We’re now in a new fiscal year, and what that means for most of us is that changes are coming. What it also means for me is that I have to hear that silly word, “fiscal” used over and over again. Usually at this time of the year, we are able to look back at the previous year’s data and analyze what we did right, and what we can improve upon. Whether you have a liquor store, or a larger store that carries only a small selection of alcoholic products, you may be scared to look, but it’s time to check out what losses occurred and what measures you took last year reduced your loss and increased your profit. This is your chance to see if the investments you made in bottle security products actually paid off.
Don’t get too overwhelmed by the mountains of data that you may have to read over and come up with new plans of action for different areas of the business. Start off with the top five or ten items and go from there, because if you make a huge list, your focus becomes more widespread and you are defeating the entire purpose of the process. Compare your sales from last year to sales from the previous year, then look at your shrink or loss from the same years to find out what percentage of loss you have compared to the sales. After that, list your top losses and see how the bottle locks or other merchandise protection devices you purchased affected your loss in the areas you used them on the products.
You may be surprised, or even excited by the numbers you see in front of you. The loss associated with the bottles you protected with bottle locks may have significantly been reduced. If this is the case, you can choose to keep that plan in place or even increase your bottle security measures on other lower cost items. It really just depends on what your numbers show you, and if you personally observed the devices at work throughout the year. On the other hand, if you look at the numbers and see that the theft has increased or stayed the same, you may want to check out other options like locking up some of the more expensive items in a locked showcase.
Although that may seem like a drastic measure, it will almost definitely stop theft of the items, while it still allows customers to see the merchandise displayed inside the glass case or cage. If this seems like too severe of a change for your situation, you can try to use different types of bottle locks. There are several different options available, so if you were using a certain type of device in the past, you may want to try an EASy bottle guard instead.
The fact is, you need to do whatever you can to stop your loss from growing if you plan on staying in business for years to come. If you’re not taking advantage of this opportunity to look at the data and make needed changes to your business, you’re missing out on valuable information that could save you tons of money. You’re just helping the shoplifters out and hurting yourself. It doesn’t take a lot of time to sit down and look at the numbers and see where improvements need to be implemented.
For more information contact us: (bottle security) or call 1.770.426.0547
We’re now in a new fiscal year, and what that means for most of us is that changes are coming. What it also means for me is that I have to hear that silly word, “fiscal” used over and over again. Usually at this time of the year, we are able to look back at the previous year’s data and analyze what we did right, and what we can improve upon. Whether you have a liquor store, or a larger store that carries only a small selection of alcoholic products, you may be scared to look, but it’s time to check out what losses occurred and what measures you took last year reduced your loss and increased your profit. This is your chance to see if the investments you made in bottle security products actually paid off.
Don’t get too overwhelmed by the mountains of data that you may have to read over and come up with new plans of action for different areas of the business. Start off with the top five or ten items and go from there, because if you make a huge list, your focus becomes more widespread and you are defeating the entire purpose of the process. Compare your sales from last year to sales from the previous year, then look at your shrink or loss from the same years to find out what percentage of loss you have compared to the sales. After that, list your top losses and see how the Bottle Locks or other merchandise protection devices you purchased affected your loss in the areas you used them on the products.
You may be surprised, or even excited by the numbers you see in front of you. The loss associated with the bottles you protected with Bottle Loks may have significantly been reduced. If this is the case, you can choose to keep that plan in place or even increase your bottle security measures on other lower cost items. It really just depends on what your numbers show you, and if you personally observed the devices at work throughout the year. On the other hand, if you look at the numbers and see that the theft has increased or stayed the same, you may want to check out other options like locking up some of the more expensive items in a locked showcase.
Although that may seem like a drastic measure, it will almost definitely stop theft of the items, while it still allows customers to see the merchandise displayed inside the glass case or cage. If this seems like too severe of a change for your situation, you can try to use different types of bottle locks. There are several different options available, so if you were using a certain type of device in the past, you may want to try an EASy bottle guard instead.
The fact is, you need to do whatever you can to stop your loss from growing if you plan on staying in business for years to come. If you’re not taking advantage of this opportunity to look at the data and make needed changes to your business, you’re missing out on valuable information that could save you tons of money. You’re just helping the shoplifters out and hurting yourself. It doesn’t take a lot of time to sit down and look at the numbers and see where improvements need to be implemented.
For more information contact us: Bottle Security or call 1.770.426.0547
Larger, multi-location companies have the advantage of being able to communicate between their different store locations to share shoplifter intelligence. With small businesses, it is a little more difficult because you either have one location, or your stores are not usually as geographically close together. This is where networking comes into play, and is an important tool for your business’s arsenal of anti-shoplifting measures. If you don’t have other nearby locations in your company, you need to reach out to other businesses, even if some of the other businesses are competitors. If shoplifters are stealing from your store, it is a safe bet that they are also targeting nearby businesses. Staying in touch with neighboring business is a must when trying to stop shoplifting in your community.
Why should you share intelligence with a competitor? Because in the war on shoplifting, we are on the same team. Small businesses need to stand together to make more of an effort to work together to stop shoplifting. If you communicate information about a specific shoplifter that has been affecting your store, and the shoplifter is apprehended at your competitor’s store, who wins? The answer is everyone, well except for the shoplifter, of course. The shoplifter is no longer affecting either one of your stores either way.
It’s a good idea to get together every so often and have a meeting with other businesses in the community. Also invite your local law enforcement agency, which will most likely send someone to attend and speak at the event. You would be surprised with the amount of information you will gain from these meetings. You will get a different perspective on what other businesses are doing in regard to anti-shoplifting strategies or devices they may be using. You may also realize that you share some of the same shoplifters. For example, if you have identified a thief that consistently steals from your store at around 3pm on Wednesdays, and then hits another business at around 4pm, you have developed a pattern. This is powerful information that can be used to catch the shoplifter. Even if you attempt to stop the thief at your store and they get away, you know the next place they may be heading, so this can be shared with the other store and law enforcement.
Keeping a good working relationship with area businesses is always beneficial, even if your contact at the other business moves on, they can pass your information on to their replacement and let them know how helpful you have been to them. Remember, the idea and common goal is retail theft prevention. You want to make as much of an impact on theft in your area as possible, so the more partners you have, the easier it will be to catch the shoplifters. On many occasions, I have had other retailers contact me and tell me that they just caught a shoplifter, and the thief also had merchandise from my store in their possession. In some of those cases, our store wasn’t even aware that a theft had occurred. If I wasn’t in contact with the other retailers, there is no telling what would have happened to the merchandise. Communication is key when trying to accomplish any goal, and trying to stop shoplifting in your community is a big goal, so why attempt to do it by yourself?
For more information contact us: (stop shoplifting) or call 1.770.426.0547
Larger, multi-location companies have the advantage of being able to communicate between their different store locations to share shoplifter intelligence. With small businesses, it is a little more difficult because you either have one location, or your stores are not usually as geographically close together. This is where networking comes into play, and is an important tool for your business’s arsenal of anti-shoplifting measures. If you don’t have other nearby locations in your company, you need to reach out to other businesses, even if some of the other businesses are competitors. If shoplifters are stealing from your store, it is a safe bet that they are also targeting nearby businesses. Staying in touch with neighboring business is a must when trying to stop shoplifting in your community.
Why should you share intelligence with a competitor? Because in the war on shoplifting, we are on the same team. Small businesses need to stand together to make more of an effort to work together to stop shoplifting. If you communicate information about a specific shoplifter that has been affecting your store, and the shoplifter is apprehended at your competitor’s store, who wins? The answer is everyone, well except for the shoplifter, of course. The shoplifter is no longer affecting either one of your stores either way.
It’s a good idea to get together every so often and have a meeting with other businesses in the community. Also invite your local law enforcement agency, which will most likely send someone to attend and speak at the event. You would be surprised with the amount of information you will gain from these meetings. You will get a different perspective on what other businesses are doing in regard to anti-shoplifting strategies or devices they may be using. You may also realize that you share some of the same shoplifters. For example, if you have identified a thief that consistently steals from your store at around 3pm on Wednesdays, and then hits another business at around 4pm, you have developed a pattern. This is powerful information that can be used to catch the shoplifter. Even if you attempt to stop the thief at your store and they get away, you know the next place they may be heading, so this can be shared with the other store and law enforcement.
Keeping a good working relationship with area businesses is always beneficial, even if your contact at the other business moves on, they can pass your information on to their replacement and let them know how helpful you have been to them. Remember, the idea and common goal is retail theft prevention. You want to make as much of an impact on theft in your area as possible, so the more partners you have, the easier it will be to catch the shoplifters. On many occasions, I have had other retailers contact me and tell me that they just caught a shoplifter, and the thief also had merchandise from my store in their possession. In some of those cases, our store wasn’t even aware that a theft had occurred. If I wasn’t in contact with the other retailers, there is no telling what would have happened to the merchandise. Communication is key when trying to accomplish any goal, and trying to stop shoplifting in your community is a big goal, so why attempt to do it by yourself?
For more information contact us: Stop Shoplifting or call 1.770.426.0547
You read an article on a shoplifting ring that has just stolen $10k worth of electronics from a store. Chances are, you don’t think twice. It’s common. Shoplifting happens every single day, so this is no different. The next day, maybe you see an article where a guy got busted at a local grocery store shoplifting steaks. Chances are, if you’re like me, it invoked a stronger reaction. More on the lines of “I can’t afford to eat steak every night and I HAVE a job!” You don’t have that new electronic device that was stolen yesterday, and yet you still go to work every morning. Why do we have such different reactions to someone stealing meat?
People spend a lot of money at the grocery store, and most folks visit them more often than any other type of retailer. Think about how many times you are in the supermarket every week. Probably more than twice. Since I travel so often, I don’t buy a lot of food at once. I’ll buy just enough to get me through a couple days so nothing spoils. So if I, the legitimate shopper am spending money daily, one could assume that shoplifters are in just as frequently. So on top of ever approaching expiration dates, thin margins, employee theft and a myriad of other sources of loss, I ask again, why is meat theft gaining so much attention? I think it has to everything to do with the perception of the shoplifter. Shoplifting can be a source of shame, and the shoplifter is most often cast in this light and is thus looked down upon; someone below the normal everyday man. So when a prime cut of meat (which is reserved for those who can afford it) is stolen, we think on some level how unfair it is for this person, who doesn’t deserve to eat this, to simply steal it. Why can’t they get a job and pay for that meat?
You are in business to make money. One way you accomplish this is by keeping your prices competitive. In today’s retail climate, customer’s want a bargain, so if they can get that same cut of ham down the road for $.25 less, chances are they will. One way to keep your prices low is to stop meat theft. Grocers nationwide are seeing this trend and it will no doubt grow unless you do something about it. People steal from the grocery store because they are seen as an easy target. Most family run shops lack even the most basic physical security controls and I’ve never run across an LP team at one, either. You have options, though.
First, if you’re not already reaping the benefits of a checkpoint system, I would encourage you to look into them. If you already have one, great. Checkpoint makes an entire line of labels specifically designed for consumable product, such as steak, cheese and other high end cuts. These give you the security you need to minimize shrink and the peace of mind knowing it is 100% safe for your customers. Meat theft will be, in my opinion, a very fast growing theft trend that will plague retailers that don’t take the appropriate steps to secure their inventory. In fact, I saw this first hand just a few days ago at my local grocer. That story and a little more can be found in part three of my series on Meat Theft.
For more information, contact us: Grocery Store Meat Theft, or call 1.770.426.0547
You read an article on a shoplifting ring that has just stolen $10k worth of electronics from a store. Chances are, you don’t think twice. It’s common. Shoplifting happens every single day, so this is no different. The next day, maybe you see an article where a guy got busted at a local grocery store shoplifting steaks. Chances are, if you’re like me, it invoked a stronger reaction. More on the lines of “I can’t afford to eat steak every night and I HAVE a job!” You don’t have that new electronic device that was stolen yesterday, and yet you still go to work every morning. Why do we have such different reactions to someone stealing meat?
People spend a lot of money at the grocery store, and most folks visit them more often than any other type of retailer. Think about how many times you are in the supermarket every week. Probably more than twice. Since I travel so often, I don’t buy a lot of food at once. I’ll buy just enough to get me through a couple days so nothing spoils. So if I, the legitimate shopper am spending money daily, one could assume that shoplifters are in just as frequently. So on top of ever approaching expiration dates, thin margins, employee theft and a myriad of other sources of loss, I ask again, why is shoplifting steaks gaining so much attention? I think it has everything to do with the perception of the shoplifter. Shoplifting can be a source of shame, and the shoplifter is most often cast in this light and is thus looked down upon; someone below the normal everyday man. So when a prime cut of meat (which is reserved for those who can afford it) is stolen, we think on some level how unfair it is for this person, who doesn’t deserve to eat this, to simply steal it. Why can’t they get a job and pay for that meat?
You are in business to make money. One way you accomplish this is by keeping your prices competitive. In today’s retail climate, customer’s want a bargain, so if they can get that same cut of ham down the road for $.25 less, chances are they will. One way to keep your prices low is to stop theives from shoplifting steaks. Grocers nationwide are seeing this trend and it will no doubt grow unless you do something about it. People steal from the grocery store because they are seen as an easy target. Most family run shops lack even the most basic physical security controls and I’ve never run across an LP team at one, either. You have options, though.
First, if you’re not already reaping the benefits of a Checkpoint System, I would encourage you to look into them. If you already have one, great. Checkpoint makes an entire line of labels specifically designed for consumable product, such as steak, cheese and other high end cuts. These give you the security you need to minimize shrink and the peace of mind knowing it is 100% safe for your customers. Meat theft will be, in my opinion, a very fast growing theft trend that will plague retailers that don’t take the appropriate steps to secure their inventory. In fact, I saw this first hand just a few days ago at my local grocer. That story and a little more can be found in part three of my series on Meat Theft.
For more information, contact us: Grocery Store Meat Theft, or call 1.770.426.0547
