Alpha Keepers-5 WC blog 229
Protect infant formula-3
Prevent shoplifting-4
Empty Shelves Of Infant Formula Starving Your Profits? Prevent Shoplifting With Alpha Keepers; Part 1
Many of you are familiar with Alpha Keepers, the anti-theft devices used to prevent shoplifting. You’ve seen these clear boxes protecting DVD’s, video games and if you’ve been to some of the bigger retail stores, even health and beauty products. What you may not know about Alpha Keepers is that they are also available to protect infant formula. Why would baby formula need to be protected? If your store(s) sell baby formula you need to know that it is a high theft item for several reasons which I will discuss shortly. I used to work for a big box retail store and it was a theft issue for us, but we were limited in what we could do to prevent the theft of our cans. We marked our cans with permanent stickers, we put security cameras in the area and we conducted live surveillances but we never made significant apprehensions. We knew from our inventory numbers they were going missing, we just struggled to prevent shoplifting of the merchandise. We would have been far more successful if we had Alpha Keepers at the time to aid us.
I have been to stores that use locking display cases to protect infant formula but this is not the best method to prevent shoplifting. Alpha Keepers designed for baby formula are better suited for driving up sales and keeping shortage down. The clear, solid plastic design permits parents or caregivers to read labels, note warnings and see content information about the product. The keepers are also built so that they can be detected when they are in the range of electronic article surveillance antennas. Keepers are detected by antennas and cause an antenna alarm and lights to be set off when a box gets too close to the antenna. This means that when a shoplifter attempts to smuggle product out the door, even if hidden under clothes or in a bag, alarms warn employees a theft is occurring. Employees can then take steps to recover the merchandise. Sales improve because merchandise that was being stolen is now on the floor and available to honest customers. The shopper can carry the item around without the bother of waiting for an employee with a key to come by and unlock a case, then walk the merchandise to the register for the patron. Shoppers that don’t have to wait are more prone to buy what they came to the store to pick up.
What is driving this theft of baby formula are two major factors. First, the high price of formula makes it difficult for many families to afford it, especially if it is one of the specialty products. I can tell you that when our twins were born, my wife and I had to put them on a special formula that cost us around $29.00 a can. The regular can at that time was around $10.00 each. The price of the specialty formula has now almost doubled since that time. You can guess that it was a struggle to keep up with this for two babies. We were a fairly young family at the time and we incurred a significant amount of credit card debt to ensure our babies were fed. For a family without the resources we had available to us, I can only imagine the fear and anxiety this could cause. I am not justifying that anyone would steal anything, especially with government and charitable aid available, but it is a little easier to understand how a mother or father might be tempted to steal to provide for a baby.
In part 2 of this series I will tackle the second major reason for the high theft of this item. Regardless of the reason for theft, it is important for store owners to protect infant formula from shoplifting but lock up cases or limiting quantities on display are not the best defense. Use Alpha Keepers to prevent shoplifting and keep product available for paying customers. Your customers will thank you with continued patronage and sales.
Alpha Keepers are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Many of you are familiar with Alpha Keepers, the anti-theft devices used to prevent shoplifting. ou’ve seen these clear boxes protecting DVD’s, video games and if you’ve been to some of the bigger retail stores, even health and beauty products. hat you may not know about Alpha Keepers is that they are also available to protect infant formula. hy would baby formula need to be protected? f your store(s) sell baby formula you need to know that it is a high theft item for several reasons which I will discuss shortly. I used to work for a big box retail store and it was a theft issue for us, but we were limited in what we could do to prevent the theft of our cans. We marked our cans with permanent stickers, we put security cameras in the area and we conducted live surveillances but we never made significant apprehensions. e knew from our inventory numbers they were going missing, we just struggled to prevent shoplifting of the merchandise. We would have been far more successful if we had Alpha Keepers at the time to aid us.
I have been to stores that use locking display cases to protect infant formula but this is not the best method to prevent shoplifting. Alpha Keepers designed for baby formula are better suited for driving up sales and keeping shortage down. The clear, solid plastic design permits parents or caregivers to read labels, note warnings and see content information about the product. The keepers are also built so that they can be detected when they are in the range of electronic article surveillance antennas. Keepers are detected by antennas and cause an antenna alarm and lights to be set off when a box gets too close to the antenna. This means that when a shoplifter attempts to smuggle product out the door, even if hidden under clothes or in a bag, alarms warn employees a theft is occurring. Employees can then take steps to recover the merchandise. Sales improve because merchandise that was being stolen is now on the floor and available to honest customers. The shopper can carry the item around without the bother of waiting for an employee with a key to come by and unlock a case, then walk the merchandise to the register for the patron. Shoppers that don’t have to wait are more prone to buy what they came to the store to pick up.
What is driving this theft of baby formula are two major factors. First, the high price of formula makes it difficult for many families to afford it, especially if it is one of the specialty products. I can tell you that when our twins were born, my wife and I had to put them on a special formula that cost us around $29.00 a can. The regular can at that time was around $10.00 each. The price of the specialty formula has now almost doubled since that time. You can guess that it was a struggle to keep up with this for two babies. We were a fairly young family at the time and we incurred a significant amount of credit card debt to ensure our babies were fed. For a family without the resources we had available to us, I can only imagine the fear and anxiety this could cause. I am not justifying that anyone would steal anything, especially with government and charitable aid available, but it is a little easier to understand how a mother or father might be tempted to steal to provide for a baby.
In part 2 of this series I will tackle the second major reason for the high theft of this item. Regardless of the reason for theft, it is important for store owners to protect infant formula from shoplifting but lock up cases or limiting quantities on display are not the best defense. Use Alpha Keepers to prevent shoplifting and keep product available for paying customers. Your customers will thank you with continued patronage and sales.
Alpha Keepers are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Prevent Shoplifting-4 WC blog 226
Alpha Keepers-5
Retail anti-theft devices-3
Minimizing Merchandise Presentation To Prevent Theft May Hurt Sales; Alpha Keepers Allow Fuller Displays And Prevent Shoplifting
Balance. That is the key to driving profitable sales. Retailers have to be able to do those things necessary to increase sales while being smart about protecting against theft and fraud. This can seem like a catch-22 at times and lead to frustration. Do you fill your shelves with product and have it available for customers to purchase? Do you partially fill your shelves in hopes that patrons will buy the product before shoplifters steal it from the shelves? Maybe you put up locking display showcases and open them up when customers want to look at something? Balance is finding the happy medium that allows you to fill your store shelves, provide customer access to merchandise and prevent shoplifting all at the same time. That is not easy. Using Alpha Keepers retail anti-theft devices is the solution for maintaining that balance.
Alpha Keepers are durable, see-through boxes that allow product to be secured for protection, yet free to be handled by customers. Display cases require an employee with a key to unlock the door, show and monitor the merchandise as a customer looks it over and decides if it is something they want. Alpha Keepers allow the retailer to place merchandise directly on the shelf where it is available to the customer to handle. All package information can be read through the box, ingredients, contents, warnings, etc. The only difference between displaying items in the Keeper versus on an open display is that Alpha Keepers prevent shoplifting since they are very difficult to force open and they are electronic article surveillance (EAS) sensitive. In other words if a store is equipped with EAS antennas, when a shoplifter attempts to steal merchandise in a Keeper box, the antenna alarm will activate. That activation sounds an alert that warns employees unpaid items are being taken out of the store. Merchandise not protected by retail anti-theft devices results in drastic reductions to the profit margin due to theft. If they don’t prevent shoplifting, small to medium sized businesses may not be able to absorb those losses as easily as a major retailer and could go out of business.
Over the course of my career in retail I have seen store managers attempt to use different strategies to prevent shoplifting. One of those strategies is to reduce the amount of a product displayed on a shelf if that item is targeted by criminals. At first glance this sounds like a reasonable solution to the problem. There are issues with this strategy that retailers don’t consider. If that minimal amount of product runs out, due to sales or theft, how quickly does it get replenished for the next customer? Another concern noted in a booklet created by Iowa State University North Central Regional Center For Rural Development, titled “Visual Merchandising, A Guide For Small Retailers”, written by Holly Bastow-Shoop, North Dakota State University, Dale Zetocha, North Dakota State University and Gregory Passewitz, The Ohio State University, May 1991 http://ncrcrd.msu.edu/uploads/files/133/NCRCRD-rrd155-print.pdf “A window or display area with too little merchandise makes a store appear to be going out of business or, indicates to the customer that the establishment is less than prosperous.” (pg. 55).
A retailer cannot afford to lose sales because they have created a perception that the store is going out of business. I have first- hand experience that appearance does affect the shopping habits of customers. The store I currently work in was transitioning from a seasonal displays and preparing for the next seasonal set of shippers. In doing so we had clearance merchandise spread out and empty main aisles where shippers had been located. A customer was looking around and I offered her assistance. She said she was just looking but had a look of concern on her face. I asked if there was something specific she was looking for. She hesitated said “No”, and then asked me if the store was going out of business. I reassured her we were not, but due to merchandising that was what she perceived. This misperception was due to stocking/merchandising caused by the time of the year, but clearly if a store deliberately limits merchandise and displays look anemic customers may limit or stop shopping at that location.
Retail anti-theft devices such as Alpha Keepers allow a retailer to keep displays full for customers and increase sales. Customers can have the freedom to select merchandise and continue shopping. Owners can be confident merchandise will be paid for at the register.
Get more information on Alpha Keepers. Contact us at 1.770.426.0547 today.
Balance. That is the key to driving profitable sales. Retailers have to be able to do those things necessary to increase sales while being smart about protecting against theft and fraud. This can seem like a catch-22 at times and lead to frustration. Do you fill your shelves with product and have it available for customers to purchase? Do you partially fill your shelves in hopes that patrons will buy the product before shoplifters steal it from the shelves? Maybe you put up locking display showcases and open them up when customers want to look at something? Balance is finding the happy medium that allows you to fill your store shelves, provide customer access to merchandise and prevent shoplifting all at the same time. That is not easy. Using Alpha Keepers retail anti-theft devices is the solution for maintaining that balance.
Alpha Keepers are durable, see-through boxes that allow product to be secured for protection, yet free to be handled by customers. Display cases require an employee with a key to unlock the door, show and monitor the merchandise as a customer looks it over and decides if it is something they want. Alpha Keepers allow the retailer to place merchandise directly on the shelf where it is available to the customer to handle. All package information can be read through the box, ingredients, contents, warnings, etc. The only difference between displaying items in the Keeper versus on an open display is that Alpha Keepers prevent shoplifting since they are very difficult to force open and they are electronic article surveillance (EAS) sensitive. In other words if a store is equipped with EAS antennas, when a shoplifter attempts to steal merchandise in a Keeper box, the antenna alarm will activate. That activation sounds an alert that warns employees unpaid items are being taken out of the store. Merchandise not protected by retail anti-theft devices results in drastic reductions to the profit margin due to theft. If they don’t prevent shoplifting, small to medium sized businesses may not be able to absorb those losses as easily as a major retailer and could go out of business.
Over the course of my career in retail I have seen store managers attempt to use different strategies to prevent shoplifting. One of those strategies is to reduce the amount of a product displayed on a shelf if that item is targeted by criminals. At first glance this sounds like a reasonable solution to the problem. There are issues with this strategy that retailers don’t consider. If that minimal amount of product runs out, due to sales or theft, how quickly does it get replenished for the next customer? Another concern noted in a booklet created by Iowa State University North Central Regional Center For Rural Development, titled “Visual Merchandising, A Guide For Small Retailers”, written by Holly Bastow-Shoop, North Dakota State University, Dale Zetocha, North Dakota State University and Gregory Passewitz, The Ohio State University, May 1991 http://ncrcrd.msu.edu/uploads/files/133/NCRCRD-rrd155-print.pdf “A window or display area with too little merchandise makes a store appear to be going out of business or, indicates to the customer that the establishment is less than prosperous.” (pg. 55).
A retailer cannot afford to lose sales because they have created a perception that the store is going out of business. I have first- hand experience that appearance does affect the shopping habits of customers. The store I currently work in was transitioning from a seasonal displays and preparing for the next seasonal set of shippers. In doing so we had clearance merchandise spread out and empty main aisles where shippers had been located. A customer was looking around and I offered her assistance. She said she was just looking but had a look of concern on her face. I asked if there was something specific she was looking for. She hesitated said “No”, and then asked me if the store was going out of business. I reassured her we were not, but due to merchandising that was what she perceived. This misperception was due to stocking/merchandising caused by the time of the year, but clearly if a store deliberately limits merchandise and displays look anemic customers may limit or stop shopping at that location.
Retail anti-theft devices such as Alpha Keepers allow a retailer to keep displays full for customers and increase sales. Customers can have the freedom to select merchandise and continue shopping. Owners can be confident merchandise will be paid for at the register.
Get more information on Alpha Keepers. Contact us at 1.770.426.0547 today.
I am a video gamer. I’m not very good at them, as my sons like to remind me, but I am a gamer nonetheless. I still have a PS2 at home as well as The Xbox consoles. I don’t have the opportunity to play them as frequently as I would like but I still find time to indulge in them every so often. Occasionally I like to go to the local videogame store and purchase a used game (being a cheapskate I don’t often buy a new one for myself). A while back I went to a particular store and wanted to purchase a game. This store has empty boxes on the shelf, requiring you to select the product you are interested in and take the empty box to the register. The actual game disc is stored in file drawers behind the counter in paper cd sleeves. I found the box for the game I wanted and dutifully walked it up to the register. The clerk hunted for the disc and could not locate it so he had to get a co-worker to help. Together they searched and still could not find the disc I wanted. I wasn’t too happy but I found a different game and ended up purchasing it. I was slightly irritated at the experience but did not say so since the employees did the best they could under the circumstances. Each time I go into this store now I get aggravated seeing empty video game cases on the shelves. I wonder to myself how many other discs they lose due to carelessness, a poor filing system or some other factor. It would be much easier for this business to use gaming keepers to prevent shoplifting rather than removing discs from all the cases they come in.
Gaming keepers are clear, hard, plastic cases with a hinged, locking door designed to prevent shoplifting. Many retailers keep popular and high theft merchandise in lock-up cases. While lock-up cases do prevent theft, they make it impossible for a customer to browse and look at package content without a sales person hovering over them while they look. Alpha Keepers, including those for video game software, provide the protection of a display case and affords customers the ability to read content information. While using empty display boxes also prevents shoplifting they can create a different set of issues for customers, like the one I experienced. Using gaming keepers prevents such a situation since the game disc remains in the package and the package is locked securely in the keeper. Games are only removed from the keepers when they are brought to the point of sale and a special detachment key is used to open keeper.
What prevents someone from simply walking out the door with merchandise in a Gaming Keeper? All Alpha Keepers are designed with electronic article surveillance (EAS) technology built into them. Stores that use Alpha Keepers also have EAS antennas installed at the entrances and exits. The antennas pick up radio frequency signals emitted by Keepers and other EAS tagged merchandise when they are carried too close to the doorway. This causes the antenna alarm to sound and warn store employees of a security breach. Staff respond to the alarm and prevent shoplifting by determining the cause of the alarm and recovering the merchandise from the perpetrator.
As a store owner or manager it is important that you consider the benefits of using Gaming Keepers and other Alpha Keepers to protect your merchandise. You won’t need to pay for extra staff so you have people available to “show” merchandise. You also won’t have to come up with alternative merchandise displays that may create unnecessary headaches of trying to locate items. You can have all of these advantages AND prevent shoplifting at the same time.
Gaming Keepers are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
PROTECTING FRAGRANCE FROM SHOPLIFTERS
Over the past couple of years, I have forged a partnership with law enforcement agencies and fellow retailers across my home state. I call it the “LEARN” program. (Law Enforcement and Retail Network). It all started when I just got fed up with the amount of shoplifting I was dealing with. We were doing all we possible could to prevent shoplifting in our store, but the thieves were continually targeting us. I approached my local sheriff’s office and partnered up with a great detective.
We began working together and eventually started going retailer to retailer, talking to managers and especially the loss prevention staff. We’d collect email addresses and when someone had a shoplifter, we’d share that information with the group. Over the years the group has grown larger and larger. There are over 150 different retailers in my state participating, along with dozens of law enforcement agencies. If someone steals and gets away, we are usually able to identify them with relative ease. We also hold quarterly conference to share intel and discuss crime patterns. While our store teams are doing everything in their power to prevent shoplifting, we are constantly investigating it on the backside.
Just recently, an email was shared from a local merchant that specializes in designer clothing and fragrances. Apparently, even though price-points for some bottles approach $100, they’ve never thought to use EAS devices to protect fragrance. The email was contained some still images of a couple boosters that cleaned them out on a certain line of perfume. They were hoping someone could identify the clean smelling cohorts so they could attempt to recover their bouquet of bounty.
A few days later, the same merchant sent out another “BOLO” regarding the same duo. They had targeted another store location and cleaned up another haul of perfume. Seriously guys, if this is a popular target, there are several options available that can help you protect fragrance. This time, the photos were a little better quality and I immediately recognized one of the shoplifters. I kid you not, her name is Essence. Law enforcement was able to track her down and luckily for the store, a large portion of their product was recovered before it could be sold through various online mediums.
How many of you out there, reading this right now are in the same boat? You try to prevent shoplifting by using the latest technology, but there are those commonly stolen items that you simply overlook. If you sell high end fragrance, then PROTECT FRAGRANCE with keeper boxes!
For more information about Alpha Keepers contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
Over the past couple of years, I have forged a partnership with law enforcement agencies and fellow retailers across my home state. I call it the “LEARN” program. (Law Enforcement and Retail Network). It all started when I just got fed up with the amount of shoplifting I was dealing with. We were doing all we possible could to prevent shoplifting in our store, but the thieves were continually targeting us. I approached my local sheriff’s office and partnered up with a great detective.
We began working together and eventually started going retailer to retailer, talking to managers and especially the loss prevention staff. We’d collect email addresses and when someone had a shoplifter, we’d share that information with the group. Over the years the group has grown larger and larger. There are over 150 different retailers in my state participating, along with dozens of law enforcement agencies. If someone steals and gets away, we are usually able to identify them with relative ease. We also hold quarterly conference to share intel and discuss crime patterns. While our store teams are doing everything in their power to prevent shoplifting, we are constantly investigating it on the backside.
Just recently, an email was shared from a local merchant that specializes in designer clothing and fragrances. Apparently, even though price-points for some bottles approach $100, they’ve never thought to use EAS devices to protect fragrance. The email contained some still images of a couple boosters that cleaned them out on a certain line of perfume. They were hoping someone could identify the clean smelling cohorts so they could attempt to recover their bouquet of bounty.
A few days later, the same merchant sent out another “BOLO” regarding the same duo. They had targeted another store location and cleaned up another haul of perfume. Seriously guys, if this is a popular target, there are several options available that can help you protect fragrance. This time, the photos were a little better quality and I immediately recognized one of the shoplifters. I kid you not, her name is Essence. Law enforcement was able to track her down and luckily for the store, a large portion of their product was recovered before it could be sold through various online mediums.
How many of you out there, reading this right now are in the same boat? You try to prevent shoplifting by using the latest technology, but there are those commonly stolen items that you simply overlook. If you sell high end fragrance, then PROTECT FRAGRANCE with keeper boxes!
For more information about Alpha Keepers contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
Alpha Keepers-5 WC Blog 173
Prevent Shoplifting-3
Using Alpha Keepers To Their Fullest Potential Promotes Sales And Customer Service
I admire business owners who take a risk and open a small retail store or a small chain of stores. Having spent twenty-six years in retail I have a love for the business and a desire to see people succeed. Much of the advice I can give is from first-hand experience working with retail anti-theft devices to prevent shoplifting. As I former retail Security Officer, Retail Loss Prevention Manager and Logistics Manager, I have seen the things that are successful to grow a business. One of those things is the use of Alpha Keepers to protect merchandise and still make them available to customers.
Alpha Keepers are hard, solid, clear plastic boxes that allow retailers to secure product while keeping it available for customers to handle. The boxes are built to activate Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) alarms if carried through an EAS antenna. Merchandise is placed in the box and the hinged door of the box is locked and can only be opened by a detachment key at a point of sale or a handheld key carried by an associate.
Sometimes the cases are not used to their fullest advantage. Take for example the retail store I currently work for. We carry products that we do place in Alpha Keepers, such as some ink cartridges, most jump drives, and the majority of SD cards. On the other hand we also carry external computer hard drives we do not place in keepers. Instead, the store has cardboard pictures of the hard drives in the box, but no actual units. The hard drives are maintained in a locked stockroom, and can only be retrieved by someone with a key. Frequently customers want to purchase a hard drive and if the associate providing assistance does not have the set of keys for the stockroom, a call has to be made for further assistance.
We pride ourselves on providing great customer service, but it could be improved if we allowed the Alpha Keepers to work as intended. The purpose of the anti-theft devices is to prevent shoplifting while still giving customers access to merchandise. The Keepers allow the customers to read details on the item to be purchases, see actual size and also read warning labels. I have assisted a number of patrons who had very specific questions about a hard drive they were looking at and the only way to answer the question was to read the information printed on the box. For example, one question I am asked is, “Does this come with a USB cable?” I have to look for the information on the box. The problem is that the information is not on the card inside the Keeper and my handheld portable scanner does not give me all the information on the item needed to answer the question. I have to get into the stockroom, find the merchandise and then look at the box for the information. If the merchandise were in the Keepers there would be no need for the extra trip to the stockroom and further delay for the customer.
One of the things we strive to do in our store is close a sale by getting merchandise into the hands of the customer. This helps to overcome any objections customers may have to making a purchase. Getting merchandise out of lock-up cases and into Alpha Keepers is a great way to put the merchandise in the customer’s hands while promoting customer service and preventing shoplifting. This is a win for retailers all the way around.
Need information on Alpha Keepers? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
I admire business owners who take a risk and open a small retail store or a small chain of stores. Having spent twenty-six years in retail I have a love for the business and a desire to see people succeed. Much of the advice I can give is from first-hand experience working with retail anti-theft devices to prevent shoplifting. As I former retail Security Officer, Retail Loss Prevention Manager and Logistics Manager, I have seen the things that are successful to grow a business. One of those things is the use of Alpha Keepers to protect merchandise and still make them available to customers.
Alpha Keepers are hard, solid, clear plastic boxes that allow retailers to secure product while keeping it available for customers to handle. The boxes are built to activate Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) alarms if carried through an EAS antenna. Merchandise is placed in the box and the hinged door of the box is locked and can only be opened by a detachment key at a point of sale or a handheld key carried by an associate.
Sometimes the cases are not used to their fullest advantage. Take for example the retail store I currently work for. We carry products that we do place in Alpha Keepers, such as some ink cartridges, most jump drives, and the majority of SD cards. On the other hand we also carry external computer hard drives we do not place in keepers. Instead, the store has cardboard pictures of the hard drives in the box, but no actual units. The hard drives are maintained in a locked stockroom, and can only be retrieved by someone with a key. Frequently customers want to purchase a hard drive and if the associate providing assistance does not have the set of keys for the stockroom, a call has to be made for further assistance.
We pride ourselves on providing great customer service, but it could be improved if we allowed the Alpha Keepers to work as intended. The purpose of the anti-theft devices is to prevent shoplifting while still giving customers access to merchandise. The Keepers allow the customers to read details on the item to be purchases, see actual size and also read warning labels. I have assisted a number of patrons who had very specific questions about a hard drive they were looking at and the only way to answer the question was to read the information printed on the box. For example, one question I am asked is, “Does this come with a USB cable?” I have to look for the information on the box. The problem is that the information is not on the card inside the Keeper and my handheld portable scanner does not give me all the information on the item needed to answer the question. I have to get into the stockroom, find the merchandise and then look at the box for the information. If the merchandise were in the Keepers there would be no need for the extra trip to the stockroom and further delay for the customer.
One of the things we strive to do in our store is close a sale by getting merchandise into the hands of the customer. This helps to overcome any objections customers may have to making a purchase. Getting merchandise out of lock-up cases and into Alpha Keepers is a great way to put the merchandise in the customer’s hands while promoting customer service and preventing shoplifting. This is a win for retailers all the way around.
Need information on Alpha Keepers? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
