Checkpoint System-4 WC Blog 307
Retail Theft Prevention-3
Stop Shoplifting-3
Responding To A Checkpoint System EAS Alarm Can Be Intimidating; Train Your Employees How To Approach Customers With Confidence And A Smile
There are many situations in retail where employees have encounters that can be uncomfortable, especially when they aren’t trained on how to approach people. I have seen customers become defensive when a cashier catches a ticket switch while ringing a sale. The employee became intimidated by the customer’s attitude. As a Manager On Duty I have had to deal with customers who have become angry when I wouldn’t allow a full refund for an item because they had no receipt. I have seen employees wave at a customer who set off an electronic article surveillance (EAS) pedestal rather than have to try to resolve the cause of an alarm. There have also been instances where an employee did approach a shopper who set off a tower alarm and the employee’s attitude created a tense situation. For retail theft prevention to be effective store owners and managers need to conduct ongoing training with staff on how to effectively handle conflict or de-escalate situations appropriately, especially with regard to events involving Checkpoint Systems.
A Checkpoint System is a tool that is only as effective as the store team using it. The retail theft prevention system itself is a combination of EAS pedestals installed at entry/exit doors and other key locations in a store, and the use of protective EAS tags and labels placed on merchandise. There are also deactivation pads located at checkout lanes and detachment tools to remove hard tags from merchandise. The pedestals alarm when tagged merchandise is carried near them and alert employees that a possible theft is taking place. Tags and labels provide the protection for merchandise ensuring that if a shoplifter attempts to steal product the tower alarm will be activated. Deactivation pads and detachment tools remove hard tags or “de-tune” soft tags to ensure paid merchandise won’t inadvertently cause an alarm and be a customer distraction. If your team isn’t properly trained to use this tool you degrade the effectiveness of your system to deter theft and prevent shoplifting in your store.
What do I mean? Isn’t a retail theft prevention system going to stop shoplifting once it is installed? Just having a system will deter a certain amount of shoplifting theft, the casual shoplifter generally doesn’t want to risk setting off an EAS pedestal alarm and chance being caught. It is crucial that your employees are trained in properly responding to pedestal alarm activations to get the most out of your system and that means knowing how to approach customers and resolve alarm events. Training will also make approaching customers who have set off an alarm much easier to do.
Frequently, the EAS tower alarm sound will stop shoplifting by startling a dishonest customer and they drop the goods they had and run. But not every thief runs and not every alarm is due to an attempted theft. Employees who are not properly trained to respond can be uncomfortable or even scared to have to interact with the customer who caused the event. Spend time teaching associates to walk to the doors, smile and begin a conversation with a “hello”. They can then ask about the customer’s purchases, did they buy something that may not have deactivated at the register properly? Follow-up with the question, “Do you mind if I see your receipt to try to figure out what’s causing this alarm?” By not sounding like an accusation is being made, it de-escalates the situation by making it appear an error has taken place. By showing concern that an error may have taken place I have even been able to help a customer find that tags from a prior purchase at another store were never deactivated. I have found hidden tags in wallets and the customer said they regularly were setting off alarms and never knew why. For the person who WAS trying to shoplift, giving them a potential way out by approaching and suggesting maybe they forgot to have something rung up removes the suggestion they had the intention of stealing (even if that was their intent). This is an effective method of getting the merchandise back (which is what the tower is supposed to do) and getting the crook out of your building.
Give your employees the proper training and they can stop shoplifting when the Checkpoint system alarms go off. You also give your employees the confidence that interactions at the doors don’t have to be confrontational and they will be more willing to step up and respond to those alarms.
Need information on a Checkpoint system? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
There are many situations in retail where employees have encounters that can be uncomfortable, especially when they aren’t trained on how to approach people. I have seen customers become defensive when a cashier catches a ticket switch while ringing a sale. The employee became intimidated by the customer’s attitude. As a Manager On Duty I have had to deal with customers who have become angry when I wouldn’t allow a full refund for an item because they had no receipt. I have seen employees wave at a customer who set off an electronic article surveillance (EAS) pedestal rather than have to try to resolve the cause of an alarm. There have also been instances where an employee did approach a shopper who set off a tower alarm and the employee’s attitude created a tense situation. For retail theft prevention to be effective store owners and managers need to conduct ongoing training with staff on how to effectively handle conflict or de-escalate situations appropriately, especially with regard to events involving Checkpoint Systems.
A Checkpoint System is a tool that is only as effective as the store team using it. The retail theft prevention system itself is a combination of EAS pedestals installed at entry/exit doors and other key locations in a store, and the use of protective EAS tags and labels placed on merchandise. There are also deactivation pads located at checkout lanes and detachment tools to remove hard tags from merchandise. The pedestals alarm when tagged merchandise is carried near them and alert employees that a possible theft is taking place. Tags and labels provide the protection for merchandise ensuring that if a shoplifter attempts to steal product the tower alarm will be activated. Deactivation pads and detachment tools remove hard tags or “de-tune” soft tags to ensure paid merchandise won’t inadvertently cause an alarm and be a customer distraction. If your team isn’t properly trained to use this tool you degrade the effectiveness of your system to deter theft and prevent shoplifting in your store.
What do I mean? Isn’t a retail theft prevention system going to stop shoplifting once it is installed? Just having a system will deter a certain amount of shoplifting theft, the casual shoplifter generally doesn’t want to risk setting off an EAS pedestal alarm and chance being caught. It is crucial that your employees are trained in properly responding to pedestal alarm activations to get the most out of your system and that means knowing how to approach customers and resolve alarm events. Training will also make approaching customers who have set off an alarm much easier to do.
Frequently, the EAS tower alarm sound will stop shoplifting by startling a dishonest customer and they drop the goods they had and run. But not every thief runs and not every alarm is due to an attempted theft. Employees who are not properly trained to respond can be uncomfortable or even scared to have to interact with the customer who caused the event. Spend time teaching associates to walk to the doors, smile and begin a conversation with a “hello”. They can then ask about the customer’s purchases, did they buy something that may not have deactivated at the register properly? Follow-up with the question, “Do you mind if I see your receipt to try to figure out what’s causing this alarm?” By not sounding like an accusation is being made, it de-escalates the situation by making it appear an error has taken place. By showing concern that an error may have taken place I have even been able to help a customer find that tags from a prior purchase at another store were never deactivated. I have found hidden tags in wallets and the customer said they regularly were setting off alarms and never knew why. For the person who WAS trying to shoplift, giving them a potential way out by approaching and suggesting maybe they forgot to have something rung up removes the suggestion they had the intention of stealing (even if that was their intent). This is an effective method of getting the merchandise back (which is what the tower is supposed to do) and getting the crook out of your building.
Give your employees the proper training and they can stop shoplifting when the Checkpoint System alarms go off. You also give your employees the confidence that interactions at the doors don’t have to be confrontational and they will be more willing to step up and respond to those alarms.
Need information on a Checkpoint System? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Retail Anti-Theft Device-3 WC Blog 261
Alpha VersaLok-3
Alpha Cable Lock-3
Alpha Security-4
Prevent Shoplifting-3
Laundry Detergent Theft Is A Dirty Business; Clean Up Shoplifting In Your Store With Alpha Security Retail Anti-Theft Devices
Until I came across some recent news stories about counterfeit laundry soap becoming a major crime issue, I did not realize there was even a market for such a thing let alone stolen detergent. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised considering all of the things I have seen stolen over my years in retail Loss Prevention but this one did catch me off guard. Could Alpha Security products be used prevent shoplifting of this item? First, I had to look a little more at the issue. I did some research and found a number of interesting stories on the subject of detergent theft:
• abc27.com, November 9, 2016, by Chris Eckstine, in a report titled, “Police Seek ID of detergent theft suspect”, “Police are investigating the theft of over a dozen bottles of detergent from a Dauphin County store.” http://abc27.com/2016/11/09/police-seek-id-of-detergent-theft-suspect/
• The Washington Post, June 5, 2016, “Detergent is stolen in four incidents in D.C.”, by Martin Weil, “The crimes are theft, and what was taken was detergent.” The report goes on; “In the first, police said, someone took “several bottles” of detergent March 10…” Further in the story; “Several bottles were taken May 13…and liquid detergent was again taken May 30…” The report lists the final theft; “In the latest theft, they said, several bottles were taken Friday…” https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/detergent-is-stolen-in-four-incidents-in-dc/2016/06/05/5b531882-2b76-11e6-9b37-42985f6a265c_story.html?utm_term=.2fd968342fda
• fox2detroit, Jan. 8, 2016, “Police Arrest 2 Man Accused of Stealing Laundry Detergent”, by Nathalie Pozo, “Two men are behind bars for stealing more than $2,000 in unusual items.” The story reports on two men who were stealing “laundry detergent, soap and personal hygiene items from several Dollar General stores.” http://www.fox2detroit.com/news/whats-hot/71228882-story
• Springfield News-Sun, Sept. 7, 2016, “Surveillance shows $420 laundry detergent theft” http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/news/crime-law/surveillance-shows-420-laundry-detergent-theft/nsSs8/?ref=cbTopWidget
I can’t say how many of these criminals made a “clean” getaway and I don’t know whether this is some kind of money “laundering” scheme. I couldn’t resist the puns, but the reality is this is potentially a big problem for any retailer that sells laundry soaps. Alpha Security does offer a solution to prevent shoplifting from taking place in this category of products. The Alpha Cable Lock and the Alpha VersaLok can be used to stop the loss of bottled detergents and other merchandise.
I normally only have one retail anti-theft device that I focus on, but in this case I have two products from Alpha Security that I feel can be used to complement each other. The Alpha Cable Lock is great for securing those bottles that have handles. The cable can be run around the handle and then cinched closed using the device’s housing unit that tightens and loosens the cables. This part of the anti-retail theft device also has electronic article surveillance technology in it that causes EAS antennas to alarm. Another plus is that it has an alarm that detects when someone tampers with the device by trying to cut it. This alarm is loud enough to let employees hear it and they can respond to the location where the attempted breach is occurring, and prevent shoplifting from taking place.
For those detergent bottles with no handle, but may still cost quite a bit of money, the Alpha VersaLok is useful. This retail anti-theft device can be directly attached to a product and when the product is carried to the register, the cashier removes the device as the item is rung up. The device is then placed in a holding bin so that it may be used later. The disposable adhesive that holds the VersaLock in place remains on the bottle and simply goes out with the purchase. Like the Alpha Cablelock, the Alpha VersaLok works with EAS antennas and causes them to alarm when merchandise is carried into the detection area of the antennas. This Alpha Security product also has tamper protection, preventing its removal without going through a checkout lane.
Your store may or may not have experienced the theft of laundry detergents yet, but you can prevent shoplifting of these items before it becomes a big mess for you. Don’t allow shortage to leave a stain on your profit margin, look into the benefits of using Alpha Security retail anti-theft devices on your laundry soaps.
Get more information on Alpha Security, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Until I came across some recent news stories about counterfeit laundry soap becoming a major crime issue, I did not realize there was even a market for such a thing let alone stolen detergent. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised considering all of the things I have seen stolen over my years in retail Loss Prevention but this one did catch me off guard. Could Alpha Security products be used prevent shoplifting of this item? First, I had to look a little more at the issue. I did some research and found a number of interesting stories on the subject of detergent theft:
• abc27.com, November 9, 2016, by Chris Eckstine, in a report titled, “Police Seek ID of detergent theft suspect”, “Police are investigating the theft of over a dozen bottles of detergent from a Dauphin County store.” http://abc27.com/2016/11/09/police-seek-id-of-detergent-theft-suspect/
• The Washington Post, June 5, 2016, “Detergent is stolen in four incidents in D.C.”, by Martin Weil, “The crimes are theft, and what was taken was detergent.” The report goes on; “In the first, police said, someone took “several bottles” of detergent March 10…” Further in the story; “Several bottles were taken May 13…and liquid detergent was again taken May 30…” The report lists the final theft; “In the latest theft, they said, several bottles were taken Friday…” https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/detergent-is-stolen-in-four-incidents-in-dc/2016/06/05/5b531882-2b76-11e6-9b37-42985f6a265c_story.html?utm_term=.2fd968342fda
• fox2detroit, Jan. 8, 2016, “Police Arrest 2 Man Accused of Stealing Laundry Detergent”, by Nathalie Pozo, “Two men are behind bars for stealing more than $2,000 in unusual items.” The story reports on two men who were stealing “laundry detergent, soap and personal hygiene items from several Dollar General stores.” http://www.fox2detroit.com/news/whats-hot/71228882-story
• Springfield News-Sun, Sept. 7, 2016, “Surveillance shows $420 laundry detergent theft” http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/news/crime-law/surveillance-shows-420-laundry-detergent-theft/nsSs8/?ref=cbTopWidget
I can’t say how many of these criminals made a “clean” getaway and I don’t know whether this is some kind of money “laundering” scheme. I couldn’t resist the puns, but the reality is this is potentially a big problem for any retailer that sells laundry soaps. Alpha Security does offer a solution to prevent shoplifting from taking place in this category of products. The Alpha Cable Lock and the Alpha VersaLok can be used to stop the loss of bottled detergents and other merchandise.
I normally only have one retail anti-theft device that I focus on, but in this case I have two products from Alpha Security that I feel can be used to complement each other. The Alpha Cable Lock is great for securing those bottles that have handles. The cable can be run around the handle and then cinched closed using the device’s housing unit that tightens and loosens the cables. This part of the anti-retail theft device also has electronic article surveillance technology in it that causes EAS antennas to alarm. Another plus is that it has an alarm that detects when someone tampers with the device by trying to cut it. This alarm is loud enough to let employees hear it and they can respond to the location where the attempted breach is occurring, and prevent shoplifting from taking place.
For those detergent bottles with no handle, but may still cost quite a bit of money, the Alpha VersaLok is useful. This retail anti-theft device can be directly attached to a product and when the product is carried to the register, the cashier removes the device as the item is rung up. The device is then placed in a holding bin so that it may be used later. The disposable adhesive that holds the VersaLock in place remains on the bottle and simply goes out with the purchase. Like the Alpha Cablelock, the Alpha VersaLok works with EAS antennas and causes them to alarm when merchandise is carried into the detection area of the antennas. This Alpha Security product also has tamper protection, preventing its removal without going through a checkout lane.
Your store may or may not have experienced the theft of laundry detergents yet, but you can prevent shoplifting of these items before it becomes a big mess for you. Don’t allow shortage to leave a stain on your profit margin, look into the benefits of using Alpha Security retail anti-theft devices on your laundry soaps.
Get more information on Alpha Security, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
AA Bog 32
Alpha Spider Wrap: 5
Retail Anti-Theft Devices: 4
Don’t Be A Victim To Theft, Get The Alpha Spider Wrap Today, And See The Difference For Yourself
I was out shopping with my oldest daughter who is 18. The store we were shopping in sells liquor, which is displayed near the beer and wine at the back of the store. My daughter recognized that they had added some additional security and a teller in that particular section. My daughter just graduated from high school last year and was very familiar with this store’s theft problem. She said that anyone who was interested in getting alcohol would come to this particular store to steal it, because it was so easy. She said she always heard kids at school talking about it. When the store first started selling liquor they didn’t have any retail anti-theft devices on their property and were not securing the bottles in anyway. There were no additional cameras or store personnel in that area, which resulted in a great deal of theft, I would imagine. I was actually very shocked that they didn’t secure their items and was not surprised about the changes. They now have a cashier in that area specifically for alcohol purchases and are using the Alpha Spider Wrap on their boxed items and gift sets. The other alcohol is locked up in plastic cases and has to be removed by the cashier. I am honestly surprised it took them that long to realize they had a problem and to put some retail anti-theft devices in place.
The plastic cases are a great way to protect your property, but they also are somewhat burdensome at times, because you have to rely on the store associate to get you the product. Therefore, if the cashier is busy this can result in unwanted waiting time, which could cause frustration to the customer. It also requires a full-time cashier be stationed in that are to assist customers, which can add a substantial cost to your overhead budget. The Alpha Spider Wrap, on the other hand, is a great way to protect your products while still offering a hands-on no hassle sale. These come in various sizes to fit any product, from the bottle of liquor to the big screen television, they can cover it all. They are very easy to install in store and are simply removed at the time of sale. These re-useable retail anti-theft devices are equipped with Electronic Audio Surveillance (EAS), which sounds an alarm in the event someone tries to remove the device or the product from the store prior to sale. This allows the seller to simply display their items without the fear of theft and without the need for additional assistance. The Alpha Spider Wrap is an inexpensive way to secure all of your oddly shaped items and prevent theft in your store.
If you have been in this industry for any amount of time, you know that theft is inevitable. Shoplifting is a way of life for some and a rite of passage for others. Either way you look at it, everyday someone is stealing something from you, the real question is how much? We as retailers have an obligation to our companies to mitigate our risk and deter theft as best we can. Retail anti-theft devices have improved throughout the years, and are the best way to reduce our risk. We have to look towards an integrated approach in order to affect positive results. We must incorporate security devices like the Alpha Spider Wrap along with associate training, detection and reporting, to prevent shoplifting and reduce shrinkage. To see a major retailer without the proper level of security, show me weakness from the top down. Don’t be naïve to the long-term effects of shoplifting; protect yourself and your company appropriately.
Alpha Spider Wraps are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
I was out shopping with my oldest daughter who is 18. The store we were shopping in sells liquor, which is displayed near the beer and wine at the back of the store. My daughter recognized that they had added some additional security and a teller in that particular section. My daughter just graduated from high school last year and was very familiar with this store’s theft problem. She said that anyone who was interested in getting alcohol would come to this particular store to steal it, because it was so easy. She said she always heard kids at school talking about it. When the store first started selling liquor they didn’t have any retail anti-theft devices on their property and were not securing the bottles in anyway. There were no additional cameras or store personnel in that area, which resulted in a great deal of theft, I would imagine. I was actually very shocked that they didn’t secure their items and was not surprised about the changes. They now have a cashier in that area specifically for alcohol purchases and are using the Alpha Spider Wrap on their boxed items and gift sets. The other alcohol is locked up in plastic cases and has to be removed by the cashier. I am honestly surprised it took them that long to realize they had a problem and to put some retail anti-theft devices in place.
The plastic cases are a great way to protect your property, but they also are somewhat burdensome at times, because you have to rely on the store associate to get you the product. Therefore, if the cashier is busy this can result in unwanted waiting time, which could cause frustration to the customer. It also requires a full-time cashier be stationed in that area to assist customers, which can add a substantial cost to your overhead budget. The Alpha Spider Wrap, on the other hand, is a great way to protect your products while still offering a hands-on no hassle sale. These come in various sizes to fit any product, from the bottle of liquor to the big screen television, they can cover it all. They are very easy to install in store and are simply removed at the time of sale. These re-useable retail anti-theft devices are equipped with Electronic Audio Surveillance (EAS), which sounds an alarm in the event someone tries to remove the device or the product from the store prior to sale. This allows the seller to simply display their items without the fear of theft and without the need for additional assistance. The Alpha Spider Wrap is an inexpensive way to secure all of your oddly shaped items and prevent theft in your store.
If you have been in this industry for any amount of time, you know that theft is inevitable. Shoplifting is a way of life for some and a rite of passage for others. Either way you look at it, everyday someone is stealing something from you, the real question is how much? We as retailers have an obligation to our companies to mitigate our risk and deter theft as best we can. Retail anti-theft devices have improved throughout the years, and are the best way to reduce our risk. We have to look towards an integrated approach in order to affect positive results. We must incorporate security devices like the Alpha Spider Wrap along with associate training, detection and reporting, to prevent shoplifting and reduce shrinkage. To see a major retailer without the proper level of security, show me weakness from the top down. Don’t be naïve to the long-term effects of shoplifting; protect yourself and your company appropriately.
Alpha Spider Wraps are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Alpha Keepers-4 wc blog 230
Prevent shoplifting-4
protect infant formula-4
Empty Shelves Of Infant Formula Starving Your Profits? Prevent Shoplifting With Alpha Keepers; Part 2
Retailers are experiencing serious theft issues with infant formula, leaving them with empty shelves and lost profits. It is also hurting those families who are in need of purchasing formula but finding shelves wiped out. There are two significant causes behind the losses. In part 1 I discussed the theft of formula by family members who may be financially strapped, have need of the product but don’t feel they have the resources to purchase the products. I was clear in my assertion that this does not justify shoplifting, especially with so many resources available, from government supplemental benefits to private charitable organizations. Whatever the reasons, some people still feel the “need” to steal and therefore merchants must protect infant formula from theft. The second major cause of theft of infant formula is Organized Retail Crime and the black market for stolen formula. It is this element I want to address in part 2 of this series and how Alpha Keepers can prevent shoplifting of infant formula by these criminals.
Infant formula Alpha Keepers are retail anti-theft devices designed specifically to protect canned powdered baby foods. The Keepers are solid, polycarbonate boxes with a locking hinged lid created to prevent shoplifting of baby formula. The box is see through so customers can see the merchandise and read all the important information they need regarding the product. In order to get to the contents, the Keeper has to be opened with a special detachment tool, usually maintained at the store point of sale. They are built to cause electronic article surveillance antennas to alarm when they come into the vicinity of the antenna, thereby deterring even the most determined of shoplifters. Unlike a display case, there is no wait time incurred by the customer who wants to purchase a can of formula but has to wait for an employee with a key to unlock the cabinet. This leads to increased sales for the store. Often customers will leave a store without making a purchase if they are forced to wait for service. Alpha Keepers prevent shoplifting while providing access to product for shoppers.
I mentioned there is another driving force behind the need to protect infant formula, and that is the threat from the black market. People are stealing infant formula and then selling it over the internet or they are selling to small “Mom and Pop” shops which pay for stolen merchandise at ridiculously low prices. Those stores resell it at a profit, though lower than the price in a larger retail establishment. In a report on wate.com, on 6/11/2015, “3 Knox County consignment shops raided for selling stolen baby formula; 5 people charged” the station reported on three businesses that were purchasing stolen baby formula and selling it on the black market. The lead investigator Captain George Edlund was interviewed and spoke of how the businesses were purchasing the stolen cans of formula valued at roughly $25-$40 on the retail market, paying $7-$8 a can and reselling it at about twice that price. The theft and resale on the black market makes it difficult for legitimate retailers to compete. It also supports criminal shoplifting activity. http://wate.com/2015/06/11/knox-county-deputies-hold-news-conference-at-wee-care-shop/
Even worse than the illicit resale market of infant formula is the possibility terrorists are being funded by Organized Retail Theft of the merchandise. In a 5/13/2014 report, “8 on Your Side: Baby formula rings may fund terrorist groups”, on 8LasVegasNow.com, writer Michelle Mortenson reported on how groups stealing infant formula are funneling money overseas to people or groups with possible links to terrorism. Quoting Organized Retail Theft Investigator Darin Fredrickson, “Some of the baby formula theft has funded terrorism efforts overseas”. Her report goes on to say, “In 2005, federal authorities busted a terrorist ring that was selling formula on the black market. The ring had potential links to HAMAS and Hezbollah.” http://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/8-on-your-side-baby-formula-rings-may-fund-terrorist-groups
This isn’t simply a family trying to feed a child, this activity has life and death consequences and reinforces the need for stores to protect infant formula from shoplifting.
As a store owner your concern is to sell merchandise and do it profitably. The threats to your business are real. Whether it is Organized Retail Theft rings or small time shoplifters that are stealing, the theft of infant formula from your store can dramatically hurt profits. Use Alpha Keepers to prevent shoplifting and protect infant formula. Your store will benefit and who knows, so may the world.
Need information on Alpha Keepers? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Retailers are experiencing serious theft issues with infant formula, leaving them with empty shelves and lost profits. It is also hurting those families who are in need of purchasing formula but finding shelves wiped out. There are two significant causes behind the losses. In part 1 I discussed the theft of formula by family members who may be financially strapped, have need of the product but don’t feel they have the resources to purchase the products. I was clear in my assertion that this does not justify shoplifting, especially with so many resources available, from government supplemental benefits to private charitable organizations. Whatever the reasons, some people still feel the “need” to steal and therefore merchants must protect infant formula from theft. The second major cause of theft of infant formula is Organized Retail Crime and the black market for stolen formula. It is this element I want to address in part 2 of this series and how Alpha Keepers can prevent shoplifting of infant formula by these criminals.
Infant formula Alpha Keepers are retail anti-theft devices designed specifically to protect canned powdered baby foods. The Keepers are solid, polycarbonate boxes with a locking hinged lid created to prevent shoplifting of baby formula. The box is see through so customers can see the merchandise and read all the important information they need regarding the product. In order to get to the contents, the Keeper has to be opened with a special detachment tool, usually maintained at the store point of sale. They are built to cause electronic article surveillance antennas to alarm when they come into the vicinity of the antenna, thereby deterring even the most determined of shoplifters. Unlike a display case, there is no wait time incurred by the customer who wants to purchase a can of formula but has to wait for an employee with a key to unlock the cabinet. This leads to increased sales for the store. Often customers will leave a store without making a purchase if they are forced to wait for service. Alpha Keepers prevent shoplifting while providing access to product for shoppers.
I mentioned there is another driving force behind the need to protect infant formula, and that is the threat from the black market. People are stealing infant formula and then selling it over the internet or they are selling to small “Mom and Pop” shops which pay for stolen merchandise at ridiculously low prices. Those stores resell it at a profit, though lower than the price in a larger retail establishment. In a report on wate.com, on 6/11/2015, “3 Knox County consignment shops raided for selling stolen baby formula; 5 people charged” the station reported on three businesses that were purchasing stolen baby formula and selling it on the black market. The lead investigator Captain George Edlund was interviewed and spoke of how the businesses were purchasing the stolen cans of formula valued at roughly $25-$40 on the retail market, paying $7-$8 a can and reselling it at about twice that price. The theft and resale on the black market makes it difficult for legitimate retailers to compete. It also supports criminal shoplifting activity. http://wate.com/2015/06/11/knox-county-deputies-hold-news-conference-at-wee-care-shop/
Even worse than the illicit resale market of infant formula is the possibility terrorists are being funded by Organized Retail Theft of the merchandise. In a 5/13/2014 report, “8 on Your Side: Baby formula rings may fund terrorist groups”, on 8LasVegasNow.com, writer Michelle Mortenson reported on how groups stealing infant formula are funneling money overseas to people or groups with possible links to terrorism. Quoting Organized Retail Theft Investigator Darin Fredrickson, “Some of the baby formula theft has funded terrorism efforts overseas”. Her report goes on to say, “In 2005, federal authorities busted a terrorist ring that was selling formula on the black market. The ring had potential links to HAMAS and Hezbollah.” http://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/8-on-your-side-baby-formula-rings-may-fund-terrorist-groups This isn’t simply a family trying to feed a child, this activity has life and death consequences and reinforces the need for stores to protect infant formula from shoplifting.
As a store owner your concern is to sell merchandise and do it profitably. The threats to your business are real. Whether it is Organized Retail Theft rings or small time shoplifters that are stealing, the theft of infant formula from your store can dramatically hurt profits. Use Alpha Keepers to prevent shoplifting and protect infant formula. Your store will benefit and who knows, so may the world.
Need information on Alpha Keepers? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547.
AA Blog 31
Alpha Spider Wrap: 5
Prevent Shoplifting: 3
When It Comes To Protecting Your Large Bulky Items, The Alpha Spider Wrap Is The Best On The Market
Working in retail is not always fun, customer service and dealing with issues, are often very frustrating. I am sure everyone who has ever worked in retail has their fair share of stories, me included. I have found it very interesting to see how blatant people have become when it comes to shoplifting. It seems as though people who are caught shoplifting respond differently than they did when I was younger, or least that is my perception. When I was younger it seemed as though shoplifting was such a negative thing, and people were ashamed and embarrassed when they would get caught stealing. Today, rather than feeling remorseful, shoplifters are brasher about it, and tend to get angry at store employees when they are caught. I have had shoplifters throw stolen items at me, fight me, and even admonish me for catching them. They tend to be less inconspicuous about their thievery as well, which is sometimes good for us, but also poses problems when it comes to properly securing merchandise. It seems it is easier for people to steal from us when they act impulsively, because we are not expecting the behavior, which makes it hard to mitigate our risk. For example, we had some televisions on display in our store, which were rather large and difficult to manage without assistance. Because of this we decided not to place any additional security on these items, as we felt taking them would be rather obvious. That was until we had two guys come in the store and steal two of them in a matter of minutes. These guys simply grabbed one TV each, and walked right out the door. They simply placed the items into a waiting car out front and were in and out in about 2 minutes. By the time anyone knew what was happening they were already gone. We learned our lesson the hard way that day, now we prevent shoplifting by securing all of our items, even the large bulky items, with Alpha Spider Wraps.
Alpha Spider Wraps provide a means to protect those large or oddly shaped items that may be of higher value like televisions, tools, shoes, video consoles, computer equipment and various other items. These can be applied in store and provide a snug fit to prevent tampering. The Alpha Spider Wraps are equipped with an audible EAS alarm and an LED visual deterrent in the event someone tries to remove the item from the store. An alarm will sound in the event that someone tampers or removes the device in store as well. This can help alert store personnel to these types of brazen attempts to take your merchandise and prevent shoplifting. Even if you can’t stop them at least you are alerted to the theft so you can attempt to get some description of the suspects or the vehicle before they leave the property. This can help law enforcement in their subsequent investigation and ultimately lead to a recovery. Following the incident at my store, we started securing the majority of our high priced items, even if they are bulky, so we don’t have a similar situation occur. We lost $2400 in merchandise that day and had no leads to help investigate the theft.
Many stores become complacent because they think that store associates are the first line of defense to prevent shoplifting, but in reality that is not the case. Store associates are a valuable part of any loss prevention program, but they are not always available to detect criminal activity. That is why it is imperative that you protect your property with the Alpha Spider Wrap. It provides a method to alert store personnel in the event of a theft and provides a visual deterrent at a reasonable price.
Need information on Alpha Spider Wraps? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Working in retail is not always fun, customer service and dealing with issues, are often very frustrating. I am sure everyone who has ever worked in retail has their fair share of stories, me included. I have found it very interesting to see how blatant people have become when it comes to shoplifting. It seems as though people who are caught shoplifting respond differently than they did when I was younger, or least that is my perception. When I was younger it seemed as though shoplifting was such a negative thing, and people were ashamed and embarrassed when they would get caught stealing. Today, rather than feeling remorseful, shoplifters are brasher about it, and tend to get angry at store employees when they are caught. I have had shoplifters throw stolen items at me, fight me, and even admonish me for catching them. They tend to be less inconspicuous about their thievery as well, which is sometimes good for us, but also poses problems when it comes to properly securing merchandise. It seems it is easier for people to steal from us when they act impulsively, because we are not expecting the behavior, which makes it hard to mitigate our risk. For example, we had some televisions on display in our store, which were rather large and difficult to manage without assistance. Because of this we decided not to place any additional security on these items, as we felt taking them would be rather obvious. That was until we had two guys come in the store and steal two of them in a matter of minutes. These guys simply grabbed one TV each, and walked right out the door. They simply placed the items into a waiting car out front and were in and out in about 2 minutes. By the time anyone knew what was happening they were already gone. We learned our lesson the hard way that day, now we prevent shoplifting by securing all of our items, even the large bulky items, with Alpha Spider Wraps.
Alpha Spider Wraps provide a means to protect those large or oddly shaped items that may be of higher value like televisions, tools, shoes, video consoles, computer equipment and various other items. These can be applied in store and provide a snug fit to prevent tampering. The Alpha Spider Wraps are equipped with an audible EAS alarm and an LED visual deterrent in the event someone tries to remove the item from the store. An alarm will sound in the event that someone tampers or removes the device in store as well. This can help alert store personnel to these types of brazen attempts to take your merchandise and prevent shoplifting. Even if you can’t stop them at least you are alerted to the theft so you can attempt to get some description of the suspects or the vehicle before they leave the property. This can help law enforcement in their subsequent investigation and ultimately lead to a recovery. Following the incident at my store, we started securing the majority of our high priced items, even if they are bulky, so we don’t have a similar situation occur. We lost $2400 in merchandise that day and had no leads to help investigate the theft.
Many stores become complacent because they think that store associates are the first line of defense to prevent shoplifting, but in reality that is not the case. Store associates are a valuable part of any loss prevention program, but they are not always available to detect criminal activity. That is why it is imperative that you protect your property with the Alpha Spider Wrap. It provides a method to alert store personnel in the event of a theft and provides a visual deterrent at a reasonable price.
Need information on Alpha Spider Wraps? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
