Alpha Spider Wrap-5 WC blog 116
Retail Anti-Theft Devices-4
Properly Applying Alpha Spider Wrap Promotes Sales And Improves Customer Service
When I was a Loss Prevention Manager I was introduced to Alpha Spider Wrap and since then I have seen a huge growth in the use of this retail anti-theft device in many different retailers. Sometimes it is placed appropriately on merchandise and other times it is obvious to me someone did not truly understand what they were doing when they attempted to protect merchandise with it. Spider wrap can be an effective way to prevent shoplifting but like any tool, it has to be used properly to be doing the job it was intended to do.
Before I get more specific about how these retail anti-theft devices can be improperly placed, I need to discuss what Alpha Spider Wrap is and what it does. The device has wires that are connected in a main disc and there are two looped wires that extend out the sides. The looped wires extend and retract as needed to fit around the item to be protected. When the proper length is determined, the loops are clasped together and the device is tightened to a snug fit around a box. The wires form a circuit so that if a shoplifter attempts to cut one of the wires, a tamper alarm in the device sounds a high, piercing noise. The wraps are also designed to set off electronic article surveillance antennas if carried through the antennas.
When used properly, as I mentioned above, the Alpha Spider Wrap wires surround a boxed item and it is tight enough that the wires cannot be manipulated or forced over the sides of the box. The protection of retail anti-theft devices give the retailer the ability to display high dollar items on the sales floor and allows customers to pick up and carry merchandise. This flexibility for the retailer allows them to not have to lock everything up in a display case. Customers don’t need to wait for someone with a key to walk by and unlock the case; show the merchandise and either put it back again or walk it to the register to ring the purchase. Frequently this will drive sales up because customers don’t have to wait for service. In fact, according to Help Scout.net, quoting from a 2011 American Express Survey, “78% of customers have bailed on a transaction or not made an intended purchase because of a poor service experience”.
If then one of the benefits of Alpha Spider Wrap is to provide a better service experience by allowing customer access to merchandise, I have to wonder at some of the things I see in some stores. For example, in one store I have observed several boxes of a high dollar headphone set secured with the wraps. This would have been perfect except that the store then had a cable running through all the retail anti-theft devices and securing everything to the shelf. What was the point of using spider wraps if they were going to secure the merchandise down? On at least one occasion I saw wrapped merchandise in a locking display case. Again, I have question to point of using the device if an associate is still required to unlock the case to show it to a customer?
The other issue I see, even in the store I work in, is that the wrap is not tight enough on a box. When there is too much play in the cords, the wrap can be slipped off the box without setting off the tamper alarm. Sometimes the looseness is due to a plastic hang tab that is too stiff and thick and prevents the employee from tightening the wires enough. This can be avoided by either cutting off the hang tab or putting the wire next to it and cranking the device closed. Another problem arises when the wrong sized wrap is used. There are different size wraps and if someone applies a large wrap to a box that is too small it is possible the device can’t be tightened enough to prevent some play in the strands. The remedy is simply to have large and small wraps on hand to ensure the right equipment is used for the right item.
Don’t make customers wait in line for lock up display cases to be opened in order to get products. Proper application and use of Alpha Spider Wrap can promote customer service and drive up sales.
Need information on Alpha Spider Wrap? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
When I was a Loss Prevention Manager I was introduced to the Alpha Spider Wrap and since then I have seen a huge growth in the use of this retail anti-theft device in many different retailers. Sometimes it is placed appropriately on merchandise and other times it is obvious to me someone did not truly understand what they were doing when they attempted to protect merchandise with it. Spider wrap can be an effective way to prevent shoplifting but like any tool, it has to be used properly to be doing the job it was intended to do.
Before I get more specific about how these retail anti-theft devices can be improperly placed, I need to discuss what Alpha Spider Wrap is and what it does. The device has wires that are connected in a main disc and there are two looped wires that extend out the sides. The looped wires extend and retract as needed to fit around the item to be protected. When the proper length is determined, the loops are clasped together and the device is tightened to a snug fit around a box. The wires form a circuit so that if a shoplifter attempts to cut one of the wires, a tamper alarm in the device sounds a high piercing noise. The wraps are also designed to set off electronic article surveillance antennas if carried through the antennas.
When used properly, as I mentioned above, the Alpha Spider Wrap wires surround a boxed item and it is tight enough that the wires cannot be manipulated or forced over the sides of the box. The protection of retail anti-theft devices give the retailer the ability to display high dollar items on the sales floor and allows customers to pick up and carry merchandise. This flexibility for the retailer allows them to not have to lock everything up in a display case. Customers don’t need to wait for someone with a key to walk by and unlock the case; show the merchandise and either put it back again or walk it to the register to ring the purchase. Frequently this will drive sales up because customers don’t have to wait for service. In fact, according to Help Scout.net, quoting from a 2011 American Express Survey, “78% of customers have bailed on a transaction or not made an intended purchase because of a poor service experience”.
If then one of the benefits of the Alpha Spider Wrap is to provide a better service experience by allowing customer access to merchandise, I have to wonder at some of the things I see in some stores. For example, in one store I have observed several boxes of a high dollar headphone set secured with the wraps. This would have been perfect except that the store then had a cable running through all the retail anti-theft devices and securing everything to the shelf. What was the point of using spider wraps if they were going to secure the merchandise down? On at least one occasion I saw wrapped merchandise in a locking display case. Again, I have question to point of using the device if an associate is still required to unlock the case to show it to a customer?
The other issue I see, even in the store I work in, is that the wrap is not tight enough on a box. When there is too much play in the cords, the wrap can be slipped off the box without setting off the tamper alarm. Sometimes the looseness is due to a plastic hang tab that is too stiff and thick and prevents the employee from tightening the wires enough. This can be avoided by either cutting off the hang tab or putting the wire next to it and cranking the device closed. Another problem arises when the wrong sized wrap is used. There are different size wraps and if someone applies a large wrap to a box that is too small it is possible the device can’t be tightened enough to prevent some play in the strands. The remedy is simply to have large and small wraps on hand to ensure the right equipment is used for the right item.
Don’t make customers wait in line for lock up display cases to be opened in order to get products. Proper application and use of Alpha Spider Wrap can promote customer service and drive up sales.
Need information on Alpha Spider Wrap? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Alpha Cable Lock-5 WC Blog 112
Prevent Shoplifting-4
Carry-On Luggage Shouldn’t Be Carried Out By Thieves – Alpha Cable Locks Can Curtail Theft
I have worked in retail a long time, almost 20 years in big box stores as a Loss Prevention Associate and Manager and a year and a half as a Logistics Manager. I have also worked over 5 years in a small box office supply store as a sales associate. During these years I have observed the theft of all sorts of merchandise but there is one department in which it can be particularly difficult to prevent shoplifting. Luggage, purses and backpacks can be a real headache from a security standpoint. Why do they pose more of a problem than any other item? Because these are items that people carry with them every day. Obviously purses and tote bags are observed daily, but it is not unusual to see people wearing backpacks into a store. The problem is that it becomes difficult to determine who walked in with the luggage and who didn’t. Is that rolling luggage carrier the store’s or did they come in with it? An easy way you as a store owner or manager can address this issue is to use an Alpha Cable Lock on your luggage and hand bags.
Alpha Cable Lock retail anti-theft devices can be secured around the handle of a briefcase or around a strap or carrying handle of a backpack or carrying tote. Rolling travel cases with the extending handles are also a prime candidate for being secured with a lock. The device is designed to work with electronic article surveillance systems. If a shoplifter attempts to walk through an electronic article surveillance antenna with a piece of luggage or bag protected with a cable lock, a loud alarm built in the antenna will sound. The locks also have tamper alarms built in that will alarm if an attempt is made to cut them. Store employees responding to an alarm can prevent shoplifting of the protected item. Being highly visible, it is easy for store associates to tell whether the item being carried around is store owned or was carried in by the customer.
Working in an office supply store, I can confirm that there are some fairly expensive pieces of luggage we carry. Several of the rolling storage bags are well over $100.00 each and in the time I have worked at this store, there have been several suspected thefts of these bags. The only protection the store has for the luggage items are the electronic article surveillance vendor source soft tags. The problem with this as a means to prevent shoplifting is that the bad guys remove all the tags and check the compartments before they walk out. With the removal of the soft tag the protection is gone and no alarm sounds. Often the criminals wait until a busy time of day to slip out with stolen merchandise. While the soft tag is a great anti-theft tool for many items, it is not the best option for this line of product. An Alpha Cable Lock would be nearly impossible for the thief to remove from the luggage and would be the best solution.
Another item that can be pricey and easy to steal in a store like ours is a computer laptop bag. Patrons are regularly bringing in personal laptops for servicing and so they carry their computers into the building, often with no bag or case. A quick stop by our laptop carrying cases and it would be easy to slip a personal laptop into a bag and remove the manufacturer tags, then continue walking around the store until ready to leave. An Alpha Cable Lock around a carrying handle would prevent a shoplifter from being able to pass through the electronic article surveillance antenna without detection.
Don’t allow thieves to carry out your carry- on luggage. Prevent shoplifting by using an Alpha Cable Lock on the bags and luggage you sell in your store. You will watch instocks improve and profits rise!
Get more information on Alpha Cable Lock. Contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
I have worked in retail a long time, almost 20 years in big box stores as a Loss Prevention Associate and Manager and a year and a half as a Logistics Manager. I have also worked over 5 years in a small box office supply store as a sales associate. During these years I have observed the theft of all sorts of merchandise but there is one department in which it can be particularly difficult to prevent shoplifting. Luggage, purses and backpacks can be a real headache from a security standpoint. Why do they pose more of a problem than any other item? Because these are items that people carry with them every day. Obviously purses and tote bags are observed daily, but it is not unusual to see people wearing backpacks into a store. The problem with that is it becomes difficult to determine who walked in with the luggage and who didn’t. Is that rolling luggage carrier the store’s or did they come in with it? An easy way you as a store owner or manager can address this issue is to use an Alpha Cable Lock on your luggage and hand bags.
Alpha Cable Lock retail anti-theft devices can be secured around the handle of a briefcase or around a strap or carrying handle of a backpack or carrying tote. Rolling travel cases with the extending handles are also a prime candidate for being secured with a lock. The device is designed to work with electronic article surveillance systems. If a shoplifter attempts to walk through an electronic article surveillance antenna with a piece of luggage or bag protected with a cable lock, a loud alarm built in the antenna will sound. The locks also have tamper alarms built in that will alarm if an attempt is made to cut them. Store employees responding to an alarm can prevent shoplifting of the protected item. Being highly visible, it is easy for store associates to tell whether the item being carried around is store owned or was carried in by the customer.
Working in an office supply store, I can confirm that there are some fairly expensive pieces of luggage we carry. Several of the rolling storage bags are well over $100.00 each and in the time I have worked at this store, there have been several suspected thefts of these bags. The only protection the store has for the luggage items are the electronic article surveillance vendor source soft tags. The problem with this as a means to prevent shoplifting is that the bad guys remove all the tags and check the compartments before they walk out. With the removal of the soft tag the protection is gone and no alarm sounds. Often the criminals wait until a busy time of day to slip out with stolen merchandise. While the soft tag is a great anti-theft tool for many items, it is not the best option for this line of product. An Alpha Cable Lock would be nearly impossible for the thief to remove from the luggage and would be the best solution.
Another item that can be pricey and easy to steal in a store like ours is a computer laptop bag. Patrons are regularly bringing in personal laptops for servicing and so they carry their computers into the building, often with no bag or case. A quick stop by our laptop carrying cases and it would be easy to slip a personal laptop into a bag and remove the manufacturer tags, then continue walking around the store until ready to leave. An Alpha Cable Lock around a carrying handle would prevent a shoplifter from being able to pass through the electronic article surveillance antenna without detection.
Don’t allow thieves to carry out your carry- on luggage. Prevent shoplifting by using an Alpha Cable Lock on the bags and luggage you sell in your store. You will watch instocks improve and profits rise!
Get more information on Alpha Cable Lock. Contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Alpha Ink Tag-5 WC blog 115
Retail Anti-Theft Devices-3
Prevent Shoplifting-4
Alpha Ink Tag – An Anti-Theft Device To “DYE” For!
I enjoy discussing different ways to foil shoplifters with retail anti-theft devices. I spent many years in the retail loss prevention field and used a variety of tools to prevent shoplifting. Of all the devices that are on the market one of my favorites is the Alpha Ink Tag. This tag has the benefit of electronic article surveillance (EAS) detection AND ink stains if the device is tampered with. Since my first exposure to using them, I have been sold on their ability to deter thieves.
The Alpha Ink Tag is a small disc with ink packs built into it. If a shoplifter decides to try to pry a tag off of a piece of merchandise, the force used to try to remove the device will break open the ink and it spills on the merchandise. The tags also come available with acoustic magnetic or radio frequency protection compatible with the type of EAS antenna system in your store. Just think about it, double the protection for the price of one device!
I remember when one of the stores I worked for started using these retail anti- theft devices and we first placed them on baseball hats. We had been losing these hats at an alarming rate and in order to reduce the theft we tagged the hats with ink tags. It did not take long to see the rate of theft dropped dramatically. We watched on camera as a suspected shoplifter would pick up a hat, look at it and when they saw the ink tag they put it down and walked into the mall. Once we saw the tags did prevent shoplifting we expanded the selection of items we placed them on to include higher priced jackets, designer jeans and dresses.
You may be wondering if an Alpha Ink Tag actually breaks open when someone attempts to improperly remove it. I can attest to the fact that they do. I recall more than one occasion when a customer attempted to return a pair of designer jeans and there was an ink stain in the area of the waistband where we attached the tags. It was obvious that the person had attempted to place a rag or something underneath the tag to try to prevent spillage but it did not work as intended. It is almost impossible to completely stop all of the ink once the capsules break and a bit of it did leak out. We did not need much of a stain to justify refusing the return.
Once our store started to use these retail anti-theft devices, other stores in the mall where we were located began to use them as well. Frequently a patron with an item from another store would come in and pull out an article of clothing with an ink tag attached to it ask us to remove the tag. They would try to tell us that they left the other store and the clerk forgot to remove it. We had a policy of refusing such requests and explained that the customer would have to return to the store where they made the “purchase”. Proper removal was something we emphasized with our cashiers as part of their training since failure to do so was a major customer service issue.
Since that time I have seen other retailers using Alpha Ink Tags on high dollar comforter sets and even purses and handbags. These devices do not need to be limited to just clothing. They could be used to prevent shoplifting of tablecloths, draperies, sheet sets and much more. Invest in Alpha Ink Tags and turn profits from red ink to black.
Need information on Alpha Ink Tag? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
I enjoy discussing different ways to foil shoplifters with retail anti-theft devices. I spent many years in the retail loss prevention field and used a variety of tools to prevent shoplifting. Of all the devices that are on the market one of my favorites is the Alpha Ink Tag. This tag has the benefit of electronic article surveillance (EAS) detection AND ink stains if the device is tampered with. Since my first exposure to using them, I have been sold on their ability to deter thieves.
The Alpha Ink Tag is a small disc with ink packs built into it. If a shoplifter decides to try to pry a tag off of a piece of merchandise, the force used to try to remove the device will break open the ink and it spills on the merchandise. The tags also come available with acoustic magnetic or radio frequency protection compatible with the type of EAS antenna system in your store. Just think about it, double the protection for the price of one device!
I remember when one of the stores I worked for started using these retail anti- theft devices and we first placed them on baseball hats. We had been losing these hats at an alarming rate and in order to reduce the theft we tagged the hats with ink tags. It did not take long to see the rate of theft dropped dramatically. We watched on camera as a suspected shoplifter would pick up a hat, look at it and when they saw the ink tag they put it down and walked into the mall. Once we saw the tags did prevent shoplifting we expanded the selection of items we placed them on to include higher priced jackets, designer jeans and dresses.
You may be wondering if an Alpha Ink Tag actually breaks open when someone attempts to improperly remove it. I can attest to the fact that they do. I recall more than one occasion when a customer attempted to return a pair of designer jeans and there was an ink stain in the area of the waistband where we attached the tags. It was obvious that the person had attempted to place a rag or something underneath the tag to try to prevent spillage but it did not work as intended. It is almost impossible to completely stop all of the ink once the capsules break and a bit of it did leak out. We did not need much of a stain to justify refusing the return. Once our store started to use these retail anti-theft devices, other stores in the mall where we were located began to use them as well. Frequently a patron with an item from another store would come in and pull out an article of clothing with an ink tag attached to it ask us to remove the tag. They would try to tell us that they left the other store and the clerk forgot to remove it. We had a policy of refusing such requests and explained that the customer would have to return to the store where they made the “purchase”. Proper removal was something we emphasized with our cashiers as part of their training since failure to do so was a major customer service issue.
Since that time I have seen other retailers using Alpha Ink Tags on high dollar comforter sets and even purses and handbags. These devices do not need to be limited to just clothing. They could be used to prevent shoplifting of tablecloths, draperies, sheet sets and much more. Invest in Alpha Ink Tags and turn profits from red ink to black.
Need information on Alpha Ink Tag? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Checkpoint Tags-5 WC blog 94
Clothing Security Tags-4
Clothing Security Tags Could Have Prevented A Theft – Don’t Be A Victim Too
If you operate a small to medium size store and sell clothing what do you do for clothing security? Do you know where your stock shortage is coming from? Are you focused on shoplifting theft or employee theft or is it something you have even thought about? As a business owner you may be aware that theft is taking place in your stores but don’t know what tools are available to prevent theft. Certainly cameras and emphasis on customer service are helpful, but they only go so far to prevent theft. Checkpoint tags on clothes offer round the clock protection of merchandise. If a store has an electronic article surveillance (EAS) system, as soon as items with clothing alarm tags on them pass through an EAS antenna the alarm sounds and staff can respond to retrieve merchandise.
Clothing security tags can come in different styles. They may be sleek, disk styles that compliment suits, dresses or expensive designer clothes. They also come in bulkier, rectangular styles that stand out more on heavier materials such as denim. They can be ordered in radio frequency (rf) or acoustic magnetic (am) depending on the type of electronic article surveillance system a store has in place. Most clothing security tags, such as Checkpoint tags are reusable. Once detached at a point of sale the two pieces can be kept in two separate containers and then placed on new product that arrives to the store. Regardless of the style of tag or the system being used, clothing security tags can prevent shoplifting or employee theft.
When I worked as a Loss Prevention Officer for a department store my supervisor and I were suspicious of one of the presentation employees. This employee would arrive to work and rather than place her purse in an employee locker she would take it to the presentation room with all of the mannequins and display items. We placed a covert camera in the room and began to see activity. The employee would take clothing from the sales floor to the presentation room and leave it in the room until the end of her shift. When she was done for the day she would fill her handbag with clothing, clock out and leave. Because the store did not use clothing security tags on a lot of merchandise, the employee never set off any alarms as she would exit the building. During the final incident of theft we observed before she was interviewed for stealing, we accounted for over $500.00 in merchandise being hidden in her handbag. It was never determined how much loss she caused before she was finally stopped. One has to wonder though, if Checkpoint tags were used on more items in the store, how much more theft could have been prevented?
While your store may not be large enough to have a presentation department or office areas for various departments, you are certainly going to have some off-stage areas. These may be breakrooms, or restrooms or perhaps a computer/training room. Anywhere there is an area that offers some privacy, there is opportunity for theft. You can place cameras in most areas of the store, but who is going to monitor them or take the time to review all of your video footage every day? Customer service will prevent some of the shoplifting in the store, but what about stopping a dishonest employee? You can’t hover all of your employees every minute of the day, nor would you want to try. By using Checkpoint tags you take away opportunity for theft and opportunity is one of the essentials for a thief.
Place Checkpoint tags on all of the clothes you carry and watch the theft in your store drastically diminish. Best of all, as the theft decreases the profitability of the store will rise and isn’t that why you are in business?
For more information on Checkpoint Tags contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
If you operate a small to medium size store and sell clothing what do you do for clothing security? Do you know where your stock shortage is coming from? Are you focused on shoplifting theft or employee theft or is it something you have even thought about? As a business owner you may be aware that theft is taking place in your stores but don’t know what tools are available to prevent theft. Certainly cameras and emphasis on customer service are helpful, but they only go so far to prevent theft. Checkpoint tags on clothes offer round the clock protection of merchandise. If a store has an electronic article surveillance (EAS) system, as soon as items with clothing alarm tags on them pass through an EAS antenna the alarm sounds and staff can respond to retrieve merchandise.
Clothing security tags can come in different styles. They may be sleek, disk styles that compliment suits, dresses or expensive designer clothes. They also come in bulkier, rectangular styles that stand out more on heavier materials such as denim. They can be ordered in radio frequency (rf) or acoustic magnetic (am) depending on the type of electronic article surveillance system a store has in place. Most clothing security tags, such as Checkpoint tags are reusable. Once detached at a point of sale the two pieces can be kept in two separate containers and then placed on new product that arrives to the store. Regardless of the style of tag or the system being used, clothing security tags can prevent shoplifting or employee theft.
When I worked as a Loss Prevention Officer for a department store my supervisor and I were suspicious of one of the presentation employees. This employee would arrive to work and rather than place her purse in an employee locker she would take it to the presentation room with all of the mannequins and display items. We placed a covert camera in the room and began to see activity. The employee would take clothing from the sales floor to the presentation room and leave it in the room until the end of her shift. When she was done for the day she would fill her handbag with clothing, clock out and leave. Because the store did not use clothing security tags on a lot of merchandise, the employee never set off any alarms as she would exit the building. During the final incident of theft we observed before she was interviewed for stealing, we accounted for over $500.00 in merchandise being hidden in her handbag. It was never determined how much loss she caused before she was finally stopped. One has to wonder though, if Checkpoint tags were used on more items in the store, how much more theft could have been prevented?
While your store may not be large enough to have a presentation department or office areas for various departments, you are certainly going to have some off-stage areas. These may be breakrooms, or restrooms or perhaps a computer/training room. Anywhere there is an area that offers some privacy, there is opportunity for theft. You can place cameras in most areas of the store, but who is going to monitor them or take the time to review all of your video footage every day? Customer service will prevent some of the shoplifting in the store, but what about stopping a dishonest employee? You can’t hover all of your employees every minute of the day, nor would you want to try. By using Checkpoint tags you take away opportunity for theft and opportunity is one of the essentials for a thief.
Place Checkpoint tags on all of the clothes you carry and watch the theft in your store drastically diminish. Best of all, as the theft decreases the profitability of the store will rise and isn’t that why you are in business?
For more information on Checkpoint Tags contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Bottle Locks-4 WC blog 121
Alpha Security-3
Bottle Lock-3
Wary Of Overnight Crews Binging on Beverages? Stop The Party With Bottle Locks
Have you ever heard the old saying, “when the cat’s away the mice come out to play?” Sometimes for retailers those mice can take human form when no supervisors are in the building. During my years as a Loss Prevention Manager I caught a number of overnight employees and contracted cleaning crew staff stealing in our store. The reason I bring this up is because of a story I came across about a Cleveland, Ohio area store security officer who caught a contracted overnight cleaning crew employee stealing over $1,800 worth of wine from a period of December 2015 until February 2016. That is a lot of wine to rip off! Many times stores will staff with overnight cleaning personnel or early morning stocking staff in order to get the store ready for the next day. If you run a store that sells alcohol, how confident are you that overnight staff are not stealing from you? One way to be more confident is to use Alpha security bottle locks on your wine and spirits.
Using a bottle lock prevents someone from opening a bottle without a special detachment key. Bottle Locks come in several designs but most are made to fit over the cap of a bottle and part of the neck. They lock in place and prevent someone from being able to pry a bottle open and attempts to do so lead to broken bottles. The locks activate electronic article surveillance door antennas if someone attempts to walk out the door with a bottle protected with a lock. In the case of the Versa Guard bottle lock, it is designed for quick removal at the point of sale, adding efficiency when handling multiple bottles at once. Efficiency does not mean easy to defeat and shoplifters are still thwarted in efforts to force a lock off.
Perhaps you don’t have an overnight cleaning staff or employees stocking the sales floor overnight and you are questioning the need for bottle locks. Alpha Security locks don’t prevent just employee theft they also prevent shoplifting. It is easy to walk into many liquor stores and grocery stores and find merchandise without a bottle lock. Shoplifters take bottles and conceal them under clothing, or in bags or purses. With no protection in place, the thief walks out and no one realizes anything is wrong until they notice empty shelves. Worse, no one pays attention until inventory time and shortage results show how many dollars of merchandise are missing.
The question arises, “Why don’t I just use lock up cases and then neither overnight employees nor shoplifters can steal the alcohol?” I have found in my experiences that lock-up cases are a poor solution for theft prevention. They do keep people out, shoplifters and legitimate customers alike. On the other hand, during store operating hours, they require constant customer service. An employee has to be available at all times to open any locked case. Failure to do so in a timely manner can mean lost sales and with enough lost sales a store is bound to go out of business. The fact is customers don’t want to wait and often won’t wait for service. Alpha security products provide retailers the ability to stock merchandise on open displays while still providing security. Sales increase when customers have access to product and can walk around with it and continue shopping. Shoplifters are more likely to go to other stores where there is no wine or liquor bottle security in use.
Whether you have overnight staff or not, there is always a concern that employees may be stealing from your store. Add to that the theft that takes place from shoplifters and stock shortage becomes a real financial problem. Wine and liquor bottle security is significantly enhanced and profits climb when bottle locks are used.
Get more information on bottle locks, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Have you ever heard the old saying, “when the cat’s away the mice come out to play?” Sometimes for retailers those mice can take human form when no supervisors are in the building. During my years as a Loss Prevention Manager I caught a number of overnight employees and contracted cleaning crew staff stealing in our store. The reason I bring this up is because of a story I came across about a Cleveland, Ohio area store security officer who caught a contracted overnight cleaning crew employee stealing over $1,800 worth of wine from a period of December 2015 until February 2016. That is a lot of wine to rip off! Many times stores will staff with overnight cleaning personnel or early morning stocking staff in order to get the store ready for the next day. If you run a store that sells alcohol, how confident are you that overnight staff are not stealing from you? One way to be more confident is to use Alpha security bottle locks on your wine and spirits.
Using a bottle lock prevents someone from opening a bottle without a special detachment key. Bottle Locks come in several designs but most are made to fit over the cap of a bottle and part of the neck. They lock in place and prevent someone from being able to pry a bottle open and attempts to do so lead to broken bottles. The locks activate electronic article surveillance door antennas if someone attempts to walk out the door with a bottle protected with a lock. In the case of the Versa Guard bottle lock, it is designed for quick removal at the point of sale, adding efficiency when handling multiple bottles at once. Efficiency does not mean easy to defeat and shoplifters are still thwarted in efforts to force a lock off.
Perhaps you don’t have an overnight cleaning staff or employees stocking the sales floor overnight and you are questioning the need for bottle locks. Alpha Security locks don’t prevent just employee theft they also prevent shoplifting. It is easy to walk into many liquor stores and grocery stores and find merchandise without a bottle lock. Shoplifters take bottles and conceal them under clothing, or in bags or purses. With no protection in place, the thief walks out and no one realizes anything is wrong until they notice empty shelves. Worse, no one pays attention until inventory time and shortage results show how many dollars of merchandise are missing.
The question arises, “Why don’t I just use lock up cases and then neither overnight employees nor shoplifters can steal the alcohol?” I have found in my experiences that lock-up cases are a poor solution for theft prevention. They do keep people out, shoplifters and legitimate customers alike. On the other hand, during store operating hours, they require constant customer service. An employee has to be available at all times to open any locked case. Failure to do so in a timely manner can mean lost sales and with enough lost sales a store is bound to go out of business. The fact is customers don’t want to wait and often won’t wait for service. Alpha security products provide retailers the ability to stock merchandise on open displays while still providing security. Sales increase when customers have access to product and can walk around with it and continue shopping. Shoplifters are more likely to go to other stores where there is no wine or liquor bottle security in use.
Whether you have overnight staff or not, there is always a concern that employees may be stealing from your store. Add to that the theft that takes place from shoplifters and stock shortage becomes a real financial problem. Wine and liquor bottle security is significantly enhanced and profits climb when bottle locks are used.
Get more information on bottle locks, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
