RWHBLOG18
Drunk Driving Kills – But Not on My Watch from my Nightclub Using EASy Bottle!
Drunk driving kills and we all know it. If you are in the nightclub of high-end social entertainment business, you not only know it but are very concerned about the potential liability that it causes you. You are especially wary if you provide bottle service to your patrons at their tables. Undoubtedly you have instructed your service staff to watch for intoxicated patrons and make sure they do not leave with bottles. Maybe you have even gone to the extent to spend thousands of dollars per table putting in secure bottle lockers into your tables on the floor. You may have thought that these were your only options. I have come to realize that there is another option.
During my career, I have had the misfortune of having to investigate fatality drunk driving automobile collisions resulting from a severely intoxicated person leaving the bar or nightclub after having drank to obvious impairment and not being stopped by the bar or club management. They may have even left with the bottle from the club and took one for the road.” It is the responsibility of every person in the alcoholic beverage service industry to ensure that their patrons do not leave with alcohol or severely under the influence. I have also met and come to respect those members of the nightclub service community who do take that responsibility seriously and monitor the alcoholic beverage intake of their patrons and ensure that they are not permitted to leave with a bottle should the club have bottle service.
My interest was sparked due to my history in accident investigation when I saw the EASy bottle locking bottle cap by Alpha Products, a division of Checkpoint Security Systems. I understand your need to provide a bottle service to the patrons’ tables and give your club the look of a high-end establishment that treats its customers as V.I.P.s. Therefore, any solution must allow you to still have the bottles at the table but it should not look like Fort Knox and the tables should be standard tables so your expenses are not hiked unnecessarily. That is where the EASy bottle comes into play. It is a four-pronged key that inserts into the top of a bottle lock that secures the cap to the bottle. The patron will break the bottle before they are able to remove the cap. The key can also be kept on the person as opposed to previous keys in different models, this key is very lightweight and is not a problem to fit into the fashionable attire of your waitresses. It also comes with a retractor that can be worn on the person so the waitress does not have a concern about losing the key or placing it on the table where the patrons can help themselves to the bottle, which is what we are trying to avoid.
The EASy bottle system allows for your patrons to have that V.I.P. feel of a bottle service at the table without you having the worries of them serving themselves, often against the law in many states, or taking the bottle with them. Your service staff can then monitor the consumption of alcohol by patrons and assist them in getting transportation or disallow further service, protecting you from the liability and the tragedy of having one of your patrons involved in a drunk-driving motor vehicle accident.
Your nightclub will then continue to be a responsible high-end establishment that recognizes that patrons sometimes drink to excess if left to their own devices. You will acknowledge that intoxicated individuals often don’t know when to stop or when to take alternative transportation so you do your part to assist them in making those decisions. You know that drunk-driving kills – but it’s not going to happen on your watch from your place!
For more information on Bottle Service contact us at www.bottle-services.net or call
1.770.426.0547.
Drunk driving kills and we all know it. If you are in the nightclub of high-end social entertainment business, you not only know it but are very concerned about the potential liability that it causes you. You are especially wary if you provide bottle service to your patrons at their tables. Undoubtedly you have instructed your service staff to watch for intoxicated patrons and make sure they do not leave with bottles. Maybe you have even gone to the extent to spend thousands of dollars per table putting in secure bottle lockers into your tables on the floor. You may have thought that these were your only options. I have come to realize that there is another option.
During my career, I have had the misfortune of having to investigate fatality drunk driving automobile collisions resulting from a severely intoxicated person leaving the bar or nightclub after having drank to obvious impairment and not being stopped by the bar or club management. They may have even left with the bottle from the club and took one for the road.” It is the responsibility of every person in the alcoholic beverage service industry to ensure that their patrons do not leave with alcohol or severely under the influence. I have also met and come to respect those members of the nightclub service community who do take that responsibility seriously and monitor the alcoholic beverage intake of their patrons and ensure that they are not permitted to leave with a bottle should the club have bottle service.
My interest was sparked due to my history in accident investigation when I saw the EASy bottle locking bottle cap by Alpha Products, a division of Checkpoint Security Systems. I understand your need to provide a bottle service to the patrons’ tables and give your club the look of a high-end establishment that treats its customers as V.I.P.s. Therefore, any solution must allow you to still have the bottles at the table but it should not look like Fort Knox and the tables should be standard tables so your expenses are not hiked unnecessarily. That is where the EASy bottle comes into play. It is a four-pronged key that inserts into the top of a bottle lock that secures the cap to the bottle. The patron will break the bottle before they are able to remove the cap. The key can also be kept on the person as opposed to previous keys in different models, this key is very lightweight and is not a problem to fit into the fashionable attire of your waitresses. It also comes with a retractor that can be worn on the person so the waitress does not have a concern about losing the key or placing it on the table where the patrons can help themselves to the bottle, which is what we are trying to avoid.
The EASy bottle system allows for your patrons to have that V.I.P. feel of a bottle service at the table without you having the worries of them serving themselves, often against the law in many states, or taking the bottle with them. Your service staff can then monitor the consumption of alcohol by patrons and assist them in getting transportation or disallow further service, protecting you from the liability and the tragedy of having one of your patrons involved in a drunk-driving motor vehicle accident.
Your nightclub will then continue to be a responsible high-end establishment that recognizes that patrons sometimes drink to excess if left to their own devices. You will acknowledge that intoxicated individuals often don’t know when to stop or when to take alternative transportation so you do your part to assist them in making those decisions. You know that drunk-driving kills – but it’s not going to happen on your watch from your place!
For more information on Bottle Service contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 or at www.bottle-services.net
background checks-2, pre employment screenings-3, background check company-2
That Moment You See The One You Fired For Stealing
In today’s culture, employee background checks are almost more common than drug screenings. A pre employment screening can uncover some nasty little secrets a potential employee hopes you don’t find. I’m not just talking about criminal charges either. I work for a small retail pharmacy, and when we terminate people for theft reasons, we report them to an outside company. Their name is listed on this database for seven years, and many other retailers utilize it too. Reference checks are obviously important, but most of those are set up in advance. I always let my references know ahead of time that they may receive a call about me. I don’t want my friends and colleagues to be caught off guard, and I want them to be thinking of our experiences if they get a call.
I walked into a local retail store just two weekends ago. As I was walking around browsing in this store, I came upon a person I had not seen in about two years. She was certainly not someone I ever expected to see working in another store in our area, and she seemed to be in some sort of management position there. If they did perform some form of pre employment screening, they must not have used a very reliable background check company. This particular lady was a slick thief too. She was going to our different locations working her magic little coupon fraud scam, and it worked for over a year. She defrauded our company out of about $4,500 in that time frame. She was also taking advantage of the rewards program we offer. She would use her own phone number in place of the customer’s number so she could skim off their rewards. They added up significantly too, and she racked up on a lot of freebies just using that. When we interviewed her, she claimed she was just helping the customers. She said they didn’t have our card on their keyring, so since her phone number worked, they got the sale prices they were expecting. All throughout the interview, she never once took responsibility for her actions. Everything she did was for the benefit of others, or she simply denied knowing that her actions were illegal, unethical or immoral. It’s like she thought if she just sat there and continued making denials, we would just “let it go”. That’s when I pulled out her employee file, and brought out all her required forms and policies sheets with her signatures. There was the one that said employees were to NEVER use their own phone numbers, and the one that explained the proper use of coupons. Boom. Buh-bye.
So, when I walk into this store, she immediately comes over and starts chatting me up. I wanted so badly to ask how in the world she was able to weasel her way in and be a key carrier for this place; do these people not believe in background checks? It just does not add up. I never thought she would be back in any retail establishment again. I don’t begrudge the fact that she is working another job, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that I know that she is capable of manufacturing scams, and a quality background check company should have caught her termination for a gross policy violation. Maybe she learned her lesson and has changed; I hope so. Leopards can’t change their spots though. I figure they must not perform pre employment screenings at that place. In 2015 that is hard to swallow, but that’s their business, not mine.
For more information on background checks, contact us at: 1.770.426.0547 or Backgroundcheckexperts.net
In today’s culture, employee background checks are almost more common than drug screenings. A pre employment screening can uncover some nasty little secrets a potential employee hopes you don’t find. I’m not just talking about criminal charges either. I work for a small retail pharmacy, and when we terminate people for theft reasons, we report them to an outside company. Their name is listed on this database for seven years, and many other retailers utilize it too. Reference checks are obviously important, but most of those are set up in advance. I always let my references know ahead of time that they may receive a call about me. I don’t want my friends and colleagues to be caught off guard, and I want them to be thinking of our experiences if they get a call.
I walked into a local retail store just two weekends ago. As I was walking around browsing in this store, I came upon a person I had not seen in about two years. She was certainly not someone I ever expected to see working in another store in our area, and she seemed to be in some sort of management position there. If they did perform some form of pre employment screening, they must not have used a very reliable background check company. This particular lady was a slick thief too. She was going to our different locations working her magic little coupon fraud scam, and it worked for over a year. She defrauded our company out of about $4,500 in that time frame. She was also taking advantage of the rewards program we offer. She would use her own phone number in place of the customer’s number so she could skim off their rewards. They added up significantly too, and she racked up on a lot of freebies just using that. When we interviewed her, she claimed she was just helping the customers. She said they didn’t have our card on their keyring, so since her phone number worked, they got the sale prices they were expecting. All throughout the interview, she never once took responsibility for her actions. Everything she did was for the benefit of others, or she simply denied knowing that her actions were illegal, unethical or immoral. It’s like she thought if she just sat there and continued making denials, we would just “let it go”. That’s when I pulled out her employee file, and brought out all her required forms and policies sheets with her signatures. There was the one that said employees were to NEVER use their own phone numbers, and the one that explained the proper use of coupons. Boom. Buh-bye.
So, when I walk into this store, she immediately comes over and starts chatting me up. I wanted so badly to ask how in the world she was able to weasel her way in and be a key carrier for this place; do these people not believe in background checks? It just does not add up. I never thought she would be back in any retail establishment again. I don’t begrudge the fact that she is working another job, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that I know that she is capable of manufacturing scams, and a quality background check company should have caught her termination for a gross policy violation. Maybe she learned her lesson and has changed; I hope so. Leopards can’t change their spots though. I figure they must not perform pre employment screenings at that place. In 2015 that is hard to swallow, but that’s their business, not mine.
For more information on background checks, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
Checkpoint Systems-4 , Stop Shoplifting-2 , Checkpoint Labels-2 , Checkpoint Tags-1
Due To Shoplifting, No Large Bags Allowed!
This was a sign I saw emblazoned on the front door of a local business just a couple days ago. It’s a new addition; I guess even our small town is not immune to theft. Of course, their answer to how to stop shoplifting- a sign banning large bags, isn’t exactly what I would call the best option. This is an antique store, not really the type of business that comes to my mind when I think of stores that need help with loss prevention measures. I work for a small retail pharmacy and we deal with rampant theft on a daily basis, so I definitely know their frustrations. Women carrying those “big shoplifter bags” are the arch nemesis for all of us I suppose!
The big difference in all the businesses that suffer from theft issues is what they do about it. I’ve been in stores that have these big threatening signs. “Smile, you’re on camera” “Shoplifters will be prosecuted” “No large bags” Those are some of the more common ones that are at least professionally worded. Some stores go way over board, making idle ridiculous threats. In my store, we only post the required signs alerting people that we do have cameras in use. Signs sell stuff, but they don’t really do a lot to stop shoplifting. Checkpoint Systems does, however, actually get the job done. Deterrence is the biggest key in putting thieves in their place.
Some people are going to steal no matter what. That is a small percentage of the population though. Most theft occurs when normal people walk in and see an opportunity. It is generally a basic example of greed, not need. With Checkpoint Systems, you take that opportunity away from them. The tools that work with the system, Checkpoint Labels and Checkpoint Tags, are the best ways to stop people from getting out the door with unpaid merchandise. Even the blogs that specialize in giving advice on how to get away with stealing tell people to steer clear of stores that utilize the tags. They tell them not to take the chance, because they will more than likely be caught and arrested. The tags can be hidden inside seams and pockets, and are not easily detected. When people come in the front door and see the Checkpoint Systems pedestals up there, they know that they can possibly be caught. I’ve dealt with all kinds of thieves. I’ve had the minors stealing junk, that I have had to detain and release to their parents. I’ve had the little old lady putting things in her purse, gets caught, and sends her preacher up to the store later to try and talk me out of a court date. I even caught another business owner from our town stealing over the counter sleep medications. When I confronted him at the front door, I made sure his wife was standing there with him. At first he tried denying it, but I showed him the picture I had just taken with my phone right off my camera monitors. That shut him up fast, and his wife was outraged! She yelled at him and told me they were a good family, and how sorry she was. I didn’t even call the police on that guy; I figured he would pay enough when he got home.
Checkpoint Systems puts a stop to so many thieves taking a chance on stealing from us, that it makes me wonder why more businesses don’t make that investment. The return is immediate, and Checkpoint Labels are easy to use. It takes little to no training and empowers your employees to make a real difference in your bottom line. The whole system is so much more effective than those pesky signs.
For more information on Checkpoint Systems, contact us: 1.770.426.0547 or Antishoplifting.net
This was a sign I saw emblazoned on the front door of a local business just a couple days ago. It’s a new addition; I guess even our small town is not immune to theft. Of course, their answer to how to stop shoplifting– a sign banning large bags, isn’t exactly what I would call the best option. This is an antique store, not really the type of business that comes to my mind when I think of stores that need help with loss prevention measures. I work for a small retail pharmacy and we deal with rampant theft on a daily basis, so I definitely know their frustrations. Women carrying those “big shoplifter bags” are the arch nemesis for all of us I suppose!
The big difference in all the businesses that suffer from theft issues is what they do about it. I’ve been in stores that have these big threatening signs. “Smile, you’re on camera” “Shoplifters will be prosecuted” “No large bags”. Those are some of the more common ones that are at least professionally worded. Some stores go way over board, making idle ridiculous threats. In my store, we only post the required signs alerting people that we do have cameras in use. Signs sell stuff, but they don’t really do a lot to stop shoplifting. Checkpoint Systems does, however, actually get the job done. Deterrence is the biggest key in putting thieves in their place.
Some people are going to steal no matter what. That is a small percentage of the population though. Most theft occurs when normal people walk in and see an opportunity. It is generally a basic example of greed, not need. With Checkpoint Systems, you take that opportunity away from them. The tools that work with the system, Checkpoint Labels and Checkpoint Tags, are the best ways to stop people from getting out the door with unpaid merchandise. Even the blogs that specialize in giving advice on how to get away with stealing tell people to steer clear of stores that utilize the tags. They tell them not to take the chance, because they will more than likely be caught and arrested. The tags can be hidden inside seams and pockets, and are not easily detected. When people come in the front door and see the Checkpoint Systems pedestals up there, they know that they can possibly be caught. I’ve dealt with all kinds of thieves. I’ve had the minors stealing junk, that I have had to detain and release to their parents. I’ve had the little old lady putting things in her purse, gets caught, and sends her preacher up to the store later to try and talk me out of a court date. I even caught another business owner from our town stealing over the counter sleep medications. When I confronted him at the front door, I made sure his wife was standing there with him. At first he tried denying it, but I showed him the picture I had just taken with my phone right off my camera monitors. That shut him up fast, and his wife was outraged! She yelled at him and told me they were a good family, and how sorry she was. I didn’t even call the police on that guy; I figured he would pay enough when he got home.
Checkpoint Systems puts a stop to so many thieves taking a chance on stealing from us, that it makes me wonder why more businesses don’t make that investment. The return is immediate, and Checkpoint Labels are easy to use. It takes little to no training and empowers your employees to make a real difference in your bottom line. The whole system is so much more effective than those pesky signs.
For more information on Checkpoint Systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 or Antishoplifting.net
BF02
Return fraud- 4
Alpha Shark Tags-4
SHARK TAGS TO STOP MAJOR RETURN FRAUD
At one point I worked for a retailer that had all sorts of shrink issues. Like, more than normal. They were losing money hand over fist! Almost to the point where the shrink issues alone were enough to shut the store down. Believe it or not, we discovered that the majority of the loss was coming from not only merchandise return fraud but by internal theft as well. My DLPM (District Loss Prevention Manager) wanted to focus on the meat of the issue up front, so we focused on running detailed exception reports for all associate activity involving all store transactions. We didn’t quite know where the loss was coming from but we had narrowed it down to transactions at the service desk.
In analyzing a combination of CCTV footage and exception reports, we were able to determine that a high volume of fraudulent merchandise returns were being instituted between two hourly associates. Both of which regularly worked the Customer Service Desk. What we discovered was that one associate would keep a duplicate copy of random customer receipts while on register and she would gather them all up at the end of the evening to examine them. We saw this behavior on camera using the store PTZ systems. It was apparent that she would ‘shop’ the receipts for high dollar merchandise that customers had purchase. When she was done picking the receipts she wanted, she would simply take the receipt home with her overnight.
The second associate involved in this particular case of return fraud, would be the one to actually initiate the transaction. However before I get more into this associate let me talk about the third player in this game: A family member of associate number two! The family member would come in and select particular items from the receipt that associate number one had provided to her prior. Usually the high dollar garment merchandise from the receipts. Items like boots, purses, leather coats and accessories.
That family member would then take the items from the shelves, put them into his cart and push them up to associate number two (who again, was his family member working at the service desk). From there associate number two would proceed to process a complete refund, uninterrupted by management and provide cash to the family member.
We observed the trio of subjects perform this very system multiple times during a course of three days. On day four, our DLPM consorted with store management and they decided to play a little game with the trio just to see their reaction. It was decided that the store would get in a supply of Alpha Shark Tags and initiate a tagging program of all garments. The Alpha Shark Tags work in conjunction with a good store return policy. It’s simple, if the tags are removed by the customer; they are not eligible for a full refund. This may greatly reduce the occurrence of people who intentionally plan to temporarily buy merchandise and return it later.
The next day all of the associates (including the two internal culprits) were briefly trained in the concept of using the tags on garments. Over the course of the next few days, all of the existing stock had been tagged and all of the inbound clothing was being tagged before rotation onto the sales floor. We had not yet made any apprehensions or interviews of the associates because we wanted to see the effectiveness of the tagging program in person. Day after day, we would observe associate number one and two conversing privately on CCTV. They would handle the Shark Tags during their conversations and it appeared that they were trying to work out a plan to get around them. Ultimately, they did not.
We let a couple of more days go by. No more return fraud was executed by the associates and the family member of this trio was never seen in the store afterwards. They simply couldn’t figure a way around the tagging program! They knew that if a Manager observed an associate processing a return for clothing that didn’t have a tag on them that they would be in hot water. So they ended their charade.
In short time, we did decide to pull in both associates to interview them. They admitted to the return fraud and were ultimately terminated and prosecuted. Both of them said frankly that it was too much to figure out so they abandoned the scheme. The tagging program also helped us with other external issues and also assisted in lowering the shrink numbers to a workable level.
To learn more about how Alpha Shark Tags can help prevent return fraud contact us at 1-770-426-0547.
At one point I worked for a retailer that had all sorts of shrink issues. Like, more than normal. They were losing money hand over fist! Almost to the point where the shrink issues alone were enough to shut the store down. Believe it or not, we discovered that the majority of the loss was coming from not only merchandise return fraud but by internal theft as well. My DLPM (District Loss Prevention Manager) wanted to focus on the meat of the issue up front, so we focused on running detailed exception reports for all associate activity involving all store transactions. We didn’t quite know where the loss was coming from but we had narrowed it down to transactions at the service desk.
In analyzing a combination of CCTV footage and exception reports, we were able to determine that a high volume of fraudulent merchandise returns were being instituted between two hourly associates. Both of which regularly worked the Customer Service Desk. What we discovered was that one associate would keep a duplicate copy of random customer receipts while on register and she would gather them all up at the end of the evening to examine them. We saw this behavior on camera using the store PTZ systems. It was apparent that she would ‘shop’ the receipts for high dollar merchandise that customers had purchase. When she was done picking the receipts she wanted, she would simply take the receipt home with her overnight.
The second associate involved in this particular case of return fraud, would be the one to actually initiate the transaction. However before I get more into this associate let me talk about the third player in this game: A family member of associate number two! The family member would come in and select particular items from the receipt that associate number one had provided to her prior. Usually the high dollar garment merchandise from the receipts. Items like boots, purses, leather coats and accessories.
That family member would then take the items from the shelves, put them into his cart and push them up to associate number two (who again, was his family member working at the service desk). From there associate number two would proceed to process a complete refund, uninterrupted by management and provide cash to the family member.
We observed the trio of subjects perform this very system multiple times during a course of three days. On day four, our DLPM consorted with store management and they decided to play a little game with the trio just to see their reaction. It was decided that the store would get in a supply of Alpha Shark Tags and initiate a tagging program of all garments. The Alpha Shark Tags work in conjunction with a good store return policy. It’s simple, if the tags are removed by the customer; they are not eligible for a full refund. This may greatly reduce the occurrence of people who intentionally plan to temporarily buy merchandise and return it later.
The next day all of the associates (including the two internal culprits) were briefly trained in the concept of using the tags on garments. Over the course of the next few days, all of the existing stock had been tagged and all of the inbound clothing was being tagged before rotation onto the sales floor. We had not yet made any apprehensions or interviews of the associates because we wanted to see the effectiveness of the tagging program in person. Day after day, we would observe associate number one and two conversing privately on CCTV. They would handle the Shark Tags during their conversations and it appeared that they were trying to work out a plan to get around them. Ultimately, they did not.
We let a couple of more days go by. No more return fraud was executed by the associates and the family member of this trio was never seen in the store afterwards. They simply couldn’t figure a way around the tagging program! They knew that if a Manager observed an associate processing a return for clothing that didn’t have a tag on them that they would be in hot water. So they ended their charade.
In short time, we did decide to pull in both associates to interview them. They admitted to the return fraud and were ultimately terminated and prosecuted. Both of them said frankly that it was too much to figure out so they abandoned the scheme. The tagging program also helped us with other external issues and also assisted in lowering the shrink numbers to a workable level.
To learn more about how Alpha Shark Tags can help prevent return fraud contact us or call 1-770-426-0547.
BF09
Alpha Keepers- 4
Protect health and beauty products- 4
Protect razor blades- 3
Protect infant formula- 3
Prevent shoplifting- 4
ALPHA KEEPERS TURN THE TIDE AGAINST THIEVES TARGETING COMMONLY TARGETED ITEMS
It’s not an assumption but rather a predictable trend that shows that certain thieves have an affinity for specific products from retail and grocery stores nationwide. Some of these popular items are products that you may not even realize are ‘hot’ with shoplifters. However if you’re going to prevent shoplifting altogether, you need to learn how to protect health and beauty products in your store. Let’s examine with two of the most commonly targeted products.
Razor Blades
We’ve all seen them and most of us use them. Those expensive yet essential packs of disposable razor blade refills you see in the health and beauty aisle. I personally cringe every time I have to buy them because of two particular reasons. One of those is the price of the blades and the other is the way you have to access the blades to buy them. Being a loss prevention person, I fully understand that in order to profit from them, you have to protect razor blades in stores. High prices go hand in hand with the need to secure them with products like Alpha brand Alpha Keepers! This product works by completely encasing your product and making it completely inaccessible to the customer without removal. If they aren’t removed before leaving the store, they will trigger the stores EAS system by sending a RF (Radio Frequency) signal to it, alerting store personnel.
Thieves target these razor blade refills because of the retail price versus the size of the product itself. They know that a typical 8 pack of blades can retail for $17 or more and they also know that they are really small in size. If a shoplifter has recognized that a retailer has failed to protect razorblades in their store, they will steal as many of them as possible with one grab. After all, they are very small and command a high resale price on the black market. This black market may include flea markets, online resale websites and small ‘mom and pop’ corner stores.
Infant Formula
Another hot product for thieves is infant formula. The theft of these essential products has forced virtually every retail store to protect infant formula on their shelves. In order to prevent shoplifting of these highly valuable products, essential to young babies, retailers have used Alpha Keeper products to deter would be thieves. When stores choose to display infant formula on their shelves, they often choose Alpha Products keepers to protect infant formula.
Thieves realize the value of infant formula similarly in the way they know the value of the aforementioned razor blades. It’s all the more reason to focus on ways to protect health and beauty products in your store. Shoplifting low lives know that infant formula and razor blades are often found within feet of each other on the shelves within stores. They get a two for one ‘shopping’ trip this way. The get the small expensive blades by the arm loads and the pricey tubs of infant formula by the cart load!
By the way, knowledgeable crooks know that the powdered infant formulas are not only good for resale but the powdered version is also known to be used to ‘cut’ cocaine. Because cocaine in its purest form is often deadly, drug dealers often add powdered baby formula to the cocaine to thwart the toxicity of it. Stealing infant formula for addition to cocaine is more common around Border States in the southern portions of the U.S., however the practice is found in all areas.
So it is exceptionally important to protect infant formula in your store not only to cushion the ‘bottom line’ of profitability in your store but to prevent the product from being used in the deadly widespread use of drugs in the United States. It’s double the reason to protect health and beauty products in your store. When you prevent shoplifting in your store, you may also be contributing to the war on drugs. The use of Alpha Keepers by Alpha High Theft Solutions is a huge preventative and excellent starting point towards keeping these products on your shelves and revenue flowing in your favor. I’ve seen it first hand in many grocery environments that I’ve worked loss prevention in.
Take the step to not only to protect infant formula in your store but also to protect razor blades too. You won’t regret it. You’ll put a frown on the faces of would be thieves and do your part to prevent shoplifting in your store!
For more information on how to protect health and beauty products with Alpha Keepers contact us at 1-770-426-0547.
It’s not an assumption but rather a predictable trend that shows that certain thieves have an affinity for specific products from retail and grocery stores nationwide. Some of these popular items are products that you may not even realize are ‘hot’ with shoplifters. However if you’re going to prevent shoplifting altogether, you need to learn how to protect health and beauty products in your store. Let’s examine with two of the most commonly targeted products.
Razor Blades
We’ve all seen them and most of us use them. Those expensive yet essential packs of disposable razor blade refills you see in the health and beauty aisle. I personally cringe every time I have to buy them because of two particular reasons. One of those is the price of the blades and the other is the way you have to access the blades to buy them. Being a loss prevention person, I fully understand that in order to profit from them, you have to protect razor blades in stores. High prices go hand in hand with the need to secure them with products like Alpha brand Alpha Keepers! This product works by completely encasing your product and making it completely inaccessible to the customer without removal. If they aren’t removed before leaving the store, they will trigger the stores EAS system by sending a RF (Radio Frequency) signal to it, alerting store personnel.
Thieves target these razor blade refills because of the retail price versus the size of the product itself. They know that a typical 8 pack of blades can retail for $17 or more and they also know that they are really small in size. If a shoplifter has recognized that a retailer has failed to protect razorblades in their store, they will steal as many of them as possible with one grab. After all, they are very small and command a high resale price on the black market. This black market may include flea markets, online resale websites and small ‘mom and pop’ corner stores.
Infant Formula
Another hot product for thieves is infant formula. The theft of these essential products has forced virtually every retail store to protect infant formula on their shelves. In order to prevent shoplifting of these highly valuable products, essential to young babies, retailers have used Alpha Keeper products to deter would be thieves. When stores choose to display infant formula on their shelves, they often choose Alpha Products keepers to protect infant formula.
Thieves realize the value of infant formula similarly in the way they know the value of the aforementioned razor blades. It’s all the more reason to focus on ways to protect health and beauty products in your store. Shoplifting low lives know that infant formula and razor blades are often found within feet of each other on the shelves within stores. They get a two for one ‘shopping’ trip this way. The get the small expensive blades by the arm loads and the pricey tubs of infant formula by the cart load!
By the way, knowledgeable crooks know that the powdered infant formulas are not only good for resale but the powdered version is also known to be used to ‘cut’ cocaine. Because cocaine in its purest form is often deadly, drug dealers often add powdered baby formula to the cocaine to thwart the toxicity of it. Stealing infant formula for addition to cocaine is more common around Border States in the southern portions of the U.S., however the practice is found in all areas.
So it is exceptionally important to protect infant formula in your store not only to cushion the ‘bottom line’ of profitability in your store but to prevent the product from being used in the deadly widespread use of drugs in the United States. It’s double the reason to protect health and beauty products in your store. When you prevent shoplifting in your store, you may also be contributing to the war on drugs. The use of Alpha Keepers by Alpha High Theft Solutions is a huge preventative and excellent starting point towards keeping these products on your shelves and revenue flowing in your favor. I’ve seen it first hand in many grocery environments that I’ve worked loss prevention in.
Take the step to not only to protect infant formula in your store but also to protect razor blades too. You won’t regret it. You’ll put a frown on the faces of would be thieves and do your part to prevent shoplifting in your store!
For more information on how to protect health and beauty products with Alpha Keepers contact us or call 1-770-426-0547.
There is not a more terrible feeling in the world for a store owner or manager than to find an empty spot on a shelf where a very expensive item once sat. You just hope the item sold, but when you check your inventory numbers, you get that sick, sinking feeling when you see the item is still on the books. If you have no product protection tools in place, like Alpha Security, then really the only person to blame is the one you see in the mirror.
Liquor bottle security is no exception. If you don’t employ bottle locks, you are simply gambling with your inventory. Recently a major theft occurred in about eight minutes at a liquor store a few states away. Eight minutes is a short amount of time for the average person, but it is an eternity to a store owner watching video of a thief making off with $2,000 worth of liquor. First the man came in and browsed around, and then his female accomplice followed. The accomplice distracted a store employee, asking about the best wines to serve with various desserts. While she did this, he worked on his game plan. He walked around and chose three bottles. They averaged $300 each, and he shoved them all down his pants. While the accomplice chatted up the clerk, the man walked out the door. He went to the car and unloaded. Neither of the two employees ever had a clue. So the man came back inside. The female then went and found the other employee and used the same tactic on him, asking him mundane questions to keep him occupied. This time the man chose an $1,100 bottle of Cognac. He removed it from the store in the same manner. The lady wrapped up her charade, and they both left. It wasn’t until the following day when the owner came in to work that the empty spot where the Cognac was previously displayed was discovered. The video is good to have and may deter a future theft by the same couple, but it remains a reactive tool.
The thing is that bottle locks could have stopped the theft in the first place. As soon as the man entered the store, he would have seen that they take security seriously. Instead of seeing an open opportunity, his grandiose theft would have been shut down immediately. Bottle locks are the ultimate gadget for liquor bottle security. They have alarm capabilities that would have alerted the store staff as soon as he attempted to get out the door with those bottles. The entire staff can be quickly trained to easily attach and remove them. They do not impede the customer’s ability to shop and select any product they want. They can still pick up the merchandise, make comparisons, and bring it all to the checkout counter at their own convenience. If they attempt to remove or tamper with the bottle locks, they can self alarm. The bottle lock is almost impossible to remove without the proper key. The bottle will break, sending glass everywhere, before that thing comes off, rendering the item unusable.
Without bottle locks, your wines and spirits are just waiting to be stolen in the same manner. The investment in these tools will pay you back over and over. It will stop the petty thieves that just steal every once in a while just as well as it will stop the professional thief like the guy above. Unless your business can afford a $2,000 loss, I suggest you take a look at Alpha Security and what it can do for you.
For more information on Bottle Locks, contact us 1.770.426.0547 or Bottlelock.net
