Alpha 3 Alarm -4 WC Blog 439
retail anti-theft devices-4
prevent shoplifting-3
Secure Merchandise With Alpha 3 Alarm Devices
How secure is your store from theft? Not just from shoplifters but also from dishonest employees? I’m always concerned with merchandise protection to prevent shoplifting by using retail anti-theft devices such as Alpha 3 Alarm devices. But I am also thinking of shortage caused by dishonest employees who have access to supposedly secure areas of a store. As a Loss Prevention Manager I would visit other stores in my company from time to time. I would go to fill in helping with an inventory or assist with a suspected investigation and I would be told how that store had strong internal theft controls. They would show me how keys were signed out and in. They made sure doors were never propped open. Office areas would never have unsecured purses or bags. Often I would find compactors unlocked (a potential internal theft concern). Prepping a secure electronics cage for inventory and I would find hidden packages or retail anti-theft devices. I would find a purse in a file drawer in someone’s unlocked desk. This was not the case in every trip I would make there were visits when controls appeared to be good. Unfortunately there were management teams that did not believe their staff would steal and wouldn’t take the time to thoroughly audit their own stores.
I do think it would be beneficial to mention what Alpha 3 Alarm retail anti-theft devices are since there may be some reading that are not familiar with them. The devices are electronic article surveillance (EAS) tags that come in a number of forms from wraps to hard tags that pin on clothes. Each carries built in technology that sends out a radio wave that will activate an EAS tower alarm when it is carried in the vicinity of a tower. These devices also have tamper alarms that screech when a shoplifter attempts to pry the unit off a product. Finally, if a shoplifter gets out the doors past EAS towers, the third alarm (an internal alarm in the tag) activates and goes where the shoplifter goes. As a tool to prevent shoplifting the Alpha 3 Alarm series of devices are top notch.
So what is my point in discussing retail anti-theft devices that are designed to prevent shoplifting when I am writing about internal security controls? Anti-theft tags aren’t for stopping shoplifting alone. There are dishonest employees who will try to walk out of a building with stolen merchandise and the tags will alarm on them the same as they do on a shoplifter. What your store personnel can do that shoplifters can’t do is get access to ‘secure’ areas giving them more places to commit their crimes. It is often in the locations that I would find empty packages or discarded EAS devices. I am not being critical only of the stores where I went for support. I had my share of internal theft cases, some more difficult than others to close and a few I did not successfully close before my suspect quit. For example, I had an employee once who would leave her purse in an unlocked desk drawer in an employee’s only area. Despite our policies against this and my warnings to her she persisted in the activity and one day claimed someone had stolen $20 from her purse. I had no cameras in the area and could never validate her claim. Nor did I have much sympathy since I had warned her on multiple occasions against this.
I also had an electronics lock-up which required a key to get into and I once found EAS tags we placed on CD’s hidden behind merchandise. At that time I had a single camera in the room. I never resolved the case despite doing live surveillances and video reviews. On the other hand I was very strict in our store about key control and made a point to address any violations of key control or door security to my store manager. Fortunately I had a store manager that respected my efforts and was as fanatical about stock shortage as I was. Over 13 years as L.P. Manager I had shortage under 1% 11 of those years. In large part that was due to ensuring secure areas were secure, monitoring activity in those areas and getting managers to understand the importance of security.
It was difficult to visit other stores and have the same influence on those managers. Hopefully as you read this article you see how crucial it is to keep tight security from showcases to stockrooms. Lock your doors and secure merchandise with Alpha 3 Alarm devices, you’ll see profits soar!
For more information about Alpha 3 Alarm contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
How secure is your store from theft? Not just from shoplifters but also from dishonest employees? I’m always concerned with merchandise protection to prevent shoplifting by using retail anti-theft devices such as Alpha 3 Alarm devices. But I am also thinking of shortage caused by dishonest employees who have access to supposedly secure areas of a store. As a Loss Prevention Manager I would visit other stores in my company from time to time. I would go to fill in helping with an inventory or assist with a suspected investigation and I would be told how that store had strong internal theft controls. They would show me how keys were signed out and in. They made sure doors were never propped open. Office areas would never have unsecured purses or bags. Often I would find compactors unlocked (a potential internal theft concern). Prepping a secure electronics cage for inventory and I would find hidden packages or retail anti-theft devices. I would find a purse in a file drawer in someone’s unlocked desk. This was not the case in every trip I would make there were visits when controls appeared to be good. Unfortunately there were management teams that did not believe their staff would steal and wouldn’t take the time to thoroughly audit their own stores.
I do think it would be beneficial to mention what Alpha 3 Alarm retail anti-theft devices are since there may be some reading that are not familiar with them. The devices are electronic article surveillance (EAS) tags that come in a number of forms from wraps to hard tags that pin on clothes. Each carries built in technology that sends out a radio wave that will activate an EAS tower alarm when it is carried in the vicinity of a tower. These devices also have tamper alarms that screech when a shoplifter attempts to pry the unit off a product. Finally, if a shoplifter gets out the doors past EAS towers, the third alarm (an internal alarm in the tag) activates and goes where the shoplifter goes. As a tool to prevent shoplifting the Alpha 3 Alarm series of devices are top notch.
So what is my point in discussing retail anti-theft devices that are designed to prevent shoplifting when I am writing about internal security controls? Anti-theft tags aren’t for stopping shoplifting alone. There are dishonest employees who will try to walk out of a building with stolen merchandise and the tags will alarm on them the same as they do on a shoplifter. What your store personnel can do that shoplifters can’t do is get access to ‘secure’ areas giving them more places to commit their crimes. It is often in the locations that I would find empty packages or discarded EAS devices. I am not being critical only of the stores where I went for support. I had my share of internal theft cases, some more difficult than others to close and a few I did not successfully close before my suspect quit. For example, I had an employee once who would leave her purse in an unlocked desk drawer in an employee’s only area. Despite our policies against this and my warnings to her she persisted in the activity and one day claimed someone had stolen $20 from her purse. I had no cameras in the area and could never validate her claim. Nor did I have much sympathy since I had warned her on multiple occasions against this.
I also had an electronics lock-up which required a key to get into and I once found EAS tags we placed on CD’s hidden behind merchandise. At that time I had a single camera in the room. I never resolved the case despite doing live surveillances and video reviews. On the other hand I was very strict in our store about key control and made a point to address any violations of key control or door security to my store manager. Fortunately I had a store manager that respected my efforts and was as fanatical about stock shortage as I was. Over 13 years as L.P. Manager I had shortage under 1% 11 of those years. In large part that was due to ensuring secure areas were secure, monitoring activity in those areas and getting managers to understand the importance of security.
It was difficult to visit other stores and have the same influence on those managers. Hopefully as you read this article you see how crucial it is to keep tight security from showcases to stockrooms. Lock your doors and secure merchandise with Alpha 3 Alarm devices, you’ll see profits soar!
For more information about Alpha 3 Alarm contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Alpha Security-3 WC Blog 450
Retail Anti-Theft Devices-4
Proper Training Of Employees On Everything From Alpha Security Devices To Store Safety Response Can Save A Store Money
Proper training of new employees is important. There are some managers who will hire someone for a position and because that new hire had prior work experience in that field the assumption is made that the transition will be easy. Learning how to straighten shelves should be the same from one retailer to the next or how hard can it be to go from one point of sale system to another? Cross training is also important, can a cashier work the salesfloor or can a sales consultant put out new merchandise? Perhaps it is knowledge of how to apply Alpha Security retail anti-theft devices. One retailer may require devices to be placed in one location and another retailer may only want them on certain merchandise. It isn’t always cut and dry. Training is important for employers to invest in for their associates. It can make the difference in whether sales increase, safety is a trademark for a store, and security of the building and merchandise is properly addressed.
I will continue with this thought shortly but I do want to discuss Alpha Security and the retail anti-theft devices they have developed since I mentioned them above. Alpha’s security devices are electronic article surveillance (EAS) enabled meaning they send out a signal that can be picked up by EAS pedestals. When tagged items are carried near a door with a pedestal located beside it the tag triggers alarms built into the pedestal. The alarm attracts the attention of workers nearby and if trained properly they respond, conduct receipt checks and recover merchandise. Alpha’s tags, wraps, keepers and cables provide retailers enough variety of products that nearly any merchandise that can be carried in a store can be protected to prevent shoplifting.
Notice I even mentioned that it requires trained employees to properly respond to alarm activations. Training is important in so many aspects of retail as I suggested previously. It does impact sales for a store. Consider for a moment, if a new employee hasn’t been trained on the merchandise a store carries. A customer asks if a particular widget is carried. The employee doesn’t even know what a widget is let alone if the store carries it or where it would be located. I have seen employees in this position tell a customer that the item isn’t carried by this retailer. WHOAH NELLY! The employee doesn’t ask anyone if the store carries the widget and doesn’t bother to see if there is an alternative or if the company may sell it online. Instead of making a sale the untrained employee costs the store a sale.
Consider safety in a store and what a lack of training can do. Untrained employees caught using powered equipment such as a cardboard baler or compactor by an OSHA inspector can be the cause of a huge fine. An employee not trained to block off a spill and clean it properly can lead to a slip and fall accident by a patron. From medical treatment payouts to legal fees and possible monetary settlement payments, lack of training on safety can put a financial burden on a store.
Finally how about merchandise security? Failure to properly train employees on how to put retail anti-theft devices on merchandise properly can lead to theft of goods. Properly trained staff understand the importance of testing EAS systems on a daily basis. False alarms caused by cashiers failing to remove Alpha Security devices can also lead to angry customers and unnecessary heated complaints. This can lead to a loss of customers who are embarrassed by false alarms. An employee who has not received proper training on alarm activation responses can also make false accusations of attempted theft or may try to chase a shoplifter out of the store which can have potentially worse implications.
Proper training of store associates has got to be a priority for store owners and managers. Assuming people will know what to do based on their perceived prior experience may not be a well thought out plan. Spend time training on all aspects of the business from cashiering to retail anti-theft device placement and detachment. Doing so can make your store a much more profitable business in the long run.
Alpha Security is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Proper training of new employees is important. There are some managers who will hire someone for a position and because that new hire had prior work experience in that field the assumption is made that the transition will be easy. Learning how to straighten shelves should be the same from one retailer to the next or how hard can it be to go from one point of sale system to another? Cross training is also important, can a cashier work the salesfloor or can a sales consultant put out new merchandise? Perhaps it is knowledge of how to apply Alpha Security retail anti-theft devices. One retailer may require devices to be placed in one location and another retailer may only want them on certain merchandise. It isn’t always cut and dry. Training is important for employers to invest in for their associates. It can make the difference in whether sales increase, safety is a trademark for a store, and security of the building and merchandise is properly addressed.
I will continue with this thought shortly but I do want to discuss Alpha Security and the retail anti-theft devices they have developed since I mentioned them above. Alpha’s security devices are electronic article surveillance (EAS) enabled meaning they send out a signal that can be picked up by EAS pedestals. When tagged items are carried near a door with a pedestal located beside it the tag triggers alarms built into the pedestal. The alarm attracts the attention of workers nearby and if trained properly they respond, conduct receipt checks and recover merchandise. Alpha’s tags, wraps, keepers and cables provide retailers enough variety of products that nearly any merchandise that can be carried in a store can be protected to prevent shoplifting.
Notice I even mentioned that it requires trained employees to properly respond to alarm activations. Training is important in so many aspects of retail as I suggested previously. It does impact sales for a store. Consider for a moment, if a new employee hasn’t been trained on the merchandise a store carries. A customer asks if a particular widget is carried. The employee doesn’t even know what a widget is let alone if the store carries it or where it would be located. I have seen employees in this position tell a customer that the item isn’t carried by this retailer. WHOAH NELLY! The employee doesn’t ask anyone if the store carries the widget and doesn’t bother to see if there is an alternative or if the company may sell it online. Instead of making a sale the untrained employee costs the store a sale.
Consider safety in a store and what a lack of training can do. Untrained employees caught using powered equipment such as a cardboard baler or compactor by an OSHA inspector can be the cause of a huge fine. An employee not trained to block off a spill and clean it properly can lead to a slip and fall accident by a patron. From medical treatment payouts to legal fees and possible monetary settlement payments, lack of training on safety can put a financial burden on a store.
Finally how about merchandise security? Failure to properly train employees on how to put retail anti-theft devices on merchandise properly can lead to theft of goods. Properly trained staff understand the importance of testing EAS systems on a daily basis. False alarms caused by cashiers failing to remove Alpha Security devices can also lead to angry customers and unnecessary heated complaints. This can lead to a loss of customers who are embarrassed by false alarms. An employee who has not received proper training on alarm activation responses can also make false accusations of attempted theft or may try to chase a shoplifter out of the store which can have potentially worse implications.
Proper training of store associates has got to be a priority for store owners and managers. Assuming people will know what to do based on their perceived prior experience may not be a well thought out plan. Spend time training on all aspects of the business from cashiering to retail anti-theft device placement and detachment. Doing so can make your store a much more profitable business in the long run.
Alpha Security is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Checkpoint Overhead System-5 WC Blog 503
Overhead EAS System-4
Stop Shoplifting-4
Get An Upscale Look And Strong EAS Protection With A Checkpoint Overhead System
A long time ago, when I first started working in Retail Loss Prevention there was no such thing as an overhead EAS system. At that time EAS (acronym for electronic article surveillance) towers were kind of tall, clunky looking and not really pretty to look at. They were also kind of close together in order to get a better detection field when tagged items were carried through them. One of the complaints made by store management was that they wanted the protection offered by EAS tagging but they didn’t want these contraptions at the front doors. This was especially true in the upscale department store where I worked. The tagging of clothing was bad enough these were designer name brand items we were carrying and tags at that time were not attractive to look at. Let’s just say they didn’t enhance the appearance of the merchandise. Then you add to that the fact that customers had to enter and exit through the towers and obviously it just ruined the ambiance from the get-go. The issue is how do you stop shoplifting and retain the look you want for your store? We’ll delve into that in a moment. First I want to let everyone know what a Checkpoint Overhead System from Loss Prevention Systems Inc. is and what it can do for your store in terms of appearance and the ability to stop shoplifting.
To begin with a Checkpoint Overhead System is an electronic article surveillance (EAS) system that operates on a system of radio waves emitted from an EAS tagged item to trigger overhead EAS system receivers. The receiver has a certain area in which it can pick up those waves and when it does it sounds an alarm that alerts store employees that tagged goods are being removed from the store. Employees go to the door, conduct a receipt check and recover the unpaid for items. In other words a Checkpoint Overhead System will stop shoplifting and improve profits. Like myself, Bill Bregar CEO of Loss Prevention Systems Inc. despises thieves and wants to help stores improve their bottom line through retail theft prevention. He understands that stores also have differing needs. Some want an upscale look and others simply want no antennas on the floor. Overhead EAS systems meet both requirements. Since they are installed on the ceiling they are great for stores with tight floor space or for the upscale look there is no tower or pedestal to distract your patrons. For someone who has worked in retail for over 27 years, nearly 20 of that in Retail Loss Prevention I can tell you I am impressed at the advantages this type of system offers retailers.
The question you may be asking now is, “I thought EAS towers were a deterrent to shoplifters, and doesn’t this diminish that deterrent value?” My response is, “Not at all.” Here is why I say that. If a store has a good merchandise protection plan in place Checkpoint tags are going to be very visible on merchandise. The majority of shoplifters, even the “impulse” shoplifter will recognize a tag when they see it. They know what it can do and they usually will not bother trying to steal a tagged item. They may actually turn out to be more perplexed when they see the tags and don’t see a tower, not thinking to look up for a Checkpoint overhead system. I believe this system will do as much to stop shoplifting as the traditional towers you are accustomed to seeing and perhaps more.
One other advantage to an overhead EAS system is that there is simpler wiring, not on the floor, all overhead in the ceiling. Having been with a technician when they would come to my store on a service call I saw the blocking up of an entrance he would sometimes be forced to do. Wiring was in the floor and could be a pain to work on. All of the wiring for this system is overhead. Talk about less of a distraction to patrons!
Whether you are trying to get a cleaner, more upscale look or just have felt you didn’t have the room for an EAS tower system but still want to prevent shoplifting, Loss Prevention Systems Inc. can assist you. A Checkpoint overhead system will give you security and a great first impression to your clients.
For more information on a Checkpoint Overhead System contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 now
A long time ago, when I first started working in Retail Loss Prevention there was no such thing as an overhead EAS system. At that time EAS (acronym for electronic article surveillance) towers were kind of tall, clunky looking and not really pretty to look at. They were also kind of close together in order to get a better detection field when tagged items were carried through them. One of the complaints made by store management was that they wanted the protection offered by EAS tagging but they didn’t want these contraptions at the front doors. This was especially true in the upscale department store where I worked. The tagging of clothing was bad enough these were designer name brand items we were carrying and tags at that time were not attractive to look at. Let’s just say they didn’t enhance the appearance of the merchandise. Then you add to that the fact that customers had to enter and exit through the towers and obviously it just ruined the ambiance from the get-go. The issue is how do you stop shoplifting and retain the look you want for your store? We’ll delve into that in a moment. First I want to let everyone know what a Checkpoint Overhead System from Loss Prevention Systems Inc. is and what it can do for your store in terms of appearance and the ability to stop shoplifting.
To begin with a Checkpoint Overhead System is an electronic article surveillance (EAS) system that operates on a system of radio waves emitted from an EAS tagged item to trigger overhead EAS system receivers. The receiver has a certain area in which it can pick up those waves and when it does it sounds an alarm that alerts store employees that tagged goods are being removed from the store. Employees go to the door, conduct a receipt check and recover the unpaid for items. In other words a Checkpoint Overhead System will stop shoplifting and improve profits. Like myself, Bill Bregar CEO of Loss Prevention Systems Inc. despises thieves and wants to help stores improve their bottom line through retail theft prevention. He understands that stores also have differing needs. Some want an upscale look and others simply want no antennas on the floor. Overhead EAS systems meet both requirements. Since they are installed on the ceiling they are great for stores with tight floor space or for the upscale look there is no tower or pedestal to distract your patrons. For someone who has worked in retail for over 27 years, nearly 20 of that in Retail Loss Prevention I can tell you I am impressed at the advantages this type of system offers retailers.
The question you may be asking now is, “I thought EAS towers were a deterrent to shoplifters, and doesn’t this diminish that deterrent value?” My response is, “Not at all.” Here is why I say that. If a store has a good merchandise protection plan in place Checkpoint tags are going to be very visible on merchandise. The majority of shoplifters, even the “impulse” shoplifter will recognize a tag when they see it. They know what it can do and they usually will not bother trying to steal a tagged item. They may actually turn out to be more perplexed when they see the tags and don’t see a tower, not thinking to look up for a Checkpoint overhead system. I believe this system will do as much to stop shoplifting as the traditional towers you are accustomed to seeing and perhaps more.
One other advantage to an overhead EAS system is that there is simpler wiring, not on the floor, all overhead in the ceiling. Having been with a technician when they would come to my store on a service call I saw the blocking up of an entrance he would sometimes be forced to do. Wiring was in the floor and could be a pain to work on. All of the wiring for this system is overhead. Talk about less of a distraction to patrons!
Whether you are trying to get a cleaner, more upscale look or just have felt you didn’t have the room for an EAS tower system but still want to prevent shoplifting, Loss Prevention Systems Inc. can assist you. A Checkpoint overhead system will give you security and a great first impression to your clients.
For more information on a Checkpoint Overhead System contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 now
ALPHA KEEPERS STOP FAKE SIDEBURNS FRAUDSTER FROM STEALING HIGH VALUE MERCHANDISE!
Alpha Keepers: 4 ML Blog 15
Prevent Shoplifting: 3
As a Loss Prevention expert, I’ve seen it ALL. I’ve caught grandmas loading up empty bags, to teachers concealing high dollar products. I’ve even caught people who like to wear funny costumes, thinking it will disguise themselves stealing. When you are on CCTV cameras all day, you truly never know what you will see next. No matter what funny or nonsensical incident you observe, it is important to know what merchandise protection will deter ANY shoplifter incident you may experience. Most stores will place spider wraps and large tags on their products for theft prevention purposes. But what can you do about your high dollar merchandise that cannot be spider wrapped or tagged? Alpha Keepers can be used for a majority of product to prevent shoplifting in retailers.
I frequently watch my CCTV cameras to analyze high theft trends, and to look for shoplifters to catch. I was watching cameras one afternoon, and noticed a subject acting suspicious and selected an expensive tactical bag. The subject was wearing a camo hoodie, a greenish satchel bag, and was clean shaven. The Manager on duty also noticed the behavior, so asked if the subject needed any help. The subject got nervous, left the merchandise, and exited the store. I obtained several face shots of the subject on camera, in case he decided to come back to my location at a later time. The following day, the same subject came back into the store wearing the exact same hoodie, greenish satchel, but this time something was VERY different. The subject placed massive, party style fake sideburns & a goatee on his face. It was very obvious & easy to see they were fake, stick on facial hair. Immediately I started receiving calls from associates to see if I was watching the subject. He must have thought this was disguising himself, but instead it brought attention to himself. I could not believe he did that, especially since he did not go through the trouble to change out his clothes or bag. Next, the subject selected 2 high dollar knives, secured by Alpha Keepers. The subject went to a corner of the store, which he thought did not have cameras. He tries to pry the security devices open, but failed miserably. He pulls out his own knife and tries cutting through them, but cannot. He tried for a total of 15 minutes, then finally gave up. His ultimate plans failed, and he left all the merchandise. My store lost nothing in this incident, but could have lost 2 high dollar products, not including the return trips that would have followed. After showing the video of both incidents to my team members, we could not believe that the subject actually came into the store clean shaven one evening, and the next with party style fake facial hair. After this incident, I have not seen him back in my location! This showed my store team the importance of ensuring we are utilizing the Alpha Keepers to prevent shoplifting.
There is never a dull moment working in Loss Prevention, and you never know what you will see! It’s moments like this that make us not only laugh, but realize the importance of keeping our merchandise protection standards updated at the highest level possible. Alpha Keepers are available in different sizes and can be used in many different departments. The customer can also see the product information through the keepers, so it does not inhibit your sales. Due to the success rate, we decided to invest in these devices at all my locations. Utilizing the best security devices prevent shoplifting, no matter what strange situation may arise in your building.
Need information on the Alpha Keepers? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
As a Loss Prevention expert, I’ve seen it ALL. I’ve caught grandmas loading up empty bags, to teachers concealing high dollar products. I’ve even caught people who like to wear funny costumes, thinking it will disguise themselves stealing. When you are on CCTV cameras all day, you truly never know what you will see next. No matter what funny or nonsensical incident you observe, it is important to know what merchandise protection will deter ANY shoplifter incident you may experience. Most stores will place spider wraps and large tags on their products for theft prevention purposes. But what can you do about your high dollar merchandise that cannot be spider wrapped or tagged? Alpha Keepers can be used for a majority of product to prevent shoplifting in retailers.
I frequently watch my CCTV cameras to analyze high theft trends, and to look for shoplifters to catch. I was watching cameras one afternoon, and noticed a subject acting suspicious and selected an expensive tactical bag. The subject was wearing a camo hoodie, a greenish satchel bag, and was clean shaven. The Manager on duty also noticed the behavior, so asked if the subject needed any help. The subject got nervous, left the merchandise, and exited the store. I obtained several face shots of the subject on camera, in case he decided to come back to my location at a later time. The following day, the same subject came back into the store wearing the exact same hoodie, greenish satchel, but this time something was VERY different. The subject placed massive, party style fake sideburns & a goatee on his face. It was very obvious & easy to see they were fake, stick on facial hair. Immediately I started receiving calls from associates to see if I was watching the subject. He must have thought this was disguising himself, but instead it brought attention to himself. I could not believe he did that, especially since he did not go through the trouble to change out his clothes or bag. Next, the subject selected 2 high dollar knives, secured by Alpha Keepers. The subject went to a corner of the store, which he thought did not have cameras. He tries to pry the security devices open, but failed miserably. He pulls out his own knife and tries cutting through them, but cannot. He tried for a total of 15 minutes, then finally gave up. His ultimate plans failed, and he left all the merchandise. My store lost nothing in this incident, but could have lost 2 high dollar products, not including the return trips that would have followed. After showing the video of both incidents to my team members, we could not believe that the subject actually came into the store clean shaven one evening, and the next with party style fake facial hair. After this incident, I have not seen him back in my location! This showed my store team the importance of ensuring we are utilizing the Alpha Keepers to prevent shoplifting.
There is never a dull moment working in Loss Prevention, and you never know what you will see! It’s moments like this that make us not only laugh, but realize the importance of keeping our merchandise protection standards updated at the highest level possible. Alpha Keepers are available in different sizes and can be used in many different departments. The customer can also see the product information through the keepers, so it does not inhibit your sales. Due to the success rate, we decided to invest in these devices at all my locations. Utilizing the best security devices prevent shoplifting, no matter what strange situation may arise in your building.
Need information on the Alpha Keepers? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
REDUCE SHRINKAGE BY UTILZING THE ALPHA HANG TAG IMMEDIATELY!
Prevent Shoplifitng-3 ML Blog 22
Alpha Hang Tag- 4
Shoplifting is one of the most serious problems in retailers. A lot of stores may not realize how MASSIVE the problem is. Shoplifters are one of the highest contributors to shrinkage for the retail industry. Shrinkage costs the retailers over $45 billion each year! It takes a massive bite right out of your bottom line. With this said, are you doing enough to put a stop to shrinkage in your location? Retailers have many ways to protect their assets from thieves. In Loss Prevention, I utilize the most advanced security devices available and always embrace new technology. Most retailers will place regular hard tags and wraps on their products as a theft deterrent to prevent shoplifting. That program works as a prevention for boxed and clothing items, but not for our clamshell packaged merchandise. This leaves many high dollar product without proper security protection from thieves. Many stores are forgetting about those areas, which leads to a trending high amount of loss each year. By utilizing an Alpha Hang Tag, you finally put a stop to shrink in these areas!
I have worked as Loss Prevention Manager in several different retail locations. Several of them did not realize the newest technology out there for merchandise protection. I would start working at a new location, and it would never fail I would only see hard tags, ink tags, or spider wraps. One of my locations had a big electronics department. 60 percent of the product in this department consisted of clamshell products. They would have heavy TV’s spider wrapped, leaving pegs of merchandise over $200.00 priced without protection. I understand why they were doing the 60 inch TV’s, due to the high price point. However, I had to explain to them that the chance of a heavy TV walking out the door was rarer then several people stealing the smaller pegged, high dollar items. I pulled their shrink reports, and was able to show them the difference. They did not have any TVs missing in a 3 years trend! They did have high shrink each year in the pegged products. Yet they were still protecting only the TVs, versus the most stolen items? They had to start thinking smarter than the shoplifters to prevent shoplifting in their store. I had to change their way of thinking, and help them understand the importance of utilizing the Alpha Hang Tag. Once I conducted a meeting with the managers, there was a few concerns by them. One manager asked “Why can’t we just use locking peg hooks, since we already have some in the back?”. I explained, “If we place the merchandise on a locking peg hook, its normal to think it was protected and the merchandise could not be removed unless an associate unlocked the peg. However, a thief can come through with a knife and cut the top of the plastic off easily”. Locking pegs are also not customer friendly for retailers, making the customer wait till they find an associate. I needed to show them what has worked for me in the past. I started with a story that I know all too well. I watched one evening via CCTV, 2 shoplifters come through an aisle of high dollar merchandise on pegs. I noticed one of the subjects, digging an item out of his pocket. It ended up being a Kershaw Knife. Next, I saw on camera him cut a whole row of product off. The second subject grabs all of the product, stuffing them into an empty bag. After concealing, the first subject exits and gets the car ready for the second subject. He pulls up to the curb, and the subject with the bag filled jumps in! Not only did he get away with 8 expensive items, but it could have been a scary situation for associates and customers! Once I explained my story to the managers, everyone knew we had to change the culture! We had to put a stop to the thieves from coming in, using knives to steal items right underneath our nose. After figuring out where the issue was, I was able to get approval to order the Alpha Hang Tag. I received my first shipment in quickly, and we placed them on our high dollar pegged products. After 2 months of usage and tracking, we found 0 product was cut off by thieves. This was a huge win for my store! Now they understand what action plans really work to prevent shoplifting. One feedback received was how much they liked the size of the Alpha Hang tag is, making it very customer friendly for shopping. It is also extremely easy to put on, so it does not take inordinate amounts of time for the associates to put on. I have had heard nothing but positive feedback from the store staff after utilizing our new security tags!
After having such a high success rate, I was able to obtain approval to order more and place it on other products as well. The store team trusted my expertise, leading to using the best products out there! The following year, we had a shrink reduction in our problem areas. The best part for the store was not finding tons of cut open packaging daily, knowing that we were able to prevent shoplifting!
Get more information on the Alpha Hang Tag, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Shoplifting is one of the most serious problems in retailers. A lot of stores may not realize how MASSIVE the problem is. Shoplifters are one of the highest contributors to shrinkage for the retail industry. Shrinkage costs the retailers over $45 billion each year! It takes a massive bite right out of your bottom line. With this said, are you doing enough to put a stop to shrinkage in your location? Retailers have many ways to protect their assets from thieves. In Loss Prevention, I utilize the most advanced security devices available and always embrace new technology. Most retailers will place regular hard tags and wraps on their products as a theft deterrent to prevent shoplifting. That program works as a prevention for boxed and clothing items, but not for our clamshell packaged merchandise. This leaves many high dollar product without proper security protection from thieves. Many stores are forgetting about those areas, which leads to a trending high amount of loss each year. By utilizing an Alpha Hang Tag, you finally put a stop to shrink in these areas!
I have worked as Loss Prevention Manager in several different retail locations. Several of them did not realize the newest technology out there for merchandise protection. I would start working at a new location, and it would never fail I would only see hard tags, ink tags, or spider wraps. One of my locations had a big electronics department. 60 percent of the product in this department consisted of clamshell products. They would have heavy TV’s spider wrapped, leaving pegs of merchandise over $200.00 priced without protection. I understand why they were doing the 60 inch TV’s, due to the high price point. However, I had to explain to them that the chance of a heavy TV walking out the door was rarer then several people stealing the smaller pegged, high dollar items. I pulled their shrink reports, and was able to show them the difference. They did not have any TVs missing in a 3 years trend! They did have high shrink each year in the pegged products. Yet they were still protecting only the TVs, versus the most stolen items? They had to start thinking smarter than the shoplifters to prevent shoplifting in their store. I had to change their way of thinking, and help them understand the importance of utilizing the Alpha Hang Tag. Once I conducted a meeting with the managers, there was a few concerns by them. One manager asked “Why can’t we just use locking peg hooks, since we already have some in the back?”. I explained, “If we place the merchandise on a locking peg hook, its normal to think it was protected and the merchandise could not be removed unless an associate unlocked the peg. However, a thief can come through with a knife and cut the top of the plastic off easily”. Locking pegs are also not customer friendly for retailers, making the customer wait till they find an associate. I needed to show them what has worked for me in the past. I started with a story that I know all too well. I watched one evening via CCTV, 2 shoplifters come through an aisle of high dollar merchandise on pegs. I noticed one of the subjects, digging an item out of his pocket. It ended up being a Kershaw Knife. Next, I saw on camera him cut a whole row of product off. The second subject grabs all of the product, stuffing them into an empty bag. After concealing, the first subject exits and gets the car ready for the second subject. He pulls up to the curb, and the subject with the bag filled jumps in! Not only did he get away with 8 expensive items, but it could have been a scary situation for associates and customers! Once I explained my story to the managers, everyone knew we had to change the culture! We had to put a stop to the thieves from coming in, using knives to steal items right underneath our nose. After figuring out where the issue was, I was able to get approval to order the Alpha Hang Tag. I received my first shipment in quickly, and we placed them on our high dollar pegged products. After 2 months of usage and tracking, we found 0 product was cut off by thieves. This was a huge win for my store! Now they understand what action plans really work to prevent shoplifting. One feedback received was how much they liked the size of the Alpha Hang tag is, making it very customer friendly for shopping. It is also extremely easy to put on, so it does not take inordinate amounts of time for the associates to put on. I have had heard nothing but positive feedback from the store staff after utilizing our new security tags!
After having such a high success rate, I was able to obtain approval to order more and place it on other products as well. The store team trusted my expertise, leading to using the best products out there! The following year, we had a shrink reduction in our problem areas. The best part for the store was not finding tons of cut open packaging daily, knowing that we were able to prevent shoplifting!
Get more information on the Alpha Hang Tag, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
