Electronic Article Surveillance-3 WC blog 101
Checkpoint hard Tags-3
Stop Shoplifting -4
Gen 3 Checkpoint Hard Tags Can Keep You From Feeling Blue From Jean Theft
Ask anyone who has been in Loss Prevention and they can probably tell you about a shoplifter or a group of shoplifters who they will always remember. It may because of what they were stealing or the manner of theft. It may even be how they acted once they were stopped. I have a number of these stories from my many years as a Loss Prevention Associate and a Loss Prevention Manager. While I enjoy being able to share these experiences, I also like to be able to share what may have prevented the situation and the lessons learned so that retail owners and managers may be able to prevent shoplifting incidents in their stores. Many of the lessons learned involve merchandise protection strategies that would have been useful to stop shoplifting before it got out of hand. One of the Checkpoint hard tags I wish I had access to was the Checkpoint Gen 3 Checkpoint tag.
Before I go on with my story, let me share a bit of information on what the Gen 3 Checkpoint hard tags are so that it makes sense how it would have made a difference for our store. The Gen 3 tag is a two-piece hard tag that is pinned together through a piece of clothing. It has an aesthetically appealing disc shaped design that does not take away from the appearance of a garment. Yet, while it has a pleasing look it is durable, tamper resistant and difficult to take off without the proper removal device. It is built to activate electronic article surveillance antennas in the event of an attempt to shoplift the merchandise it is attached to. The alarm activation elicits response from store personnel so they can recover the merchandise before it is removed from the store.
In the case I referenced earlier, I was the Loss Prevention Manager for a big box retailer. We had been experiencing a sharp increase in the loss of denim jeans from our store and I had to try to put a stop to it. We had two issues that we were contending with, one being that we are in a tourist area and we had a lot of people wearing backpacks to the store and we did not check them at when they walked in or hold them at our return desk due to liability concerns. Second, we did not have enough security staff to be in the store during all hours of operation so it was apparent when we did not have a uniformed security officer at our front doors. I had our team begin doing live surveillances on the jean wall and leaving a camera on them when we were not there, reviewing that video when we were back at work. The only protections to stop shoplifting of the merchandise at the time were soft Checkpoint tags applied to the manufacturer hang tag. Unfortunately, we were finding the manufacturer tags and the electronic article surveillance tags lying around the store and in the fitting rooms. Eventually our efforts with surveillance paid off and we got a suspect on camera.
We had some foreign student workers who were brought in to work for tourist oriented businesses in our area during the summer. Some of these student workers were known to be stealing in a number of stores but it was not always easy to catch them since they tended to work in groups. Through live video surveillance we did see a couple of young ladies filling their purses with several pair of jeans after removing tags and we apprehended them. This did not completely stop shoplifting of denims, but it did seem to slow down significantly after this arrest. The shoplifters had their work visas revoked and they received fines for the theft.
The lesson I hope those reading this article will take away is that had the Gen 3 Checkpoint hard tags been available to us, we could have taken better steps to protect the merchandise and not suffered the losses we did before catching our thieves. If you have hard to tag merchandise, look at the electronic article surveillance options available to stop shoplifting offered by Checkpoint.
For more information on Checkpoint hard tags contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Ask anyone who has been in Loss Prevention and they can probably tell you about a shoplifter or a group of shoplifters who they will always remember. It may because of what they were stealing or the manner of theft. It may even be how they acted once they were stopped. I have a number of these stories from my many years as a Loss Prevention Associate and a Loss Prevention Manager. While I enjoy being able to share these experiences, I also like to be able to share what may have prevented the situation and the lessons learned so that retail owners and managers may be able to prevent shoplifting incidents in their stores. Many of the lessons learned involve merchandise protection strategies that would have been useful to stop shoplifting before it got out of hand. One of the Checkpoint hard tags I wish I had access to was the Checkpoint Gen 3 Checkpoint tag.
Before I go on with my story, let me share a bit of information on what the Gen 3 Checkpoint hard tags are so that it makes sense how it would have made a difference for our store. The Gen 3 tag is a two-piece hard tag that is pinned together through a piece of clothing. It has an aesthetically appealing disc shaped design that does not take away from the appearance of a garment. Yet, while it has a pleasing look it is durable, tamper resistant and difficult to take off without the proper removal device. It is built to activate electronic article surveillance antennas in the event of an attempt to shoplift the merchandise it is attached to. The alarm activation elicits response from store personnel so they can recover the merchandise before it is removed from the store.
In the case I referenced earlier, I was the Loss Prevention Manager for a big box retailer. We had been experiencing a sharp increase in the loss of denim jeans from our store and I had to try to put a stop to it. We had two issues that we were contending with, one being that we are in a tourist area and we had a lot of people wearing backpacks to the store and we did not check them when they walked in or hold them at our return desk due to liability concerns. Second, we did not have enough security staff to be in the store during all hours of operation so it was apparent when we did not have a uniformed security officer at our front doors. I had our team begin doing live surveillances on the jean wall and leaving a camera on them when we were not there, reviewing that video when we were back at work. The only protections to stop shoplifting of the merchandise at the time were soft Checkpoint tags applied to the manufacturer hang tag. Unfortunately, we were finding the manufacturer tags and the electronic article surveillance tags lying around the store and in the fitting rooms. Eventually our efforts with surveillance paid off and we got a suspect on camera.
We had some foreign student workers who were brought in to work for tourist oriented businesses in our area during the summer. Some of these student workers were known to be stealing in a number of stores but it was not always easy to catch them since they tended to work in groups. Through live video surveillance we did see a couple of young ladies filling their purses with several pair of jeans after removing tags and we apprehended them.This did not completely stop shoplifting of denims, but it did seem to slow down significantly after this arrest. The shoplifters had their work visas revoked and they received fines for the theft.
The lesson I hope those reading this article will take away is that had the Gen 3 Checkpoint hard tags been available to us, we could have taken better steps to protect the merchandise and not suffered the losses we did before catching our thieves. If you have hard to tag merchandise, look at the electronic article surveillance options available to stop shoplifting offered by Checkpoint.
For more information on Checkpoint hard tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Prevent Shoplifting-4 WC blog 226
Alpha Keepers-5
Retail anti-theft devices-3
Minimizing Merchandise Presentation To Prevent Theft May Hurt Sales; Alpha Keepers Allow Fuller Displays And Prevent Shoplifting
Balance. That is the key to driving profitable sales. Retailers have to be able to do those things necessary to increase sales while being smart about protecting against theft and fraud. This can seem like a catch-22 at times and lead to frustration. Do you fill your shelves with product and have it available for customers to purchase? Do you partially fill your shelves in hopes that patrons will buy the product before shoplifters steal it from the shelves? Maybe you put up locking display showcases and open them up when customers want to look at something? Balance is finding the happy medium that allows you to fill your store shelves, provide customer access to merchandise and prevent shoplifting all at the same time. That is not easy. Using Alpha Keepers retail anti-theft devices is the solution for maintaining that balance.
Alpha Keepers are durable, see-through boxes that allow product to be secured for protection, yet free to be handled by customers. Display cases require an employee with a key to unlock the door, show and monitor the merchandise as a customer looks it over and decides if it is something they want. Alpha Keepers allow the retailer to place merchandise directly on the shelf where it is available to the customer to handle. All package information can be read through the box, ingredients, contents, warnings, etc. The only difference between displaying items in the Keeper versus on an open display is that Alpha Keepers prevent shoplifting since they are very difficult to force open and they are electronic article surveillance (EAS) sensitive. In other words if a store is equipped with EAS antennas, when a shoplifter attempts to steal merchandise in a Keeper box, the antenna alarm will activate. That activation sounds an alert that warns employees unpaid items are being taken out of the store. Merchandise not protected by retail anti-theft devices results in drastic reductions to the profit margin due to theft. If they don’t prevent shoplifting, small to medium sized businesses may not be able to absorb those losses as easily as a major retailer and could go out of business.
Over the course of my career in retail I have seen store managers attempt to use different strategies to prevent shoplifting. One of those strategies is to reduce the amount of a product displayed on a shelf if that item is targeted by criminals. At first glance this sounds like a reasonable solution to the problem. There are issues with this strategy that retailers don’t consider. If that minimal amount of product runs out, due to sales or theft, how quickly does it get replenished for the next customer? Another concern noted in a booklet created by Iowa State University North Central Regional Center For Rural Development, titled “Visual Merchandising, A Guide For Small Retailers”, written by Holly Bastow-Shoop, North Dakota State University, Dale Zetocha, North Dakota State University and Gregory Passewitz, The Ohio State University, May 1991 http://ncrcrd.msu.edu/uploads/files/133/NCRCRD-rrd155-print.pdf “A window or display area with too little merchandise makes a store appear to be going out of business or, indicates to the customer that the establishment is less than prosperous.” (pg. 55).
A retailer cannot afford to lose sales because they have created a perception that the store is going out of business. I have first- hand experience that appearance does affect the shopping habits of customers. The store I currently work in was transitioning from a seasonal displays and preparing for the next seasonal set of shippers. In doing so we had clearance merchandise spread out and empty main aisles where shippers had been located. A customer was looking around and I offered her assistance. She said she was just looking but had a look of concern on her face. I asked if there was something specific she was looking for. She hesitated said “No”, and then asked me if the store was going out of business. I reassured her we were not, but due to merchandising that was what she perceived. This misperception was due to stocking/merchandising caused by the time of the year, but clearly if a store deliberately limits merchandise and displays look anemic customers may limit or stop shopping at that location.
Retail anti-theft devices such as Alpha Keepers allow a retailer to keep displays full for customers and increase sales. Customers can have the freedom to select merchandise and continue shopping. Owners can be confident merchandise will be paid for at the register.
Get more information on Alpha Keepers. Contact us at 1.770.426.0547 today.
Balance. That is the key to driving profitable sales. Retailers have to be able to do those things necessary to increase sales while being smart about protecting against theft and fraud. This can seem like a catch-22 at times and lead to frustration. Do you fill your shelves with product and have it available for customers to purchase? Do you partially fill your shelves in hopes that patrons will buy the product before shoplifters steal it from the shelves? Maybe you put up locking display showcases and open them up when customers want to look at something? Balance is finding the happy medium that allows you to fill your store shelves, provide customer access to merchandise and prevent shoplifting all at the same time. That is not easy. Using Alpha Keepers retail anti-theft devices is the solution for maintaining that balance.
Alpha Keepers are durable, see-through boxes that allow product to be secured for protection, yet free to be handled by customers. Display cases require an employee with a key to unlock the door, show and monitor the merchandise as a customer looks it over and decides if it is something they want. Alpha Keepers allow the retailer to place merchandise directly on the shelf where it is available to the customer to handle. All package information can be read through the box, ingredients, contents, warnings, etc. The only difference between displaying items in the Keeper versus on an open display is that Alpha Keepers prevent shoplifting since they are very difficult to force open and they are electronic article surveillance (EAS) sensitive. In other words if a store is equipped with EAS antennas, when a shoplifter attempts to steal merchandise in a Keeper box, the antenna alarm will activate. That activation sounds an alert that warns employees unpaid items are being taken out of the store. Merchandise not protected by retail anti-theft devices results in drastic reductions to the profit margin due to theft. If they don’t prevent shoplifting, small to medium sized businesses may not be able to absorb those losses as easily as a major retailer and could go out of business.
Over the course of my career in retail I have seen store managers attempt to use different strategies to prevent shoplifting. One of those strategies is to reduce the amount of a product displayed on a shelf if that item is targeted by criminals. At first glance this sounds like a reasonable solution to the problem. There are issues with this strategy that retailers don’t consider. If that minimal amount of product runs out, due to sales or theft, how quickly does it get replenished for the next customer? Another concern noted in a booklet created by Iowa State University North Central Regional Center For Rural Development, titled “Visual Merchandising, A Guide For Small Retailers”, written by Holly Bastow-Shoop, North Dakota State University, Dale Zetocha, North Dakota State University and Gregory Passewitz, The Ohio State University, May 1991 http://ncrcrd.msu.edu/uploads/files/133/NCRCRD-rrd155-print.pdf “A window or display area with too little merchandise makes a store appear to be going out of business or, indicates to the customer that the establishment is less than prosperous.” (pg. 55).
A retailer cannot afford to lose sales because they have created a perception that the store is going out of business. I have first- hand experience that appearance does affect the shopping habits of customers. The store I currently work in was transitioning from a seasonal displays and preparing for the next seasonal set of shippers. In doing so we had clearance merchandise spread out and empty main aisles where shippers had been located. A customer was looking around and I offered her assistance. She said she was just looking but had a look of concern on her face. I asked if there was something specific she was looking for. She hesitated said “No”, and then asked me if the store was going out of business. I reassured her we were not, but due to merchandising that was what she perceived. This misperception was due to stocking/merchandising caused by the time of the year, but clearly if a store deliberately limits merchandise and displays look anemic customers may limit or stop shopping at that location.
Retail anti-theft devices such as Alpha Keepers allow a retailer to keep displays full for customers and increase sales. Customers can have the freedom to select merchandise and continue shopping. Owners can be confident merchandise will be paid for at the register.
Get more information on Alpha Keepers. Contact us at 1.770.426.0547 today.
AA blog 04
Prevent shoplifting: 2
Alpha Spider Wrap: 4
Retail Anti-Theft devices: 2
The Police Prosecute Offenders, They Don’t Prevent Shoplifting. How The Alpha Spider Wrap Can Help You Prevent Shoplifting And Protect Your Investment.
I wanted to get a message to the small business owners out there regarding a topic I think is really important. Small retail stores tend to not properly secure their property to prevent shoplifting because they think the initial cost is too high, and they don’t see the cost benefit, as I see them. For example I responded to a report of shoplifting at a small store that sold mostly electronics; such as televisions, video gaming machines, games, movies and other high priced electronic items. I made contact with the manager who indicated that they had done an inventory and found that they were off by quite a large margin on their inventory. He estimated they lost approximately $15000.00 in inventory over a 60 day period. He provided a list of high priced items that were missing along with a video recording. The manager was able to identify four subjects taking merchandise, consistent with the missing inventory, during that time frame. The subjects were filling a cart and walking out with the items undetected. Now I won’t say the store had no security because they did, but there were flaws and weaknesses in their system. First, most of their large expensive items were not protected by an Alpha Spider Wrap, which would have prevented them from walking out the door with them. They did have some retail anti-theft devices on their property, but they were focused more on the smaller items, that could be concealed. They did not focus on the larger items because they assumed it would be easy to detect that type of theft, but they were wrong.
Employees are great resources to prevent shoplifting, but they can’t be your only means of detection. Employees are consistently helping customers, stocking inventory, making sales and doing other things that prevent them from being aware at all times. That is why we can’t ignore the larger more expensive items and the best way to do that is with an Alpha Spider Wrap. These devices come in various sizes and are equipped with expandable cables that can wrap around any shape for secure protection without damaging the item. They have an alarm and a flashing light built in that sounds when they try and leave the store with the merchandise or if someone tries to remove the device. These devices are reusable and are attached in store for easy use on items such as televisions, computers, gaming systems, tools and many other high priced bulky items. They serve as a means to assist associates with detection and prevention and add a huge cost savings as both a deterrent and a notification. Unfortunately in this particular situation the loss is hard to recover from.
Although I was able to identify the subjects, because they were what we call known offenders, the business will never fully recover from this loss. I found a fraction of the stolen property at the local pawn shop, some of which was recovered, some of which had been shipped out to other stores or sold. All the offenders were prosecuted for Burglary and Grand Theft, some of which served jail time others got a slap on the wrist. I would venture to say that store will see little to no restitution through the criminal justice system, as most offenders have no means to re-pay the debt and don’t care to. If they fail to comply they just go back to jail, which doesn’t benefit the retailer at all, and the process can be very lengthy.
This is why it is imperative for small businesses to take matters into their own hands to prevent shoplifting and to protect their property because prevention is always better than prosecution. The Alpha Spider Wrap and various other retail anti-theft devices are a cost efficient means to protect your property and increase profit.
The Alpha Spider Wrap is important and we can help you with it, call 1.770.426.0547.
I wanted to get a message to the small business owners out there regarding a topic I think is really important. Small retail stores tend to not properly secure their property to prevent shoplifting because they think the initial cost is too high, and they don’t see the cost benefit, as I see them. For example I responded to a report of shoplifting at a small store that sold mostly electronics; such as televisions, video gaming machines, games, movies and other high priced electronic items. I made contact with the manager who indicated that they had done an inventory and found that they were off by quite a large margin on their inventory. He estimated they lost approximately $15000.00 in inventory over a 60 day period. He provided a list of high priced items that were missing along with a video recording. The manager was able to identify four subjects taking merchandise, consistent with the missing inventory, during that time frame. The subjects were filling a cart and walking out with the items undetected. Now I won’t say the store had no security because they did, but there were flaws and weaknesses in their system. First, most of their large expensive items were not protected by an Alpha Spider Wrap, which would have prevented them from walking out the door with them. They did have some retail anti-theft devices on their property, but they were focused more on the smaller items, that could be concealed. They did not focus on the larger items because they assumed it would be easy to detect that type of theft, but they were wrong.
Employees are great resources to prevent shoplifting, but they can’t be your only means of detection. Employees are consistently helping customers, stocking inventory, making sales and doing other things that prevent them from being aware at all times. That is why we can’t ignore the larger more expensive items and the best way to do that is with an Alpha Spider Wrap. These devices come in various sizes and are equipped with expandable cables that can wrap around any shape for secure protection without damaging the item. They have an alarm and a flashing light built in that sounds when they try and leave the store with the merchandise or if someone tries to remove the device. These devices are reusable and are attached in store for easy use on items such as televisions, computers, gaming systems, tools and many other high priced bulky items. They serve as a means to assist associates with detection and prevention and add a huge cost savings as both a deterrent and a notification. Unfortunately in this particular situation the loss is hard to recover from.
Although I was able to identify the subjects, because they were what we call known offenders, the business will never fully recover from this loss. I found a fraction of the stolen property at the local pawn shop, some of which was recovered, some of which had been shipped out to other stores or sold. All the offenders were prosecuted for Burglary and Grand Theft, some of which served jail time others got a slap on the wrist. I would venture to say that store will see little to no restitution through the criminal justice system, as most offenders have no means to re-pay the debt and don’t care to. If they fail to comply they just go back to jail, which doesn’t benefit the retailer at all, and the process can be very lengthy.
This is why it is imperative for small businesses to take matters into their own hands to prevent shoplifting and to protect their property because prevention is always better than prosecution. The Alpha Spider Wrap and various other retail anti-theft devices are a cost efficient means to protect your property and increase profit.
The Alpha Spider Wrap is important and we can help you with it, call 1.770.426.0547.
AA Blog 14
Checkpoint tags: 5
Retail Theft Prevention: 3
Don’t Let Shoplifters Run Your Business Into The Ground, Get Checkpoint Tags And Shoplifters Will Run To Your Competitors
When it comes to shoplifting loss prevention employees have some of the craziest stories. It continues to amaze me that there are so many people out there that not only shoplift, but do it on a regular basis, and have for many years. It almost becomes a sport for them. I have found that many of them have no remorse at all for stealing and do not see it as a negative thing. They are only disappointed when they get caught. I imagine there are plenty out there that never do get caught. Some of them are professionals who really educate themselves on retail theft prevention and what methods work best to avoid detection. They learn how particular stores operate and respond to shoplifting, so they can hone their skills, and remain undetected. Although, the majority of shoplifters, are typically normal people some of which have no intent to steal when they enter the store. They come from all different demographics and vary in age, shape and size. Even the rich, like Wynona Ryder or Lindsey Lohan, among others, have been caught shoplifting. This implies that money and necessity are not always the driving factor in these cases. Some shoplifters are less proficient than others and some use their age to their advantage. I have seen people try and conceal products such as large DVD players or other electronic devices in their clothes, as if the square shape of their body is normal. I have seen older people try and walk out with cases of beer, thinking that their age would deter employees from contacting them or trying to prevent them from leaving. I have also seen skilled shoplifters specifically go for items that were not tagged because they knew they could avoid detection. When it comes to shoplifting there is no perfect equation, no specific formula, we can use to identify shoplifters and or stop theft entirely. That is why it is so important for us in the retail theft prevention business to take action to protect our merchandise by using Checkpoint tags and labels.
Checkpoint tags are versatile, in that they provide security for many different products within the industry. They are a leader in retail theft prevention because they not only provide a physical deterrent they are also equipped with EAS technology. The EAS technology is coupled with EAS antennas to allow signaling and detection when they attempt to remove the merchandise from the store. They are easily deactivated at the time of sale, allowing for a smooth transaction and pleasant shopping experience. Checkpoint tags come in various sizes and types to include: hard tags, shackle tags and the auto peg tags. These tags can be attached to any product whether it is clothing, purses and bags, electronics, sporting goods and other household items. The auto peg hook protects peg hook merchandise such as razors, cosmetics or other display type items. These tags are made of a high quality and durable plastic that is difficult to damage or remove without being detected. So regardless of where the person is trying to conceal the product or even if they just try and walk out with it, the tags will alert loss prevention or other employees of the theft.
Checkpoint tags will deter and prevent shoplifting without the added cost of additional loss prevention manpower, video surveillance, or other equipment. These tags are reusable and easy to attach, resulting in a low cost means to improve security and increase profit. Every time someone manages to shoplift from you they are not only hurting your bottom line they are subsequently hurting your customers and the economy through price increases, unpaid taxes, and product availability. That’s why it is important to take the proper steps to protect yourself and ensure your customers are receiving the best products at the lowest prices.
Checkpoint tags are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
When it comes to shoplifting loss prevention employees have some of the craziest stories. It continues to amaze me that there are so many people out there that not only shoplift, but do it on a regular basis, and have for many years. It almost becomes a sport for them. I have found that many of them have no remorse at all for stealing and do not see it as a negative thing. They are only disappointed when they get caught. I imagine there are plenty out there that never do get caught. Some of them are professionals who really educate themselves on retail theft prevention and what methods work best to avoid detection. They learn how particular stores operate and respond to shoplifting, so they can hone their skills, and remain undetected. Although, the majority of shoplifters, are typically normal people some of which have no intent to steal when they enter the store. They come from all different demographics and vary in age, shape and size. Even the rich, like Wynona Ryder or Lindsey Lohan, among others, have been caught shoplifting. This implies that money and necessity are not always the driving factor in these cases. Some shoplifters are less proficient than others and some use their age to their advantage. I have seen people try and conceal products such as large DVD players or other electronic devices in their clothes, as if the square shape of their body is normal. I have seen older people try and walk out with cases of beer, thinking that their age would deter employees from contacting them or trying to prevent them from leaving. I have also seen skilled shoplifters specifically go for items that were not tagged because they knew they could avoid detection. When it comes to shoplifting there is no perfect equation, no specific formula, we can use to identify shoplifters and or stop theft entirely. That is why it is so important for us in the retail theft prevention business to take action to protect our merchandise by using Checkpoint tags and labels.
Checkpoint tags are versatile, in that they provide security for many different products within the industry. They are a leader in retail theft prevention because they not only provide a physical deterrent they are also equipped with EAS technology. The EAS technology is coupled with EAS antennas to allow signaling and detection when they attempt to remove the merchandise from the store. They are easily deactivated at the time of sale, allowing for a smooth transaction and pleasant shopping experience. Checkpoint tags come in various sizes and types to include: hard tags, shackle tags and the auto peg tags. These tags can be attached to any product whether it is clothing, purses and bags, electronics, sporting goods and other household items. The auto peg hook protects peg hook merchandise such as razors, cosmetics or other display type items. These tags are made of a high quality and durable plastic that is difficult to damage or remove without being detected. So regardless of where the person is trying to conceal the product or even if they just try and walk out with it, the tags will alert loss prevention or other employees of the theft.
Checkpoint tags will deter and prevent shoplifting without the added cost of additional loss prevention manpower, video surveillance, or other equipment. These tags are reusable and easy to attach, resulting in a low cost means to improve security and increase profit. Every time someone manages to shoplift from you they are not only hurting your bottom line they are subsequently hurting your customers and the economy through price increases, unpaid taxes, and product availability. That’s why it is important to take the proper steps to protect yourself and ensure your customers are receiving the best products at the lowest prices.
Checkpoint tags are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Alpha Thunder Tag-4 WC blog 227
Retail anti-theft device-5
Prevent Shoplifting-3
“Foiling” Professional Shoplifters And Their Booster Bags; The Benefits Of Using The 3-Alarm Alpha Thunder Tag
There are a lot of retail anti-theft devices on the market and each one can prevent shoplifting. The degree to which they can decrease theft may vary, based on the features of the device. The Alpha Thunder tag is a good example of a device with optimal impact, providing serious protection for merchandise. The tags have a number of benefits not offered by some other retail anti-theft devices on the market. The tag is applied directly to packaging using an adhesive backing that makes it stick to the item. It can be attached to boxed merchandise, plastic clamshell packaging, even to display merchandise such as tablets, laptops, and hardware displays like power tools. The Alpha Thunder tag has a tamper alarm built into it using a plunger device so that if a shoplifter were to try to pull it off, a loud 95 decibel alarm is activated. Regardless of where a thief is located in the store, that alarm will draw the attention of store employees so they can respond and deter a theft.
Many retail anti-theft devices have one or two alarm technology designs meaning they will activate an electronic article surveillance (EAS) antenna or they will activate the alarm antenna AND they have a tamper alarm to prevent removal. The Alpha Thunder tag is a 3-alarm device. It has the tamper alarm I spoke of, it activates an EAS antenna AND it has an additional internal alarm that activates if it passes through an EAS antenna and goes out the door. The one and two alarm devices activate antennas, but if a shoplifter continues out the door, there is no other alert to draw attention to them. Merchandise alarming while in the possession of a criminal draws undesired attention that a shoplifter, especially a professional shoplifter wants to avoid. While all retail anti-theft devices can prevent shoplifting the Thunder tag offers added peace of mind to the store owner or manager.
One aspect of Alpha’s 3-alarm devices that excites me about these products is they have been proven they can be detected through 5 layers of foil in booster bag tests. Booster bags are one of the illegal tools that professional shoplifters employ to try to defeat EAS antenna systems. The idea is that the foil interrupts the radio frequency waves that allow a tag to be detected by the antenna. Professional shoplifters come to a store and may have a foil lined bag folded and hidden under their clothes, or it may be a handbag or tote that they have lined on the inside with foil. They fill the bag with the merchandise they want and then leave the store, confident that even if the merchandise is protected with retail anti-theft devices the bag will prevent an EAS antenna from reading any devices or tags. With the 3-alarm tags, foil is no longer a concern for retailers. I saw the potential losses a foil lined bag could have caused my store when I caught a shoplifter stealing packages of razor blades. The suspect filled his bag and walked out through our EAS antennas but the alarm did not sound. Fortunately I had been on the salesfloor watching him and was able to detain him based on my observation of him otherwise we would have lost several hundred dollars in merchandise. Our merchandise was tagged but those particular tags could not be picked up due to the foil lining.
Stock shortage due to merchandise theft is a drain on a store’s profit margin. Left unchecked it gets worse over time as thieves identify a store as an easy target and make it a regular on their list of stores to hit. Using the Alpha Thunder Tag to protect displays and merchandise, along with EAS antennas, a store can prevent shoplifting and add those shortage dollars back to the profit line.
Get more information on Alpha Thunder Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
There are a lot of retail anti-theft devices on the market and each one can prevent shoplifting. The degree to which they can decrease theft may vary, based on the features of the device. The Alpha Thunder tag is a good example of a device with optimal impact, providing serious protection for merchandise. The tags have a number of benefits not offered by some other retail anti-theft devices on the market. The tag is applied directly to packaging using an adhesive backing that makes it stick to the item. It can be attached to boxed merchandise, plastic clamshell packaging, even to display merchandise such as tablets, laptops, and hardware displays like power tools. The Alpha Thunder tag has a tamper alarm built into it using a plunger device so that if a shoplifter were to try to pull it off, a loud 95 decibel alarm is activated. Regardless of where a thief is located in the store, that alarm will draw the attention of store employees so they can respond and deter a theft.
Many retail anti-theft devices have one or two alarm technology designs meaning they will activate an electronic article surveillance (EAS) antenna or they will activate the alarm antenna AND they have a tamper alarm to prevent removal. The Alpha Thunder tag is a 3-alarm device. It has the tamper alarm I spoke of, it activates an EAS antenna AND it has an additional internal alarm that activates if it passes through an EAS antenna and goes out the door. The one and two alarm devices activate antennas, but if a shoplifter continues out the door, there is no other alert to draw attention to them. Merchandise alarming while in the possession of a criminal draws undesired attention that a shoplifter, especially a professional shoplifter wants to avoid. While all retail anti-theft devices can prevent shoplifting the Thunder tag offers added peace of mind to the store owner or manager.
One aspect of Alpha’s 3-alarm devices that excites me about these products is they have been proven they can be detected through 5 layers of foil in booster bag tests. Booster bags are one of the illegal tools that professional shoplifters employ to try to defeat EAS antenna systems. The idea is that the foil interrupts the radio frequency waves that allow a tag to be detected by the antenna. Professional shoplifters come to a store and may have a foil lined bag folded and hidden under their clothes, or it may be a handbag or tote that they have lined on the inside with foil. They fill the bag with the merchandise they want and then leave the store, confident that even if the merchandise is protected with retail anti-theft devices the bag will prevent an EAS antenna from reading any devices or tags. With the 3-alarm tags, foil is no longer a concern for retailers. I saw the potential losses a foil lined bag could have caused my store when I caught a shoplifter stealing packages of razor blades. The suspect filled his bag and walked out through our EAS antennas but the alarm did not sound. Fortunately I had been on the salesfloor watching him and was able to detain him based on my observation of him otherwise we would have lost several hundred dollars in merchandise. Our merchandise was tagged but those particular tags could not be picked up due to the foil lining.
Stock shortage due to merchandise theft is a drain on a store’s profit margin. Left unchecked it gets worse over time as thieves identify a store as an easy target and make it a regular on their list of stores to hit. Using the Alpha Thunder Tag to protect displays and merchandise, along with EAS antennas, a store can prevent shoplifting and add those shortage dollars back to the profit line.
Get more information on Alpha Thunder Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
