Checkpoint Labels Can Save You Quite the Headache

In some recent articles, I’ve talked a lot about Organized Retail Crime (ORC). In the LP industry, we are far too familiar with this term. For those who may not be, it’s exactly what it reads. Groups of organized individuals whose sole purpose on Earth is to steal from you and resell to make a profit. Some of these guys probably make 5x as much as you and I do in a year, so think about how much product these groups are stealing on a daily basis to support that number. In my experience, the only way to stop them from impacting your store is to have a solid checkpoint system in place, and use checkpoint labels on every item that is being targeted. 
What I’ve seen over the past few years is a growing trend of over the counter (OTC) medication. I’ve tracked ORC groups across multiple states where they would come into my stores and literally wipe out an entire shelf of OTC pain medication, allergen and just about whatever else they could get their hands on. As a retailer, there’s no way I could lock that stuff up; it would destroy my sales. I also didn’t have the payroll to have an employee go unlock a case every time a customer in a pharmacy wanted headache medicine. What I had to do, and what all retailers should do is leverage the tools you already have in your store, such as a checkpoint system, to fight back. If you’re a small store, you probably don’t have a loss prevention team in store, so doing what you can to fight thieves it critical of your financial success. 
Currently, there are about 35 different checkpoint labels on the market. Most are overt labels that provide a deterrent factor to your everyday shoplifter. If I’m a theift, chances are, I won’t’ take that bottle of ibuprofen if I know there’s a chance the tag will sound the alarm at the door. That’s not going to stop an ORC group. They simple don’t care about your checkpoint system and the alarm seems to not phase them one bit. What can you do?
In my years in the Loss Prevention industry, I’ve seen one thing stop boosters in their tracks. A checkpoint label that includes the exact store where the merchandise was sold at. Due to the adhesive quality of the label, you can’t peel them off without the product looking like it was stolen. In addition, having the store location provides law enforcement with great information should the product be recovered after the theft. These boosters know that and are unwilling to take the risk that could cost them their operation. It’s a very simple, easy and cost effective solution to OTC medication theft that all retailers should implement. 
For more information, contact us: KW, or call 1.770.426.0547

In some recent articles, I’ve talked a lot about Organized Retail Crime (ORC). In the LP industry, we are far too familiar with this term. For those who may not be, it’s exactly what it reads. Groups of organized individuals whose sole purpose on Earth is to steal from you and resell to make a profit. Some of these guys probably make 5x as much as you and I do in a year, so think about how much product these groups are stealing on a daily basis to support that number. In my experience, the only way to stop them from impacting your store is to have a solid Checkpoint System in place, and use Checkpoint Labels on every item that is being targeted.

What I’ve seen over the past few years is a growing trend of over the counter (OTC) medication. I’ve tracked ORC groups across multiple states where they would come into my stores and literally wipe out an entire shelf of OTC pain medication, allergen and just about whatever else they could get their hands on. As a retailer, there’s no way I could lock that stuff up; it would destroy my sales. I also didn’t have the payroll to have an employee go unlock a case every time a customer in a pharmacy wanted headache medicine. What I had to do, and what all retailers should do is leverage the tools you already have in your store, such as a Checkpoint System, to fight back. If you’re a small store, you probably don’t have a loss prevention team in store, so doing what you can to fight thieves it critical of your financial success. 

 Currently, there are about 35 different Checkpoint Labels on the market. Most are overt labels that provide a deterrent factor to your everyday shoplifter. If I’m a theif, chances are, I won’t’ take that bottle of ibuprofen if I know there’s a chance the tag will sound the alarm at the door. That’s not going to stop an ORC group. They simple don’t care about your Checkpoint System and the alarm seems to not phase them one bit. What can you do?

 In my years in the Loss Prevention industry, I’ve seen one thing stop boosters in their tracks. A Checkpoint Label that includes the exact store where the merchandise was sold at. Due to the adhesive quality of the label, you can’t peel them off without the product looking like it was stolen. In addition, having the store location provides law enforcement with great information should the product be recovered after the theft. These boosters know that and are unwilling to take the risk that could cost them their operation. It’s a very simple, easy and cost effective solution to OTC medication theft that all retailers should implement.

For more information, contact us at Antishoplifting.net, or call 1.770.426.0547