With the increased push for consumers to buy from local dealers instead of the big boxes, many new retailers are seeing more and more foot traffic in their stores. I have no issue with shopping online, but I do enjoy going into the store to browse around and I usually end up buying more than I intended. One downside to that is that with more people in the store looking around, the easier it is to get distracted, and the easier it is to lose merchandise to thieves. Some business owners and managers then make the mistake of the knee jerk reaction. They start making decisions that punish their honest customers, instead of looking into creative ways to prevent shoplifting, like utilizing retail anti theft devices.
I just drove past a new little store on my way back from taking my daughter to school. The lady opened up a “Bargains and Exchange” store about a month or so ago. I had been meaning to stop in there because there was a cute purse hanging in the window, but then I guess someone else bought it. But today I saw a big hand written sign on the front door that read: NO LARGE BAGS ALLOWED INSIDE STORE. I just sighed and shook my head. She’s started having the same trouble as the antique shop next door to her, or she’s just copying them. Either way, there are better and more customer friendly ways to prevent shoplifting. There are several different tools offered by Alpha security that can help deter theft, but none of them involve signs.
Alpha security involves some versatile tools that can be used to protect almost anything you sell. I’ll just tell you about a couple of them. First of all, there is one of my favorites, the Alpha Spider Wrap. It is exactly what it sounds like: you wrap the cables around the item and snap the lock into place. The cables are super strong and they stretch around large items. I’ve put them around 19” television boxes before. Once you click the lock into place, you can adjust and tighten the cables until there is not even room to get a sheet of paper under them. I have watched a thief try to take one off; it was very entertaining. If the customer does manage to damage one of the cables, the Alpha Spider Wrap will self alarm and alert the store staff. How cool is that?
Another tool offered by Alpha security is the Alpha Cable Lock. In our area, one oddly popular item for thieves to go after is large bottles of name brand laundry detergent. They would load up with arms full, wait until the clerk got busy, and then run out the front door. Sometimes they would be seen, but many times it went completely unnoticed. So, we invested in Alpha Cable Locks. They are about the size of an actual large lock, but they are designed for protecting merchandise. They fit right around the handles of these detergent bottles, and they are nearly impossible to remove without the right tool. Those Alpha Cable Locks put a stop to the laundry liquid thefts immediately and we were very thankful.
These are just a couple of examples of tools offered by Alpha Security. Just think about what your store is losing and take a look at what they could do for you.
Get more information on Alpha Technology. Contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
STOP STEALING MY STUFF! – BOTTLE LOCKS
Like you and many other retailers out there, I’m pretty tired of people stealing my stuff! One of my biggest pains and areas of greatest loss is my alcohol section. It seems like every day I find that I’m missing some liquor, or a good bottle (or 5) of wine. What can I do… what can you do to stop this! Why should I have to pay for someone’s party!!! Not long ago, I began using bottle locks and they’ve really helped me fight this battle.
Out of all the Alpha Security products out there, the simple bottle lock is probably my favorite. For starters, I don’t have a large staff. My employees are limited to a few cashiers, two stockers and me. While I have a camera system, I don’t have anyone actively monitoring the cameras and my staff is usually pretty busy with maintaining full shelves, checking out customers, unloading trucks, so it was important to find a way to stop thieves from stealing my product that could be pretty much a hands off approach.
Second, I face a lot of scrutiny from vendors. There’s a reason some liquor bottles are designed the way they are. These companies want their particular bottle to rise above the competition. So it is often difficult to leverage the need to secure the liquor with the vendors need to put it in the hands of the customer. Bottle locks are a great solution. They don’t interfere with packaging or really take away any merchandising aspect of a particular bottle and they let me secure against thieves.
Additionally, I have to also protect my store from potential lawsuits. What if some teenagers get the bright idea to come in and steal some liquor? Then, in their drunken stupor go out and kill someone on the road. There is legal precedent out there that says I can face legal consequences if I didn’t do enough to secure the product away from the hands of those that are not able to legally purchase. Crazy to think that is even a remote possibility, but it has happened and will more than likely happen again somewhere. Alpha Security and bottle locks can at the very least provide you with some peace of mind.
Finally, I have to put my bottom line at the front of any decision I make. With every expense, I must see that there is a true return on investment. Alpha Security provides me with that return and I see it every day in my stores. Not only are my shelves consistently stocked with the merchandise my customer’s want, I am deterring criminal activity in my store by simply popping a top on a bottle of the good stuff.
Get more information on Bottle Locks, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Like you and many other retailers out there, I’m pretty tired of people stealing my stuff! One of my biggest pains and areas of greatest loss is my alcohol section. It seems like every day I find that I’m missing some liquor, or a good bottle (or 5) of wine. What can I do… what can you do to stop this! Why should I have to pay for someone’s party!!! Not long ago, I began using bottle locks and they’ve really helped me fight this battle.
Out of all the Alpha Security products out there, the simple bottle lock is probably my favorite. For starters, I don’t have a large staff. My employees are limited to a few cashiers, two stockers and me. While I have a camera system, I don’t have anyone actively monitoring the cameras and my staff is usually pretty busy with maintaining full shelves, checking out customers, unloading trucks, so it was important to find a way to stop thieves from stealing my product that could be pretty much a hands off approach.
Second, I face a lot of scrutiny from vendors. There’s a reason some liquor bottles are designed the way they are. These companies want their particular bottle to rise above the competition. So it is often difficult to leverage the need to secure the liquor with the vendors need to put it in the hands of the customer. Bottle locks are a great solution. They don’t interfere with packaging or really take away any merchandising aspect of a particular bottle and they let me secure against thieves.
Additionally, I have to also protect my store from potential lawsuits. What if some teenagers get the bright idea to come in and steal some liquor? Then, in their drunken stupor go out and kill someone on the road. There is legal precedent out there that says I can face legal consequences if I didn’t do enough to secure the product away from the hands of those that are not able to legally purchase. Crazy to think that is even a remote possibility, but it has happened and will more than likely happen again somewhere. Alpha Security and bottle locks can at the very least provide you with some peace of mind.
Finally, I have to put my bottom line at the front of any decision I make. With every expense, I must see that there is a true return on investment. Alpha Security provides me with that return and I see it every day in my stores. Not only are my shelves consistently stocked with the merchandise my customer’s want, I am deterring criminal activity in my store by simply popping a top on a bottle of the good stuff.
Get more information on Bottle Locks, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Checkpoint hard tags-5 WC blog 149
electronic article surveillance-4
Auto Peg Tag – 5
Checkpoint Hard Tags Allow Retailers To Keep Merchandise Accessible To Customers
Are you a store owner looking for solutions to stop shoplifting but you are concerned about whether EAS tags or Checkpoint hard tags would detract from your merchandise or store displays? You are not alone, according to the 2014-2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer, “Key product-specific solutions deployed by U.S. retailers to prevent retail theft included EAS (electronic article surveillance – Labels and Hard Tags/EAS antennas)(68%), spider wraps/security keepers (41%), and advanced inventory control tactics (27%). According to the retailers, the major issue while using these solutions is the need to ensure that the product remains within the reach of the customer so that they can touch or try them, while also ensuring that the entire set up looks attractive.” (pg. 57). Checkpoint hard tags like the Auto Peg Tag provide the retailer the advantage of Electronic Article Surveillance protection while maintaining the visual impact of a display and having little impact on the amount of merchandise displayed on peg hooks.
The Auto Peg Tag is an electronic article surveillance enabled tag that is placed on the merchandise packaging to cover the peg hole and part of the package itself. Whether the packaging is cardboard or plastic blister packaging, these Checkpoint hard tags are designed to fit over the peg hole opening and clip together. If merchandise that is protected with the tag is carried through an electronic article surveillance antenna the antenna has built in lights that flash and a loud audible alarm to catch the attention of store personnel. Employees respond to the alarm and through receipt checks or bag checks, determine the cause and recover unpaid merchandise.
Display set up is important because it makes merchandise “shoppable” and draws customer’s attention to the merchandise. I have worked for stores that did a great job of creating attractive displays and maintaining planogram integrity, even when merchandise has gone clearance and the planogram is “breaking”. I have also worked in a store that did not do a good job of straightening or “zoning” merchandise and it caused many customers to walk away rather than dig to find a price or what they wanted. When Auto Peg Tags are used, the merchandise does not lose any of its visual attractiveness nor does it detract from a planogram. The tags are either ordered in yellow or white so customers, especially criminals, will see that the merchandise is security protected. Little of the packaging is covered, allowing customers to read all of the manufacturer’s selling points and labels.
Retailers that have been successful and grown over the years also recognize that their customers want to be able to handle merchandise not just look at it through a glass display case. Sometimes shoppers just want to be able to turn merchandise over and read instructions or specifications that cannot be done when it sits in a showcase. One example that comes to mind is razor blades. I have seen them arranged in a locked display case that required an associate with a key to come over and get the merchandise out of lock-up. A much more effective security measure is to use an Auto Peg Tag. Customers don’t want to wait for service just to look at package information nor do they want to wait to make a purchase. Customers that have to wait will leave a store and not make a purchase resulting in lost revenue for a retailer. Checkpoint hard tags provide protection of merchandise and freedom for owners to set up user friendly displays for products.
Keep your store displays looking attractive and your merchandise accessible to your customers. Use the Auto Peg Tag and other Checkpoint hard tags to protect merchandise with electronic article surveillance technology while having the confidence that your customers can select merchandise and browse the store at their leisure. Store profits will grow and shortage will decrease and that’s what makes store owners happy.
Get more information on Checkpoint hard tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Are you a store owner looking for solutions to stop shoplifting but you are concerned about whether EAS tags or Checkpoint hard tags would detract from your merchandise or store displays? You are not alone, according to the 2014-2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer, “Key product-specific solutions deployed by U.S. retailers to prevent retail theft included EAS (electronic article surveillance – Labels and Hard Tags/EAS antennas)(68%), spider wraps/security keepers (41%), and advanced inventory control tactics (27%). According to the retailers, the major issue while using these solutions is the need to ensure that the product remains within the reach of the customer so that they can touch or try them, while also ensuring that the entire set up looks attractive.” (pg. 57). Checkpoint hard tags like the Auto Peg Tag provide the retailer the advantage of Electronic Article Surveillance protection while maintaining the visual impact of a display and having little impact on the amount of merchandise displayed on peg hooks.
The Auto Peg Tag is an electronic article surveillance enabled tag that is placed on the merchandise packaging to cover the peg hole and part of the package itself. Whether the packaging is cardboard or plastic blister packaging, these Checkpoint hard tags are designed to fit over the peg hole opening and clip together. If merchandise that is protected with the tag is carried through an electronic article surveillance antenna the antenna has built in lights that flash and a loud audible alarm to catch the attention of store personnel. Employees respond to the alarm and through receipt checks or bag checks, determine the cause and recover unpaid merchandise.
Display set up is important because it makes merchandise “shoppable” and draws customer’s attention to the merchandise. I have worked for stores that did a great job of creating attractive displays and maintaining planogram integrity, even when merchandise has gone clearance and the planogram is “breaking”. I have also worked in a store that did not do a good job of straightening or “zoning” merchandise and it caused many customers to walk away rather than dig to find a price or what they wanted. When Auto Peg Tags are used, the merchandise does not lose any of its visual attractiveness nor does it detract from a planogram. The tags are either ordered in yellow or white so customers, especially criminals, will see that the merchandise is security protected. Little of the packaging is covered, allowing customers to read all of the manufacturer’s selling points and labels.
Retailers that have been successful and grown over the years also recognize that their customers want to be able to handle merchandise not just look at it through a glass display case. Sometimes shoppers just want to be able to turn merchandise over and read instructions or specifications that cannot be done when it sits in a showcase. One example that comes to mind is razor blades. I have seen them arranged in a locked display case that required an associate with a key to come over and get the merchandise out of lock-up. A much more effective security measure is to use an Auto Peg Tag. Customers don’t want to wait for service just to look at package information nor do they want to wait to make a purchase. Customers that have to wait will leave a store and not make a purchase resulting in lost revenue for a retailer. Checkpoint hard tags provide protection of merchandise and freedom for owners to set up user friendly displays for products.
Keep your store displays looking attractive and your merchandise accessible to your customers. Use the Auto Peg Tag and other Checkpoint hard tags to protect merchandise with electronic article surveillance technology while having the confidence that your customers can select merchandise and browse the store at their leisure. Store profits will grow and shortage will decrease and that’s what makes store owners happy.
Get more information on Checkpoint hard tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
