer” something like – “Would you like to see a scarf to go with your bracelet?”
Let’s say the customer did not conceal or steal the bracelet but actually put it down. They are not thinking about theft. They know you are a retailer supplying your usual good customer service. They were interested in and looking at bracelets. The shoplifter on the other hand (ok bad pun – bracelets/hands…) concealed the bracelet and they will react differently. Sometimes defensively, many times they will simply pull the bracelet out and give it back with a mumbled response of something dumb like – “I just put in my pocket or purse, because I was looking at other things.” Yea, ok, except concealment in a retail store is theft in most states (you can contact me to find out if your state is one of them). The big picture is good customer service for all your customers good and bad is a no lose proposition.
So if that works so well, do I still need a Checkpoint System or Alpha tags? The answer is “YES” because you cannot be everywhere all the time, your staff will have various levels of customer service skills and shoplifters will target you when you have a poor staff to customer ratio. Remember this, the Checkpoint System and the Alpha equipment is on duty 24/7.
But first get your house in order with good customer service. Track your losses and see your profits improve just from good shoplifting prevention from customer service.
Loss Prevention Systems specializes in preventing shoplifting, employee theft and retail losses. You can reach Bill Bregar at 770.426.0547, ext. 101, or
[email protected].
Ok, I am just going to admit it up front – my business is shoplifting prevention and the sales/service of Checkpoint Systems and Alpha High Theft products to small and medium sized retailers. With that out of the way, I want to tell you something that I do not understand about retail store owners, managers and the prevention of shoplifting.
Yes, we can install the equipment. However, to be truly successful at pushing shoplifters away from your store, you have to use customer service as a tool to shut down the thieves. I am amazed that store owners do not understand that customer service is the first weapon in the anti-shoplifting arsenal. The beauty of it is that it is a no lose situation. Normally we provide customer service for some of the following reasons:
- Help the customer decide what/how much to purchase.
- Build trust
- Build “our stores” brand
- Add-on sales
- Create a friendly environment.
These reasons alone are what make customer service a powerful anti-shoplifting tool. Shoplifters hate attention! To do what they do, they must have privacy even for a few seconds. Customer Service blocks their ability to steal.
When you approach a customer and discuss the merchandise they are looking at, in this example let’s say it is bracelets. The customer is judging color, style… and they love the attention especially if you are giving them details about the way it was made, why it is special, the stones in it…. Remember that is probably why they are in your store versus a big box like Target. They are looking for the unusual and the customer service. Try asking someone in a big box about the “stones” in a bracelet they have for sale and the 19 year old stock clerk will look at you like you are an alien.
A shoplifter will react to customer service differently than a good customer who is out enjoying a little “retail therapy”, the shoplifter will shun it.
So what do you do? Keep supplying customer service. In many case the shoplifter will give up and go away. Most likely for good, because in their mind there are much easier targets, your competitors.
But how can you use customer service if you suspect that they have concealed an item? Using our previous example why not ask the “customer” something like – “Would you like to see a scarf to go with your bracelet?”
Let’s say the customer did not conceal or steal the bracelet but actually put it down. They are not thinking about theft. They know you are a retailer supplying your usual good customer service. They were interested in and looking at bracelets. The shoplifter on the other hand (ok bad pun – bracelets/hands…) concealed the bracelet and they will react differently. Sometimes defensively, many times they will simply pull the bracelet out and give it back with a mumbled response of something dumb like – “I just put in my pocket or purse, because I was looking at other things.” Yea, ok, except concealment in a retail store is theft in most states (you can contact me to find out if your state is one of them). The big picture is good customer service for all your customers good and bad is a no lose proposition.
So if that works so well, do I still need a Checkpoint System or Alpha tags? The answer is “YES” because you cannot be everywhere all the time, your staff will have various levels of customer service skills and shoplifters will target you when you have a poor staff to customer ratio. Remember this, the Checkpoint System and the Alpha equipment is on duty 24/7.
But first get your house in order with good customer service. Track your losses and see your profits improve just from good shoplifting prevention from customer service.
Loss Prevention Systems specializes in preventing shoplifting, employee theft and retail losses. You can reach Bill Bregar at 770.426.0547, ext. 101, or [email protected].
