Protect Store Devices AND Merchandise With Alpha Hard Tags

Alpha Thunder Tags- 4                                                                                                                             WC blog 82
Retail Anti-Theft Device-3
Protect Store Devices AND Merchandise With Alpha Hard Tags
     Retail mobile devices can be protected by the same retail anti-theft devices used to protect merchandise.  In today’s retail environment, managers are using many different mobile devices to conduct daily operations.  From tablets to handheld scanners, including i-pods and i-pads, devices are being used to track sales information, daily checklists, schedules, etc.  I currently work part time in a retail store and we use mobile devices for a myriad of different tasks.  I can scan to check store stock levels for merchandise, stockroom and sales floor locations for product that may appear to be out of stock and I can see if any of our nearby stores have the product if we are out of an item.  We can even complete a credit card or debit card transaction sales transaction with our mobile devices to keep our customers from waiting in checkout lines.  Interestingly, while the store uses Alpha Security products to prevent shoplifting, it does not use anything to protect these handheld devices that are so important to day to day operations.  It would benefit not only my employer, but ANY retailer which uses mobile technology to protect these devices with Alpha Thunder Tags.
     Alpha Thunder Tags work in conjunction with an electronic article surveillance system (EAS). When a piece of merchandise or equipment that has one of these retail anti-theft devices attached passes through an EAS antenna, the antenna alarm sounds and lights flash.  These tags also have a built in alarm that activates if a device passes through an antenna and goes a certain distance away.  In the event someone should attempt to remove a tag from a device, a tamper alarm activates and staff can respond to the alert, a loud, high pitched tone and prevent a theft.  
     You might be wondering how anyone would steal a store mobile device.  Doing so is fairly straight forward.  Although we wear holsters to carry our devices it is not uncommon to find scanners lying around the store.  Sometimes they have been put down next to a register while a sales floor employee is helping a cashier with a customer carry-out.   Other times they are put down after scanning a piece of merchandise and there is bending or reaching involved to get to the item. Once a device is left unattended, if there is no retail anti-theft device on the unit, it can be a target of opportunity for a thief.  I recall one time when I was a Loss Prevention Manager for a store, I was monitoring one of our sales counters and noticed a store two-way radio had been left on the counter unattended.  I watched it to see which associate would pick it back up so I could speak to them about their error.  No employee came back to get the radio but a customer in the store DID pick it up and proceeded to walk into the parking lot with it.  I stopped the would-be thief and retrieved the radio.  When I asked him what he thought he was doing he said it was just sitting there so he was going to try to find the owner.  I wasn’t convinced that was what he was going to do I was, however just glad to get the radio back.  As I reflect on it now and I see how much more technology has grown in retail I have to wonder what would have happened had the radio been a Manager On Duty’s tablet instead!  Using Alpha Thunder Tags on store owned devices can prevent these types of incidents and prevent the chance for data breaches, not to mention simply the expense of replacing a tablet or store mobile device.
     Whether someone steals equipment from a retailer as a prank or they intend to try to resell it, the loss still negatively affects the business.  Why not use retail anti-theft devices that are already on hand to protect your handheld devices along with your merchandise?  Protect business PDA’s, tablets and mobile devices with Alpha Thunder Tags.
For more information on Alpha Thunder Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
       

Retail mobile devices can be protected by the same retail anti-theft devices used to protect merchandise. In today’s retail environment, managers are using many different mobile devices to conduct daily operations. From tablets to handheld scanners, including i-pods and i-pads, devices are being used to track sales information, daily checklists, schedules, etc. I currently work part time in a retail store and we use mobile devices for a myriad of different tasks. I can scan to check store stock levels for merchandise, stockroom and sales floor locations for product that may appear to be out of stock and I can see if any of our nearby stores have the product if we are out of an item. We can even complete a credit card or debit card transaction sales transaction with our mobile devices to keep our customers from waiting in checkout lines. Interestingly, while the store uses Alpha Security products to prevent shoplifting, it does not use anything to protect these handheld devices that are so important to day to day operations. It would benefit not only my employer, but ANY retailer which uses mobile technology to protect these devices with Alpha Thunder Tags.
     

Alpha Thunder Tags work in conjunction with an electronic article surveillance system (EAS). When a piece of merchandise or equipment that has one of these retail anti-theft devices attached passes through an EAS antenna, the antenna alarm sounds and lights flash. These tags also have a built in alarm that activates if a device passes through an antenna and goes a certain distance away. In the event someone should attempt to remove a tag from a device, a tamper alarm activates and staff can respond to the alert, a loud, high pitched tone and prevent a theft.  
     

You might be wondering how anyone would steal a store mobile device. Doing so is fairly straight forward. Although we wear holsters to carry our devices it is not uncommon to find scanners lying around the store. Sometimes they have been put down next to a register while a sales floor employee is helping a cashier with a customer carry-out. Other times they are put down after scanning a piece of merchandise and there is bending or reaching involved to get to the item. Once a device is left unattended, if there is no retail anti-theft device on the unit, it can be a target of opportunity for a thief. I recall one time when I was a Loss Prevention Manager for a store, I was monitoring one of our sales counters and noticed a store two-way radio had been left on the counter unattended. I watched it to see which associate would pick it back up so I could speak to them about their error.  No employee came back to get the radio but a customer in the store DID pick it up and proceeded to walk into the parking lot with it. I stopped the would-be thief and retrieved the radio. When I asked him what he thought he was doing he said it was just sitting there so he was going to try to find the owner. I wasn’t convinced that was what he was going to do I was, however just glad to get the radio back. As I reflect on it now and I see how much more technology has grown in retail I have to wonder what would have happened had the radio been a Manager On Duty’s tablet instead! Using Alpha Thunder Tags on store owned devices can prevent these types of incidents and prevent the chance for data breaches, not to mention simply the expense of replacing a tablet or store mobile device.
     

Whether someone steals equipment from a retailer as a prank or they intend to try to resell it, the loss still negatively affects the business. Why not use retail anti-theft devices that are already on hand to protect your handheld devices along with your merchandise? Protect business PDA’s, tablets and mobile devices with Alpha Thunder Tags.

 

For more information on Alpha Thunder Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547