Alpha Bug Tag 2 -4 WC Blog 322
Retail Anti-Theft Devices-5
Prevent shoplifting-3
ORC Groups Are Becoming More Sophisticated But So Are Retail Anti-Theft Devices That Prevent Shoplifting
Organized Retail Crime rings seem to be a growing problem. While they used to be limited to selling out of flea markets, pawn shops and “mom and pop” stores, these criminals now also sell over the internet. Of course this adds a new wrinkle in the effort to catch the perpetrators and shut down their operations. On top of the difficulty of tracking online activity there is an added sophistication in the technologies these groups are using to steal from retailers. Those of us in Loss Prevention used to see the occasional foil lined booster bags or coats with extra pockets sewn on the inside and once in a while someone would have a portable electronic article surveillance detachment device with them. Today, more than ever it is imperative that retailers are doing all they can to prevent shoplifting by using retail anti-theft devices such as the Alpha Bug Tag 2 on merchandise.
Retail anti-theft devices make shoplifting more difficult. First, many of them have the ability to self-activate if tampered with, the Alpha Bug Tag 2 being one of them. They all work with electronic article surveillance (EAS) towers to create an alarm if a breach takes place. The Bug Tag is also an improvement over some devices because they are designed with smooth, rounded edges which allow them to sit flush against the packaging. This improvement makes them more difficult to pry apart from the item they are protecting. Some devices come in a 3 alarm style that has an extended range alarm that sounds in the tag itself if the tagged merchandise is carried out in spite of the pedestal alarm. The professional shoplifter would prefer not to have to risk an alarm if possible and will take time to look for merchandise that is not protected reducing the risk of being caught. Even when booster bags are used there have been improvements in many EAS towers to such an extent that certain towers can even detect foil lined bags and discreetly alert store employees.
In the course of preparing for this article I came across stories of theft rings using stolen two-way radios or short wave radios to intercept store security calls. In one story it was reported, “When departing stores, the crews used “kryptonite” devices to deactivate security alarms at store exits…”, “ Staten Island woman, 28, busted in organized retail theft ring”, silive.com, by Mira Wassef, March 15, 2017, http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/03/staten_island_woman_28_busted.html
The same story also reported the location where a search warrant was executed had retail anti-theft devices such as Alpha Keys, and Spider Wraps that were found by investigators.
This begs the question, if ORC groups can jam towers, gain access to detachment keys or use foil lined bags can I really prevent shoplifting by using protective devices? The answer is a resounding YES! Bear in mind, not all shoplifters are part of organized crime rings. In fact the majority of your shoplifters are the opportunists. They come in and decide to steal for the thrill of it, some may say for the addiction of it and a few out of a perceived need (I am thinking of food theft and perhaps some clothing). Most people would recognize an Alpha Bug Tag 2 or other retail anti-theft device for what they are and are deterred by them. They may like the “thrill” associated with stealing but not the consequences and would rather avoid riskier actions. I would also refer back to the point I made about advances in EAS systems. Towers are available that detect metals and foil lined bags, software exists that can identify jammers used by thieves to interfere with radio frequency tags and pedestals, and 3 alarm tags all create a barrier to professional thieves. Yes, you can prevent shoplifting and deter internal theft with the use of retail anti-theft devices including the Alpha Bug Tag 2.
Need information on Alpha Bug Tag 2? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Organized Retail Crime rings seem to be a growing problem. While they used to be limited to selling out of flea markets, pawn shops and “mom and pop” stores, these criminals now also sell over the internet. Of course this adds a new wrinkle in the effort to catch the perpetrators and shut down their operations. On top of the difficulty of tracking online activity there is an added sophistication in the technologies these groups are using to steal from retailers. Those of us in Loss Prevention used to see the occasional foil lined booster bags or coats with extra pockets sewn on the inside and once in a while someone would have a portable electronic article surveillance detachment device with them. Today, more than ever it is imperative that retailers are doing all they can to prevent shoplifting by using retail anti-theft devices such as the Alpha Bug Tag 2 on merchandise.
Retail anti-theft devices make shoplifting more difficult. First, many of them have the ability to self-activate if tampered with, the Alpha Bug Tag 2 being one of them. They all work with electronic article surveillance (EAS) towers to create an alarm if a breach takes place. The Bug Tag is also an improvement over some devices because they are designed with smooth, rounded edges which allow them to sit flush against the packaging. This improvement makes them more difficult to pry apart from the item they are protecting. Some devices come in a 3 alarm style that has an extended range alarm that sounds in the tag itself if the tagged merchandise is carried out in spite of the pedestal alarm. The professional shoplifter would prefer not to have to risk an alarm if possible and will take time to look for merchandise that is not protected reducing the risk of being caught. Even when booster bags are used there have been improvements in many EAS towers to such an extent that certain towers can even detect foil lined bags and discreetly alert store employees.
In the course of preparing for this article I came across stories of theft rings using stolen two-way radios or short wave radios to intercept store security calls. In one story it was reported, “When departing stores, the crews used “kryptonite” devices to deactivate security alarms at store exits…”, “ Staten Island woman, 28, busted in organized retail theft ring”, silive.com, by Mira Wassef, March 15, 2017, http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/03/staten_island_woman_28_busted.html The same story also reported the location where a search warrant was executed had retail anti-theft devices such as Alpha Keys, and Spider Wraps that were found by investigators.
This begs the question, if ORC groups can jam towers, gain access to detachment keys or use foil lined bags can I really prevent shoplifting by using protective devices? The answer is a resounding YES! Bear in mind, not all shoplifters are part of organized crime rings. In fact the majority of your shoplifters are the opportunists. They come in and decide to steal for the thrill of it, some may say for the addiction of it and a few out of a perceived need (I am thinking of food theft and perhaps some clothing). Most people would recognize an Alpha Bug Tag 2 or other retail anti-theft device for what they are and are deterred by them. They may like the “thrill” associated with stealing but not the consequences and would rather avoid riskier actions. I would also refer back to the point I made about advances in EAS systems. Towers are available that detect metals and foil lined bags, software exists that can identify jammers used by thieves to interfere with radio frequency tags and pedestals, and 3 alarm tags all create a barrier to professional thieves. Yes, you can prevent shoplifting and deter internal theft with the use of retail anti-theft devices including the Alpha Bug Tag 2.
Need information on Alpha Bug Tag 2? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
AA Blog
Checkpoint labels: 5
Stop shoplifting: 3
Checkpoint Labels Provide An Easy And Cost-Efficient Means To Protect Your Sales Inventory
In the retail business we tend to have clearances and sales that include excess items, clothing and other specialty items that need to be removed from inventory. My mother-in-law always hits the clearance sales, looking for all types of items, gifts, clothes and children’s toys that need to go. It is a great time for shoppers to pick up a great deal. This may also include high valued items that are marked down in an attempt to reduce inventory. While shopping this year my mother-in-law said that they had moved all the sales items to the front of the store and were making room for a whole row of new items. You would think that these types of sales items would be low risk for theft, but unfortunately that is not the case. In my experience I have seen higher than normal rates of theft of these types of items. I believe this has to do with the fact that these items are low priority for the store. We realize that these items are significantly reduced in price, and what doesn’t get sold, tends to get written off as an inventory loss. Therefore, we don’t typically increase security on these types of items. They also tend to put these products in areas that are close to exits, for high visibility and access. These areas typically have reduced associate interaction and monitoring. These areas are a low priority for associates, as they are typically already restocking new products, and focusing on areas that contain higher priced items. I have found that the easiest and cheapest way to protect these types of items and stop shoplifting is to use Checkpoint labels.
Checkpoint labels provide the added security you need to protect your retail property, at a reasonable price, without a great deal of added time or effort. These labels come in various shapes and sizes to meet all your product needs. They are equipped with EAS technology, which provide a reliable means to notify associates when a theft occurs. Electronic article surveillance provides an audible alarm when someone attempts to remove an item from the store. Checkpoint labels can be printed in store, to allow for a simple way to price and individualize your labels, quickly and efficiently. These labels are designed for accuracy and efficiency, while allowing you the ability to customize your labels with individualized logos or store barcodes, for a multi-faceted product. These labels can be used on any product to include food items. These labels have a high grade adhesive, which prevents removal once applied to the product. These labels provide a cost-efficient means to stop shoplifting, with little time or effort.
I tend to use Checkpoint Labels for the majority of my retail products, due to the simplicity and quality of the product. It is a convenient product that allows me the ability to customize them to meet my individual sales needs. They come in a large roll, which allows me the ability to simply print the labels in store. I can include my pricing, store barcode and logo, while securing my products with EAS technology that is compatible with my existing security program. They are easily deactivated at the time of sale, which increases customer satisfaction while protecting my products from theft. These are a great means to stop shoplifting in your stores, regardless of the items you are trying to protect. Whether you are decreasing inventory, reducing holiday items, or protecting high line items, the labels can provide you the security you need.
Need information on Checkpoint labels? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
In the retail business we tend to have clearances and sales that include excess items, clothing and other specialty items that need to be removed from inventory. My mother-in-law always hits the clearance sales, looking for all types of items, gifts, clothes and children’s toys that need to go. It is a great time for shoppers to pick up a great deal. This may also include high valued items that are marked down in an attempt to reduce inventory. While shopping this year my mother-in-law said that they had moved all the sales items to the front of the store and were making room for a whole row of new items. You would think that these types of sales items would be low risk for theft, but unfortunately that is not the case. In my experience I have seen higher than normal rates of theft of these types of items. I believe this has to do with the fact that these items are low priority for the store. We realize that these items are significantly reduced in price, and what doesn’t get sold, tends to get written off as an inventory loss. Therefore, we don’t typically increase security on these types of items. They also tend to put these products in areas that are close to exits, for high visibility and access. These areas typically have reduced associate interaction and monitoring. These areas are a low priority for associates, as they are typically already restocking new products, and focusing on areas that contain higher priced items. I have found that the easiest and cheapest way to protect these types of items and stop shoplifting is to use Checkpoint labels.
Checkpoint labels provide the added security you need to protect your retail property, at a reasonable price, without a great deal of added time or effort. These labels come in various shapes and sizes to meet all your product needs. They are equipped with EAS technology, which provide a reliable means to notify associates when a theft occurs. Electronic article surveillance provides an audible alarm when someone attempts to remove an item from the store. Checkpoint labels can be printed in store, to allow for a simple way to price and individualize your labels, quickly and efficiently. These labels are designed for accuracy and efficiency, while allowing you the ability to customize your labels with individualized logos or store barcodes, for a multi-faceted product. These labels can be used on any product to include food items. These labels have a high grade adhesive, which prevents removal once applied to the product. These labels provide a cost-efficient means to stop shoplifting, with little time or effort.
I tend to use Checkpoint Labels for the majority of my retail products, due to the simplicity and quality of the product. It is a convenient product that allows me the ability to customize them to meet my individual sales needs. They come in a large roll, which allows me the ability to simply print the labels in store. I can include my pricing, store barcode and logo, while securing my products with EAS technology that is compatible with my existing security program. They are easily deactivated at the time of sale, which increases customer satisfaction while protecting my products from theft. These are a great means to stop shoplifting in your stores, regardless of the items you are trying to protect. Whether you are decreasing inventory, reducing holiday items, or protecting high line items, the labels can provide you the security you need.
Need information on Checkpoint labels? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Customer Counting Systems-5 WC Blog 286
People Counting Systems-4
Door Counting Sensor-3
Set New And Profitable Goals For Your Store By Using People Counting Systems
I think back to 1990 when I first started working in retail as a Loss Prevention Associate. It was here that I learned not only about the ins and outs of merchandise theft, I started learning about store operations as well. I learned that the corporate office gave sales goals for the day and that the store managers based a successful day on meeting or exceeding those goals. As I progressed in my career with other companies I became a Loss Prevention Manager, then a Loss Prevention Manager with Manager On Duty Responsibilities followed by a stint as a Logistics Manager. I still work in retail after 26 years. One thing I have learned is that every company I work for bases successful days on meeting and exceeding sales goals. Fair enough. You have to have goals in order to know where you want to go otherwise a company stagnates or worse yet wanders aimlessly since they have nothing to shoot for except a non-specific goal of “To Be Successful”. But then what does that look like? I have been rethinking sales goals recently especially as the company I work for has focused some store measurements on patron “conversion” rates and also as I have investigated People Counting Systems.
People counting systems or customer counting systems as they are sometimes referred to, use a door counting sensor to track how many people enter and exit a business or building during the day. Reporting data from these customer counting systems can provide managers with data showing how many people entered and exited by the hour of the day. Stores that have measures in place to stop shoplifting and reduce merchandise shrinkage with a Checkpoint Security System can have a Visiplus customer counting device attached to the Checkpoint electronic article surveillance (EAS) antennas. Using the Smart Alarm Management tool, those stores can monitor EAS alarm activity and compare the information to door counting sensor numbers to better manage EAS activity levels.
Here is where my recent thinking has been taking me. We get excited over meeting a sales goal, usually a number based on historical sales information like the prior year sales for that same day. Adjustments may be made based on an overall picture of how the economy is performing or whether an event the prior year may have impacted sales. An example of this would be a store that had to close due to a hurricane evacuation the prior year is not going to have a sales goal based off of last year’s sales data. If a store has a daily sales goal of $10,000 and makes $11,000 the management team is going to be pleased and that would properly be something to be happy about. But let me toss out a new idea. What if the stores used people counting systems and found that they had 400 customers enter the store during the day and only had 300 transactions. What in the world happened to those other 100 customers? What could have been done to get those 100 people to purchase something before leaving the store? Without using customer counting systems you would never know you missed selling opportunities to another 100 customers.
All your information is from sales transactions and yes, you beat your sales goal by $1,000 but could you have beaten it by $1,100 or more? By using a door counting sensor you could set new goals, you had 400 customers in your store last Wednesday, how will you attract 410 THIS Wednesday. You missed 100 potential sales last Wednesday, what will you do differently to try to help more customers find what they need or can use while in the store? Can you entice your customers to make an impulse purchase with a cool display of food or drinks at the font of the store? Maybe the new goals you set for your store are dollar related AND customer driven.
It is one thing to aim for increased sales dollars it’s another thing to find ways to draw in more customers. If you can attract those customers then your goal is to get them to buy and that is a challenge but one that is necessary if you want your business to grow. The only way to know how many customers are visiting your store is by using customer counting systems. Invest in people counting systems today and see a whole new set of goals to achieve and with it, more growth and profit.
Get more information on People Counting Systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
I think back to 1990 when I first started working in retail as a Loss Prevention Associate. It was here that I learned not only about the ins and outs of merchandise theft, I started learning about store operations as well. I learned that the corporate office gave sales goals for the day and that the store managers based a successful day on meeting or exceeding those goals. As I progressed in my career with other companies I became a Loss Prevention Manager, then a Loss Prevention Manager with Manager On Duty Responsibilities followed by a stint as a Logistics Manager. I still work in retail after 26 years. One thing I have learned is that every company I work for bases successful days on meeting and exceeding sales goals. Fair enough. You have to have goals in order to know where you want to go otherwise a company stagnates or worse yet wanders aimlessly since they have nothing to shoot for except a non-specific goal of “To Be Successful”. But then what does that look like? I have been rethinking sales goals recently especially as the company I work for has focused some store measurements on patron “conversion” rates and also as I have investigated People Counting Systems.
People counting systems or customer counting systems as they are sometimes referred to, use a door counting sensor to track how many people enter and exit a business or building during the day. Reporting data from these customer counting systems can provide managers with data showing how many people entered and exited by the hour of the day. Stores that have measures in place to stop shoplifting and reduce merchandise shrinkage with a Checkpoint Security System can have a Visiplus customer counting device attached to the Checkpoint electronic article surveillance (EAS) antennas. Using the Smart Alarm Management tool, those stores can monitor EAS alarm activity and compare the information to door counting sensor numbers to better manage EAS activity levels.
Here is where my recent thinking has been taking me. We get excited over meeting a sales goal, usually a number based on historical sales information like the prior year sales for that same day. Adjustments may be made based on an overall picture of how the economy is performing or whether an event the prior year may have impacted sales. An example of this would be a store that had to close due to a hurricane evacuation the prior year is not going to have a sales goal based off of last year’s sales data. If a store has a daily sales goal of $10,000 and makes $11,000 the management team is going to be pleased and that would properly be something to be happy about. But let me toss out a new idea. What if the stores used people counting systems and found that they had 400 customers enter the store during the day and only had 300 transactions. What in the world happened to those other 100 customers? What could have been done to get those 100 people to purchase something before leaving the store? Without using customer counting systems you would never know you missed selling opportunities to another 100 customers.
All your information is from sales transactions and yes, you beat your sales goal by $1,000 but could you have beaten it by $1,100 or more? By using a door counting sensor you could set new goals, you had 400 customers in your store last Wednesday, how will you attract 410 THIS Wednesday. You missed 100 potential sales last Wednesday, what will you do differently to try to help more customers find what they need or can use while in the store? Can you entice your customers to make an impulse purchase with a cool display of food or drinks at the font of the store? Maybe the new goals you set for your store are dollar related AND customer driven.
It is one thing to aim for increased sales dollars it’s another thing to find ways to draw in more customers. If you can attract those customers then your goal is to get them to buy and that is a challenge but one that is necessary if you want your business to grow. The only way to know how many customers are visiting your store is by using customer counting systems. Invest in people counting systems today and see a whole new set of goals to achieve and with it, more growth and profit.
Get more information on People Counting Systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
CLOTHING SECURITY TIPS AND TRICKS – Pt 1
It’s very easy to become complacent in regards to physical security measures on our clothing lines. It’s not as simple as running Checkpoint Tags through a shirt and moving on with your day. Knowing what to use on which product, as well as some common-sense items can really get you more bang for your buck, so to speak, on your investment in EAS devices. Here are some good tips for you and your team to follow.
Place Checkpoint Tags in the seam of the clothing to avoid damaging the garment
This should be a no-brainer, but I see store associates do this constantly! The idea is to protect the merchandise from a thief in order to sell it! If you damage it, you still end up with a loss. Make sure when using a hard style tag, to always slide the tag through the seam of the item. This ensures that no damage is done to the fabric. This is even more important when securing dry-fit material, and other higher dollar garments.
Always place a hard tag in prominent and visible location of clothing
Again, this goes back to discouraging a theft before it happens. A good percentage of thieves will be discouraged by the slightest hint of Clothing Security, so make sure that the hard tag is clearly visible. Remember to also stay consistent in placement. For example, try tagging all of your shirts on the bottom left side seam. This not only gives you a consistent look across your store, but it also helps you and your team identify articles that are without tagging.
Use soft tags in the back pocket of jeans in addition to a hard tag in a visible location
Denim jeans for me are one of my highest shrinking categories each year. There always exists a market to resell these very easily, which in turn guarantees that they will always be a target for shoplifters. I’ve found great success in deterring theft here with a two-step approach. I use Checkpoint Tags on the rear seam, at the waist line. In addition to that, I place a soft tag in one of the back pockets. This way, if they are able to cut the hard-tag off, I still have the protection of the hidden soft tag.
Don’t expose your detachers
File this one under “duh!” Something so simple, yet very often overlooked is the placement of the magnetic detachers that we use to remove our EAS devices. While the vast majority of stores keep these behind the cash register, I’ve run across a few stores that have opted to place them in some… strange locations around the store. Easily accessible areas such as fitting rooms are not the place for these tools. Your detachers are a part of your Clothing Security plan and should not be ignored!
One size does not fit all
You should not take a one size fits all approach to Clothing Security. You may have tons of success using a certain style and size hard-tag on one particular shirt, but the same tag may be in-effective on a different shirt, or pants. Try different Checkpoint Tags and experiment with placement in order to be most effective. Like any good plan, you’ll need to continually evolve and adapt over time to get the biggest return on your investment.
Need information on Clothing Security? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
It’s very easy to become complacent in regards to physical security measures on our clothing lines. It’s not as simple as running Checkpoint Tags through a shirt and moving on with your day. Knowing what to use on which product, as well as some common-sense items can really get you more bang for your buck, so to speak, on your investment in EAS devices. Here are some good tips for you and your team to follow.
Place Checkpoint Tags in the seam of the clothing to avoid damaging the garment
This should be a no-brainer, but I see store associates do this constantly! The idea is to protect the merchandise from a thief in order to sell it! If you damage it, you still end up with a loss. Make sure when using a hard style tag, to always slide the tag through the seam of the item. This ensures that no damage is done to the fabric. This is even more important when securing dry-fit material, and other higher dollar garments.
Always place a hard tag in prominent and visible location of clothing
Again, this goes back to discouraging a theft before it happens. A good percentage of thieves will be discouraged by the slightest hint of Clothing Security, so make sure that the hard tag is clearly visible. Remember to also stay consistent in placement. For example, try tagging all of your shirts on the bottom left side seam. This not only gives you a consistent look across your store, but it also helps you and your team identify articles that are without tagging.
Use soft tags in the back pocket of jeans in addition to a hard tag in a visible location
Denim jeans for me are one of my highest shrinking categories each year. There always exists a market to resell these very easily, which in turn guarantees that they will always be a target for shoplifters. I’ve found great success in deterring theft here with a two-step approach. I use Checkpoint Tags on the rear seam, at the waist line. In addition to that, I place a soft tag in one of the back pockets. This way, if they are able to cut the hard-tag off, I still have the protection of the hidden soft tag.
Don’t expose your detachers
File this one under “duh!” Something so simple, yet very often overlooked is the placement of the magnetic detachers that we use to remove our EAS devices. While the vast majority of stores keep these behind the cash register, I’ve run across a few stores that have opted to place them in some… strange locations around the store. Easily accessible areas such as fitting rooms are not the place for these tools. Your detachers are a part of your Clothing Security plan and should not be ignored!
One size does not fit all
You should not take a one size fits all approach to Clothing Security. You may have tons of success using a certain style and size hard-tag on one particular shirt, but the same tag may be in-effective on a different shirt, or pants. Try different Checkpoint Tags and experiment with placement in order to be most effective. Like any good plan, you’ll need to continually evolve and adapt over time to get the biggest return on your investment.
Need information on Clothing Security? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
MAKING INVENTORY GREAT AGAIN
Inventory doesn’t have to be pain, I promise. If you know what to do, are well prepared and have a good team in place, inventory can actually be fun! Every year I lend my advice to my 25 stores in the form of a conference call and since you’re smart enough to be reading this, I’ll let you in on the secrets to a smooth night as well. Not is inventory time a perfect opportunity to clean your on-hand counts, it’s also a great time to ensure your checkpoint system is at the top of its game.
Prep and Prep Early
There’s a whole lot that goes into inventory prep and isn’t something you can just do in one or two days. Prepping for inventory should be a year-round task. This includes keeping your warehouses organized, back-stock constantly purged and commons areas cleared out on a normal basis. If you’re a clothing store, it should be a daily task to ensure all garments have barcodes/pricing indicators. This helps with selling the item and help in the counting process. This also goes for your checkpoint tags. While you’re out checking each and every rack for barcodes, make sure your team has a box full of checkpoint tags to snap on any garments that don’t have them. You’re already going through every piece of clothing; why not use this time to your advantage?
Have a plan
Inventories follow a basic routine. Lay area tickets, scan. Variances. When you first lay your area tickets, do so in a logical manner. Each part of the store should be assigned a numbered group depending on your specific set-up (clothing – 3000, shoes – 2000, etc). This way, if you are missing an area ticket late in the count, you can easily identify where in the store it should be. Also, when laying tickets, do them in numerical order and every 4 – 8 feet of shelf space. Try to stay consistent on each aisle so the counting team doesn’t get confused and miscount. Again, incorporate your checkpoint system into this process. There aren’t too many times a year that you put your hands on each and every piece of inventory. Make it count!
Top-Stock/Back-stock/warehouse
A day prior to counting, it’s a wise idea to “pre-count” your back-stock and warehouse merchandise. This will save you tons of time during the actual count. You’ll have to manage this a little so when items are sold during the day, they are removed from your pre-count sheet. Don’t forget about any outside containers, or off-site storage areas. If you store clothing in your warehouses, I’d suggest pre-counting this a day or so before inventory as well. The more you pre-count, the easier the actual inventory night is. You know what else you can do while you’re counting your warehouse? Yep, you guessed it! Use this time to apply some checkpoint tags to those items you hadn’t gotten to yet!
Overnight
I can’t stress this enough. Do your count overnight, when there are no customers in the store. I hate when I see stores trying to conduct inventory during the day. There are just too many distractions to contend with during business hours. At night, there are no customers, no checkpoint system alarms,no phone calls, no drama and no fussing. It allows you and your counters to focus 100% to the task at hand – getting your inventory correct.
Variances
Once you count your store, the computer probably gives you a variance report. This generally shows you what you counted and what the books showed you should have in the store. So, at what variance do you spend time and research the discrepancies? Well, it depends and you have to use some common sense. Most big-box stores don’t chase anything less than $250. You may want to set that threshold a little lower or higher.
Mistakes do happen during inventory and you’ll never, ever, no matter what anyone tells you, or what a third-party business may try to sell you, get an inventory 100% accurate. Humans conduct the count. Humans conduct the variance. There will always exists the inherent human error, but by following some of these tips, you could save yourself a good deal of grief, heartache and a few sleepless nights.
Need information on Checkpoint Systems? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Inventory doesn’t have to be pain, I promise. If you know what to do, are well prepared and have a good team in place, inventory can actually be fun! Every year I lend my advice to my 25 stores in the form of a conference call and since you’re smart enough to be reading this, I’ll let you in on the secrets to a smooth night as well. Not is inventory time a perfect opportunity to clean your on-hand counts, it’s also a great time to ensure your Checkpoint System is at the top of its game.
Prep and Prep
Early There’s a whole lot that goes into inventory prep and isn’t something you can just do in one or two days. Prepping for inventory should be a year-round task. This includes keeping your warehouses organized, back-stock constantly purged and commons areas cleared out on a normal basis. If you’re a clothing store, it should be a daily task to ensure all garments have barcodes/pricing indicators. This helps with selling the item and help in the counting process. This also goes for your Checkpoint tags. While you’re out checking each and every rack for barcodes, make sure your team has a box full of Checkpoint tags to snap on any garments that don’t have them. You’re already going through every piece of clothing; why not use this time to your advantage?
Have a plan
Inventories follow a basic routine. Lay area tickets, scan. Variances. When you first lay your area tickets, do so in a logical manner. Each part of the store should be assigned a numbered group depending on your specific set-up (clothing – 3000, shoes – 2000, etc). This way, if you are missing an area ticket late in the count, you can easily identify where in the store it should be. Also, when laying tickets, do them in numerical order and every 4 – 8 feet of shelf space. Try to stay consistent on each aisle so the counting team doesn’t get confused and miscount. Again, incorporate your Checkpoint System into this process. There aren’t too many times a year that you put your hands on each and every piece of inventory. Make it count!
Top-Stock/Back-stock/Warehouse
A day prior to counting, it’s a wise idea to “pre-count” your back-stock and warehouse merchandise. This will save you tons of time during the actual count. You’ll have to manage this a little so when items are sold during the day, they are removed from your pre-count sheet. Don’t forget about any outside containers, or off-site storage areas. If you store clothing in your warehouses, I’d suggest pre-counting this a day or so before inventory as well. The more you pre-count, the easier the actual inventory night is. You know what else you can do while you’re counting your warehouse? Yep, you guessed it! Use this time to apply some Checkpoint tags to those items you hadn’t gotten to yet!
Overnight
I can’t stress this enough. Do your count overnight, when there are no customers in the store. I hate when I see stores trying to conduct inventory during the day. There are just too many distractions to contend with during business hours. At night, there are no customers, no Checkpoint system alarms,no phone calls, no drama and no fussing. It allows you and your counters to focus 100% to the task at hand – getting your inventory correct.
Variances
Once you count your store, the computer probably gives you a variance report. This generally shows you what you counted and what the books showed you should have in the store. So, at what variance do you spend time and research the discrepancies? Well, it depends and you have to use some common sense. Most big-box stores don’t chase anything less than $250. You may want to set that threshold a little lower or higher.
Mistakes do happen during inventory and you’ll never, ever, no matter what anyone tells you, or what a third-party business may try to sell you, get an inventory 100% accurate. Humans conduct the count. Humans conduct the variance. There will always exists the inherent human error, but by following some of these tips, you could save yourself a good deal of grief, heartache and a few sleepless nights.
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