Stop Shoplifting-3 WC Blog 310
Employee Theft-5
What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You; Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. Provides Employer Training To Combat Shoplifting And Employee Theft
Thieves! Everyone knows how easy it is to identify them, right? A shoplifter obviously stands…uhmm…they all weigh…hmmm…obviously they are all between the ages of…errr…exactly! All shoplifters look exactly like I just described them and they all steal the same things and do it the same way. See, it isn’t so hard to stop shoplifting after all. How big an issue can it be anyways? Well, according to the 2014-2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer, shoplifting accounted for approximately 36% of total store shortage in North America. Did I catch your attention with that statistic? Nearly 40 percent of the merchandise that you cannot account for following inventory is due to shoplifters stealing from you. Additionally, employee theft accounts for another 45% of your losses! How do you stop shoplifting? Where do you start to combat dishonest employee activity?
In order to prevent theft you have to know where to start looking and the indicators that give thieves away. As we already noted there is no way to look at someone and know they will steal, be it an employee or a shoplifter. You may not know where to start but there is professional training to reduce employee theft and help prevent shoplifting. The Loss Prevention Experts at Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. have the training programs available to help you understand shoplifters, how they act and how to stop shoplifting within the walls of your establishment. Training is also available to assist you in recognizing dishonest employee behavior, what the true impact of employee theft is on your business and how to handle situations as they occur.
I know you are probably thinking it can’t be THAT hard to tell if someone is stealing and that if you saw a person shoplifting you would just go up and get your stuff back. Well, hold your horses because it might not be as simple as it sounds. First, there are state laws about what constitutes shoplifting and you have to be in compliance with those laws before you accuse someone of theft. Second, you don’t know who it is you are approaching or what their state of mind is. It is not uncommon for a shoplifter to have some type of criminal history, to have a drug addiction or go into fight or flight mode when stopped. Approach someone the wrong way or say the wrong thing and you may find yourself on the wrong end of fight mode. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. training programs can give you the information you need to protect your store and improve profits, safely.
Employee theft is the other major reason for store merchandise shrinkage and profit loss. Your employees have more means open to them to steal from your business than the shoplifters. They have access to cash, credit cards, gift cards, time cards and obviously merchandise. They also have access to areas of your store that are off limits to your customers and shoplifters. Cleaning closets, employee lounges, employee restrooms, stock rooms and offices are all potential hiding places for the dishonest employee to do their dirty work. Have you ever thought to look for empty packages that may be hidden at the bottom of a trash can in the breakroom or employee restroom? No one wants to think their employees will steal from them but they rule of thumb in Loss Prevention when I first started in the career field was that roughly 1 in 10 employees will steal from your store. Employees can also cause a lot more damage over an extended period of time than a shoplifter. Shoplifters may hit hard on a single stop in your store, but employee theft can get you little chunks at a time over years!
Get the training you need to help you reduce shortage and improve the bottom line. Let Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. give you the knowledge that will help you counter dishonest employees and send shoplifters elsewhere.
Get more information on how to stop shoplifting, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Thieves! Everyone knows how easy it is to identify them, right? A shoplifter obviously stands…uhmm…they all weigh…hmmm…obviously they are all between the ages of…errr…exactly! All shoplifters look exactly like I just described them and they all steal the same things and do it the same way. See, it isn’t so hard to stop shoplifting after all. How big an issue can it be anyways? Well, according to the 2014-2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer, shoplifting accounted for approximately 36% of total store shortage in North America. Did I catch your attention with that statistic? Nearly 40 percent of the merchandise that you cannot account for following inventory is due to shoplifters stealing from you. Additionally, employee theft accounts for another 45% of your losses! How do you stop shoplifting? Where do you start to combat dishonest employee activity?
In order to prevent theft you have to know where to start looking and the indicators that give thieves away. As we already noted there is no way to look at someone and know they will steal, be it an employee or a shoplifter. You may not know where to start but there is professional training to reduce employee theft and help prevent shoplifting. The Loss Prevention Experts at Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. have the training programs available to help you understand shoplifters, how they act and how to stop shoplifting within the walls of your establishment. Training is also available to assist you in recognizing dishonest employee behavior, what the true impact of employee theft is on your business and how to handle situations as they occur.
I know you are probably thinking it can’t be THAT hard to tell if someone is stealing and that if you saw a person shoplifting you would just go up and get your stuff back. Well, hold your horses because it might not be as simple as it sounds. First, there are state laws about what constitutes shoplifting and you have to be in compliance with those laws before you accuse someone of theft. Second, you don’t know who it is you are approaching or what their state of mind is. It is not uncommon for a shoplifter to have some type of criminal history, to have a drug addiction or go into fight or flight mode when stopped. Approach someone the wrong way or say the wrong thing and you may find yourself on the wrong end of fight mode. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. training programs can give you the information you need to protect your store and improve profits, safely.
Employee theft is the other major reason for store merchandise shrinkage and profit loss. Your employees have more means open to them to steal from your business than the shoplifters. They have access to cash, credit cards, gift cards, time cards and obviously merchandise. They also have access to areas of your store that are off limits to your customers and shoplifters. Cleaning closets, employee lounges, employee restrooms, stock rooms and offices are all potential hiding places for the dishonest employee to do their dirty work. Have you ever thought to look for empty packages that may be hidden at the bottom of a trash can in the breakroom or employee restroom? No one wants to think their employees will steal from them but they rule of thumb in Loss Prevention when I first started in the career field was that roughly 1 in 10 employees will steal from your store. Employees can also cause a lot more damage over an extended period of time than a shoplifter. Shoplifters may hit hard on a single stop in your store, but employee theft can get you little chunks at a time over years!
Get the training you need to help you reduce shortage and improve the bottom line. Let Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. give you the knowledge that will help you counter dishonest employees and send shoplifters elsewhere.
Get more information on how to stop shoplifting, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
AA Blog 49
Alpha cable locks: 5
Prevent shoplifting: 3
Use an Alpha Cable Lock to Protect Your High-Line Items Without Damaging The Product
I am the type of person that doesn’t require a great deal of possessions, although I might be the minority. In my experience women tend to shop for certain items, such as purses, shoes, scarves, watches, jewelry and other items. Some may have only a few of these items and others may have a large quantity of one or all of these items. I find that women tend to gravitate towards a particular item of preference. One friend of mine was really into expensive tennis shoes. Not really because she wanted them to work out or run in, but just to wear. She probably had 30 pairs in all different colors and styles, some of them ranging up to $300.00. I have another friend who is really into purses and has probably two-dozen or more. She has all shapes, sizes, colors and brands. I am sure she has enough to accessorize any outfit. Me on the other hand, I am very simple. I have several pairs of shoes, but nothing expensive, and most of them I rarely wear at all. I would say I have about 5 go-to pairs of shoes/boots that I wear year round. As for purses I only use one and tend to keep it around for a decade or more. I typically find a neutral color that I can use for any situation, which tends to accumulate a variety of unnecessary items, or at least my husband thinks so. I do, in this instance, prefer a high end brand of purse. Not only do I like a specific brand, which typically retails at $300 and up, I also feel that you need a durable product when you plan to use it as long as I do. The last purse I purchased was in 2005, and I just recently had to finally say goodbye to it, as it was beginning to show its wear. So after 12 years I was on the hunt for a new purse. I realized very quickly how much can change in a decade! The brand I like has increased in price quite a bit since 2005, but I also noticed a much larger variety to choose from. This made things very difficult, but fun. With the increase in price came an increase in security, which I wasn’t surprised about because it’s important to protect high-line items, and prevent shoplifting. The display purses I was perusing were secured with an Alpha cable lock, which I have seen before on other display items like shoes, bags, wallets and other hard to secure items.
I like the Alpha cable lock because they are small and provide an unobtrusive shopping experience. They are really convenient because they are easy to apply and remove in the store. This store was using the Mini Cableloks, which provide an even smaller security presence. They easily fit inside the zipper so there was no risk in damaging the product. This is a very important feature to both the retailer and the customer. I know I wouldn’t be very happy to spend that kind of money on a purse, if it had a hole in it, from a hard tag or other security device. The Alpha cable lock is equipped with Alpha 2 & 3 Alarm technology to prevent shoplifting. This EAS system sounds an audible alarm in the event of a breach or theft. These locks can be re-used multiple times, which saves money and increases profit margins. These locks are very durable and made of high quality material to prevent their removal. They are also very versatile making them a reasonable security solution for many items, especially items on display.
I like the Alpha Cable Lock because, although I noticed the added security, it did not hinder my ability to handle or manipulate the product in anyway. I was able to open the purse and see what compartments and lining was inside, and to observe the overall quality and fit of the item, which was very convenient. It is also comforting to me, as a consumer, to know that the stores ability to prevent shoplifting directly impacts the pricing and my ability to afford the merchandise I want. I did find a new purse that day, and I am completely satisfied with my selection, and my shopping experience. I wonder what type of security devices will be available in the next decade, when I shop for my next purse!
Get more information on the Alpha Cable Lock, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
I am the type of person that doesn’t require a great deal of possessions, although I might be the minority. In my experience women tend to shop for certain items, such as purses, shoes, scarves, watches, jewelry and other items. Some may have only a few of these items and others may have a large quantity of one or all of these items. I find that women tend to gravitate towards a particular item of preference. One friend of mine was really into expensive tennis shoes. Not really because she wanted them to work out or run in, but just to wear. She probably had 30 pairs in all different colors and styles, some of them ranging up to $300.00. I have another friend who is really into purses and has probably two-dozen or more. She has all shapes, sizes, colors and brands. I am sure she has enough to accessorize any outfit. Me on the other hand, I am very simple. I have several pairs of shoes, but nothing expensive, and most of them I rarely wear at all. I would say I have about 5 go-to pairs of shoes/boots that I wear year round. As for purses I only use one and tend to keep it around for a decade or more. I typically find a neutral color that I can use for any situation, which tends to accumulate a variety of unnecessary items, or at least my husband thinks so. I do, in this instance, prefer a high end brand of purse. Not only do I like a specific brand, which typically retails at $300 and up, I also feel that you need a durable product when you plan to use it as long as I do. The last purse I purchased was in 2005, and I just recently had to finally say goodbye to it, as it was beginning to show its wear. So after 12 years I was on the hunt for a new purse. I realized very quickly how much can change in a decade! The brand I like has increased in price quite a bit since 2005, but I also noticed a much larger variety to choose from. This made things very difficult, but fun. With the increase in price came an increase in security, which I wasn’t surprised about because it’s important to protect high-line items, and prevent shoplifting. The display purses I was perusing were secured with an Alpha cable lock, which I have seen before on other display items like shoes, bags, wallets and other hard to secure items.
I like the Alpha cable lock because they are small and provide an unobtrusive shopping experience. They are really convenient because they are easy to apply and remove in the store. This store was using the Mini Cableloks, which provide an even smaller security presence. They easily fit inside the zipper so there was no risk in damaging the product. This is a very important feature to both the retailer and the customer. I know I wouldn’t be very happy to spend that kind of money on a purse, if it had a hole in it, from a hard tag or other security device. The Alpha cable lock is equipped with Alpha 2 & 3 Alarm technology to prevent shoplifting. This EAS system sounds an audible alarm in the event of a breach or theft. These locks can be re-used multiple times, which saves money and increases profit margins. These locks are very durable and made of high quality material to prevent their removal. They are also very versatile making them a reasonable security solution for many items, especially items on display. I like the Alpha Cable Lock because, although I noticed the added security, it did not hinder my ability to handle or manipulate the product in anyway.
I was able to open the purse and see what compartments and lining was inside, and to observe the overall quality and fit of the item, which was very convenient. It is also comforting to me, as a consumer, to know that the stores ability to prevent shoplifting directly impacts the pricing and my ability to afford the merchandise I want. I did find a new purse that day, and I am completely satisfied with my selection, and my shopping experience. I wonder what type of security devices will be available in the next decade, when I shop for my next purse!
Get more information on the Alpha Cable Lock, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Being in loss prevention and the retail industry, we tend to evaluate our risks and our weaknesses in order to determine how we can better protect our property. We routinely look at our inventory and shrinkage to try and determine how we reduce our loss and prevent shoplifting. We utilize various types of security in our stores, and continually educate ourselves on security products, so we can better manage our loss prevention program. Recently we were having an issue with theft of small hanger items. We tend to hang various products on peg boards, especially those that we have on sale or clearance, and are better displayed in that manner. We also tend to hang some of our more expensive items on displays for promotions, such as razor blade refills, makeup, batteries, small electronic items and various other products. We began to notice a high rate of loss for these types of items and wanted to find a way to protect these items efficiently. We initially moved these items towards the front of the store near the cashiers to help deter theft, but that only provided a minimal improvement. These items are small enough to conceal very easily, and unfortunately our employees can’t be watching 100% of the time. So we had to come up with a different method, which would not only deter, but would prevent shoplifting through detection. That is why we decided to use the Alpha hang tag to secure our peg board items.
The Alpha hang tag can secure any blister or clamshell packaged item, which provides a multi-faceted product for a wide range of products. These tags are made of a strong durable plastic that will hold heavier items, and provides two pin sizes to accommodate various package sizes. The Alpha hang tag is equipped with EAS technology which alarms when an item is removed from the store. This can alert staff to potential theft and illicit a response by staff to prevent shoplifting. These tags are re-useable and provide a cost-efficient means to protect your hanger type products. We have since placed these tags on a large portion of our hanger products, including items such as earphones, chargers, small tools and other electronics, which we had not contemplated in the past. These tags are removed at the time of sale and serve as both a deterrent and a source of monitoring for our high theft items. These are very versatile tags and allow for a wide range of product protection.
Since we have started using the Alpha hang tag, our shrinkage rates, for our blister and clamshell items are down 90%. I strongly believe that these tags have already paid for themselves and provide a significant return on investment for our stores. I believe that protecting your inventory also provides additional prevention, because it forces shoplifters to look at competitors, who are not equally protected and reduces shoplifting across the board. I only wish we would have known about this product sooner, so we could have prevented shoplifting without sustaining such a big loss. If you have a large clamshell and blister packaged inventory, I recommend you look at these tags as a means to protect your inventory. These tags provide a cost-efficient means to protect your property from theft, and add to your overall loss prevention program.
For more information about Alpha hang tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
Checkpoint tags-5 WC Blog 284
Clothing Security Tags-4
Security Tags On Clothes-3
Protecting Clothes From Theft By Storing It In Stockrooms? Protect Them With Checkpoint Tags And Then Fill Your Floor!
Looking back on my career in Retail Loss Prevention I can see how my perspective on the role of Loss Prevention has changed. When I first started out working in a department store, I had prior experience as an Air Force Law Enforcement Specialist. In fact one of my co-workers had been a former supervisor from my old unit and had seen my application and recommended me for the job when I applied. I loved what I was doing. I was able to stop shoplifting. I assisted with internal investigations and I was learning about the use of Checkpoint tags and clothing security. I perceived the job as more of a law enforcement function than support for a retail business and I think it would be fair to say that was sort of the mindset in those days. We built some strong bonds with our local police department. Police officers knew if they got a call from our store operator that the Loss Prevention officers had a shoplifter in custody or were chasing a shoplifter and it would be a solid arrest. When we started putting out more high ticket merchandise we used clothing security tags I only saw it as an opportunity for shoplifters to steal more valuable merchandise. I did not see that security tags on clothes could drive sales AND prevent shoplifting.
Clothing security tags come in soft tag form that can be peeled from a roll and applied to packages of socks, underwear and packaged shirts. Hard Checkpoint tags are also available and these are great for pinning directly to merchandise. Hard tags are reusable, two-piece, anti-theft devices that are nearly impossible to forcibly remove without causing damage to the merchandise. They are a visual deterrent to would-be thieves who don’t want to hassle with trying to get them off or risk exiting a door and setting off an electronic article surveillance (EAS) alarm. Both the soft and hard clothing security tags are designed with radio frequency technology so they will activate EAS antennas if the merchandise they are attached to is carried too close to the doors where the antennas are located.
So what changed for me over time? When I eventually became a Loss Prevention Manager I still saw the job as “getting the bad guys”. I had more exposure to Checkpoint tags and used them on more merchandise including clothing. My perspective changed slowly, perhaps as I learned about what the other store executive jobs involved. The Logistics Manager worked to keep merchandise on the sales floor for customers to purchase rather than in a stockroom. Bare shelves resulted in lost sales opportunities. Sales floor Managers had to ensure merchandise presentations were appealing to customers and they worked hand in hand with the Logistics Manager to move merchandise out of the stockroom and fill clothing racks, tables and gondolas. I began to refocus the way my Loss Prevention staff looked at their jobs. Yes, they were to prevent theft and when possible catch shoplifters. I did continue to develop and train those employees who wanted to go into police work or advance in Loss prevention. I helped them develop skills such how to properly write reports, interact with shoplifting suspects and develop an investigation. I also taught them how to take the skills they learned into other careers. But, I began to show them that they work for a retail business and our job was to keep shortage low and profits high, we were NOT a mini-police department.
With the change in perspective, I saw the advantages of using security tags on clothes to improve sales and still protect goods. Limiting the number of expensive jackets on the floor so they wouldn’t be stolen was less of a risk with Checkpoint tags on them. Having more jackets on the floor ensured customers had easier access to merchandise to purchase and reduced risk of running out of product on the floor and waiting for replenishment from the stockroom. Today, I am a fervent believer that a store is much better off financially by using clothing security tags to prevent theft and at the same time filling the floor for the consumer. You can’t sell merchandise from your stockroom.
Let Checkpoint tags work for you. Use security tags on clothes, then keep your product on the sales floor where customers can pick them up, try them on and purchase them. Along with an EAS antenna and outstanding customer service you will drive up profits and significantly reduce shortage.
Need information on Checkpoint tags? Contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Looking back on my career in Retail Loss Prevention I can see how my perspective on the role of Loss Prevention has changed. When I first started out working in a department store, I had prior experience as an Air Force Law Enforcement Specialist. In fact one of my co-workers had been a former supervisor from my old unit and had seen my application and recommended me for the job when I applied. I loved what I was doing. I was able to stop shoplifting. I assisted with internal investigations and I was learning about the use of Checkpoint tags and clothing security. I perceived the job as more of a law enforcement function than support for a retail business and I think it would be fair to say that was sort of the mindset in those days. We built some strong bonds with our local police department. Police officers knew if they got a call from our store operator that the Loss Prevention officers had a shoplifter in custody or were chasing a shoplifter and it would be a solid arrest. When we started putting out more high ticket merchandise we used clothing security tags I only saw it as an opportunity for shoplifters to steal more valuable merchandise. I did not see that security tags on clothes could drive sales AND prevent shoplifting.
Clothing security tags come in soft tag form that can be peeled from a roll and applied to packages of socks, underwear and packaged shirts. Hard Checkpoint tags are also available and these are great for pinning directly to merchandise. Hard tags are reusable, two-piece, anti-theft devices that are nearly impossible to forcibly remove without causing damage to the merchandise. They are a visual deterrent to would-be thieves who don’t want to hassle with trying to get them off or risk exiting a door and setting off an electronic article surveillance (EAS) alarm. Both the soft and hard clothing security tags are designed with radio frequency technology so they will activate EAS antennas if the merchandise they are attached to is carried too close to the doors where the antennas are located.
So what changed for me over time? When I eventually became a Loss Prevention Manager I still saw the job as “getting the bad guys”. I had more exposure to Checkpoint tags and used them on more merchandise including clothing. My perspective changed slowly, perhaps as I learned about what the other store executive jobs involved. The Logistics Manager worked to keep merchandise on the sales floor for customers to purchase rather than in a stockroom. Bare shelves resulted in lost sales opportunities. Sales floor Managers had to ensure merchandise presentations were appealing to customers and they worked hand in hand with the Logistics Manager to move merchandise out of the stockroom and fill clothing racks, tables and gondolas. I began to refocus the way my Loss Prevention staff looked at their jobs. Yes, they were to prevent theft and when possible catch shoplifters. I did continue to develop and train those employees who wanted to go into police work or advance in Loss prevention. I helped them develop skills such how to properly write reports, interact with shoplifting suspects and develop an investigation. I also taught them how to take the skills they learned into other careers. But, I began to show them that they work for a retail business and our job was to keep shortage low and profits high, we were NOT a mini-police department.
With the change in perspective, I saw the advantages of using security tags on clothes to improve sales and still protect goods. Limiting the number of expensive jackets on the floor so they wouldn’t be stolen was less of a risk with Checkpoint tags on them. Having more jackets on the floor ensured customers had easier access to merchandise to purchase and reduced risk of running out of product on the floor and waiting for replenishment from the stockroom. Today, I am a fervent believer that a store is much better off financially by using clothing security tags to prevent theft and at the same time filling the floor for the consumer. You can’t sell merchandise from your stockroom.
Let Checkpoint tags work for you. Use security tags on clothes, then keep your product on the sales floor where customers can pick them up, try them on and purchase them. Along with an EAS antenna and outstanding customer service you will drive up profits and significantly reduce shortage.
Need information on Checkpoint tags? Contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Alpha Keepers-5 WC blog 246
Retail Anti-Theft Devices-3
Protect Electronics-5
Don’t Restrict The Use Of Alpha Keepers To Only High Dollar Goods.
I work in a small office supply store and so I see merchandise protection strategies that are in place, and some are really good. Our store uses an electronic article surveillance (EAS) system to detect merchandise that someone may attempt to walk out the door without paying for the goods. We use Alpha products to protect ink, toner, headphones, etc. One thing we don’t use enough in my opinion are Alpha Keepers to protect electronics. Don’t misunderstand, we use them but since I spent many years in retail Loss Prevention, I see what I consider missed opportunities. We use keepers to prevent shoplifting of jump drives, and SD cards but we don’t use them on products that can be just as expensive as these, items such as hdmi cords. Within the electronics category we also protect some of our printer inkjet cartridges, but not all of them. So what is it that is the determining factor if something should be locked up using Alpha Keepers?
Before we go on to address that question it only makes sense to have a conversation about what Alpha Keepers are and how they function. Keeper boxes come in a variety of shapes and sizes but they do share a few things in common. The boxes are all clear so a customer can see through them and view whatever contents the Keeper is holding. As retail anti-theft devices the Keepers protect electronics merchandise with tamper resistant locking lids and EAS technology. An attempt to walk out of a store with EAS antennas at the entrance and EAS protected merchandise hidden under clothing or in a purse causes the antenna alarm to trip. Quick response to these alarms significantly improves your odds of getting the merchandise back. It is also possible that if a would-be shoplifter starts to leave with merchandise, the alarm activation may scare the thief into dropping the merchandise still resulting in a recovery and profit to the bottom line.
What is the determining factor of what should be locked up? It really comes down to what a store wants to do with their system. The place I work has most jump drives secured in Alpha Boxes and yet, there are those below a specific dollar threshhold that do not get secured. I am opposed to this strategy. Why set a price point as the means for determining what you are going to protect? I would be more supportive of a strategy that places anything that can fit into it, inside a Keeper box. We have inserts or pictures of some items such as hard drives that are placed into boxes rather than trusting the EAS system and the retail anti-theft devices to protect the products we want to sell. Looking at it with my Loss Prevention hat on, I believe we are not using the system to its fullest potential. One of the benefits of utilizing Keepers to protect electronics is that merchandise is available for a customer to pick up and take to a register without waiting for an employee to unlock a showcase or search a stockroom. Sales are shown to improve when customers don’t have to wait to get service.
Investing in Alpha Keepers to protect electronics makes sense because it is cost effective for a store. Once purchased Keepers are used over and over again. There is no need for continuous purchase of new Keepers. They also take up little additional room to protect the merchandise so there is minimal impact on the amount of product that can be displayed. I encourage store owners to use retail anti-theft devices to prevent shoplifting but I would especially encourage the use of Alpha Keepers to protect electronics. You are sure to drive up sales while lowering your shortage.
Alpha Keepers are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
I work in a small office supply store and so I see merchandise protection strategies that are in place, and some are really good. Our store uses an electronic article surveillance (EAS) system to detect merchandise that someone may attempt to walk out the door without paying for the goods. We use Alpha products to protect ink, toner, headphones, etc. One thing we don’t use enough in my opinion are Alpha Keepers to protect electronics. Don’t misunderstand, we use them but since I spent many years in retail Loss Prevention, I see what I consider missed opportunities. We use keepers to prevent shoplifting of jump drives, and SD cards but we don’t use them on products that can be just as expensive as these, items such as hdmi cords. Within the electronics category we also protect some of our printer inkjet cartridges, but not all of them. So what is it that is the determining factor if something should be locked up using Alpha Keepers?
Before we go on to address that question it only makes sense to have a conversation about what Alpha Keepers are and how they function. Keeper boxes come in a variety of shapes and sizes but they do share a few things in common. The boxes are all clear so a customer can see through them and view whatever contents the Keeper is holding. As retail anti-theft devices the Keepers protect electronics merchandise with tamper resistant locking lids and EAS technology. An attempt to walk out of a store with EAS antennas at the entrance and EAS protected merchandise hidden under clothing or in a purse causes the antenna alarm to trip. Quick response to these alarms significantly improves your odds of getting the merchandise back. It is also possible that if a would-be shoplifter starts to leave with merchandise, the alarm activation may scare the thief into dropping the merchandise still resulting in a recovery and profit to the bottom line.
What is the determining factor of what should be locked up? It really comes down to what a store wants to do with their system. The place I work has most jump drives secured in Alpha Boxes and yet, there are those below a specific dollar threshhold that do not get secured. I am opposed to this strategy. Why set a price point as the means for determining what you are going to protect? I would be more supportive of a strategy that places anything that can fit into it, inside a Keeper box. We have inserts or pictures of some items such as hard drives that are placed into boxes rather than trusting the EAS system and the retail anti-theft devices to protect the products we want to sell. Looking at it with my Loss Prevention hat on, I believe we are not using the system to its fullest potential. One of the benefits of utilizing Keepers to protect electronics is that merchandise is available for a customer to pick up and take to a register without waiting for an employee to unlock a showcase or search a stockroom. Sales are shown to improve when customers don’t have to wait to get service.
Investing in Alpha Keepers to protect electronics makes sense because it is cost effective for a store. Once purchased Keepers are used over and over again. There is no need for continuous purchase of new Keepers. They also take up little additional room to protect the merchandise so there is minimal impact on the amount of product that can be displayed. I encourage store owners to use retail anti-theft devices to prevent shoplifting but I would especially encourage the use of Alpha Keepers to protect electronics. You are sure to drive up sales while lowering your shortage.
Alpha Keepers are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
