Just another Monday at my store. I get in and get settled, then make my rounds of the store. I like to speak with all of my employees for a minute or so, every day. I’m also walking for opportunities to improve the store’s presentation, and of course, indicators of theft. This usually takes about an hour, so by the time I’m done, the store manager is calling everyone up front for the morning sales meeting. As the LP manager, I’ll also address the store team on trends we’re seeing with external theft and ways they can help the store prevent shoplifting. I use this time to acknowledge a sales associate who may have assisted in a shoplifting case, or some other type of positive reinforcement. I find this really motivates them to make shoplifting awareness a part of their day. I have 3 LP agents on my team. The store has 100 team members. 100 people can be in more places at once than 3.
As our meeting drew to a close and we were readying the doors for business, one of the store team members told me that she had found a defeated spider wrap near the boiling pots. She handed me the device and it was clear that it had been snipped off of whatever product it was supposed to secure. I thanked our employee for bringing it to my attention and went try to determine what happened. Thankfully, the area in which the tag was discovered was covered by a few CCTV cameras. I found where our employee discovered the anti-theft device and went backwards from there.
Even though I work for a rather large company, seeing a large theft that got away always makes me sick. I still get that feeling in the pit of my stomach, even though I’m not personally at a loss. I could only imagine how someone who owns their own store feels when the same thing happens to them. Recently, the store received a new fixture for GPS units. It was a secured cabinet with an area for display. The product, which was also secured with a Spider Wrap was behind a showcase under lock and key. The problem was that an employee was unfamiliar with the system. He sold a legitimate customer a unit and incorrectly set the locking device, leaving the showcase completely unsecured.
Thieves are often criminals of opportunity. If they see a chance, they will take it. This guy saw that my case was unlocked and completely emptied it out during a busy Saturday. I watched the CCTV in disgust as he took approximately $4500 in GPS units to a secluded section of the store, removed the anti-theft devices and placed them into a boiling pot, which he then brought up to the front of the store and paid for. There were employees all around, but no one paid any mind. I thought about what we could have done better and that’s when I realized that we had purchased the 2 alarm version of the tags. If we would have gone with the 3 alarm, those tags would have made an audible alert when they were compromised, alerting store personnel. That small difference could have meant the difference between that loss and a great recovery.
Just another Monday at my store. I get in and get settled, then make my rounds of the store. I like to speak with all of my employees for a minute or so, every day. I’m also walking for opportunities to improve the store’s presentation, and of course, indicators of theft. This usually takes about an hour, so by the time I’m done, the store manager is calling everyone up front for the morning sales meeting. As the LP manager, I’ll also address the store team on trends we’re seeing with external theft and ways they can help the store prevent shoplifting. I use this time to acknowledge a sales associate who may have assisted in a shoplifting case, or some other type of positive reinforcement. I find this really motivates them to make shoplifting awareness a part of their day. I have three LP agents on my team. The store has 100 team members. One hundred people can be in more places at once than three.
As our meeting drew to a close and we were readying the doors for business, one of the store team members told me that she had found a defeated Spider Wrap near the boiling pots. She handed me the device and it was clear that it had been snipped off of whatever product it was supposed to secure. I thanked our employee for bringing it to my attention and went to try to determine what happened. Thankfully, the area in which the tag was discovered was covered by a few CCTV cameras. I found where our employee discovered the anti-theft device and went backwards from there.
Even though I work for a rather large company, seeing a large theft that got away always makes me sick. I still get that feeling in the pit of my stomach, even though I’m not personally at a loss. I could only imagine how someone who owns their own store feels when the same thing happens to them. Recently, the store received a new fixture for GPS units. It was a secured cabinet with an area for display. The product, which was also secured with a Alpha Spider Wrap was behind a showcase under lock and key. The problem was that an employee was unfamiliar with the system. He sold a legitimate customer a unit and incorrectly set the locking device, leaving the showcase completely unsecured.
Thieves are often criminals of opportunity. If they see a chance, they will take it. This guy saw that my case was unlocked and completely emptied it out during a busy Saturday. I watched the CCTV in disgust as he took approximately $4500 in GPS units to a secluded section of the store, removed the anti-theft devices and placed them into a boiling pot, which he then brought up to the front of the store and paid for. There were employees all around, but no one paid any mind. I thought about what we could have done better and that’s when I realized that we had purchased the Alpha 2 Alarm version of the tags. If we would have gone with the Alpha 3 Alarm, those tags would have made an audible alert when they were compromised, alerting store personnel. That small difference could have meant the difference between that loss and a great recovery.
For more information contact us at losspreventionsystems.com or call 1.770.426.0547
Why is Clothing Security, or lack there of, such a hot topic? There are several current running stories in the news that can explain that subject in great detail. Business owners and managers that do not take the initiative to protect their inventory could be setting themselves up for major losses. Cameras can record all day long, and staff can walk the floor and monitor shoppers, but creative thieves and professional shoplifting groups will find ways to get what they want.
Investing in product protection tools can pay your business back. There are many options to choose from so you and your staff can decide what works best in your particular market. If your target shoppers are teenagers, middle age contemporary, sports oriented, or even formal wear there is a tag made for your merchandise. Hard tags and soft tags alike come in many different colors, shapes, and sizes. They can be pinned on, sewn in, stuck on or even attached via lanyard. Let’s take a closer look at some of them. Hard tags that are attached to the outer layers and are meant to be in visible locations. They are almost impossible to remove without the proper tools, or there could be damage to the item if an attempt is made. They are completely reusable, and do not require much storage space. Soft tags, on the other hand, are generally put on the price tag or even sewn into a hidden pocket of the article. They are meant to be a hidden deterrent. The customer knows the store has product protection in place, likely indicated by the Checkpoint pedestals located at the entrances, but they do not know for sure which items or where the tag may be located. If you sell delicate items there is also the option of attaching the hard tags with a lanyard. The cables are virtually indestructible, and are also completely reusable.
What happens when there is no Clothing Security being used? Well, there is the group of professional shoplifters caught recently and charged with 68 counts of felony theft based on the $150,000 worth of stolen high end fashions they were found in possession of. Each person in the group had a specific duty to perform, from distracting staff to blocking camera views to the actual concealment and theft of the clothing items. Everything was being sold for pure profits at local flea markets and online sales sites. Another group of just 2 people had over $80,000 worth of clothing in a home specially rented just to store the stolen items. When they were arrested they had $10,000 worth of stolen clothing in the car with them. The stories were the same for both groups. Find out what the store used for Clothing Security and if it could be defeated, hit those businesses over and over.
This type of repeated activity can close a business down. You pay for your inventory and it should be on your shelves and available to your honest cash paying customers. If it is going out the door unpaid, you lose those valuable items along with any profit you would have made. That is not a viable business model.
See what Clothing Security measures you could use to keep your inventory safe.
For more information contact us: 1.770.426.0547 or Clothingsecurity.net
Why is Clothing Security, or lack there of, such a hot topic? There are several current running stories in the news that can explain that subject in great detail. Business owners and managers that do not take the initiative to protect their inventory could be setting themselves up for major losses. Cameras can record all day long, and staff can walk the floor and monitor shoppers, but creative thieves and professional shoplifting groups will find ways to get what they want.
Investing in product protection tools can pay your business back. There are many options to choose from so you and your staff can decide what works best in your particular market. If your target shoppers are teenagers, middle age contemporary, sports oriented, or even formal wear there is a tag made for your merchandise. Hard tags and soft tags alike come in many different colors, shapes, and sizes. They can be pinned on, sewn in, stuck on or even attached via lanyard. Let’s take a closer look at some of them. Hard tags that are attached to the outer layers and are meant to be in visible locations. They are almost impossible to remove without the proper tools, or there could be damage to the item if an attempt is made. They are completely reusable, and do not require much storage space. Soft tags, on the other hand, are generally put on the price tag or even sewn into a hidden pocket of the article. They are meant to be a hidden deterrent. The customer knows the store has product protection in place, likely indicated by the Checkpoint Pedestals (Electronic Article Surveillance) located at the entrances, but they do not know for sure which items or where the tag may be located. If you sell delicate items there is also the option of attaching the hard tags with a lanyard. The cables are virtually indestructible, and are also completely reusable.
What happens when there is no Clothing Security being used? Well, there is the group of professional shoplifters caught recently and charged with 68 counts of felony theft based on the $150,000 worth of stolen high end fashions they were found in possession of. Each person in the group had a specific duty to perform, from distracting staff to blocking camera views to the actual concealment and theft of the clothing items. Everything was being sold for pure profit at local flea markets and online sales sites. Another group of just 2 people had over $80,000 worth of clothing in a home specially rented just to store the stolen items. When they were arrested they had $10,000 worth of stolen clothing in the car with them. The stories were the same for both groups. Find out what the store used for Clothing Security and if it could be defeated, hit those businesses over and over.
This type of repeated activity can close a business down. You pay for your inventory and it should be on your shelves and available to your honest cash paying customers. If it is going out the door unpaid, you lose those valuable items along with any profit you would have made. That is not a viable business model.
See what Clothing Security measures you could use to keep your inventory safe.
For more information contact us: 1.770.426.0547 or Clothingsecurity.net
So you have finally grown tired of losing all of your merchandise to theft, and made the decision to protect your merchandise. Now what? Can you really stop shoplifting? How do you decide what to protect? How much will you need? What kind of devices will you need? Is it worth the investment? It may actually be a little overwhelming to try and come up with a plan to protect your merchandise. You probably won’t want to go crazy and just start throwing the tags all over everything you see, although Checkpoint Tags can be placed on virtually any product. They are a good place to start when formulating a plan, and have been the standard in the industry for years.
The tags work in conjunction with the EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance) antennas that you will want to place at the entrance and exit doors. There are several different kinds of tags, so you have some options. For example, most clothing would call for hard tags, which use a pin that attaches to the merchandise. When using tags for boxed items, you would probably want to go with a soft tag depending on what merchandise you are trying to protect. These tags are adhesive on one side, so all you have to do is stick them to the merchandise. All of the tags are effective tools when trying to stop shoplifting, but you can get creative and try different options to see what works best for your products.
In addition to being a great deterrent and setting off the door alarm upon exit, they are also good for putting another step between the shoplifter and the merchandise they are trying to steal. I have caught many shoplifters by hearing the crackling sound of the shoplifters trying to remove Checkpoint Tags before stealing the items. Some shoplifters also leave the tags on the shelf right where they take them off of the product, so if you find a tag, you could review video of that area and see if you get lucky enough to find the culprit and be ready for them the next time they come into the store. In my experience, this happens a lot in the cosmetics area. It’s not always theft though, but people wanting to try out the items before they buy them. They remove the tags from the product and then use the item, which causes you a loss either way, because you can’t sell the item after someone uses it. This has been a pet peeve of mine for years. I can’t stand when I see people open up the package of an item and damage the package, only to put that package back and select an identical item that is still in perfect shape to purchase.
If you want to stop shoplifting in your store, you will have to get your team on board to stay aware of customer activity, and offer assistance to anyone that is in their area. They also need to know how to use the tags and other security devices. You will have to put forth a little investment to get your system installed and started, but it is well worth it, and will pay off in the end. As far as the Checkpoint tags themselves, they are inexpensive, so you don’t have to worry about using them freely.
For more information contact us: (stop shoplifting) or call 1.770.426.0547
So you have finally grown tired of losing all of your merchandise to theft, and made the decision to protect your merchandise. Now what? Can you really stop shoplifting? How do you decide what to protect? How much will you need? What kind of devices will you need? Is it worth the investment? It may actually be a little overwhelming to try and come up with a plan to protect your merchandise. You probably won’t want to go crazy and just start throwing the tags all over everything you see, although Checkpoint Tags can be placed on virtually any product. They are a good place to start when formulating a plan, and have been the standard in the industry for years.
The tags work in conjunction with the EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance) antennas that you will want to place at the entrance and exit doors. There are several different kinds of tags, so you have some options. For example, most clothing would call for hard tags, which use a pin that attaches to the merchandise. When using tags for boxed items, you would probably want to go with a soft tag depending on what merchandise you are trying to protect. These tags are adhesive on one side, so all you have to do is stick them to the merchandise. All of the tags are effective tools when trying to stop shoplifting, but you can get creative and try different options to see what works best for your products.
In addition to being a great deterrent and setting off the door alarm upon exit, they are also good for putting another step between the shoplifter and the merchandise they are trying to steal. I have caught many shoplifters by hearing the crackling sound of the shoplifters trying to remove Checkpoint Tags before stealing the items. Some shoplifters also leave the tags on the shelf right where they take them off of the product, so if you find a tag, you could review video of that area and see if you get lucky enough to find the culprit and be ready for them the next time they come into the store. In my experience, this happens a lot in the cosmetics area. It’s not always theft though, but people wanting to try out the items before they buy them. They remove the tags from the product and then use the item, which causes you a loss either way, because you can’t sell the item after someone uses it. This has been a pet peeve of mine for years. I can’t stand when I see people open up the package of an item and damage the package, only to put that package back and select an identical item that is still in perfect shape to purchase.
If you want to stop shoplifting in your store, you will have to get your team on board to stay aware of customer activity, and offer assistance to anyone that is in their area. They also need to know how to use the tags and other security devices. You will have to put forth a little investment to get your system installed and started, but it is well worth it, and will pay off in the end. As far as the Checkpoint tags themselves, they are inexpensive, so you don’t have to worry about using them freely.
For more information contact us: (stop shoplifting) or call 1.770.426.0547
