Retail Theft Prevention-4 WC Blog 280
Checkpoint security systems-4
Checkpoint Tags-3
Stop shoplifting-3
Complacency Can Carry Consequences; Emphasize Theft Daily And Use Retail Anti-Theft Devices On All Merchandise
How secure is your merchandise? Do you feel like you have strong controls in place to prevent and deter theft? It can be easy for store employees, including managers and supervisors to become complacent when it comes to retail theft prevention. Whether it is merchandise theft, cash theft or fraud of various types, we can all fall victim to complacency. I bring this up because recently at the store I work for a cashier had two computer tablets stolen from him. Were the tablets secured? While they were locked up in the stockroom they were. The theft took place when the employee took the tablets to the register to ring up. The tablets were left on the counter in front of the customer. A credit card was presented as payment but when the card was declined the thief grabbed his credit card and the two tablets and ran out the door.
Retail theft prevention requires a multi-faceted approach to stop shoplifting and other retail crimes. It should start with installing Checkpoint security systems and all the components necessary to operate the system effectively. Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) antennas should be set up at entrances and exits and deactivation units for each checkout stand. Detachment tools secured to the register stands will ensure hard Checkpoint tags can be removed upon customer checkout. Protecting every piece of merchandise with hard or soft Checkpoint tags will stop shoplifting through deterrence and/or EAS antenna alarm activations. Theft prevention also includes controlling keys to registers and doors, employee awareness of possible signs of credit card fraud, counterfeit money schemes, short change artists and methods of shoplifting and return fraud. A Checkpoint security system can prevent the majority of shoplifting but it still requires employee education and training for proper deactivation and alarm response. It also does not prevent all the theft related crimes retailers contend with daily.
So, what could have the employee done differently with the tablet theft? He had to take the merchandise out of a locked stockroom in order to even get it for the customer. In this case, the tablets should have been kept out of reach of the customer until the transaction had completely gone through. He should have also been suspicious when the customer wanted two of the same tablets, valued around $500 a piece. Transactions that are not common should be viewed with a suspicion.
I am not trying to play Monday morning quarterback, I had a recent incident in which I was a little suspicious of a transaction and even got another employee with supervisor responsibilities to double check me. A customer was making a purchase of $3 and some change total and paying with a $100 bill. I marked the bill with a counterfeit pen and it marked properly. I had the second employee look at the bill and he agreed it felt odd but agreed with the marking pen. I completed the transaction and the customer left. I should have called for the Manager on Duty but did not until it was all done and I later learned the bill was actually counterfeit. Lesson learned. By the way, my background? About 15 years of Loss Prevention Management, 20 years of Retail Loss Prevention experience total and 26 years of total retail background.
One more example, our store uses EAS retail theft prevention devices to stop shoplifting. Recently the company Loss Prevention department revised a company theft protection strategy which gives stores direction on items to be protected with anti-shoplifting tags. Within a week of the change, a high ticket piece of merchandise (over a hundred dollars) that used to be secured with an anti-shoplifting device was stolen. Prior to the removal of the protective device there had not been a theft issue with the item in question. A Checkpoint Security System is generally as effective as the amount of merchandise protected with Checkpoint tags or other EAS anti-shoplifting devices. The removal of tags and protective devices puts products at risk.
If you don’t have one, invest in a Checkpoint Security System to prevent merchandise theft. If you DO have a system, don’t allow complacency to set in. Protect as much merchandise as you possibly can and make sure theft and fraud are regular topics of discussion with your employees. Employees make the difference in how effective your retail theft prevention strategies truly are.
Need information on Checkpoint Security Systems? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
How secure is your merchandise? Do you feel like you have strong controls in place to prevent and deter theft? It can be easy for store employees, including managers and supervisors to become complacent when it comes to retail theft prevention. Whether it is merchandise theft, cash theft or fraud of various types, we can all fall victim to complacency. I bring this up because recently at the store I work for a cashier had two computer tablets stolen from him. Were the tablets secured? While they were locked up in the stockroom they were. The theft took place when the employee took the tablets to the register to ring up. The tablets were left on the counter in front of the customer. A credit card was presented as payment but when the card was declined the thief grabbed his credit card and the two tablets and ran out the door.
Retail theft prevention requires a multi-faceted approach to stop shoplifting and other retail crimes. It should start with installing Checkpoint security systems and all the components necessary to operate the system effectively. Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) antennas should be set up at entrances and exits and deactivation units for each checkout stand. Detachment tools secured to the register stands will ensure hard Checkpoint tags can be removed upon customer checkout. Protecting every piece of merchandise with hard or soft Checkpoint tags will stop shoplifting through deterrence and/or EAS antenna alarm activations. Theft prevention also includes controlling keys to registers and doors, employee awareness of possible signs of credit card fraud, counterfeit money schemes, short change artists and methods of shoplifting and return fraud. A Checkpoint security system can prevent the majority of shoplifting but it still requires employee education and training for proper deactivation and alarm response. It also does not prevent all the theft related crimes retailers contend with daily.
So, what could have the employee done differently with the tablet theft? He had to take the merchandise out of a locked stockroom in order to even get it for the customer. In this case, the tablets should have been kept out of reach of the customer until the transaction had completely gone through. He should have also been suspicious when the customer wanted two of the same tablets, valued around $500 a piece. Transactions that are not common should be viewed with a suspicion.
I am not trying to play Monday morning quarterback, I had a recent incident in which I was a little suspicious of a transaction and even got another employee with supervisor responsibilities to double check me. A customer was making a purchase of $3 and some change total and paying with a $100 bill. I marked the bill with a counterfeit pen and it marked properly. I had the second employee look at the bill and he agreed it felt odd but agreed with the marking pen. I completed the transaction and the customer left. I should have called for the Manager on Duty but did not until it was all done and I later learned the bill was actually counterfeit. Lesson learned. By the way, my background? About 15 years of Loss Prevention Management, 20 years of Retail Loss Prevention experience total and 26 years of total retail background.
One more example, our store uses EAS retail theft prevention devices to stop shoplifting. Recently the company Loss Prevention department revised a company theft protection strategy which gives stores direction on items to be protected with anti-shoplifting tags. Within a week of the change, a high ticket piece of merchandise (over a hundred dollars) that used to be secured with an anti-shoplifting device was stolen. Prior to the removal of the protective device there had not been a theft issue with the item in question. A Checkpoint Security System is generally as effective as the amount of merchandise protected with Checkpoint tags or other EAS anti-shoplifting devices. The removal of tags and protective devices puts products at risk.
If you don’t have one, invest in a Checkpoint Security System to prevent merchandise theft. If you DO have a system, don’t allow complacency to set in. Protect as much merchandise as you possibly can and make sure theft and fraud are regular topics of discussion with your employees. Employees make the difference in how effective your retail theft prevention strategies truly are.
Need information on Checkpoint Security Systems? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
JM Blog 10 shark tag
Key words KW – Alpha Shark Tags 5
KW- Wardrobing 4
Bad Returns Bites! Alpha Shark Tags Help You Bite Back
It is a yearly occurrence in my home store to see swimming pools, party tents and portable furniture fly out the door on Fridays only to magically become unwanted on Monday. It came as surprise when a peer mentioned that they deal with the same issue but with their high end apparel. The term he used was Wardrobing and it is every bit as big a problem for high end folks as our big box seasonal returns. When I asked how they deal with it he told me that Alpha Shark Tags were their best defense.
Wardrobing is the act of purchasing a high end item, like a prom dress or suit and wearing it for an event or special occasion before returning it. I was confused as to how a Merchandise Protection System(MPS) sounding item, like an Alpha Shark Tag, would help prevent this. He quickly corrected me and pointed out that the Alpha Shark Tag wasn’t MPS, it was more like RPS, a return prevention system. That’s a clever term, I should find a way to market that.
The Alpha Shark Tag is a bright visible red tag that attaches, without causing any damage, to a garment. The tag is easy to remove with a pair of scissors and once the customer purchases the item it is up to them to remove the tag. The store informs the customer at the time of purchase the items are only returnable if the red tag is intact. Brilliant!!
The system is the perfect defense against Wardrobing and it does nothing to hinder the sale. The tag is easy to see but remains sleek enough that it doesn’t affect the customer from trying on the item it protects. Once they get home if buyer’s remorse sets in or there is an issue the item is fully returnable so long as the tag is intact.
Besides clothing I can see this being applicable to some of my own concern areas. Take an air mattress. These are commonly bought and returned during camping and graduation season. If the tag could be preplaced on a bed, in the middle, somewhere you would need to remove the it to use the bed it would serve a proof of use. No red tag and no visible defect then no return. The tags may not have been specifically designed for air mattresses, but an LP can dream can’t he? Now if only I could find a way to tag the outdoor furniture and tents.
Back to Wardrobing, in particular with high end clothing, the potential profit savings is huge. Even if you resold every item that got returned after a single use you still lose profits. Imagine if an item couldn’t be resold, how much would be lost then? I wonder how many times something like a fur coat or high end dress gets returned only to find some hidden damage? Only takes a minor flaw to make the item a total loss, one that can really kill your profits.
Clearly we all want to maintain good relationships with our honest and upfront customers. No one should need to suffer from the actions of the less moral members of our cliental and the Alpha Shark Tags allow for us to strike a balance between merchant and consumer and everyone wins. It nice to see the LP world move a few more steps ahead of those who would chew up our profits and take advantage of the courtesy we extend to the honest consumer.
Need information on Alpha Shark Tags? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547.
It is a yearly occurrence in my home store to see swimming pools, party tents and portable furniture fly out the door on Fridays only to magically become unwanted on Monday. It came as surprise when a peer mentioned that they deal with the same issue but with their high end apparel. The term he used was Wardrobing and it is every bit as big a problem for high end folks as our big box seasonal returns. When I asked how they deal with it he told me that Alpha Shark Tags were their best defense.
Wardrobing is the act of purchasing a high end item, like a prom dress or suit and wearing it for an event or special occasion before returning it. I was confused as to how a Merchandise Protection System(MPS) sounding item, like an Alpha Shark Tag, would help prevent this. He quickly corrected me and pointed out that the Alpha Shark Tag wasn’t MPS, it was more like RPS, a return prevention system. That’s a clever term, I should find a way to market that.
The Alpha Shark Tag is a bright visible red tag that attaches, without causing any damage, to a garment. The tag is easy to remove with a pair of scissors and once the customer purchases the item it is up to them to remove the tag. The store informs the customer at the time of purchase the items are only returnable if the red tag is intact. Brilliant!!
The system is the perfect defense against Wardrobing and it does nothing to hinder the sale. The tag is easy to see but remains sleek enough that it doesn’t affect the customer from trying on the item it protects. Once they get home if buyer’s remorse sets in or there is an issue the item is fully returnable so long as the tag is intact.
Besides clothing I can see this being applicable to some of my own concern areas. Take an air mattress. These are commonly bought and returned during camping and graduation season. If the tag could be preplaced on a bed, in the middle, somewhere you would need to remove the it to use the bed it would serve a proof of use. No red tag and no visible defect then no return. The tags may not have been specifically designed for air mattresses, but an LP can dream can’t he? Now if only I could find a way to tag the outdoor furniture and tents.
Back to Wardrobing, in particular with high end clothing, the potential profit savings is huge. Even if you resold every item that got returned after a single use you still lose profits. Imagine if an item couldn’t be resold, how much would be lost then? I wonder how many times something like a fur coat or high end dress gets returned only to find some hidden damage? Only takes a minor flaw to make the item a total loss, one that can really kill your profits.
Clearly we all want to maintain good relationships with our honest and upfront customers. No one should need to suffer from the actions of the less moral members of our cliental and the Alpha Shark Tags allow for us to strike a balance between merchant and consumer and everyone wins. It nice to see the LP world move a few more steps ahead of those who would chew up our profits and take advantage of the courtesy we extend to the honest consumer.
Need information on Alpha Shark Tags? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547.
Free Loss Prevention Calculator-3 WC blog 248
Loss Prevention Calculator-3
Can Loss Prevention Be Free?-3
It’s the time for retailers to begin thinking about preparations for inventory. You know what I’m talking about, counting up all the merchandise currently in the store, comparing it to what you sold during the past year and determining how much of your merchandise you cannot account for. Some of your losses will be due to administrative errors, but the majority of your losses will be due to employee theft and shoplifting. Have you taken steps to prevent theft? Are you relying on luck, good fortune or customer service to stop the thieves that may be driving up your shortage results? Since you are already taking inventory of your merchandise, perhaps it is time to take inventory of your theft prevention measures as well. If you aren’t using anti-theft devices because you are concerned about cost, the Free Loss Prevention Calculator may be just what you need to re-evaluate that choice.
At this point I’m sure you are wondering what a Loss Prevention Calculator is and how it can help you with inventory. The Loss Prevention calculator is a tool that gives a store owner or manager the ability to enter estimated annual sales information, and a dollar figure of how much money that owner or manager would like to invest in Loss Prevention equipment. Based on the information entered the calculator will show how long it would take for a Checkpoint System to pay for itself by reducing a shrink rate from 1.2% to 0.65%. Did I just say “Can Loss Prevention be free?” Yes, I did suggest that. Over time Loss Prevention can be free, by making a smart investment in a Checkpoint System to stop shoplifting and internal theft. The Free Loss Prevention Calculator gives you the ability to see just how much you can save and how long it will take for the system to pay for itself, (and by the way, it will). Oh to make the offer even better, there is no registration, or personal information entered before using the Loss Prevention Calculator. You enter as many different combinations as you like, you can print a pdf document that shows what you tried out. If you decide you really like the idea of starting to protect your interests, YOU make the decision to call us.
I can imagine you are still asking “Can Loss Prevention be Free?” Absolutely, yes! I have spent many years in Retail Loss Prevention and I have seen the positive effects of EAS strategy and the reduction in theft that can directly attribute to such a system. There is a deterrent value that comes as soon as a store puts antennas into place and begins tagging product. Would-be shoplifters reconsider stealing from your store and walk on out, seeking a new and easier mark to steal from. There is also a very real practical side, Checkpoint tags work with electronic article surveillance antennas to cause alarm activations when unpaid merchandise is being removed from the store. This alarm provides store personnel an opportunity to react and recover that merchandise and prevent a loss. The positive impact on your store’s shortage results will prove to you that over time a Checkpoint System will pay for itself.
Stop asking, “Can Loss Prevention be free?” Use this inventory preparation time to prepare for next year’s inventory by trying out the Free Loss Prevention Calculator. With so much free stuff available, what’s the risk in trying? Let the results speak for themselves.
Get more information on the Free Loss prevention Calculator, contact us or call 1.966.426.0547 today.
It’s the time for retailers to begin thinking about preparations for inventory. You know what I’m talking about, counting up all the merchandise currently in the store, comparing it to what you sold during the past year and determining how much of your merchandise you cannot account for. Some of your losses will be due to administrative errors, but the majority of your losses will be due to employee theft and shoplifting. Have you taken steps to prevent theft? Are you relying on luck, good fortune or customer service to stop the thieves that may be driving up your shortage results? Since you are already taking inventory of your merchandise, perhaps it is time to take inventory of your theft prevention measures as well. If you aren’t using anti-theft devices because you are concerned about cost, the Free Loss Prevention Calculator may be just what you need to re-evaluate that choice.
At this point I’m sure you are wondering what a Loss Prevention Calculator is and how it can help you with inventory. The Loss Prevention calculator is a tool that gives a store owner or manager the ability to enter estimated annual sales information, and a dollar figure of how much money that owner or manager would like to invest in Loss Prevention equipment. Based on the information entered the calculator will show how long it would take for a Checkpoint System to pay for itself by reducing a shrink rate from 1.2% to 0.65%. Did I just say “Can Loss Prevention be free?” Yes, I did suggest that. Over time Loss Prevention can be free, by making a smart investment in a Checkpoint System to stop shoplifting and internal theft. The Free Loss Prevention Calculator gives you the ability to see just how much you can save and how long it will take for the system to pay for itself, (and by the way, it will). Oh to make the offer even better, there is no registration, or personal information entered before using the Loss Prevention Calculator. You enter as many different combinations as you like, you can print a pdf document that shows what you tried out. If you decide you really like the idea of starting to protect your interests, YOU make the decision to call us.
I can imagine you are still asking “Can Loss Prevention be Free?” Absolutely, yes! I have spent many years in Retail Loss Prevention and I have seen the positive effects of EAS strategy and the reduction in theft that can directly attribute to such a system. There is a deterrent value that comes as soon as a store puts antennas into place and begins tagging product. Would-be shoplifters reconsider stealing from your store and walk on out, seeking a new and easier mark to steal from. There is also a very real practical side, Checkpoint tags work with electronic article surveillance antennas to cause alarm activations when unpaid merchandise is being removed from the store. This alarm provides store personnel an opportunity to react and recover that merchandise and prevent a loss. The positive impact on your store’s shortage results will prove to you that over time a Checkpoint System will pay for itself.
Stop asking, “Can Loss Prevention be free?” Use this inventory preparation time to prepare for next year’s inventory by trying out the Free Loss Prevention Calculator. With so much free stuff available, what’s the risk in trying? Let the results speak for themselves.
Get more information on the Free Loss prevention Calculator, contact us or call 1.966.426.0547 today.
