AA Blog 45
Alpha Keepers: 5
Prevent Shoplifting: 3
Inventory Control: 3
Alpha Keepers Will Solve All Of Your Inventory Control Problems
Do you have inventory control problems? Are you routinely trying to locate product that should be on the shelves, but is nowhere to be found? I think anyone who is in the business of sales, regardless of the market, has at one time or another had inventory issues. I went through these same issues myself in my store. We typically do a full inventory quarterly, which involves the majority of my staff, going through every item. This includes our storage items and those on the shelf. It is such a time consuming process and nobody enjoys it. I end up paying overtime and buying pizza just to bribe my employees into being upbeat about the process. I spend days trying to track down items, verify sales, and account for product before I accept the fact that I have a serious shrinkage issue. Over the period of a year, I noticed a huge loss rate in our electronics/entertainment section to include: Video games, music CDs, Movies, and various other electronics and accessories. I knew we had a serious problem, but I wasn’t sure how to prevent shoplifting and reduce my losses. I ranted to a friend of mine who is also in the retail industry, and he suggested I use Alpha keepers, to secure my higher valued items in my areas of concern. So I did some research and decided to take his advice and try them out.
I learned very quickly that Alpha keepers come in a wide variety of options, which allow me to utilize them in more areas than I ever thought possible. They have collapsible keepers, which provide maximized shelf space, media keepers, and a multi-use keeper that can accommodate various types of products. These products are made of a durable plastic, and encase the item completely, preventing the removal of the item from the packaging. The keepers are bulky and make concealment difficult, without limiting the customers’ visibility and handling of the product. The Alpha keepers are re-useable, which makes them a sound investment. Associates simply remove the keeper from the product, at the time of sale, and use them again on other products. The media keepers come with an alarm and LED light that provide a visual and audible deterrent in the event of tampering. Some keepers come equipped with hang tags, for those small items you want to display. These items provide a viable means to prevent shoplifting in your store, improve inventory control, and increase profit.
The Alpha keepers have significantly improved my inventory control and my ability to monitor and manage my shrinkage rates. I have reduced my loss by 20% on the items protected by the keepers, which reduces my headache during inventory and increases my profits. I strongly believe that the added protection has increased our theft deterrence storewide. If you want to stop shoplifting, I suggest you look at your options and better protect yourself against theft. I know it has improved my business and the moral of both myself and my employees.
For more information on Alpha Keepers contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
Do you have inventory control problems? Are you routinely trying to locate product that should be on the shelves, but is nowhere to be found? I think anyone who is in the business of sales, regardless of the market, has at one time or another had inventory issues. I went through these same issues myself in my store. We typically do a full inventory quarterly, which involves the majority of my staff, going through every item. This includes our storage items and those on the shelf. It is such a time consuming process and nobody enjoys it. I end up paying overtime and buying pizza just to bribe my employees into being upbeat about the process. I spend days trying to track down items, verify sales, and account for product before I accept the fact that I have a serious shrinkage issue. Over the period of a year, I noticed a huge loss rate in our electronics/entertainment section to include: Video games, music CDs, Movies, and various other electronics and accessories. I knew we had a serious problem, but I wasn’t sure how to prevent shoplifting and reduce my losses. I ranted to a friend of mine who is also in the retail industry, and he suggested I use Alpha keepers, to secure my higher valued items in my areas of concern. So I did some research and decided to take his advice and try them out.
I learned very quickly that Alpha keepers come in a wide variety of options, which allow me to utilize them in more areas than I ever thought possible. They have collapsible keepers, which provide maximized shelf space, media keepers, and a multi-use keeper that can accommodate various types of products. These products are made of a durable plastic, and encase the item completely, preventing the removal of the item from the packaging. The keepers are bulky and make concealment difficult, without limiting the customers’ visibility and handling of the product. The Alpha keepers are re-useable, which makes them a sound investment. Associates simply remove the keeper from the product, at the time of sale, and use them again on other products. The media keepers come with an alarm and LED light that provide a visual and audible deterrent in the event of tampering. Some keepers come equipped with hang tags, for those small items you want to display. These items provide a viable means to prevent shoplifting in your store, improve inventory control, and increase profit.
The Alpha keepers have significantly improved my inventory control and my ability to monitor and manage my shrinkage rates. I have reduced my loss by 20% on the items protected by the keepers, which reduces my headache during inventory and increases my profits. I strongly believe that the added protection has increased our theft deterrence storewide. If you want to stop shoplifting, I suggest you look at your options and better protect yourself against theft. I know it has improved my business and the moral of both myself and my employees.
For more information on Alpha Keepers, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
Checkpoint hard tags-5 WC Blog 336
Stop shoplifting-4
Balancing Efforts To Stop Shoplifting And Use Loss Prevention Resources Wisely – Part 1
To stop or not stop shoplifters is a question that has been asked even before I started working in Loss Prevention nearly 27 years ago. It popped up again when I was reading an article in LP INSIDER magazine, “To Stop or Not to Stop the Shoplifter: Is This Still a Question?” by Johnny Custer, LPC, CPI, March 14, 2017. I found some points I agreed with and others points I found myself shaking my head in disagreement over. The one side of the argument is that catching shoplifters reduces shortage and the writer of the article notes that this was the focus of shortage reduction when Loss Prevention departments were created. The writer goes on to pose the question, “Does shoplifting have the kind of impact on shrink that we once thought?” A few lines later he references a 2012 report that indicates shoplifting accounts for approximately 24% of annual shrink. Well, my rebuttal to that statistic at least is that according to the 2014-2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer Report, shoplifting in North America accounted for approximately 36% of retail shrinkage. The report compares that number to the prior year which placed shrinkage due to shoplifting at 37% (pg. 53). It does not seem realistic that shortage from shoplifting jumped 13% in two years so someone’s numbers are off. My stance is that shoplifting does have a significant part to play in retail shortage and it must be addressed. I will touch on a few other points in a moment. What I do want to strongly point out is that one way or another external theft must be a focus for shortage reduction even if it is through deterrence and Checkpoint hard tags are one way a store can stop shoplifting.
By protecting merchandise with electronic article surveillance (EAS) retail anti-theft devices such as Checkpoint Hard Tags, criminals are confronted with two problems. First, the tags themselves are placed in a visible location so there is no question the merchandise is going to sound an alarm at the doors when EAS pedestals pick up the radio frequency wave emitted by the tags. The alarm is going to tip off nearby employees a theft attempt is taking place. Staff will see who the shoplifter is and they also have a chance to conduct a receipt check and recover merchandise. The second problem the criminal has is how secure the tags are on a garment or other merchandise. Attempts to pry or force Checkpoint Hard Tags off of most items will result in damaged product. This is not what the shoplifter is bargaining for when they come in to steal. Clearly deterrence and detection properties of these retail anti-theft devices can stop shoplifting and send the bad guys to another store to commit their crimes.
One of the arguments the writer makes is that too many resources are focused on trying to stop shoplifting which he says is only causing 24% of shrink and not enough on the other causes, be they operational or internal theft related. The article also discusses the dangers associated with confronting a shoplifter, especially if the Loss Prevention Agent is by him or herself. I agree that operational shortage should be a component of the Loss Prevention department but I don’t believe it should be a major focus point. I believe it is incumbent on the store management team to understand and address operational shortage. I saw a period in my LP Management career where the company I worked for did shift the focus more towards operational involvement for a time. We were even looking at department productivity opportunities, were best practices being followed? We were to become more knowledgeable on the backroom and product return and check-in procedures. I didn’t balk at having to learn more, I balked at the idea the store was paying a stockroom/freight manager a lot of money to run the department, why not make THAT person ensure best practiced were followed?
In part 2 of this article I will continue with my thoughts on the topic of whether we should stop shoplifting by focusing efforts on external theft or re-think the role of Loss Prevention in the stores. Regardless of which side of the argument you find yourself after reading about all points of view, one thing that cannot be argued is that Checkpoint Hard Tags are an effective tool in the fight to keep shortage low.
Get more information on Checkpoint Hard Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
To stop or not stop shoplifters is a question that has been asked even before I started working in Loss Prevention nearly 27 years ago. It popped up again when I was reading an article in LP INSIDER magazine, “To Stop or Not to Stop the Shoplifter: Is This Still a Question?” by Johnny Custer, LPC, CPI, March 14, 2017. I found some points I agreed with and others points I found myself shaking my head in disagreement over. The one side of the argument is that catching shoplifters reduces shortage and the writer of the article notes that this was the focus of shortage reduction when Loss Prevention departments were created. The writer goes on to pose the question, “Does shoplifting have the kind of impact on shrink that we once thought?” A few lines later he references a 2012 report that indicates shoplifting accounts for approximately 24% of annual shrink. Well, my rebuttal to that statistic at least is that according to the 2014-2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer Report, shoplifting in North America accounted for approximately 36% of retail shrinkage. The report compares that number to the prior year which placed shrinkage due to shoplifting at 37% (pg. 53). It does not seem realistic that shortage from shoplifting jumped 13% in two years so someone’s numbers are off. My stance is that shoplifting does have a significant part to play in retail shortage and it must be addressed. I will touch on a few other points in a moment. What I do want to strongly point out is that one way or another external theft must be a focus for shortage reduction even if it is through deterrence and Checkpoint hard tags are one way a store can stop shoplifting.
By protecting merchandise with electronic article surveillance (EAS) retail anti-theft devices such as Checkpoint Hard Tags, criminals are confronted with two problems. First, the tags themselves are placed in a visible location so there is no question the merchandise is going to sound an alarm at the doors when EAS pedestals pick up the radio frequency wave emitted by the tags. The alarm is going to tip off nearby employees a theft attempt is taking place. Staff will see who the shoplifter is and they also have a chance to conduct a receipt check and recover merchandise. The second problem the criminal has is how secure the tags are on a garment or other merchandise. Attempts to pry or force Checkpoint Hard Tags off of most items will result in damaged product. This is not what the shoplifter is bargaining for when they come in to steal. Clearly deterrence and detection properties of these retail anti-theft devices can stop shoplifting and send the bad guys to another store to commit their crimes.
One of the arguments the writer makes is that too many resources are focused on trying to stop shoplifting which he says is only causing 24% of shrink and not enough on the other causes, be they operational or internal theft related. The article also discusses the dangers associated with confronting a shoplifter, especially if the Loss Prevention Agent is by him or herself. I agree that operational shortage should be a component of the Loss Prevention department but I don’t believe it should be a major focus point. I believe it is incumbent on the store management team to understand and address operational shortage. I saw a period in my LP Management career where the company I worked for did shift the focus more towards operational involvement for a time. We were even looking at department productivity opportunities, were best practices being followed? We were to become more knowledgeable on the backroom and product return and check-in procedures. I didn’t balk at having to learn more, I balked at the idea the store was paying a stockroom/freight manager a lot of money to run the department, why not make THAT person ensure best practiced were followed?
In part 2 of this article I will continue with my thoughts on the topic of whether we should stop shoplifting by focusing efforts on external theft or re-think the role of Loss Prevention in the stores. Regardless of which side of the argument you find yourself after reading about all points of view, one thing that cannot be argued is that Checkpoint Hard Tags are an effective tool in the fight to keep shortage low.
Get more information on Checkpoint Hard Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Alpha Security-5 WC Blog 325
Prevent Shoplifting-4
Retail Anti-Theft Devices-3
Risk Or Reward; Shoplifters Avoid Shoplifting When They See Alpha Security Products
I started out this article with the intent of writing about the problem of Organized Retail Crime and how to deter them from stealing razor blades and other pegged merchandise that tend to be high theft. That was my intent. In preparation for my posting, I came across an interesting article from the University of Florida, UF News, “The Science of Stealing”, by Alisson Clark, February 16, 2016. In the article they discuss shoplifter behaviors and how to prevent shoplifting. The co-director of the Loss Prevention Research Team, Read Hayes, points out that there are three ways to stop theft; “One way is to make stealing an item too difficult. If you’ve bought razor blades and had to twist a knob to extract them from a plastic tube, you’ve experienced this approach firsthand. Another tactic is to make stealing too risky, perhaps sending a signal when an item is removed from the shelf or package. It could be a loud noise or even a photo that goes to store staff. The third type of deterrent renders items useless or undesirable – think of those tags designed splatter ink on stolen clothing.” (sic). I agree with Mr. Hayes on the tactic of making theft risky and I immediately thought of Alpha Security retail anti-theft devices. Retailers have to make the risk of theft outweigh any benefit a criminal sees in trying to steal.
What is it about the article that caused me to think of Alpha Security products? Alpha’s products come in 2 and 3 alarm styles. The 2 alarm style emits a loud noise, as described by Mr. Hayes, when the device is tampered with by a thief. They are also built with radio frequency (rf) technology that can be picked up by electronic article surveillance (EAS) towers and activate those alarms. Most people have at least heard this loud beeping sound at the front doors of a store at one time or another. 3 alarm models have the added benefit of an alarm in the tag that activates if a criminal gets out the door so the crook doesn’t “blend” into the crowd. Where they go, the alarm follows. When it comes to clothing, if an Alpha Security hard tag is forcibly removed from a garment it is going to damage the item it is attached to. In some form or fashion the tag is going to tear or rip a hole in the merchandise, rendering it useless to the perpetrator.
Another point in the article I agreed with was that Mr. Hayes states that none of the three options are effective to prevent shoplifting if the criminal, ”… doesn’t understand what they are.” The writer says Mr. Hayes has a “… theory of See-Get-Fear”. “Criminals have to first see the deterrent, understand what it does, and fear that it will work well enough to land them in jail.” No argument from me. I would point out that some in Loss Prevention feel that tags should be hidden rather than out in the open. I would say hiding a second retail anti-theft device on an item to prevent shoplifting is appropriate in some instances, but not all. I used to hide a second soft label inside a leather coat pocket or an expensive handbag. This was always an exception. I believe the deterrent value of the tag is first in its visibility to shoppers. I also think that there is deterrent value in EAS pedestals at the entrances to stores. Would-be shoplifters immediately see there are security protections in place as soon as they walk in the store.
The only argument I had to the article was towards the end when the writer states, “Deterrents like this don’t just make buying razor blades a little more painful. They also help slow the billions lost to theft and fraud each year…” referring to two razor blade displays that were tested in a contest by twenty criminals to see which was the most difficult to defeat. Locking cases, or “twist/turn/lift” displays may impede shoplifters more than some other retail anti-theft devices but they also have a negative impact on sales. Customers don’t want to fight a display case or wait on help to get a product. They tend to get turned off and not make the purchase or leave. Alpha Security devices give the deterrent protection Mr. Hayes referred to while allowing freedom of shopping for the consumer.
Prevent shoplifting of razor blades and other high theft products by Organized Retail Crime groups and other thieves. Alpha Security products can deter theft and improve profitability for your store.
Get more information on Alpha Security, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
I started out this article with the intent of writing about the problem of Organized Retail Crime and how to deter them from stealing razor blades and other pegged merchandise that tend to be high theft. That was my intent. In preparation for my posting, I came across an interesting article from the University of Florida, UF News, “The Science of Stealing”, by Alisson Clark, February 16, 2016. In the article they discuss shoplifter behaviors and how to prevent shoplifting. The co-director of the Loss Prevention Research Team, Read Hayes, points out that there are three ways to stop theft; “One way is to make stealing an item too difficult. If you’ve bought razor blades and had to twist a knob to extract them from a plastic tube, you’ve experienced this approach firsthand. Another tactic is to make stealing too risky, perhaps sending a signal when an item is removed from the shelf or package. It could be a loud noise or even a photo that goes to store staff. The third type of deterrent renders items useless or undesirable – think of those tags designed splatter ink on stolen clothing.” (sic). I agree with Mr. Hayes on the tactic of making theft risky and I immediately thought of Alpha Security retail anti-theft devices. Retailers have to make the risk of theft outweigh any benefit a criminal sees in trying to steal.
What is it about the article that caused me to think of Alpha Security products? Alpha’s products come in 2 and 3 alarm styles. The 2 alarm style emits a loud noise, as described by Mr. Hayes, when the device is tampered with by a thief. They are also built with radio frequency (rf) technology that can be picked up by electronic article surveillance (EAS) towers and activate those alarms. Most people have at least heard this loud beeping sound at the front doors of a store at one time or another. 3 alarm models have the added benefit of an alarm in the tag that activates if a criminal gets out the door so the crook doesn’t “blend” into the crowd. Where they go, the alarm follows. When it comes to clothing, if an Alpha Security hard tag is forcibly removed from a garment it is going to damage the item it is attached to. In some form or fashion the tag is going to tear or rip a hole in the merchandise, rendering it useless to the perpetrator.
Another point in the article I agreed with was that Mr. Hayes states that none of the three options are effective to prevent shoplifting if the criminal, ”… doesn’t understand what they are.” The writer says Mr. Hayes has a “… theory of See-Get-Fear”. “Criminals have to first see the deterrent, understand what it does, and fear that it will work well enough to land them in jail.” No argument from me. I would point out that some in Loss Prevention feel that tags should be hidden rather than out in the open. I would say hiding a second retail anti-theft device on an item to prevent shoplifting is appropriate in some instances, but not all. I used to hide a second soft label inside a leather coat pocket or an expensive handbag. This was always an exception. I believe the deterrent value of the tag is first in its visibility to shoppers. I also think that there is deterrent value in EAS pedestals at the entrances to stores. Would-be shoplifters immediately see there are security protections in place as soon as they walk in the store.
The only argument I had to the article was towards the end when the writer states, “Deterrents like this don’t just make buying razor blades a little more painful. They also help slow the billions lost to theft and fraud each year…” referring to two razor blade displays that were tested in a contest by twenty criminals to see which was the most difficult to defeat. Locking cases, or “twist/turn/lift” displays may impede shoplifters more than some other retail anti-theft devices but they also have a negative impact on sales. Customers don’t want to fight a display case or wait on help to get a product. They tend to get turned off and not make the purchase or leave. Alpha Security devices give the deterrent protection Mr. Hayes referred to while allowing freedom of shopping for the consumer.
Prevent shoplifting of razor blades and other high theft products by Organized Retail Crime groups and other thieves. Alpha Security products can deter theft and improve profitability for your store.
Get more information on Alpha Security, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Retail theft prevention-3 WC Blog 321
Checkpoint Security System-3
Stop shoplifting-3
A Checkpoint Security System May Be Able To Prevent A Store From Closing
I have been monitoring recent news stories on retailers which are closing doors on many of their stores. The most recent headliner is J.C. Penney announcing a closing of 138 stores. According to a report on CNBC.com, the CEO, Marvin Ellison stated, “We believe closing stores will allow us to adjust our business to effectively compete against the growing threat of online retailers.” In a Jan. 5, 2017 report on money.cnn.com, by Paul R. La Monica, the site reported the closing of 109 K Mart stores and 41 Sears Outlets. “Sears CEO Eddie Lampert said in a statement that the company was “taking strong, decisive actions…to stabilize the company and improve our financial flexibility in what remains a challenging retail environment.” Both stories referenced the challenge posed by online retailers, especially noting Amazon. Kohl’s and Macey’s are two other major stores that have recently announced the closing of significant numbers of stores. When I began researching information on the causes of retailers closing their doors I was surprised at the lack of finger pointing at merchandise shortage or mentioning the need to stop shoplifting or prevent employee theft. The closest I could find was in a CNBC article which cited as one of 11 common reasons small businesses fail is due to “disgruntled employees”. The article references a 2013 Gallup Poll, “70 percent of American workers are either not engaged at work, or are actively disengaged to the point of trying to subvert the work of colleagues.” http://www.cnbc.com/2014/07/30/11-all-too-common-reasons-small-businesses-fail.html?slide=12 I would like to suggest that what all the articles I reviewed fail to recognize is the impact that theft has on business closings. If retail theft prevention is not a part of a business plan, there is a good chance a store will not be able to remain profitable.
The impact of retail theft prevention cannot be underestimated. According to the 2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer Shrinkage among U.S retailers was 36.79 billion dollars (2015 GRTB pg. 50). Broken down, 45% of this shortage was due to dishonest employee theft and 36% due to shoplifting (2015 GRTB pg. 53). According to the same report, many retailers had decreased spending on Retail Loss Prevention and shortage increased. The use of a Checkpoint security system including the pedestals, labels and tags and deactivation tools can improve shortage results and profitability for stores. Unfortunately, many stores that already have systems sometimes choose to reduce the number of sku’s to protect or increase the price points of the items they will tag in an effort to reduce cost. The idea behind this is to purchase fewer labels or spend less on hard tags. The unexpected consequences are increased shortage.
I pointed out that most of the analysis I am reading on store closings seems to blame online retailers and also closing less profitable stores to focus on those that are succeeding. But I would like to point out an article specifically on JC Penney and electronic article surveillance from Dec 3, 2013, from scdigest.com, “RFID News: JC Penney’s Sudden Retreat from RFID Led to Rash of Store Thefts”. The SCDigest editorial staff writes, “…the struggling department store chain said last week that a botched transition to RFID over traditional Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) technology allowed thieves to run relatively wild in Q3 and probably earlier.” They continue, “With sales of $2.78 billion in the quarter, the percentage drop in margin cost Penney about $28 million in lost profits…”. http://www.scdigest.com/ontarget/13-12-03-1.php?cid=7637&ctype=content I am not familiar with the EAS system JC Penney’s used and I would emphasize I am not suggesting a Checkpoint security system would save the stores that are on the chopping block. What I am willing to say is the article does seem to support my point that anti-shoplifting measures do stop shoplifting as well as internal theft and thereby saves businesses significant amounts of money.
Retail theft prevention using a Checkpoint security system can stop shoplifting and reduce internal crime in your store. Merchandise theft cannot be sustained for long without causing significant impact to the profit line of the store. Install a Checkpoint system and see how much you can improve your bottom line.
Get more information on a Checkpoint security system, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
I have been monitoring recent news stories on retailers which are closing doors on many of their stores. The most recent headliner is J.C. Penney announcing a closing of 138 stores. According to a report on CNBC.com, the CEO, Marvin Ellison stated, “We believe closing stores will allow us to adjust our business to effectively compete against the growing threat of online retailers.” In a Jan. 5, 2017 report on money.cnn.com, by Paul R. La Monica, the site reported the closing of 109 K Mart stores and 41 Sears Outlets. “Sears CEO Eddie Lampert said in a statement that the company was “taking strong, decisive actions…to stabilize the company and improve our financial flexibility in what remains a challenging retail environment.” Both stories referenced the challenge posed by online retailers, especially noting Amazon. Kohl’s and Macey’s are two other major stores that have recently announced the closing of significant numbers of stores. When I began researching information on the causes of retailers closing their doors I was surprised at the lack of finger pointing at merchandise shortage or mentioning the need to stop shoplifting or prevent employee theft. The closest I could find was in a CNBC article which cited as one of 11 common reasons small businesses fail is due to “disgruntled employees”. The article references a 2013 Gallup Poll, “70 percent of American workers are either not engaged at work, or are actively disengaged to the point of trying to subvert the work of colleagues.” http://www.cnbc.com/2014/07/30/11-all-too-common-reasons-small-businesses-fail.html?slide=12 I would like to suggest that what all the articles I reviewed fail to recognize is the impact that theft has on business closings. If retail theft prevention is not a part of a business plan, there is a good chance a store will not be able to remain profitable.
The impact of retail theft prevention cannot be underestimated. According to the 2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer Shrinkage among U.S retailers was 36.79 billion dollars (2015 GRTB pg. 50). Broken down, 45% of this shortage was due to dishonest employee theft and 36% due to shoplifting (2015 GRTB pg. 53). According to the same report, many retailers had decreased spending on Retail Loss Prevention and shortage increased. The use of a Checkpoint security system including the pedestals, labels and tags and deactivation tools can improve shortage results and profitability for stores. Unfortunately, many stores that already have systems sometimes choose to reduce the number of sku’s to protect or increase the price points of the items they will tag in an effort to reduce cost. The idea behind this is to purchase fewer labels or spend less on hard tags. The unexpected consequences are increased shortage.
I pointed out that most of the analysis I am reading on store closings seems to blame online retailers and also closing less profitable stores to focus on those that are succeeding. But I would like to point out an article specifically on JC Penney and electronic article surveillance from Dec 3, 2013, from scdigest.com, “RFID News: JC Penney’s Sudden Retreat from RFID Led to Rash of Store Thefts”. The SCDigest editorial staff writes, “…the struggling department store chain said last week that a botched transition to RFID over traditional Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) technology allowed thieves to run relatively wild in Q3 and probably earlier.” They continue, “With sales of $2.78 billion in the quarter, the percentage drop in margin cost Penney about $28 million in lost profits…”. http://www.scdigest.com/ontarget/13-12-03-1.php?cid=7637&ctype=content I am not familiar with the EAS system JC Penney’s used and I would emphasize I am not suggesting a Checkpoint security system would save the stores that are on the chopping block. What I am willing to say is the article does seem to support my point that anti-shoplifting measures do stop shoplifting as well as internal theft and thereby saves businesses significant amounts of money.
Retail theft prevention using a Checkpoint security system can stop shoplifting and reduce internal crime in your store. Merchandise theft cannot be sustained for long without causing significant impact to the profit line of the store. Install a Checkpoint system and see how much you can improve your bottom line.
Get more information on a Checkpoint security system, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Prevent Shoplifting-3 WC Blog 252
Retail anti-theft devices-4
Protect CDs-3
Alpha Keeper-5
How Alpha Keepers Could Have Prevented Compact Disc Chaos And A Shoplifter’s Tell-Tale Trail Of Evidence
I have had odd experiences during my years as a Loss Prevention Manager, but one that sticks out clearly in my mind was a shoplifter who decided to steal a couple of compact discs from the store. At that time we used retail anti-theft devices to prevent shoplifting, but these were only plastic sleeves that surrounded the outside of the CD. The protection was not all that great but it was the best we had at the time. In this particular case, the better option would have been to use Alpha Keepers to protect CDs if we had them, unfortunately we did not and I will detail the reason why it would have been desirable shortly.
What are Alpha Keepers and how can they protect CDs? A Keeper is basically a heavy duty, clear box with a locking lid. The box has built in electronic article surveillance (EAS) protection that emits a radio frequency signal that activates an EAS antenna alarm if bought into the detection field of the antenna. When that happens the antenna activates audible and visual alarms, usually flashing LED lights and a piercing, noisy alert that lets employees respond to the activation. Alpha Keepers also have a built in tamper alarm that sounds when someone attempts to open the box without the proper detachment key. The great thing about these Keepers is they are see-through so a customer can see the information on the CD they are interested in without having to request an associate to take it out of a showcase. They prevent shoplifting because the criminal can’t get to the merchandise without activating an alarm at some point. As far as retail anti-theft devices go, they are superb because they allow a merchant to display merchandise that customers can pick up, look at, carry and purchase when they are ready. There is no additional help needed for unlocking displays or lock up cases, all removal of merchandise takes place at the point of sale.
Not having access to these cases led to my adventure with the shoplifter I was telling you about. The shoplifter had been working on stealing for a few minutes before I got on his trail. I was walking through the store and noticed some drops of blood on the tile floor. I started following the trail and came to the household section where we sold kitchen knives. I tracked the blood further and went through a number of departments looking for the source. When I got to our bath section, I found that there was an increased amount of blood and then I noticed some of our towels were bloody and part of a cut plastic CD sleeve. It didn’t take long to hear my would-be criminal muttering a few aisles away. I located the thief and began observing him from an endcap. Sure enough, he pulled out something that appeared to be a kitchen knife and continued to try cutting away at that retail anti-theft device to get to the merchandise. I had to give him credit, he wouldn’t give up. My concern turned to my safety as well as the suspect’s safety (and the fact he was bleeding all over our store and towels). I wasn’t eager to stop someone with a knife, on the other hand the more I watched the suspect the more I could tell he was intoxicated and could potentially hurt himself seriously. Fortunately the suspect got the one CD out of the anti-theft device and concealed it and put the knife on the shelf with the other CD and then walked to the front of the store where I was able to apprehend him.
I tell this story because I know how well Alpha Keepers work and how they can protect CD’s and prevent shoplifting. I have seen alternative retail anti-theft devices that were not as effective and I am convinced that any retailer that invests in Keepers will decrease the theft in this department dramatically and significantly improve profits. When merchandise isn’t stolen, it is available for the honest customers to buy. Check out Alpha Keepers and see how they can help your store immediately.
Need information on Alpha Keepers? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
I have had odd experiences during my years as a Loss Prevention Manager, but one that sticks out clearly in my mind was a shoplifter who decided to steal a couple of compact discs from the store. At that time we used retail anti-theft devices to prevent shoplifting, but these were only plastic sleeves that surrounded the outside of the CD. The protection was not all that great but it was the best we had at the time. In this particular case, the better option would have been to use Alpha Keepers to protect CDs if we had them, unfortunately we did not and I will detail the reason why it would have been desirable shortly.
What are Alpha Keepers and how can they protect CDs? A Keeper is basically a heavy duty, clear box with a locking lid. The box has built in electronic article surveillance (EAS) protection that emits a radio frequency signal that activates an EAS antenna alarm if bought into the detection field of the antenna. When that happens the antenna activates audible and visual alarms, usually flashing LED lights and a piercing, noisy alert that lets employees respond to the activation. Alpha Keepers also have a built in tamper alarm that sounds when someone attempts to open the box without the proper detachment key. The great thing about these Keepers is they are see-through so a customer can see the information on the CD they are interested in without having to request an associate to take it out of a showcase. They prevent shoplifting because the criminal can’t get to the merchandise without activating an alarm at some point. As far as retail anti-theft devices go, they are superb because they allow a merchant to display merchandise that customers can pick up, look at, carry and purchase when they are ready. There is no additional help needed for unlocking displays or lock up cases, all removal of merchandise takes place at the point of sale.
Not having access to these cases led to my adventure with the shoplifter I was telling you about. The shoplifter had been working on stealing for a few minutes before I got on his trail. I was walking through the store and noticed some drops of blood on the tile floor. I started following the trail and came to the household section where we sold kitchen knives. I tracked the blood further and went through a number of departments looking for the source. When I got to our bath section, I found that there was an increased amount of blood and then I noticed some of our towels were bloody and part of a cut plastic CD sleeve. It didn’t take long to hear my would-be criminal muttering a few aisles away. I located the thief and began observing him from an endcap. Sure enough, he pulled out something that appeared to be a kitchen knife and continued to try cutting away at that retail anti-theft device to get to the merchandise. I had to give him credit, he wouldn’t give up. My concern turned to my safety as well as the suspect’s safety (and the fact he was bleeding all over our store and towels). I wasn’t eager to stop someone with a knife, on the other hand the more I watched the suspect the more I could tell he was intoxicated and could potentially hurt himself seriously. Fortunately the suspect got the one CD out of the anti-theft device and concealed it and put the knife on the shelf with the other CD and then walked to the front of the store where I was able to apprehend him.
I tell this story because I know how well Alpha Keepers work and how they can protect CD’s and prevent shoplifting. I have seen alternative retail anti-theft devices that were not as effective and I am convinced that any retailer that invests in Keepers will decrease the theft in this department dramatically and significantly improve profits. When merchandise isn’t stolen, it is available for the honest customers to buy. Check out Alpha Keepers and see how they can help your store immediately.
Need information on Alpha Keepers? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
