Checkpoint Tags-4 WC Blog 438
Clothing Security Tags-3
Pet Stores Profits Are On The Rise But Shoplifting Is Too – Prevent The Pilfering Of Puppy Apparel With Clothing Security Tags
Pets, we love them in the U.S. in fact we love them so much that according to SAGE Business Researcher in an article titled, “The Pet Industry”, by Janice Arenofsky, February 27, 2017, the writer states, “Spending on pets in the United States continued to increase even through the 2007-2009 recession and hit an estimated $62.75 billion in 2016.” http://businessresearcher.sagepub.com/sbr-1863-102160-2772364/20170227/the-pet-industry That is quite a sum of money to spend on our furry (and sometimes not-so-furry for all you reptile, bird and insect lovers) friends. Many employers even offer pet insurance now (it is offered at the locations where I work). Where it once was taboo to bring a pet into a store it has now become commonplace. I see them in pet carriers, sometimes on leashes and occasionally I have seen them in baby strollers (at least I hope that was a dog otherwise there are some really ugly babies with wet noses out there). Relax, I’m just kidding folks. I tried to get some facts on how much Americans spend on pet clothing alone but I was unable to locate that information. What I was able to find was in a 2016 article, “Last Year, the NRF (National Retail Federation) estimated that $350 million was spent on pet costumes…” according to a cnbc.com article, “More consumers are purchasing pet costumes for Halloween than ever before”, by Sarah Whitten, 29 Oct 2016. If we are spending more than $350 million for pet costumes you can imagine how much we are spending for pet clothing overall. How do retailers protect their pet clothes? Why not protect them like we protect human clothing? Clothing security tags don’t have to be on human clothes only.
When I’m discussing clothing security tags, I’m referring to Checkpoint tags specifically. These devices are designed to prevent shoplifting through deterrence and the use of electronic article surveillance (EAS) technology. The way the tags work is they are designed so that they transmit a radio wave of a specific frequency. EAS pedestals located near key points in a building such as entrances and exits detect this specific radio frequency. When a tagged item is carried too close to the detection field the pedestals have alarms that are triggered. Store workers respond to those alarms, conduct receipt checks and recover unpaid merchandise. Checkpoint tags also deter shoplifters because they are designed to be visible and it is apparent they could very well damage merchandise if pried at or tampered with. Many professional shoplifters already know what the tags are when they see them and prefer to find products that don’t appear to be protected.
So exactly how much do pet clothes run? One major pet retailer sells an “anxiety shirt” for $39.95 and sports team jerseys for up to $28.99. An online designer pet boutique store advertises a doggie hoodie for $64.99. I don’t spend $64.99 on a winter coat for me! The fact remains there are folks who will spend that kind of money to dress up a pet that already comes with a fur coat of its own. For traditional stores that carry these lines of merchandise it only makes sense that the merchandise should be protected from theft with clothing security tags.
Checkpoint tags can be applied to these clothing items in the same way they are attached to human clothes. The only difference is that the garments are smaller in size so the tags may appear to be bigger but the protection given is just as robust. Tiny clothing items stuffed in a purse will activate an EAS pedestal just as they would activate it if they were human clothes shoved into the same purse. While you are putting clothing security tags on doggie outerwear you should know you can use the same tags to protect other merchandise that may be of high value such as pet beds, collars and leashes. Shoplifting is made more difficult when merchants protect as many items as possible.
Pets and pet accessories are big business. Where there is a store making a profit there will be shoplifters to pilfer. Prevent petty (and not so petty) theft by using Checkpoint tags on your pet softlines goods.
For more information about clothing security tags contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
Pets, we love them in the U.S. in fact we love them so much that according to SAGE Business Researcher in an article titled, “The Pet Industry”, by Janice Arenofsky, February 27, 2017, the writer states, “Spending on pets in the United States continued to increase even through the 2007-2009 recession and hit an estimated $62.75 billion in 2016.” http://businessresearcher.sagepub.com/sbr-1863-102160-2772364/20170227/the-pet-industry That is quite a sum of money to spend on our furry (and sometimes not-so-furry for all you reptile, bird and insect lovers) friends. Many employers even offer pet insurance now (it is offered at the locations where I work). Where it once was taboo to bring a pet into a store it has now become commonplace. I see them in pet carriers, sometimes on leashes and occasionally I have seen them in baby strollers (at least I hope that was a dog otherwise there are some really ugly babies with wet noses out there). Relax, I’m just kidding folks. I tried to get some facts on how much Americans spend on pet clothing alone but I was unable to locate that information. What I was able to find was in a 2016 article, “Last Year, the NRF (National Retail Federation) estimated that $350 million was spent on pet costumes…” according to a cnbc.com article, “More consumers are purchasing pet costumes for Halloween than ever before”, by Sarah Whitten, 29 Oct 2016. If we are spending more than $350 million for pet costumes you can imagine how much we are spending for pet clothing overall. How do retailers protect their pet clothes? Why not protect them like we protect human clothing? Clothing security tags don’t have to be on human clothes only.
When I’m discussing clothing security tags, I’m referring to Checkpoint tags specifically. These devices are designed to prevent shoplifting through deterrence and the use of electronic article surveillance (EAS) technology. The way the tags work is they are designed so that they transmit a radio wave of a specific frequency. EAS pedestals located near key points in a building such as entrances and exits detect this specific radio frequency. When a tagged item is carried too close to the detection field the pedestals have alarms that are triggered. Store workers respond to those alarms, conduct receipt checks and recover unpaid merchandise. Checkpoint tags also deter shoplifters because they are designed to be visible and it is apparent they could very well damage merchandise if pried at or tampered with. Many professional shoplifters already know what the tags are when they see them and prefer to find products that don’t appear to be protected.
So exactly how much do pet clothes run? One major pet retailer sells an “anxiety shirt” for $39.95 and sports team jerseys for up to $28.99. An online designer pet boutique store advertises a doggie hoodie for $64.99. I don’t spend $64.99 on a winter coat for me! The fact remains there are folks who will spend that kind of money to dress up a pet that already comes with a fur coat of its own. For traditional stores that carry these lines of merchandise it only makes sense that the merchandise should be protected from theft with clothing security tags.
Checkpoint tags can be applied to these clothing items in the same way they are attached to human clothes. The only difference is that the garments are smaller in size so the tags may appear to be bigger but the protection given is just as robust. Tiny clothing items stuffed in a purse will activate an EAS pedestal just as they would activate it if they were human clothes shoved into the same purse. While you are putting clothing security tags on doggie outerwear you should know you can use the same tags to protect other merchandise that may be of high value such as pet beds, collars and leashes. Shoplifting is made more difficult when merchants protect as many items as possible.
Pets and pet accessories are big business. Where there is a store making a profit there will be shoplifters to pilfer. Prevent petty (and not so petty) theft by using Checkpoint tags on your pet softlines goods.
For more information about clothing security tags contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
Prevent Shoplifting-4 WC Blog 385
Alpha 2 Alarm-5
One Size Doesn’t Fit All, Prevent Shoplifting In Your Store With The Alpha Tag That Works Best For Your Business
In my part-time employment I am a customer service associate in a store that sells computers, office supplies, printers and so forth. This past week I assisted a couple who were in the market for a printer. I asked if they had any specific brand in mind or features that they were looking for in their printer. The wife was very specific and told me she wanted a printer from a specific company that could print, copy and scan. I asked her about the types of documents she prints and whether she needed to print on both sides of a page very frequently. After learning her needs, I began to show her several models that would meet her requirements. She found two models that were similar but she had questions about why they were approximately $20 different in price. I explained the features of the upgraded model including a top feed tray for automatic two-sided printing, something she did not necessarily need although it would have provided some convenience to her. It also had a slightly larger display screen, again not a game changer for her but what did make a difference to my customer was the fact there was a USB port for a jump drive and a memory card slot. THOSE were features she could find a use for. She decided to purchase the slightly more expensive model because it would suit her purposes, not because it was just added bells and whistles. The same thing can be true for retailers in the market for retail anti-theft devices. If a store owner is going to invest in a system to prevent shoplifting do they need to purchase Alpha 2 Alarm tags or should they choose the Alpha 3 Alarm tag? That may depend on what the needs of their store(s) are.
Alpha electronic article surveillance (EAS) tags are hard tags that can be pinned directly to an item, including clothing, bedding, towels, sheets, purses and so on. I have even seen them pinned through the plastic blister packaging of some hardlines merchandise. Tags are best used in stores that also have Checkpoint EAS towers at the doors. The EAS circuitry designed in the tags sends a signal to the towers if a protected piece of merchandise is brought into the area of the door where the tower is located. When the signal is picked up alarms in the tower activate and sound a loud noise and lights built in the towers flash. The alarm catches the attention of employees and they respond to recover merchandise being carried out the door. The Alpha 2 Alarm tag is the basic version of the device, having a built in alarm that sounds when someone decides to tamper with it or try to pry a tag off. It also sets off the alarm in the tower. The 3 Alarm tag has the addition of a built in alarm that activates if a crook gets outside the building.
This brings us back to the question of why someone might choose an Alpha 2 Alarm tag instead of the 3 Alarm. A small retail store may have a very limited staff at any given time, perhaps even a manager working alone in the place. In the vast majority of cases retail anti-theft devices will prevent shoplifting but on occasion a shoplifter will take a risk and try to get past the doors with concealed goods. If a shoplifter scoots past the EAS towers and sets off the alarms in the towers, a manager or even a staff of two can’t risk stepping outside to see the thief’s direction of travel. It may be that there is little point in having the tags with the third alarm in that case. The Alpha 2 Alarm tag can meet the needs of these stores. For a larger store with enough staff to cover the front end and salesfloor, a manager could step outside the doors and using the third alarm to identify the thief, watch the direction he or she runs while calling the police. Please understand, you should NOT chase the shoplifter, simply watch from the front doors while on the phone with police if you know what was stolen.
Prevent shoplifting with the right tools for your business. Decide if Alpha 2 Alarm tags will provide the protection you need or if you could use a step up to a 3 alarm tag. In either case just remember, some protection to prevent shoplifting is better than none at all.
Get more information on Alpha 2 Alarm, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
In my part-time employment I am a customer service associate in a store that sells computers, office supplies, printers and so forth. This past week I assisted a couple who were in the market for a printer. I asked if they had any specific brand in mind or features that they were looking for in their printer. The wife was very specific and told me she wanted a printer from a specific company that could print, copy and scan. I asked her about the types of documents she prints and whether she needed to print on both sides of a page very frequently. After learning her needs, I began to show her several models that would meet her requirements. She found two models that were similar but she had questions about why they were approximately $20 different in price. I explained the features of the upgraded model including a top feed tray for automatic two-sided printing, something she did not necessarily need although it would have provided some convenience to her. It also had a slightly larger display screen, again not a game changer for her but what did make a difference to my customer was the fact there was a USB port for a jump drive and a memory card slot. THOSE were features she could find a use for. She decided to purchase the slightly more expensive model because it would suit her purposes, not because it was just added bells and whistles. The same thing can be true for retailers in the market for retail anti-theft devices. If a store owner is going to invest in a system to prevent shoplifting do they need to purchase Alpha 2 Alarm tags or should they choose the Alpha 3 Alarm tag? That may depend on what the needs of their store(s) are.
Alpha electronic article surveillance (EAS) tags are hard tags that can be pinned directly to an item, including clothing, bedding, towels, sheets, purses and so on. I have even seen them pinned through the plastic blister packaging of some hardlines merchandise. Tags are best used in stores that also have Checkpoint EAS towers at the doors. The EAS circuitry designed in the tags sends a signal to the towers if a protected piece of merchandise is brought into the area of the door where the tower is located. When the signal is picked up alarms in the tower activate and sound a loud noise and lights built in the towers flash. The alarm catches the attention of employees and they respond to recover merchandise being carried out the door. The Alpha 2 Alarm tag is the basic version of the device, having a built in alarm that sounds when someone decides to tamper with it or try to pry a tag off. It also sets off the alarm in the tower. The 3 Alarm tag has the addition of a built in alarm that activates if a crook gets outside the building.
This brings us back to the question of why someone might choose an Alpha 2 Alarm tag instead of the 3 Alarm. A small retail store may have a very limited staff at any given time, perhaps even a manager working alone in the place. In the vast majority of cases retail anti-theft devices will prevent shoplifting but on occasion a shoplifter will take a risk and try to get past the doors with concealed goods. If a shoplifter scoots past the EAS towers and sets off the alarms in the towers, a manager or even a staff of two can’t risk stepping outside to see the thief’s direction of travel. It may be that there is little point in having the tags with the third alarm in that case. The Alpha 2 Alarm tag can meet the needs of these stores. For a larger store with enough staff to cover the front end and salesfloor, a manager could step outside the doors and using the third alarm to identify the thief, watch the direction he or she runs while calling the police. Please understand, you should NOT chase the shoplifter, simply watch from the front doors while on the phone with police if you know what was stolen.
Prevent shoplifting with the right tools for your business. Decide if Alpha 2 Alarm tags will provide the protection you need or if you could use a step up to a 3 alarm tag. In either case just remember, some protection to prevent shoplifting is better than none at all.
Get more information on Alpha 2 Alarm, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Alpha Keepers-5 wc blog 380
Prevent shoplifting-3
A Sure Fire Combination To Prevent Shoplifting Is To Use Alpha Keepers And Checkpoint Pedestals
I disliked a lot of things about high school but one of the things I REALLY hated were combination locks that we had to use on our lockers if we wanted to protect our belongings. More than 34 years ago and I still remember hurrying from one class to my locker to put away one set of books and get the next set of books. Oh how I recall fumbling with the tumbler of the lock trying to hit each digit just right and hoping I wouldn’t have to re-spin and start over again. I could feel the clock ticking down that would summon the ringing of the warning bell for the start of the next period. To amplify the problem I believe within the depths of my heart that some administrator had a depraved sense of humor at my expense. It seemed my classes started at one end of the building and my locker was assigned at an opposite end of the building. I was forced to rush from a class to the locker then to another wing of the building for the next class. I even suspect the gym coach was in collusion knowing my disdain of P.E. This was their method of making me do their exercises, one way or the other they were determined to make my life miserable. Anyways, those combination locks were designed to keep me out of my locker and they were doggone good at it. I thought about it after I spent time at work last night opening Alpha Keepers to sell ink cartridges to one patron and a voice recorder to another customer.
Before I continue I want to bring my audience up to speed on what the Alpha Keepers are since I realize not everyone may be familiar with them. Keepers are clear boxes with a hinged, locking lid. They come in a wide variety of sizes so different types of merchandise can fit in them for example some are designed for compact discs, some for baby formula and even for fragrances. The lids on the Keeper lock in place once the merchandise has been placed in them and require a special detachment key to open them. The keys can be secured at the point of sale so they can’t be stolen and used by thieves. All of the boxes have electronic article surveillance (EAS) technology built into them and so they work best for stores that have EAS pedestals installed at exit doors or at entryways to prevent shoplifting when crooks try take products to areas where merchandise should not be taken, such as restrooms. What happens when someone attempts to take merchandise stored in the Alpha Keepers out of the store if there are EAS pedestals in place? A loud alarm (95 decibels loud) and flashing lights in the antenna activate and alert employees an attempted theft is taking place. Staff members respond to the alarm and recover merchandise before crooks get away with it.
How secure are these boxes? Can they prevent shoplifting? Well let me tell you a little about the voice recorder I mentioned earlier. My customer brought the protected voice recorder to me at my register. I used my detachment key and tried to open the box. Oops! I struggled with the key and the latch that was supposed to be unlocked with the key. Now I have dealt with Alpha Keepers for a long time as a Loss Prevention Manager so this was embarrassing. As I manipulated the key and jiggled the locking latch I started to feel foolish but my customer was patient and we both laughed at my predicament. I did get it open after a minute or two and completed the transaction but it was a good reminder that if I had difficulty opening the box WITH a key, it would be an almost impossible task for a thief without a key to open an Alpha Box and steal the contents.
I don’t need to take you to school to teach you the value of Alpha Keepers. Protect your merchandise prevent shoplifting while giving your customers access to products and you will increase your sales and decrease theft in your store. Alpha products and a Checkpoint EAS pedestals are an awesome combination.
Alpha Keepers are important and we can help you with them. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
I disliked a lot of things about high school but one of the things I REALLY hated were combination locks that we had to use on our lockers if we wanted to protect our belongings. More than 34 years ago and I still remember hurrying from one class to my locker to put away one set of books and get the next set of books. Oh how I recall fumbling with the tumbler of the lock trying to hit each digit just right and hoping I wouldn’t have to re-spin and start over again. I could feel the clock ticking down that would summon the ringing of the warning bell for the start of the next period. To amplify the problem I believe within the depths of my heart that some administrator had a depraved sense of humor at my expense. It seemed my classes started at one end of the building and my locker was assigned at an opposite end of the building. I was forced to rush from a class to the locker then to another wing of the building for the next class. I even suspect the gym coach was in collusion knowing my disdain of P.E. This was their method of making me do their exercises, one way or the other they were determined to make my life miserable. Anyways, those combination locks were designed to keep me out of my locker and they were doggone good at it. I thought about it after I spent time at work last night opening Alpha Keepers to sell ink cartridges to one patron and a voice recorder to another customer.
Before I continue I want to bring my audience up to speed on what the Alpha Keepers are since I realize not everyone may be familiar with them. Keepers are clear boxes with a hinged, locking lid. They come in a wide variety of sizes so different types of merchandise can fit in them for example some are designed for compact discs, some for baby formula and even for fragrances. The lids on the Keeper lock in place once the merchandise has been placed in them and require a special detachment key to open them. The keys can be secured at the point of sale so they can’t be stolen and used by thieves. All of the boxes have electronic article surveillance (EAS) technology built into them and so they work best for stores that have EAS pedestals installed at exit doors or at entryways to prevent shoplifting when crooks try take products to areas where merchandise should not be taken, such as restrooms. What happens when someone attempts to take merchandise stored in the Alpha Keepers out of the store if there are EAS pedestals in place? A loud alarm (95 decibels loud) and flashing lights in the antenna activate and alert employees an attempted theft is taking place. Staff members respond to the alarm and recover merchandise before crooks get away with it.
How secure are these boxes? Can they prevent shoplifting? Well let me tell you a little about the voice recorder I mentioned earlier. My customer brought the protected voice recorder to me at my register. I used my detachment key and tried to open the box. Oops! I struggled with the key and the latch that was supposed to be unlocked with the key. Now I have dealt with Alpha Keepers for a long time as a Loss Prevention Manager so this was embarrassing. As I manipulated the key and jiggled the locking latch I started to feel foolish but my customer was patient and we both laughed at my predicament. I did get it open after a minute or two and completed the transaction but it was a good reminder that if I had difficulty opening the box WITH a key, it would be an almost impossible task for a thief without a key to open an Alpha Box and steal the contents.
I don’t need to take you to school to teach you the value of Alpha Keepers. Protect your merchandise prevent shoplifting while giving your customers access to products and you will increase your sales and decrease theft in your store. Alpha products and a Checkpoint EAS pedestals are an awesome combination.
Alpha Keepers are important and we can help you with them. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Prevent shoplifting-3 WC Blog 366
O Tag – 3
Retail Anti-theft Devices-3
To Stop Or To Deter Thieves To Prevent Shoplifting; Tips To Help You Decide The Approach That Fits Your Needs – Part 2
In part 1 of this article I reviewed how store managers/owners can decide if they are going to prevent shoplifting by detaining or apprehending shoplifters or are they going to rely on retail anti-theft devices such as Alpha Security products. I also covered some tips for consideration when the decision is made to make apprehensions. People react differently in situations where they are being accused of theft, even when they know they are guilty. In this part of the article I would like to give you some tips on behaviors and actions you can look for to help you have an idea how a suspect is going to react when approached or detained.
I did mention retail anti-theft devices and recognize that some readers may not be aware of these products or how they can be used as a deterrent to shoplifting if you are not comfortable with the idea of approaching or detaining suspected shoplifters. Alpha Security products such as the O Tag, is one example of a family of what are known as electronic article surveillance (EAS) devices. These items operate on a radio frequency (rf) signal and come in the form of soft tags that peel off a roll and come in a variety of sizes to protect items as small as cosmetics, or a boxed item such as large as a television. Hard tags that pin to merchandise, an O Tag that secures around a tube or round object like a golf club and cable locks that can be looped around merchandise and tightened is all made to act in conjunction with EAS towers often located at entry/exit doors of stores. When a tagged item is carried into the detection field of the towers an audible alarm and flashing lights are activated. Trained store employees respond to the alarm and conduct receipt check and recover merchandise and in some cases the alarm actually causes a shoplifter to drop merchandise and flee.
If you have made the decision that you or your store managers or Loss Prevention Associates are going to detain shoplifting suspects here are some tips to help you assess a situation:
• Is the suspect in the store and concealing merchandise? Often it is best to “customer service” someone to prevent shoplifting until they leave. If you know what the person is concealing or attempting to conceal, politely approach them and ask if they need help with whatever the item is. In other words specifically mention the item and by doing so they know that you are aware of what they have and are attempting to do. I have used this approach to point out something someone was hiding under other merchandise and while they were prying at EAS tags. I never accuse them of anything I just offer to help them with it or I can hold it at the register while they continue to shop. Usually they will just leave the store.
• If you are going to allow apprehensions for shoplifting, know your state and local requirements for stopping someone. Some states require the suspect to exit the store while others may permit passing all points of sale. Some states actually allow someone to be stopped for concealment of merchandise and at one time (though I have not checked on it recently) my state actually allowed stopping someone for taking merchandise from one department to another. A chain store may have one governing set of policies so that they are consistent across the board and usually will have the strictest policies. This ensures there is minimal room for making a bad stop which can cost a lot in lawsuits and court time.
• Keep your eye on the suspect at all times, don’t allow yourself to get distracted. A shoplifter will do one of three things, be cooperative, and flee if they see an opportunity to run or fight the person stopping them so they can get away. By keeping an arm length away and watching the person, if they strike out, the strike can be avoided or deflected. At that point let them run, don’t engage in a fight.
• If a suspect runs because retail anti-theft devices like an O Tag activate an alarm, let them go and don’t follow. If a suspect is pursued and were to be hit by a vehicle or injure a party while fleeing, you may be held responsible.
You may be deciding whether or you want to apprehend thieves to prevent shoplifting now and in the future. Whatever your decision, get professional training from Loss Prevention Systems Inc. experts who can guide you in how to handle shoplifters and make an informed decision on how you want to proceed.
Get more information on retail anti-theft devices, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
In part 1 of this article I reviewed how store managers/owners can decide if they are going to prevent shoplifting by detaining or apprehending shoplifters or are they going to rely on retail anti-theft devices such as Alpha Security products. I also covered some tips for consideration when the decision is made to make apprehensions. People react differently in situations where they are being accused of theft, even when they know they are guilty. In this part of the article I would like to give you some tips on behaviors and actions you can look for to help you have an idea how a suspect is going to react when approached or detained.
I did mention retail anti-theft devices and recognize that some readers may not be aware of these products or how they can be used as a deterrent to shoplifting if you are not comfortable with the idea of approaching or detaining suspected shoplifters. Alpha Security products such as the O Tag, is one example of a family of what are known as electronic article surveillance (EAS) devices. These items operate on a radio frequency (rf) signal and come in the form of soft tags that peel off a roll and come in a variety of sizes to protect items as small as cosmetics, or a boxed item such as large as a television. Hard tags that pin to merchandise, an O Tag that secures around a tube or round object like a golf club and cable locks that can be looped around merchandise and tightened is all made to act in conjunction with EAS towers often located at entry/exit doors of stores. When a tagged item is carried into the detection field of the towers an audible alarm and flashing lights are activated. Trained store employees respond to the alarm and conduct receipt check and recover merchandise and in some cases the alarm actually causes a shoplifter to drop merchandise and flee.
If you have made the decision that you or your store managers or Loss Prevention Associates are going to detain shoplifting suspects here are some tips to help you assess a situation:
• Is the suspect in the store and concealing merchandise? Often it is best to “customer service” someone to prevent shoplifting until they leave. If you know what the person is concealing or attempting to conceal, politely approach them and ask if they need help with whatever the item is. In other words specifically mention the item and by doing so they know that you are aware of what they have and are attempting to do. I have used this approach to point out something someone was hiding under other merchandise and while they were prying at EAS tags. I never accuse them of anything I just offer to help them with it or I can hold it at the register while they continue to shop. Usually they will just leave the store.
• If you are going to allow apprehensions for shoplifting, know your state and local requirements for stopping someone. Some states require the suspect to exit the store while others may permit passing all points of sale. Some states actually allow someone to be stopped for concealment of merchandise and at one time (though I have not checked on it recently) my state actually allowed stopping someone for taking merchandise from one department to another. A chain store may have one governing set of policies so that they are consistent across the board and usually will have the strictest policies. This ensures there is minimal room for making a bad stop which can cost a lot in lawsuits and court time.
• Keep your eye on the suspect at all times, don’t allow yourself to get distracted. A shoplifter will do one of three things, be cooperative, and flee if they see an opportunity to run or fight the person stopping them so they can get away. By keeping an arm length away and watching the person, if they strike out, the strike can be avoided or deflected. At that point let them run, don’t engage in a fight.
• If a suspect runs because retail anti-theft devices like an O Tag activate an alarm, let them go and don’t follow. If a suspect is pursued and were to be hit by a vehicle or injure a party while fleeing, you may be held responsible.
You may be deciding whether or you want to apprehend thieves to prevent shoplifting now and in the future. Whatever your decision, get professional training from Loss Prevention Systems Inc. experts who can guide you in how to handle shoplifters and make an informed decision on how you want to proceed.
Get more information on retail anti-theft devices, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Clothing security -4 WC Blog 388
Checkpoint Tags-3
Understanding The Unspoken Crime Of Underwear Theft And How Checkpoint Tags Can Undercut The Shoplifting Underworld
According to Merriam-Webster the following are slang or alternative words that refer to underwear; cutty sark (a term formed from the outdated words “cutty” meaning short and “sark” for shirt describing a short nightgown which they say inspired a famous ship name and that name inspired the brand of whiskey that goes by that name today). Knickers, a standard word for underwear mainly in Britain and a singlet another British term for a sleeveless undershirt. Other words include, tighty whities, underdrawers, unionsuit, unmentionables and pretties. I mention these little tidbits because to be honest I think it’s funny. Also, when we talk about clothing security I would guess that most of the time people tend to think of shirts, shoes, pants, dresses, skirts etc. I have caught thieves stealing all of these items. In addition to this list of stolen garments I have apprehended people stealing hats, socks, ties, purses, scarves and yes, underdrawers and all sorts of umentionables. It seems that when Checkpoint tags are used for clothing security to prevent shoplifting pretties and knickers are often overlooked for some reason.
Clothing security tags come equipped with electronic article surveillance (EAS) technology built into them. A radio frequency signal produced by Checkpoint tags is set to a specific frequency that can be picked up by EAS pedestals if they are carried into the detection field of the pedestals. This means a protected garment can be carried throughout the store by customers but if a crook decides to attempt to shoplift the item the tag will cause the pedestal alarms to activate and alert employees that a theft is taking place. Employees, in response to the alarm, go to the pedestals and conduct a receipt check and recover merchandise. In case you’re wondering why someone couldn’t just remove the tags and leave the store with the stolen merchandise, Checkpoint tags can only be removed with a Checkpoint detachment key. Attempts to pry the tags off or circumvent the security of the tags results in damaged merchandise and that defeats the reason the criminal is stealing in the first place.
Is it a big deal to protect underwear when you take the time to protect all the other clothing in your store? There are some statistics from The Adair Group that can potentially sway opinions one way or the other:
• According to their website, 15% of women own underwear that is five to ten years old. Ten percent of men have underwear that has seen over ten years of use. By these statistics it wouldn’t seem there is a lot of underwear being sold if it’s worn for so long.
• The website also says that the average British woman owns 34 pair of underwear while the average American woman owns 21. Based on this information it would seem there may be a market for underwear.
• Finally, they say that Euromonitor data for 2014 showed the global underwear market was worth over $110 billion dollars.
Of course it is this last piece of information that clears up any question as to why there needs to be clothing security for underwear. $110 billion dollars in underwear sales is a lot of money and therefore it is profitable enough to be a market for shoplifters.
Thieves will steal clothing if they can make money off of it through resale or if they can use it themselves. Don’t allow shoplifters to leave your shelves and racks naked due to theft. Use Checkpoint tags on all of your clothing, undergarments included and install EAS pedestals at the store entry/exit points. You will prevent shoplifting and see unmentionable increases in underwear sales.
Checkpoint Tags are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
According to Merriam-Webster the following are slang or alternative words that refer to underwear; cutty sark (a term formed from the outdated words “cutty” meaning short and “sark” for shirt describing a short nightgown which they say inspired a famous ship name and that name inspired the brand of whiskey that goes by that name today). Knickers, a standard word for underwear mainly in Britain and a singlet another British term for a sleeveless undershirt. Other words include, tighty whities, underdrawers, unionsuit, unmentionables and pretties. I mention these little tidbits because to be honest I think it’s funny. Also, when we talk about clothing security I would guess that most of the time people tend to think of shirts, shoes, pants, dresses, skirts etc. I have caught thieves stealing all of these items. In addition to this list of stolen garments I have apprehended people stealing hats, socks, ties, purses, scarves and yes, underdrawers and all sorts of umentionables. It seems that when Checkpoint tags are used for clothing security to prevent shoplifting pretties and knickers are often overlooked for some reason.
Clothing security tags come equipped with electronic article surveillance (EAS) technology built into them. A radio frequency signal produced by Checkpoint tags is set to a specific frequency that can be picked up by EAS pedestals if they are carried into the detection field of the pedestals. This means a protected garment can be carried throughout the store by customers but if a crook decides to attempt to shoplift the item the tag will cause the pedestal alarms to activate and alert employees that a theft is taking place. Employees, in response to the alarm, go to the pedestals and conduct a receipt check and recover merchandise. In case you’re wondering why someone couldn’t just remove the tags and leave the store with the stolen merchandise, Checkpoint tags can only be removed with a Checkpoint detachment key. Attempts to pry the tags off or circumvent the security of the tags results in damaged merchandise and that defeats the reason the criminal is stealing in the first place.
Is it a big deal to protect underwear when you take the time to protect all the other clothing in your store? There are some statistics from The Adair Group that can potentially sway opinions one way or the other:
• According to their website, 15% of women own underwear that is five to ten years old. Ten percent of men have underwear that has seen over ten years of use. By these statistics it wouldn’t seem there is a lot of underwear being sold if it’s worn for so long.
• The website also says that the average British woman owns 34 pair of underwear while the average American woman owns 21. Based on this information it would seem there may be a market for underwear.
• Finally, they say that Euromonitor data for 2014 showed the global underwear market was worth over $110 billion dollars.
Of course it is this last piece of information that clears up any question as to why there needs to be clothing security for underwear. $110 billion dollars in underwear sales is a lot of money and therefore it is profitable enough to be a market for shoplifters.
Thieves will steal clothing if they can make money off of it through resale or if they can use it themselves. Don’t allow shoplifters to leave your shelves and racks naked due to theft. Use Checkpoint tags on all of your clothing, undergarments included and install EAS pedestals at the store entry/exit points. You will prevent shoplifting and see unmentionable increases in underwear sales.
Checkpoint Tags are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
