O Tag – 4
Eyewear tags -4 WC blog 19
Retail anti-theft devices-4
Retail Anti-Theft Device Solutions for Difficult To Protect Merchandise
There are times in retail you come across some things that seem to be beyond the ability of a store to adequately protect. How does a retailer prevent the theft of merchandise like sunglasses or a golf club? The method I have seen used most often is EAS source tagging in UPC tags. The problem with these retail anti-theft devices is that the tags can usually be removed with little effort. Alpha hard tags have developed a number of products that can prevent shoplifting of items that can be difficult to protect, among these the O tag and the Eyewear tags.
I worked in a store that served a tourist community that visited for primarily one of two reasons, to visit the beach or to golf. Because we are a destination for beach goers, we carried a large selection of sunglasses, some of which were quite pricey. Our displays for the glasses were a wall fixture and the standing glasses fixtures which can turn. To prevent shoplifting we had EAS source tagging for the majority of our glasses. For those that were not source tagged we manually tagged them ourselves. The issue we ran into was that shoplifters would just tear off the hang tags and wear the glasses out of the store, or place them in a purse or bag.
Alpha hard tags have created an eyewear tag to specifically prevent shoplifting of sunglasses, and standard reading glasses. These retail anti-theft devices fit on the arm of a pair of glasses and while they allow a customer to try on the glasses, they also provide a deterrent to theft. The hard tag is large enough to be a visual deterrent to theft and comes with either RF or AM alarm capability to work with an EAS system. Looking at the devices, it appears any attempt at tampering with the eyewear tag will result in breaking the glasses.
As I mentioned, golf is a significant tourist draw for our area and thus, golf club theft in our store tended to be a problem. Much like the sunglasses, they proved to be difficult to protect and the retail anti-theft devices we generally employed were EAS tags and security tape on the boxed clubs. Unless it was an attempted rollout, the problem we were faced with was box stuffing. Thieves would take single clubs and add them to a boxed set, or switch out clubs from a boxed set and put more expensive individual clubs in the box. If cashiers were not paying attention to the broken seal on the box or looking for re-taped boxes, (the thief would put clear tape over the box since they did not have access to our security tape) a box stuffer would get away with their crime.
The O tag is an Alpha hard tag designed to protect difficult to secure items with a tubular design. The beauty of the device is that it comes in two sizes, the smaller which allows it to be placed on something as thin as golf club. The larger device can be fitted to an item with the thickness of a baseball bat handle. In our situation, trying to protect golf clubs, the O tag would have made box switching of clubs more difficult. The device would have made it hard to fill the box and the fact it would alarm at the doors would have provided a deterrent. The thief would have also faced the challenge of removing the tags, even if they had gotten them past the doors.
Alpha Hard Tags can take the challenge out of trying to protect those difficult items in your store. Don’t leave yourself vulnerable to thieves because you can’t think of a way to protect your merchandise. Retail anti- theft devices like eyewear tags and O tags are just a sample of the strategies Alpha Hard Tags can offer you.
For more information on Retail Anti-Theft Devices contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
There are times in retail you come across some things that seem to be beyond the ability of a store to adequately protect. How does a retailer prevent the theft of merchandise like sunglasses or a golf club? The method I have seen used most often is EAS source tagging in UPC tags. The problem with these retail anti-theft devices is that the tags can usually be removed with little effort. Alpha hard tags have developed a number of products that can prevent shoplifting of items that can be difficult to protect, among these the O tag and the Eyewear tags.
I worked in a store that served a tourist community that visited for primarily one of two reasons, to visit the beach or to golf. Because we are a destination for beach goers, we carried a large selection of sunglasses, some of which were quite pricey. Our displays for the glasses were a wall fixture and the standing glasses fixtures which can turn. To prevent shoplifting we had EAS source tagging for the majority of our glasses. For those that were not source tagged we manually tagged them ourselves. The issue we ran into was that shoplifters would just tear off the hang tags and wear the glasses out of the store, or place them in a purse or bag.
Alpha hard tags have created an eyewear tag to specifically prevent shoplifting of sunglasses, and standard reading glasses. These retail anti-theft devices fit on the arm of a pair of glasses and while they allow a customer to try on the glasses, they also provide a deterrent to theft. The hard tag is large enough to be a visual deterrent to theft and comes with either RF or AM alarm capability to work with an EAS system. Looking at the devices, it appears any attempt at tampering with the eyewear tag will result in breaking the glasses.
As I mentioned, golf is a significant tourist draw for our area and thus, golf club theft in our store tended to be a problem. Much like the sunglasses, they proved to be difficult to protect and the retail anti-theft devices we generally employed were EAS tags and security tape on the boxed clubs. Unless it was an attempted rollout, the problem we were faced with was box stuffing. Thieves would take single clubs and add them to a boxed set, or switch out clubs from a boxed set and put more expensive individual clubs in the box. If cashiers were not paying attention to the broken seal on the box or looking for re-taped boxes, (the thief would put clear tape over the box since they did not have access to our security tape) a box stuffer would get away with their crime.
The O tag is an Alpha hard tag designed to protect difficult to secure items with a tubular design. The beauty of the device is that it comes in two sizes, the smaller which allows it to be placed on something as thin as golf club. The larger device can be fitted to an item with the thickness of a baseball bat handle. In our situation, trying to protect golf clubs, the O tag would have made box switching of clubs more difficult. The device would have made it hard to fill the box and the fact it would alarm at the doors would have provided a deterrent. The thief would have also faced the challenge of removing the tags, even if they had gotten them past the doors.
Alpha Hard Tags can take the challenge out of trying to protect those difficult items in your store. Don’t leave yourself vulnerable to thieves because you can’t think of a way to protect your merchandise. Retail anti- theft devices like eyewear tags and O tags are just a sample of the strategies Alpha Hard Tags can offer you.
For more information on Retail Anti-Theft Devices contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Alpha Shark Tags-3 , Return Fraud-3 , Wardrobing-4
The Real Cost Of Return Fraud
How much do you think retailers really lose on return fraud every year? In most surveys, the amount reported ranges from nine billion to fourteen billion. It is not only the loss of money either; there are several other factors involved. For one, the problem causes retailers to raise their prices in order to recover their losses. Many businesses work some of this into their budgets, but as shrink rises, something has to offset it. It also forces retailers to implement difficult and restricting return policies. Many stores have set up a “no receipt/no return” policy. Others have decided on time limits, like thirty to ninety days for returns. Some retailers have even invested in huge databases that track returns by license number, frequency, purchase amount, etc.
While those policy changes can help deter some return fraud, they do not stop wardrobing. This is the practice of people buying things they have zero intention to keep. Unfortunately with the recent recession, this type of return fraud has been on the rise. The person may purchase an expensive dress or accessory for a special occasion. Or they may buy the newest and greatest video camera for a wedding, graduation, or other special event. Then they wear or use the merchandise and bring it back for a full refund. These people justify this by telling themselves they’ve not caused the store any harm. They feel like they are just renting or borrowing what they need for when they need it, and the store is getting the stuff back. The flaw in the wardrobing ideology is that the store cannot resell the item for full price again in most cases. If the person waits to return the item, it may be out of season when they bring it back. This results in the store being forced to mark the item down and put it on a clearance rack. Or they may bring back something like lingerie or other things that must be simply discarded due to health reasons. Add the time wasted for your staff to restock the items to the sales floor, and you have lost a lot more than just the profits from the original sale.
Whether it be a brick and mortar building or an online only retailer, there is a simple effective solution to stop wardrobing. Three words: Alpha Shark Tags. Theses are simple gadgets that can put a stop to the “free rent” nonsense. Clip Alpha Shark Tags onto your inventory and you will take a serious bite out of return fraud. They snap right onto a garment or can be attached via lanyard. You can even attach a copy of your store’s return policy to the item with the tag. They are designed to be removed at home, by the customer, with a pair of household scissors. Once removed, the item is theirs to keep. These things are great because they can be clipped on at any time: delivery, before placing on sale display or even at point of purchase. Either way, they are quick and easy for your staff to utilize, and the customer is responsible for taking them off, so very little time is invested for such a great return.
The real cost of dealing with wardrobing is monumental. And allowing customers to just borrow your inventory and return it for full price is just not a working business model. Alpha Shark Tags are a reasonable solution to the problem.
For more information on Alpha Shark Tags, contact us or call: 1.770.426.0547 or Clothingsecurity.net
How much do you think retailers really lose on return fraud every year? In most surveys, the amount reported ranges from nine billion to fourteen billion. It is not only the loss of money either; there are several other factors involved. For one, the problem causes retailers to raise their prices in order to recover their losses. Many businesses work some of this into their budgets, but as shrink rises, something has to offset it. It also forces retailers to implement difficult and restricting return policies. Many stores have set up a “no receipt/no return” policy. Others have decided on time limits, like thirty to ninety days for returns. Some retailers have even invested in huge databases that track returns by license number, frequency, purchase amount, etc.
While those policy changes can help deter some return fraud, they do not stop wardrobing. This is the practice of people buying things they have zero intention to keep. Unfortunately with the recent recession, this type of return fraud has been on the rise. The person may purchase an expensive dress or accessory for a special occasion. Or they may buy the newest and greatest video camera for a wedding, graduation, or other special event. Then they wear or use the merchandise and bring it back for a full refund. These people justify this by telling themselves they’ve not caused the store any harm. They feel like they are just renting or borrowing what they need for when they need it, and the store is getting the stuff back. The flaw in the wardrobing ideology is that the store cannot resell the item for full price again in most cases. If the person waits to return the item, it may be out of season when they bring it back. This results in the store being forced to mark the item down and put it on a clearance rack. Or they may bring back something like lingerie or other things that must be simply discarded due to health reasons. Add the time wasted for your staff to restock the items to the sales floor, and you have lost a lot more than just the profits from the original sale.
Whether it be a brick and mortar building or an online only retailer, there is a simple effective solution to stop wardrobing. Three words: Alpha Shark Tags. Theses are simple gadgets that can put a stop to the “free rent” nonsense. Clip Alpha Shark Tags onto your inventory and you will take a serious bite out of return fraud. They snap right onto a garment or can be attached via lanyard. You can even attach a copy of your store’s return policy to the item with the tag. They are designed to be removed at home, by the customer, with a pair of household scissors. Once removed, the item is theirs to keep.These things are great because they can be clipped on at any time: delivery, before placing on sale display or even at point of purchase. Either way, they are quick and easy for your staff to utilize, and the customer is responsible for taking them off, so very little time is invested for such a great return.
The real cost of dealing with wardrobing is monumental. And allowing customers to just borrow your inventory and return it for full price is just not a working business model. Alpha Shark Tags are a reasonable solution to the problem.
For more information on Alpha Shark Tags, contact us or call: 1.770.426.0547
Alpha Security – 3 WC blog 10
Retail anti-theft devices-4
Alpha Cable Locks -3
Alpha Security Products Can Lock Out Thieves And Lock In Profits
Theft comes in all forms and businesses have to constantly be on guard to protect against it. It can be the grandmotherly shopper who steals from you or an employee pilfering from your stockroom. Since theft can hit you from any number of directions, the best decision you can make is to use retail anti-theft devices to protect your merchandise. Alpha Security products offer stores the ability to deter theft, whether it is an internal or an external threat.
Because of the versatility of Alpha Security devices, they can be used by retailers of any size to protect product. Do you sell sporting goods? Alpha cable locks can be wrapped through the webbing of a baseball glove without restricting a customer from trying it on or walking through your store with the item in their cart. Do you specialize in selling purses or wallets? Alpha cable locks can benefit your business as well, being strung through a zipper ring or around a purse strap. The customer can try on the purse, open pouches and compartments of wallets and see all the selling points but the security device remains on the product and deters theft. The Alpha cable lock comes in a 2 alarm or 3 alarm model so the retailer can choose the level of security they want to enjoy. The 2 alarm device will sound an audible alarm from the device if a customer attempts to tamper with and remove it from the product. The second protection is that it will activate the alarm antenna at the front of the store if someone attempts to shoplift the merchandise with the device on it. The added level of security with a 3 alarm device is that if a thief finds a way to get the retail anti-theft device out of the store without the door alarm sounding, once they get a certain distance from the store, the alarm self- activates!
I mentioned earlier that thieves can come into your store and you never know who it may be, and sometimes it will surprise you. I once had a woman in our store with her young daughter and they were walking through our handbag department. We were experiencing a lot of theft in this department at that particular time and it became a focus for our Loss Prevention team. Since the mother and daughter were in the area, I began watching them on our closed circuit television system. It didn’t take long for the mother to begin removing the paper stuffing from the purse and pulling off the price tags. I expected the woman to put the purse on her shoulder and walk out of the store. To my shock (and anger I might add) the mother walked with the young girl towards the exit. As they neared the door, the mother placed the purse on her daughter’s shoulder and began to leave the store! When I stopped the woman and confronted her she began admonishing her daughter for “trying to steal the purse”. Well, the incident didn’t result well for the mother as I recall and the police were called. There are two points to this story. First, you can’t profile who will and won’t steal from your business. Second, this situation might not have even taken place if we had access to a retail anti-theft device such as the Alpha cable locks, which were not available at that time.
Today, if the same scenario took place and the store was using a 2 alarm or 3 alarm Alpha cable lock, the flashing red light of the device would have alerted the woman that the purse was protected. Even if she had decided to walk out the door, the alarm activation would have alerted an associate that something was amiss. She might not have even considered attempting to shoplift and saved herself a lot of grief in the process.
What is theft and pilferage costing your company? Have you taken all the steps you can to protect your assets? Do you think you have merchandise that can’t be protected do to design or size? Consider looking into what Alpha Security products may be able to do for your company. There may be retail anti-theft devices available that you never considered before, investigate all the options available to increase your profits.
For more information about Alpha Security contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Theft comes in all forms and businesses have to constantly be on guard to protect against it. It can be the grandmotherly shopper who steals from you or an employee pilfering from your stockroom. ince theft can hit you from any number of directions, the best decision you can make is to use retail anti-theft devices to protect your merchandise. Alpha Security products offer stores the ability to deter theft, whether it is an internal or an external threat.
Because of the versatility of Alpha Security devices, they can be used by retailers of any size to protect product. Do you sell sporting goods? Alpha cable locks can be wrapped through the webbing of a baseball glove without restricting a customer from trying it on or walking through your store with the item in their cart. Do you specialize in selling purses or wallets? Alpha cable locks can benefit your business as well, being strung through a zipper ring or around a purse strap. The customer can try on the purse, open pouches and compartments of wallets and see all the selling points but the security device remains on the product and deters theft. The Alpha cable lock comes in a 2 alarm or 3 alarm model so the retailer can choose the level of security they want to enjoy. The 2 alarm device will sound an audible alarm from the device if a customer attempts to tamper with and remove it from the product. The second protection is that it will activate the alarm antenna at the front of the store if someone attempts to shoplift the merchandise with the device on it. The added level of security with a 3 alarm device is that if a thief finds a way to get the retail anti-theft device out of the store without the door alarm sounding, once they get a certain distance from the store, the alarm self- activates!
I mentioned earlier that thieves can come into your store and you never know who it may be, and sometimes it will surprise you. I once had a woman in our store with her young daughter and they were walking through our handbag department. We were experiencing a lot of theft in this department at that particular time and it became a focus for our Loss Prevention team. Since the mother and daughter were in the area, I began watching them on our closed circuit television system. It didn’t take long for the mother to begin removing the paper stuffing from the purse and pulling off the price tags. I expected the woman to put the purse on her shoulder and walk out of the store. To my shock (and anger I might add) the mother walked with the young girl towards the exit. As they neared the door, the mother placed the purse on her daughter’s shoulder and began to leave the store! When I stopped the woman and confronted her she began admonishing her daughter for “trying to steal the purse”. Well, the incident didn’t result well for the mother as I recall and the police were called. There are two points to this story. First, you can’t profile who will and won’t steal from your business. Second, this situation might not have even taken place if we had access to a retail anti-theft device such as the Alpha cable locks, which were not available at that time.
Today, if the same scenario took place and the store was using a 2 alarm or 3 alarm Alpha cable lock, the flashing red light of the device would have alerted the woman that the purse was protected. Even if she had decided to walk out the door, the alarm activation would have alerted an associate that something was amiss. She might not have even considered attempting to shoplift and saved herself a lot of grief in the process.
What is theft and pilferage costing your company? Have you taken all the steps you can to protect your assets? Do you think you have merchandise that can’t be protected do to design or size? Consider looking into what Alpha Security products may be able to do for your company. There may be retail anti-theft devices available that you never considered before, investigate all the options available to increase your profits.
For more information about Alpha Security, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Alpha Thunder Tags-5 WC blog 40
N10-3
Tablet Theft-3
Tablet Theft Can Lead To Patient Data Breaches – Protect Your Client Information With Classic N10 Antennas And Thunder Tags.
In a September 2014 online article in Reuters, “Your medical record is worth more to hackers than your credit card” Caroline Humer and Jim Finkle report, “Your medical information is worth 10 times more than your credit card on the black market”. The report goes on to mention that “stolen health credentials can go for $10 each, about 10 to 20 times the value of a U.S. credit card number, according to Don Jackson at Phishlabs, a cyber crime protection company.” A recent headline in a “HIPAA Journal” September 7, 2015 article, “Recent Cases Of Portable Device Theft Highlight Need For Healthcare Data Encryption”, should be a warning to healthcare providers that mobile devices are vulnerable to theft. Data breaches can be due to remote hacking or they can be the result of mobile devices that are stolen and then the information contained in the device is accessed by criminals. Prevention of tablet theft, i-pad theft and even the theft of laptops from a medical provider facility is more important now than ever before. There are protections available in addition to ensuring encryption is in place, such as using Alpha Thunder Tags to deter the theft of mobile devices.
To prevent theft, medical research offices, medical providers, or any office that has access to patient information and uses laptops, i-pads, tablets or other mobile technology can install an electronic article surveillance system. Connecting Alpha Thunder Tags to their devices creates a defense to limit opportunities for loss or theft. In order to work, Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) antennas must be installed at ALL points of entry and exit. If space is limited at some points, the Checkpoint Classic N10 antenna can be installed. This particular antenna is a compact design, originally created for use in small retail stores where every inch of floor space is valuable. The versatility of the N10 clearly makes it a smart choice for any location that may be limited space, particularly a service type entrance for employees. Antennas at entrances will alert staff with an audible tone and flashing LED lights if someone attempts to leave with a device that has been tagged with an Alpha Thunder Tag.
Keeping equipment tagged is important, but so is accountability. There must be training for employees so they understand the reasons why mobile device security is important for the office. People are more likely to take security seriously when they understand the reasons behind actions. I have seen sign out lists for keys, scanning devices, and radios. The consistency for using sign out sheets varied depending on how or if employees were held accountable for failing to sign out equipment. When we took the time to explain why signing for equipment was important, there tended to be more cooperative compliance. This is especially important in a busy work environment where people are rushing to take care of patients and emergencies. If someone knows they are going to be held responsible if they lose a device they are generally more careful in how they handle the equipment. This is not to say things won’t be misplaced if they are signed out, but the knowledge that others will know who lost or misplaced a laptop or tablet will create a sense of urgency in people to look for that item with a greater vigor. Alpha Thunder Tags should be looked at as a backup security measure to equipment security. To prevent tablet theft and i-pad theft, the primary security measure is control and accountability.
The Classic N10 and other Checkpoint EAS antennas along with the Alpha Thunder tag can assist you in preventing tablet theft and i-pad theft. Protect confidential client data from theft, and protect your company from potentially thousands of dollars in fines and penalties. Look into the benefits of electronic article surveillance; it isn’t just for retail stores anymore.
For more information on Checkpoint Classic N10 Antenna contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
In a September 2014 online article in Reuters, “Your medical record is worth more to hackers than your credit card” Caroline Humer and Jim Finkle report, “Your medical information is worth 10 times more than your credit card on the black market”. The report goes on to mention that “stolen health credentials can go for $10 each, about 10 to 20 times the value of a U.S. credit card number, according to Don Jackson at Phishlabs, a cyber crime protection company.” A recent headline in a “HIPAA Journal” September 7, 2015 article, “Recent Cases Of Portable Device Theft Highlight Need For Healthcare Data Encryption”, should be a warning to healthcare providers that mobile devices are vulnerable to theft. Data breaches can be due to remote hacking or they can be the result of mobile devices that are stolen and then the information contained in the device is accessed by criminals. Prevention of tablet theft, i-pad theft and even the theft of laptops from a medical provider facility is more important now than ever before. There are protections available in addition to ensuring encryption is in place, such as using Alpha Thunder Tags to deter the theft of mobile devices.
To prevent theft, medical research offices, medical providers, or any office that has access to patient information and uses laptops, i-pads, tablets or other mobile technology can install an electronic article surveillance system. Connecting Alpha Thunder Tags to their devices creates a defense to limit opportunities for loss or theft. In order to work, Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) antennas must be installed at ALL points of entry and exit. If space is limited at some points, the Checkpoint Classic N10 antenna can be installed. This particular antenna is a compact design, originally created for use in small retail stores where every inch of floor space is valuable. The versatility of the N10 clearly makes it a smart choice for any location that may be limited space, particularly a service type entrance for employees. Antennas at entrances will alert staff with an audible tone and flashing LED lights if someone attempts to leave with a device that has been tagged with an Alpha Thunder Tag.
Keeping equipment tagged is important, but so is accountability. There must be training for employees so they understand the reasons why mobile device security is important for the office. People are more likely to take security seriously when they understand the reasons behind actions. I have seen sign out lists for keys, scanning devices, and radios. The consistency for using sign out sheets varied depending on how or if employees were held accountable for failing to sign out equipment. When we took the time to explain why signing for equipment was important, there tended to be more cooperative compliance. This is especially important in a busy work environment where people are rushing to take care of patients and emergencies. If someone knows they are going to be held responsible if they lose a device they are generally more careful in how they handle the equipment. This is not to say things won’t be misplaced if they are signed out, but the knowledge that others will know who lost or misplaced a laptop or tablet will create a sense of urgency in people to look for that item with a greater vigor. Alpha Thunder Tags should be looked at as an esstial part of your security plan. To prevent tablet theft and i-pad theft, the primary security measure is control and accountability.
The Classic N10 and other Checkpoint EAS antennas along with the Alpha Thunder tag can assist you in preventing tablet theft and i-pad theft. Protect confidential client data from theft, and protect your company from potentially thousands of dollars in fines and penalties. Look into the benefits of electronic article surveillance; it isn’t just for retail stores anymore.
For more information on Checkpoint Classic N10 Antenna contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
If you are in the retail business of selling wines and liquors, you are probably running a constant defense to protect your inventory. If you think about it, it really just takes losing a bottle or two on a regular basis to start adding up to a major loss. Really, the same goes for bars and nightclubs. If you have someone taking a little at a time, it will start to accrue into a much larger problem. There are many good reasons to utilize bottle locks in either of these types of businesses, but a top one is the chance of an employee with a substance abuse problem. You can put your head in the sand and convince yourself that none of your staff would do such a thing. By the time you figure out you need bottle security; it could already be too late. A proactive approach could save you and your employees a lot of problems in the future.
Let me tell you a short story about a problem I am facing as I write this. I work for a small retail pharmacy. No, my problem has nothing to do with liquor bottle security, but you’ll soon see the relevance. I have recently transferred to a new location, and it has been nothing but bad on top of worse. Then the nightmare happened last week. I was sitting in my office, eating my lunch, and just browsing the cameras. That’s when I saw it: a technician took a pill bottle off the shelf and went into a corner with it. He bent down with the bottle out of view, then stood up and returned it to the shelf. I immediately had a sick feeling. After he left for the day, I went back and performed a cycle count on the bottle, and my fears were confirmed. This is a 500 count bottle, and it was missing 124 pills. We don’t use bottle locks on our pill bottles because most of the strong stuff is secured in safes, but this particular pain medication is not. I made some calls, and I’ve been monitoring this guy (and the bottle) on a daily basis since this happened. Two days after I discovered his crime he worked again and 14 more pills disappeared. The following day he pocketed 7 more, so that’s now 145 stolen I don’t know if he or someone close to him has an addiction, if he’s selling them. It doesn’t matter. The only question in my mind at this point is whether he will go out in handcuffs quietly or kicking and screaming after we interview tomorrow morning. When it’s all over, installing bottle security tools will be my new priority.
The point here is that when an employee starts stealing from you, whether it’s money, pills, or liquor, a little at a time starts adding up. My guy hasn’t just stolen the whole bottle at once because we would catch on to that. If he was opening a vodka bottle and taking drinks from it every day, that would be just as bad though. When you have a business that sells items that have the potential for abuse like that, bottle locks are paramount. If you have a bar, you need to have a plan for liquor bottle security for your storage room and open stock. You need to be doing comparisons of what you are purchasing vs what you are selling. Internal theft makes up the biggest piece of the pie for all business losses. Making the investment into bottle security will pay you back over and over. Take away the temptation and keep your peace of mind and your profits.
For more information on Bottle Locks, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Checkpoint Labels -4 WC blog 21
Stop Shoplifting-4
Prevent Meat And Fresh Food Theft; Use Checkpoint Food Labels
The grocery store business, in my opinion, is an interesting market where shortage is concerned. The profit margins are not very high, I have seen numbers range as low as 1% and as high as 3%. Whether it is the high or low end, this is not a lot of room for profit and it means that shortage control is critical in keeping the profits as high as possible. Grocery stores have to be concerned with shortage in several forms, expiration dates, vendor shortage, internal theft and shoplifting. Checkpoint labels can be an effective tool for any grocery store or supermarket to use to stop shoplifting and deter employee theft.
I will admit, I am limited in my experience in the grocery industry. As a teenager I bagged groceries, mopped the floors, stocked shelves and occasionally I priced canned goods. In my years as a retail store executive I had a little more exposure to the food industry. We did have food in our store, but it was somewhat limited when compared to even a small, corner grocery store and it did not include fresh meats. We had the frozen fish, frozen burgers in boxes, frozen pizzas, etcetera, but nothing that was really a major concern as far as theft goes. Also, having spent years in retail loss prevention, I was aware that grocery stores have smaller profit margins and need to stop shoplifting and other shortage to protect what profits they do make. I was NOT aware that theft from the meat department is one of the highest theft areas for grocery stores and can be a difficult area to control.
In order to help prevent food theft, the 4210 EP RF Checkpoint labels were designed to be safe for meat or other fresh foods and it can be placed on plastic wrap or under a meat soaker pad. Depending on how a merchant has the meat packaged the tagging can be done at the source or in store, so it is perfect for any food market. By having a Checkpoint system in place including antennas at the doors and using the Checkpoint labels, a store can stop shoplifting through deterrence or merchandise recovery.
I was in a grocery store a few years ago and happened to be looking in the fresh meat section when I noticed a customer standing near me. I noticed the “customer” quickly select several steaks and then make eye contact with me. He walked away and a few minutes later we happened to pass each other and the steaks weren’t in his hand any longer, but I noticed his shirt was untucked, he had no other items in his hands at that point and he seemed to be checking his waist band. I was curious at this point (I confess, I am nosey) and I followed the guy to the checkout lane where he picked up a pack of gum and stood in line. I don’t like shoplifters and I could not say for sure he had taken anything, but I wanted to make him uncomfortable if he had stolen the meat so I stood in line behind him. He was clearly uncomfortable, possibly from me being behind him or more likely from the cold he was experiencing from his hidden merchandise. Well, the “customer” bought his gum and left but his shifting from leg to leg and pants adjustments while he was in line gave me some entertainment and satisfaction that IF he had stolen the meat, it was not an easy theft.
I tell this story because it is a prime example of how the theft of meat and other food items are a very real problem for grocers. Stop shoplifting from happening in your store, invest in Checkpoint labels for your fresh food department and savor the savings you will see in increased profit margin.
For more information about Checkpoint labels contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
The grocery store business, in my opinion, is an interesting market where shortage is concerned. The profit margins are not very high, I have seen numbers range as low as 1% and as high as 3%. Whether it is the high or low end, this is not a lot of room for profit and it means that shortage control is critical in keeping the profits as high as possible. Grocery stores have to be concerned with shortage in several forms, expiration dates, vendor shortage, internal theft and shoplifting. Checkpoint labels can be an effective tool for any grocery store or supermarket to use to stop shoplifting and deter employee theft.
I will admit, I am limited in my experience in the grocery industry. As a teenager I bagged groceries, mopped the floors, stocked shelves and occasionally I priced canned goods. In my years as a retail store executive I had a little more exposure to the food industry. We did have food in our store, but it was somewhat limited when compared to even a small, corner grocery store and it did not include fresh meats. We had the frozen fish, frozen burgers in boxes, frozen pizzas, etcetera, but nothing that was really a major concern as far as theft goes. Also, having spent years in retail loss prevention, I was aware that grocery stores have smaller profit margins and need to stop shoplifting and other shortage to protect what profits they do make. I was NOT aware that theft from the meat department is one of the highest theft areas for grocery stores and can be a difficult area to control.
In order to help prevent food theft, the 4210 EP RF Checkpoint labels were designed to be safe for meat or other fresh foods and it can be placed on plastic wrap or under a meat soaker pad. Depending on how a merchant has the meat packaged the tagging can be done at the source or in store, so it is perfect for any food market. By having a Checkpoint system in place including antennas at the doors and using the Checkpoint labels, a store can stop shoplifting through deterrence or merchandise recovery.
I was in a grocery store a few years ago and happened to be looking in the fresh meat section when I noticed a customer standing near me. I noticed the “customer” quickly select several steaks and then make eye contact with me. He walked away and a few minutes later we happened to pass each other and the steaks weren’t in his hand any longer, but I noticed his shirt was untucked, he had no other items in his hands at that point and he seemed to be checking his waist band. I was curious at this point (I confess, I am nosey) and I followed the guy to the checkout lane where he picked up a pack of gum and stood in line. I don’t like shoplifters and I could not say for sure he had taken anything, but I wanted to make him uncomfortable if he had stolen the meat so I stood in line behind him. He was clearly uncomfortable, possibly from me being behind him or more likely from the cold he was experiencing from his hidden merchandise. Well, the “customer” bought his gum and left but his shifting from leg to leg and pants adjustments while he was in line gave me some entertainment and satisfaction that IF he had stolen the meat, it was not an easy theft.
I tell this story because it is a prime example of how the theft of meat and other food items are a very real problem for grocers. Stop shoplifting from happening in your store, invest in Checkpoint labels for your fresh food department and savor the savings you will see in increased profit margin.
For more information about Checkpoint labels, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
