Prevent Shoplifting -4 WC Blog 497
Alpha Security-5
Alpha Security Can Cure Alcohol Theft Crime
Alcohol theft is a concern for stores that sell beer, wine and spirits and trying to find a solution to prevent shoplifting. You may operate a small retail store and sell alcoholic beverages in your establishment. You may have even experienced a shoplifter trying to steal a bottle or can here or there. As a Loss Prevention Manager for a national retail store that carried wine, I had the experience of stopping a few customers trying to steal alcohol. It was relatively new for our company to carry spirits so I did not see a lot of theft in this department but there was some. I knew a bottle or two could be concealed in a jacket or a purse, and I would even believe a thief could put one down their pants based on other items I had caught people stealing. I was shocked when I came across a story on the internet and confirmed by several websites of a shoplifter who stole 18 bottles of liquor by concealing them in her purse and under various parts of her clothing! http://fox6now.com/2017/08/23/watch-woman-caught-on-video-stealing-18-bottles-of-liquor-in-her-clothes/ The story was posted by Fox 6 now on August 23, 2017and shows a store surveillance video of the woman as she was stealing. This theft as well as several others I found that were interesting may have been prevented if the stores had used electronic article surveillance (EAS) and Alpha Security tags to deter or detect the thefts.
If you do not use an EAS system in your store or are unfamiliar with it and Alpha Security tags allow me explain what they are and how they prevent theft. EAS systems function by the use of radio frequency waves transmitted by hard and soft tags to activate tower alarms usually located by a store entrance and exit. You have probably observed these towers in stores regularly and simply not known what they are or what they do. If merchandise that is tagged with a hard or soft tag comes too close to a tower an alarm built into the tower is set off. The alarm elicits a response from store employees who conduct receipt checks and recover merchandise to prevent shoplifting (it also helps in recovering merchandise that is missed by a cashier during the checkout process which otherwise leads to operational shortage). Soft tags are peeled from rolls and can be applied to a variety of products and surfaces such as cardboard manufacturer hang tags, plastic blister packs and cellophane and shrink wraps. Hard tags either pin or clip to merchandise or in the case of bottle protection clamp over the bottle cap and part of the neck. In the situations I am describing above involving alcohol bottle thefts, the use of a lock such as the Alpha Security Versa Guard would have deterred the shoplifter or would have caused an alarm at the door as she neared it to leave.
Lest you think the case of the thirsty thief I discussed above was an isolated incident, in another story from sonomanews.com, November 9, 2017 by Bill Hoban, “Sonoma Market’s wine-stealing trio still at large”, the reporter refers to a case in which, “Sonoma Police are looking for three woman who are suspected of walking out of a Sonoma Market on Nov. 4, with more than $1,150 of high priced wine.” The story goes on to say that employees reported 22 bottles missing. http://www.sonomanews.com/news/7620008-181/wine-stealing-trio-at-large That is roughly 7 bottles per person to not only conceal but carry out of a store. I have never visited this store but I can say that from the pictures I was able to view it does not appear Alpha Security bottle locks are being used or if they are it is in a limited manner. I will also say that from the picture of the three suspects leaving the store it does not appear there are EAS towers in use but the image could be misleading. If bottle locks are being used they should be used on all alcoholic beverages. Limiting what is tagged in a store only sends a would-be shoplifter to an item of a lower price point but you won’t prevent shoplifting from taking place. Finally, using bottle locks without an EAS system in place severely limits the effectiveness in theft prevention.
Alcohol theft is nothing to laugh about even if the thought of someone clinking out of a store with eighteen bottles hidden under their clothes and in a purse is amusing to consider. Don’t be a victim yourself, use Alpha Security bottle locks and an EAS system in your store to prevent shoplifting and keep profits up.
Need information on Alpha Security? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Alcohol theft is a concern for stores that sell beer, wine and spirits and trying to find a solution to prevent shoplifting. You may operate a small retail store and sell alcoholic beverages in your establishment. You may have even experienced a shoplifter trying to steal a bottle or can here or there. As a Loss Prevention Manager for a national retail store that carried wine, I had the experience of stopping a few customers trying to steal alcohol. It was relatively new for our company to carry spirits so I did not see a lot of theft in this department but there was some. I knew a bottle or two could be concealed in a jacket or a purse, and I would even believe a thief could put one down their pants based on other items I had caught people stealing. I was shocked when I came across a story on the internet and confirmed by several websites of a shoplifter who stole 18 bottles of liquor by concealing them in her purse and under various parts of her clothing! http://fox6now.com/2017/08/23/watch-woman-caught-on-video-stealing-18-bottles-of-liquor-in-her-clothes/. The story was posted by Fox 6 now on August 23, 2017 and shows a store surveillance video of the woman as she was stealing. This theft as well as several others I found that were interesting may have been prevented if the stores had used electronic article surveillance (EAS) and Alpha Security tags to deter or detect the thefts.
If you do not use an EAS system in your store or are unfamiliar with it and Alpha Security tags allow me to explain what they are and how they prevent theft. EAS systems function by the use of radio frequency waves transmitted by hard and soft tags to activate tower alarms usually located by a store entrance and exit. You have probably observed these towers in stores regularly and simply not known what they are or what they do. If merchandise that is tagged with a hard or soft tag comes too close to a tower an alarm built into the tower is set off. The alarm elicits a response from store employees who conduct receipt checks and recover merchandise to prevent shoplifting (it also helps in recovering merchandise that is missed by a cashier during the checkout process which otherwise leads to operational shortage). Soft tags are peeled from rolls and can be applied to a variety of products and surfaces such as cardboard manufacturer hang tags, plastic blister packs and cellophane and shrink wraps. Hard tags either pin or clip to merchandise or in the case of bottle protection clamp over the bottle cap and part of the neck. In the situations I am describing above involving alcohol bottle thefts, the use of a lock such as the Alpha Security Versa Guard would have deterred the shoplifter or would have caused an alarm at the door as she neared it to leave.
Lest you think the case of the thirsty thief I discussed above was an isolated incident, in another story from sonomanews.com, November 9, 2017 by Bill Hoban, “Sonoma Market’s wine-stealing trio still at large”, the reporter refers to a case in which, “Sonoma Police are looking for three woman who are suspected of walking out of a Sonoma Market on Nov. 4, with more than $1,150 of high priced wine.” The story goes on to say that employees reported 22 bottles missing. http://www.sonomanews.com/news/7620008-181/wine-stealing-trio-at-large. That is roughly 7 bottles per person to not only conceal but carry out of a store. I have never visited this store but I can say that from the pictures I was able to view it does not appear Alpha Security bottle locks are being used or if they are it is in a limited manner. I will also say that from the picture of the three suspects leaving the store it does not appear there are EAS towers in use but the image could be misleading. If bottle locks are being used they should be used on all alcoholic beverages. Limiting what is tagged in a store only sends a would-be shoplifter to an item of a lower price point but you won’t prevent shoplifting from taking place. Finally, using bottle locks without an EAS system in place severely limits the effectiveness in theft prevention.
Alcohol theft is nothing to laugh about even if the thought of someone clinking out of a store with eighteen bottles hidden under their clothes and in a purse is amusing to consider. Don’t be a victim yourself, use Alpha Security bottle locks and an EAS system in your store to prevent shoplifting and keep profits up.
Need information on Alpha Security? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
LPC-3 , LP ROI Calculator-3 , Can LP Be Free?-3
Are Loss Prevention Tools Worth The Cost?
In the retail world you have to deal with theft. Some people do it for the thrill of it, just to see if they can get away with it. Some people steal because they feel entitled. Others do it because of a real or perceived need. So you purchase some tools, like a Checkpoint System or some offerings from Alpha Technology. But, how do you know that what you are buying is actually worth it? I have an easy solution for you. There is a loss prevention calculator available for you to utilize and figure up the return on your investment. Can loss prevention be free? You have to buy what you need, but it can easily and quickly pay for itself.
Let’s work up some comparisons:
With a Checkpoint System- A woman comes in shopping for some wrinkle cream. She really wants it but it’s not in her budget. She decides she has been a loyal customer long enough, and your store actually owes her this one. She drops it in her purse and approaches the front door, and suddenly she hears:BING! BING! BING!.. “We’re sorry; you have activated our inventory control system” She panics and hands it to your cashier, claiming it must have fell in her purse by accident.
Without a Checkpoint System- Same scenario, except she walks out the door undetected, smiling and waving at your cashier that never suspected that regular customer just ripped off the store.
You don’t need a loss prevention ROI calculator to know you just lost about $50.
With Alpha Keepers- A shoplifting duo comes in the store. They have been sent by a vendor at your local flea market. They were told to scout stores and steal as many packs of razor refill cartridges as they could get. When they walk into your well stocked shaving section, they immediately see all of your packages are encased in Alpha Keepers. They turn around and walk back out empty handed. (The loss prevention calculator would tell you: you just saved about $800-$1,000.)
Without Alpha Keepers-Same scenario, but the two of them loaded up the bags they carried in and when your cashier got distracted with another customer, they ran out the door and your shelves are now empty.
With Bottle Locks-A teenager comes in to steal a bottle of wine. He was dared to do it and he is sure he is slick enough to get away with it. He sees all the bottles have locking caps on them. He attempts to remove the one from the bottle he chose and it starts alarming. He quickly puts it back on the shelf and gets out the door as fast as he can.
Without Bottle Locks- He puts the bottle up the sleeve of his hoodie and slips out the door before your clerk ever noticed he was in the store. Can loss prevention be free? Was your inventory of wine and spirits free? Wouldn’t it be worth protecting?
Use the loss prevention ROI calculator and plug in the numbers. How much inventory did you buy and how much did you sell? How much is left on your shelves? If you are posting a “shrink”, you need help. Find out how fast an investment in some real solutions could pay you back with the loss prevention calculator. So, I’ll ask you one more time..can loss prevention be free? It can be if it stops your valuable merchandise from being stolen.
Return on investment is important. Let us help you figure it out. Contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
In the retail world you have to deal with theft. Some people do it for the thrill of it, just to see if they can get away with it. Some people steal because they feel entitled. Others do it because of a real or perceived need. So you purchase some tools, like a Checkpoint System or some offerings from Alpha Technology. But, how do you know that what you are buying is actually worth it? I have an easy solution for you. There is a loss prevention calculator available for you to utilize and figure up the return on your investment. Can loss prevention be free? You have to buy what you need, but it can easily and quickly pay for itself.
Let’s work up some comparisons:
With a Checkpoint System– A woman comes in shopping for some wrinkle cream. She really wants it but it’s not in her budget. She decides she has been a loyal customer long enough, and your store actually owes her this one. She drops it in her purse and approaches the front door, and suddenly she hears:BING! BING! BING!.. “We’re sorry; you have activated our inventory control system” She panics and hands it to your cashier, claiming it must have fell in her purse by accident.
Without a Checkpoint System– Same scenario, except she walks out the door undetected, smiling and waving at your cashier that never suspected that regular customer just ripped off the store. You don’t need a loss prevention ROI calculator to know you just lost about $50.
With Alpha Keepers– A shoplifting duo comes in the store. They have been sent by a vendor at your local flea market. They were told to scout stores and steal as many packs of razor refill cartridges as they could get. When they walk into your well stocked shaving section, they immediately see all of your packages are encased in Alpha Keepers. They turn around and walk back out empty handed. (The loss prevention calculator would tell you: you just saved about $800-$1,000.)
Without Alpha Keepers-Same scenario, but the two of them loaded up the bags they carried in and when your cashier got distracted with another customer, they ran out the door and your shelves are now empty.
With Bottle Locks-A teenager comes in to steal a bottle of wine. He was dared to do it and he is sure he is slick enough to get away with it. He sees all the bottles have locking caps on them. He attempts to remove the one from the bottle he chose and it starts alarming. He quickly puts it back on the shelf and gets out the door as fast as he can.
Without Bottle Locks– He puts the bottle up the sleeve of his hoodie and slips out the door before your clerk ever noticed he was in the store. Can loss prevention be free? Was your inventory of wine and spirits free? Wouldn’t it be worth protecting?
Use the loss prevention ROI calculator and plug in the numbers. How much inventory did you buy and how much did you sell? How much is left on your shelves? If you are posting a “shrink”, you need help. Find out how fast an investment in some real solutions could pay you back with the loss prevention calculator. So, I’ll ask you one more time..can loss prevention be free? It can be if it stops your valuable merchandise from being stolen.
Return on investment is important. Let us help you figure it out. Contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
According to the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) website, http://www.fmi.org/research-resources/supermarket-facts, Supermarket Sales By Department 2015 (% of total supermarket store sales) 2014 Supermarket Sales of alcoholic beverages amounted to $21,296.639 (millions of dollars) or 4.4% of total grocery store sales. It is interesting to note that according to the 2014-2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer Supermarkets/Grocery Retailers experienced 1.35% stock shortage results. The number one shortage category under “Food and Beverages” was wines and spirits (pg. 55). The GRTB goes on to report that approximately 50% of shortage in Supermarkets/ Grocery retailers is due to dishonest employees and 31% is due to shoplifting (pg. 54). My question to grocery store owners is this, “If 4.4% of your total sales are coming from the sale of alcoholic beverages and your number one category for shortage is from wines and spirits, what in the world are you doing to curb this threat to your business? If you haven’t given it much thought, I would like to suggest considering the use of bottle locks from Alpha Security.
Bottle Locks are locking devices that fit over the tops of wine and liquor bottles. When securely placed on the top of the cap of a bottle the lock cannot be removed safely without the use of a detachment key. This means any attempted theft and tampering with a lock could likely result in a broken bottle. An Alpha bottle lock is also sensitive to electronic article surveillance (EAS) antennas meaning that if a shoplifter tries to sneak a bottle past EAS antennas the antenna alarm will be set off. This warning gives store employees an opportunity to respond to the alarm and recover the merchandise before it is removed from the premises.
As an anti-theft tool, bottle locks impact both internal and external theft. Employees who may have been able to remove merchandise that was not protected by concealing product in bags, purses or under clothing are no longer able to do so without setting off an alarm. If proper procedures are enforced in a store, all alarm activations are treated the same and an inspection will reveal stolen merchandise. Employees and customers are equally subject to package checks and receipt reviews when they are the cause of an EAS antenna alarm. When employees know they are not exempted from scrutiny they tend to curtail dishonest activity. Shoplifters who have hit a store in the past shy away when they notice an EAS system is installed.
Aside from preventing theft an added benefit of using Alpha Security bottle locks on wines and spirits is that the devices are reusable. The locks are placed on products at the store by staff and when a bottle is purchased it goes through the point of sale where the merchandise is rung up and the bottle lock is then removed. Usually a store will have a collection box at the register and the locks are gathered for placement on new product as it is received. Stores are not required to continually purchase new anti-theft devices, making this an economical means of protecting a business. For those business owners who are concerned with environmental issues, the ability to recycle and reuse bottle locks is something to consider. Alpha Security anti-theft products are designed to be used over and over again so that a business doesn’t have to purchase new replacements.
If you sell wine or spirits in your grocery store and almost 4.5% of your sales come from this product line it is important to protect merchandise. Using a bottle lock on each of your bottles is important, especially when this is the number one stolen item in grocery stores.
Need information on bottle locks? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Bottle Lock-3 WC Blog 190
Bottle Locks-4
Bottle Security-3
Grocery Store Fails To Grasp Genius Of Bottle Locks; Don’t Give Thieves An Opportunity To Steal Spirits.
I was really dismayed the other day when I walked into one of my favorite grocery stores. The entire store has been remodeled since I last visited this particular location and I noticed several interesting modifications. The pharmacy for this location has been removed, check-out lanes seem to be less cluttered and I think they have removed fixtures, allowing cashiers to be seen by customers and allowing cashiers to see out into the store. Some food categories have been reduced in the number of selections and other categories have significantly increased. One such area is in the wine and champagne selections. Now my dismay was not in the new layout, my disappointment was that I recognized that the planners have obviously NOT read any of my articles on liquor bottle security. Not only did I fail to observe a single bottle lock in use whatsoever, much to my chagrin the store even had bottles in a locking display case! Since this particular chain of stores is my favorite (because my sons work for them, I am a little biased) I want to see them keep prices low for everyone and bottle locks on their products would be a good start.
It is quite obvious, in my opinion that since this store is not using bottle locks, there are people out there still not familiar with what bottle locks are and how they help a store keep prices low. Bottle locks are designed for liquor bottle security (as well as wines) because they are anti-theft devices that are secured on a bottle and cannot be removed without a special detachment tool. The locking device covers the bottle cap and part of the bottle neck, keeping patrons from being able to open the merchandise and drink the contents. Therefore, even if a shoplifter could get a wine or spirit out of the store or business, they wouldn’t be able to drink from it. Without access, what is the point of stealing the bottle? Even if it is going to be resold in an Organized Retail Theft situation, those people won’t be able to resell it and so the merchandise is of no value to them. Thus, at a minimum, simply using liquor bottle security devices acts as a deterrent to would-be thieves.
Another factor that is overlooked is that Alpha security devices are sensitized to activate electronic article surveillance (EAS) alarm antennas. When wines or spirits are purchased the locks are removed by the cashier and placed to the side for re-use on new merchandise. When someone attempts to spirit away spirits (pun intended) and the lock is still in place, the EAS antenna alarm sounds an alert and provides an opportunity for store staff to respond and retrieve the goods. 3-alarm devices also have an alarm built into the lock that annunciates when the antennas are breached and the device is carried out of the building. This alert can cause the perpetrator to drop the merchandise and possibly run.
So if merchandise is not being stolen, the end result is that merchandise stays in the store and is available for sale to honest patrons. Theft drops dramatically and profit from sales increases. Bear in mind, it is not uncommon for a shopper to look for a specific product and if it is not on the shelf where it should be, they will frequently leave. They may not bother to ask for assistance since they assume that an empty shelf means the store is sold out. A bottle lock installed on the merchandise helps owners ensure merchandise will stay where it is intended to stay, on the shelf and available for sale.
Use a bottle lock on each of your wines and spirits and you will be surprised at how quickly you will see a return on your investment. The only thing you won’t lock up is the joy bottled up inside you when you see profits grow.
Get more information on bottle locks, contact us or call 1.770.426.256 today.
I was really dismayed the other day when I walked into one of my favorite grocery stores. The entire store has been remodeled since I last visited this particular location and I noticed several interesting modifications. The pharmacy for this location has been removed, check-out lanes seem to be less cluttered and I think they have removed fixtures, allowing cashiers to be seen by customers and allowing cashiers to see out into the store. Some food categories have been reduced in the number of selections and other categories have significantly increased. One such area is in the wine and champagne selections. Now my dismay was not in the new layout, my disappointment was that I recognized that the planners have obviously NOT read any of my articles on liquor bottle security. Not only did I fail to observe a single bottle lock in use whatsoever, much to my chagrin the store even had bottles in a locking display case! Since this particular chain of stores is my favorite (because my sons work for them, I am a little biased) I want to see them keep prices low for everyone and bottle locks on their products would be a good start.
It is quite obvious, in my opinion that since this store is not using bottle locks, there are people out there still not familiar with what bottle locks are and how they help a store keep prices low. Bottle locks are designed for liquor bottle security (as well as wines) because they are anti-theft devices that are secured on a bottle and cannot be removed without a special detachment tool. The locking device covers the bottle cap and part of the bottle neck, keeping patrons from being able to open the merchandise and drink the contents. Therefore, even if a shoplifter could get a wine or spirit out of the store or business, they wouldn’t be able to drink from it. Without access, what is the point of stealing the bottle? Even if it is going to be resold in an Organized Retail Theft situation, those people won’t be able to resell it and so the merchandise is of no value to them. Thus, at a minimum, simply using liquor bottle security devices acts as a deterrent to would-be thieves.
Another factor that is overlooked is that Alpha security devices are sensitized to activate electronic article surveillance (EAS) alarm antennas. When wines or spirits are purchased the locks are removed by the cashier and placed to the side for re-use on new merchandise. When someone attempts to spirit away spirits (pun intended) and the lock is still in place, the EAS antenna alarm sounds an alert and provides an opportunity for store staff to respond and retrieve the goods. 3-alarm devices also have an alarm built into the lock that annunciates when the antennas are breached and the device is carried out of the building. This alert can cause the perpetrator to drop the merchandise and possibly run.
So if merchandise is not being stolen, the end result is that merchandise stays in the store and is available for sale to honest patrons. Theft drops dramatically and profit from sales increases. Bear in mind, it is not uncommon for a shopper to look for a specific product and if it is not on the shelf where it should be, they will frequently leave. They may not bother to ask for assistance since they assume that an empty shelf means the store is sold out. A bottle lock installed on the merchandise helps owners ensure merchandise will stay where it is intended to stay, on the shelf and available for sale.
Use a bottle lock on each of your wines and spirits and you will be surprised at how quickly you will see a return on your investment. The only thing you won’t lock up is the joy bottled up inside you when you see profits grow.
Get more information on bottle locks, contact us or call 1.770.426.256 today.
Bottle Lock-3 WC Blog 186
Bottle Locks-5
Liquor bottle security-4
Bars And Grocery Store Businesses Aren’t The Only Establishments That Can Benefit From Using Bottle Locks: Part 1
If you are like me there are only a few businesses I can think of off the top of my head that sell or serve alcohol. What comes to mind for me are alcohol beverage control (ABC) stores in some states, grocery stores, and bars. With those in mind, I have written a number of articles on the need to use bottle locks to prevent and deter theft. I am a proponent of using anti-theft devices as much as possible to keep thieves from accessing product and to also keep prices down. What I had not considered before was all the other locations where alcohol may be sold. I went to the ttb.gov website (alcohol and tobacco tax and trade bureau) and found an entire listing of retail beverage alcohol dealers. Some of the businesses listed deal only with beer or mini bottles for mixing drinks, and these may not benefit from liquor bottle security, but for those that use or sell from full size wine or liquor bottles, bottle locks can help keep expenses down.
Bottle locks are covers that are placed on the tops of bottles and lock in place. Once locked it requires a special detachment key to remove the lock so drinks can be poured. Without a key it is nearly impossible to remove a lock and attempts to force a bottle lock off will likely cause a bottle to break. Keeping bottles on store shelves secured deters theft. If a bottle in a bar has already been opened, locks prevent unauthorized persons from gaining access and pouring without paying, or stealing an entire bottle outright which costs the business money.
So what locations does the government list as retail beverage alcohol dealers? Some of these are obvious and I will list them first:
• Clubs
• Convenience Stores
• Stores
• Liquor Stores
• Lounges
• Package Stores
• Private Clubs
• Restaurants
• State Stores
• Supermarkets
• Taverns
A number of these may sound very similar, such as “state stores” and “liquor stores”. Often the names are interchangeable depending on the state in which you live. Clubs may include nightclubs, bars, and vary from private clubs only in the aspect that one requires some type of membership to enter and the other is open to the public. Lounges may also be known to some people as clubs. The distinctions are probably made by the website to minimize the opportunity for someone to try to intentionally manipulate the “type” of establishment they are operating.
In each of these businesses, clearly liquor bottle security can play an important role. Clubs, bars and taverns sell alcoholic beverages by the glass, requiring a bartender to pour and mix the drinks. There have been numbers of incidents where patrons have gone behind a bar or reached over the bar and stolen a bottle that has been left within their reach. In some cases dishonest bar and club employees have stolen bottles of wines and spirits and taken them home. If bottle locks were in use, and detachment tools strictly controlled, this type of theft would be prevented and therefore profits would improve. Even after a bottle has been opened and a drink(s) sold from it in a bar, the bottle is re-capped. The bottle lock can easily be placed back on the bottle and the bottle left safely behind the bar.
State stores and supermarkets that sell wines and/or spirits benefit in improved in-stocks and reduced theft when they employ a bottle lock on each beverage. Not only is there the deterrent effect when thieves notice the liquor bottle security device in place, but there is also the EAS antenna factor that comes into play. Shoplifters notice the antennas when they enter the store and consider whether they are going to take the chance of stealing something and setting off the alarm.
In part 2 of this article I will share some other venues where liquor may be sold and how they too could benefit from using liquor bottle security. In the meantime, start using bottle locks today and watch your in-stocks and profits start to grow!
Get more information on liquor bottle security. Contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 now.
If you are like me there are only a few businesses I can think of off the top of my head that sell or serve alcohol. What comes to mind for me are alcohol beverage control (ABC) stores in some states, grocery stores, and bars. With those in mind, I have written a number of articles on the need to use bottle locks to prevent and deter theft. I am a proponent of using anti-theft devices as much as possible to keep thieves from accessing product and to also keep prices down. What I had not considered before was all the other locations where alcohol may be sold. I went to the ttb.gov website (alcohol and tobacco tax and trade bureau) and found an entire listing of retail beverage alcohol dealers. Some of the businesses listed deal only with beer or mini bottles for mixing drinks, and these may not benefit from liquor bottle security, but for those that use or sell from full size wine or liquor bottles, bottle locks can help keep expenses down.
Bottle locks are covers that are placed on the tops of bottles and lock in place. Once locked it requires a special detachment key to remove the lock so drinks can be poured. Without a key it is nearly impossible to remove a lock and attempts to force a bottle lock off will likely cause a bottle to break. Keeping bottles on store shelves secured deters theft. If a bottle in a bar has already been opened, locks prevent unauthorized persons from gaining access and pouring without paying, or stealing an entire bottle outright which costs the business money.
So what locations does the government list as retail beverage alcohol dealers? Some of these are obvious and I will list them first:
• Clubs
• Convenience Stores
• Stores• Liquor Stores
• Lounges
• Package Stores
• Private Clubs
• Restaurants
• State Stores
• Supermarkets
• Taverns
A number of these may sound very similar, such as “state stores” and “liquor stores”. Often the names are interchangeable depending on the state in which you live. Clubs may include nightclubs, bars, and vary from private clubs only in the aspect that one requires some type of membership to enter and the other is open to the public. Lounges may also be known to some people as clubs.The distinctions are probably made by the website to minimize the opportunity for someone to try to intentionally manipulate the “type” of establishment they are operating.
In each of these businesses, clearly liquor bottle security can play an important role. Clubs, bars and taverns sell alcoholic beverages by the glass, requiring a bartender to pour and mix the drinks. There have been numbers of incidents where patrons have gone behind a bar or reached over the bar and stolen a bottle that has been left within their reach. In some cases dishonest bar and club employees have stolen bottles of wines and spirits and taken them home. If bottle locks were in use, and detachment tools strictly controlled, this type of theft would be prevented and therefore profits would improve. Even after a bottle has been opened and a drink(s) sold from it in a bar, the bottle is re-capped. The bottle lock can easily be placed back on the bottle and the bottle left safely behind the bar.
State stores and supermarkets that sell wines and/or spirits benefit in improved in-stocks and reduced theft when they employ a bottle lock on each beverage. Not only is there the deterrent effect when thieves notice the liquor bottle security device in place, but there is also the EAS antenna factor that comes into play. Shoplifters notice the antennas when they enter the store and consider whether they are going to take the chance of stealing something and setting off the alarm.
In part 2 of this article I will share some other venues where liquor may be sold and how they too could benefit from using liquor bottle security. In the meantime, start using bottle locks today and watch your in-stocks and profits start to grow!
Get more information on liquor bottle security. Contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 now.
