Alpha Security-3 WC blog 161
Bottle Locks-5
Bottle Security-4
Don’t Whine Over Wine Theft; Alpha Security Offers A Variety Of Bottle Security Options
I have worked in retail for many years now. I have been a Loss Prevention Associate, an Assets Protection Executive, a Logistics Manager and I currently work for a small box retailer as a sales specialist. I have seen stores implement new programs or new technologies to enhance customer experience, drive sales and reduce shrink or stock shortage. Because of my experience, I try to see the benefits to a store by using new strategies or technologies and I also try to see where there could be a problem that may have been overlooked and needs to be addressed. Regardless of my position in a store, I am passionate about theft prevention and theft prevention strategies. I try to consider how strategies will improve both customer service and shortage results. Let me give you an example of a merchandise protection strategy I have never personally used, but I have observed in use in a grocery store and that would be bottle locks on wine and champagne bottles. I had not realized there was such a thing, and had not thought about the need for bottle security but I was impressed when I saw it in a grocery store and recognized the potential for deterring shoplifting.
The bottle locks I saw in this store are the Alpha security S3 bottle locks. The locks cover the top of the wine bottle they , placed over the cap and locked in place. They are designed to prevent tampering and without a special hand key or detachment tool sold by Alpha security the lock cannot be removed. With electronic article surveillance antennas (EAS) in place, if a thief tries to walk out with a bottle protected with a bottle lock, the antenna alarm is activated.
In this day and age a lot of retailers have decided to start fighting theft by locking merchandise behind locked showcases. Sometimes it is only the expensive items, but nevertheless they lock it up thereby preventing customers from being able to pick up an item and examine it. What these businesses fail to understand is that customers get impatient and won’t wait for service. Patrons want something now, to get in and out quickly. Bottle locks provide protection from theft while making the product available to the customer.
I also mentioned previously that I try to anticipate problems when new strategies may cause unforeseen problems. There are two potential problems that arise when managers start to see that new security measures are making a positive impact on reducing shrink. First there is a tendency to start trimming payroll, with the mindset that not as many people are needed on the salesfloor since theft is reduced. Customer service is the number ONE deterrent to shoplifters. An effective shortage reduction strategy requires great customer service, the use of merchandise protection strategies and employee knowledge/education of high theft merchandise in the store. Reduce or remove one facet of the strategy and your program becomes ineffective. Improved in-stocks and reduced theft will pay for the use of merchandise protection devices such as the bottle locks in this case.
The second potential problem is not having a consistent merchandise protection program. One thing I have noticed in some stores, including the store where I saw the bottle locks in use, is the failure to keep up with protecting all the merchandise in a category being tagged or locked. Again, using the store where I saw using bottle security for the first time, they had a certain brand protected, but two of the bottles were not locked, the other three were. Not being consistent results in loss and an ineffective program.
For grocery stores and any other business that sells wine, stock shortage from theft is a real threat and can have a significant impact on profitability. Alpha security offers a number of bottle security options, including the S3 bottle cap. Make bottle security a part of your merchandise protection strategy and watch your profits grow.
Bottle Security is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
I have worked in retail for many years now. I have been a Loss Prevention Associate, an Assets Protection Executive, a Logistics Manager and I currently work for a small box retailer as a sales specialist. I have seen stores implement new programs or new technologies to enhance customer experience, drive sales and reduce shrink or stock shortage. Because of my experience, I try to see the benefits to a store by using new strategies or technologies and I also try to see where there could be a problem that may have been overlooked and needs to be addressed. Regardless of my position in a store, I am passionate about theft prevention and theft prevention strategies. I try to consider how strategies will improve both customer service and shortage results. Let me give you an example of a merchandise protection strategy I have never personally used, but I have observed in use in a grocery store and that would be bottle locks on wine and champagne bottles. I had not realized there was such a thing, and had not thought about the need for bottle security but I was impressed when I saw it in a grocery store and recognized the potential for deterring shoplifting.
The bottle locks I saw in this store are the Alpha security S3 bottle locks. The locks cover the top of the wine bottle they , placed over the cap and locked in place. They are designed to prevent tampering and without a special hand key or detachment tool sold by Alpha security the lock cannot be removed. With electronic article surveillance antennas (EAS) in place, if a thief tries to walk out with a bottle protected with a bottle lock, the antenna alarm is activated.
In this day and age a lot of retailers have decided to start fighting theft by locking merchandise behind locked showcases. Sometimes it is only the expensive items, but nevertheless they lock it up thereby preventing customers from being able to pick up an item and examine it. What these businesses fail to understand is that customers get impatient and won’t wait for service. Patrons want something now, to get in and out quickly. Bottle locks provide protection from theft while making the product available to the customer.
I also mentioned previously that I try to anticipate problems when new strategies may cause unforeseen problems. There are two potential problems that arise when managers start to see that new security measures are making a positive impact on reducing shrink. First there is a tendency to start trimming payroll, with the mindset that not as many people are needed on the salesfloor since theft is reduced. Customer service is the number ONE deterrent to shoplifters. An effective shortage reduction strategy requires great customer service, the use of merchandise protection strategies and employee knowledge/education of high theft merchandise in the store. Reduce or remove one facet of the strategy and your program becomes ineffective. Improved in-stocks and reduced theft will pay for the use of merchandise protection devices such as the bottle locks in this case.
The second potential problem is not having a consistent merchandise protection program. One thing I have noticed in some stores, including the store where I saw the bottle locks in use, is the failure to keep up with protecting all the merchandise in a category being tagged or locked. Again, using the store where I saw using bottle security for the first time, they had a certain brand protected, but two of the bottles were not locked, the other three were. Not being consistent results in loss and an ineffective program.
For grocery stores and any other business that sells wine, stock shortage from theft is a real threat and can have a significant impact on profitability. Alpha security offers a number of bottle security options, including the S3 bottle cap. Make bottle security a part of your merchandise protection strategy and watch your profits grow.
Bottle Security is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
