Bug Tag-5 WC Blog 460
iPad Theft-3
iPads For Aiding Wounded Veterans In Recovery Should Be Protected from Theft With A Bug Tag And Electronic Article Surveillance Tower
As a veteran I have a special fondness for programs that assist and aid our wounded and disabled veteran warriors. Whether it is physical therapy that is needed, medical care or mental health related our soldiers deserve to receive any help necessary to get them as healthy and functional as possible. I was interested when I found information on a place called The Western Blind Rehabilitation Center (WBRC) on the website with a link to the 2016 WBRC annual review to the right side of the page https://www.paloalto.va.gov/services/wbrc/program.asp
The WBRC mission statement states: “The Western Blind Rehabilitation Center serves Veterans and Active Duty Service Members with vision impairment through a comprehensive evidence-based rehabilitation program that promotes independence and community reintegration…” From my reading of their 2016 FY assessment I was impressed by the programs they offer to veterans and their families that include among other things an iProgram designed to coach these visually impaired men and women on the use of iPhones and iPads. I noticed in one section of the report that they do provide Technology Security and Safety Tips which is a common sense measure. One concern I have about this or any other clinic or rehab center that uses iPads in their programs is the security of the devices to prevent iPad theft or tablet theft if they use Android devices. It is my desire to see these locations use a Bug Tag to prevent criminals from stealing such a valuable asset.
iPad theft is a very real problem for medical facilities. The devices are small enough to slip into a purse or a jacket pocket. There have been documented instances where thieves have removed devices mounted in hospital lounges for patron use and the devices have been stolen in spite of being in the open and under camera surveillance. At risk is the device and the cost it carries along with any potential client information that may be on a device. For public use devices people will log in to their Apple accounts or they sync up with their personal device and forget to log off. For those that are being used for a patient or client there is a good chance patient data is maintained in the device. It could be something that seems as innocuous as name, address or phone numbers or it could be HIPPA protected information that is stored in an iPad or computer tablet. Should a criminal get that information the patient is at risk and the facility faces possible fines and lawsuits from the Department of Health and Human Services. The good news is a Bug Tag can prevent such thefts from taking place. A Bug Tag uses electronic article surveillance (EAS) technology that can interact with EAS towers to initiate an alarm if a tagged device is carried near a door. An alarm elicits an immediate response from staff workers who can recover a device before it is removed from the building. This is the same type of technology that has been successfully employed for years by retailers to stop shoplifters.
Getting back to the WBRC report it I noted that they found “96% of iProgram participants reported increased levels of satisfaction in iPad or iPhone training and use. 97% of iProgram participants reported a decrease in perceived levels of difficulty in using the iPhone or iPad.” If these veterans are becoming more comfortable in the use of these mobile devices it can be a gateway to greater independence and “normalization” in their lives.
Another program that I have found that aids our wounded soldiers with iPads and computers is Soldier’s Angels. Their “Valor-IT” program provides voice controlled laptops that allow soldiers in V.A. Medical Centers to remain in contact with “the rest of the world while during recovery”. The other part of this program provides iPads and personal GPS devices to soldiers to “build self-confidence and independence by compensating for short-term memory loss and organizational challenges related to severe TBI and severe PTSD.” Because I would hate to see an iPad theft from a person who has sacrificed so selflessly for our nation. I would like to see the units protected with a Bug Tag.
Confidence gained from learning how to use new technologies and being able to become more independent is priceless for our injured veterans. We owe them our gratitude and a sense of security. Make sure that personal devices are protected with a Bug Tag and an EAS system so there is one less thing for them to be concerned about on their road to recovery.
Get more information on the Bug Tag, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
As a veteran I have a special fondness for programs that assist and aid our wounded and disabled veteran warriors. Whether it is physical therapy that is needed, medical care or mental health related our soldiers deserve to receive any help necessary to get them as healthy and functional as possible. I was interested when I found information on a place called The Western Blind Rehabilitation Center (WBRC) on the website with a link to the 2016 WBRC annual review to the right side of the page https://www.paloalto.va.gov/services/wbrc/program.asp
The WBRC mission statement states: “The Western Blind Rehabilitation Center serves Veterans and Active Duty Service Members with vision impairment through a comprehensive evidence-based rehabilitation program that promotes independence and community reintegration…” From my reading of their 2016 FY assessment I was impressed by the programs they offer to veterans and their families that include among other things an iProgram designed to coach these visually impaired men and women on the use of iPhones and iPads. I noticed in one section of the report that they do provide Technology Security and Safety Tips which is a common sense measure. One concern I have about this or any other clinic or rehab center that uses iPads in their programs is the security of the devices to prevent iPad theft or tablet theft if they use Android devices. It is my desire to see these locations use a Bug Tag to prevent criminals from stealing such a valuable asset.
iPad theft is a very real problem for medical facilities. The devices are small enough to slip into a purse or a jacket pocket. There have been documented instances where thieves have removed devices mounted in hospital lounges for patron use and the devices have been stolen in spite of being in the open and under camera surveillance. At risk is the device and the cost it carries along with any potential client information that may be on a device. For public use devices people will log in to their Apple accounts or they sync up with their personal device and forget to log off. For those that are being used for a patient or client there is a good chance patient data is maintained in the device. It could be something that seems as innocuous as name, address or phone numbers or it could be HIPPA protected information that is stored in an iPad or computer tablet. Should a criminal get that information the patient is at risk and the facility faces possible fines and lawsuits from the Department of Health and Human Services. The good news is a Bug Tag can prevent such thefts from taking place. A Bug Tag uses electronic article surveillance (EAS) technology that can interact with EAS towers to initiate an alarm if a tagged device is carried near a door. An alarm elicits an immediate response from staff workers who can recover a device before it is removed from the building. This is the same type of technology that has been successfully employed for years by retailers to stop shoplifters.
Getting back to the WBRC report it I noted that they found “96% of iProgram participants reported increased levels of satisfaction in iPad or iPhone training and use. 97% of iProgram participants reported a decrease in perceived levels of difficulty in using the iPhone or iPad.” If these veterans are becoming more comfortable in the use of these mobile devices it can be a gateway to greater independence and “normalization” in their lives.
Another program that I have found that aids our wounded soldiers with iPads and computers is Soldier’s Angels. Their “Valor-IT” program provides voice controlled laptops that allow soldiers in V.A. Medical Centers to remain in contact with “the rest of the world while during recovery”. The other part of this program provides iPads and personal GPS devices to soldiers to “build self-confidence and independence by compensating for short-term memory loss and organizational challenges related to severe TBI and severe PTSD.” Because I would hate to see an iPad theft from a person who has sacrificed so selflessly for our nation. I would like to see the units protected with a Bug Tag.
Confidence gained from learning how to use new technologies and being able to become more independent is priceless for our injured veterans. We owe them our gratitude and a sense of security. Make sure that personal devices are protected with a Bug Tag and an EAS system so there is one less thing for them to be concerned about on their road to recovery.
Get more information on the Bug Tag, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Retail Anti-Theft Devices- 3 WC Blog 413
Checkpoint Security Tags- 4
Double Trouble For Employees Trying To Bypass Retail Theft Prevention Devices Part 2
In Part 1 of this two-part series I reviewed my disdain for dishonest employees. They have no consideration for their employer. They have no respect for the person or business willing to hire them for a job and provide them an opportunity to earn a living. I’ve heard so many different excuses for theft that I became numb to them over the years. Since I feel so strongly about dishonest employees and especially those who go to the added trouble of trying to find ways to circumvent retail anti-theft devices like Checkpoint Security tags that I had a desire to be able to catch them a second time. I would also have been happy to help another Loss Prevention Manager catch them at another store after I was done with them. Of course, I also considered that it could have been fun to catch someone stealing at two different stores but that would require working for two different stores. Well, I did nearly run into this situation. I worked as a Loss Prevention Officer for a department store and we caught an employee for stealing who was taking a purse into the presentation office. This employee would look for tags on clothes and try to remove them. More on this story in a moment but it is important that I clarify what Checkpoint Security Tags are before I continue since there may be readers who are unfamiliar with them.
Checkpoint Security Tags are retail anti-theft tools used to prevent the theft of merchandise. They may come in a soft label that is adhered to merchandise, merchandise tags or labels. The security tags also come in hard versions that can be pinned to clothing, softlines merchandise, bedding and I have even seen them pinned through blister packages. Whether a soft tag or hard tag, all are designed to cause electronic article surveillance alarm towers to activate if someone tries to walk out without paying for merchandise. It makes no difference if the thief is an employee or a shoplifter, tags that have not been removed with a detachment key or detuned on a deactivation pad will set off the tower. Tower alarms summon a response from an employee who carefully follows procedures for determining the cause of the alarm. Regardless of who it is that has caused the alarm the same procedures apply. Therefore retail anti-theft devices can identify an internal thief.
In part 1 I told of an employee I prosecuted for stealing and several months later noticed him working in another store and the subsequent actions when he saw me. In the incident I was referring to above I had recently been hired as the Loss Prevention Manager of a store. It was a promotional opportunity from the store I had been working for as a Loss Prevention Associate. We went through several mass orientations for our new store opening. One of the associates seemed awfully familiar to me but I couldn’t put my finger on where I knew her from. I noticed she seemed to be watching me a lot. After several weeks, I saw her taking her purse into the signing room. THEN it dawned on me, I had assisted my boss in apprehending her for employee theft at my former store. Our Regional Loss Prevention Manager would not give the go-ahead for prosecution at that time so she only ended up being fired without going to court. At the department store she had been taking her purse into the signing and presentation office and looking for retail theft prevention devices and Checkpoint Security Tags on clothing. She would remove them if found, put the clothes in her purse and walk out. There was no reason for not pursuing a prosecution of the case except the Regional Loss Prevention Manager didn’t understand the laws of our state at the time concerning employee theft and would not defer to my boss. When it dawned on me that I finally realized where I recognized her from, she was following her old pattern, I guess I changed in my demeanor towards her changed. She abandoned her job in the new store. Not quite caught, but a great feeling of satisfaction for me that I believe I stopped her before she could start cleaning us out!
It isn’t often we get a shot at catching an employee twice for theft but I had two close calls. Regardless, I can honestly say that the use of Checkpoint Security Tags does deter theft, making it hard for employees to steal and they lower stock shortage.
Get more information on Checkpoint Security Tags contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today
In Part 1 of this two-part series I reviewed my disdain for dishonest employees. They have no consideration for their employer. They have no respect for the person or business willing to hire them for a job and provide them an opportunity to earn a living. I’ve heard so many different excuses for theft that I became numb to them over the years. Since I feel so strongly about dishonest employees and especially those who go to the added trouble of trying to find ways to circumvent retail anti-theft devices like Checkpoint Security tags that I had a desire to be able to catch them a second time. I would also have been happy to help another Loss Prevention Manager catch them at another store after I was done with them. Of course, I also considered that it could have been fun to catch someone stealing at two different stores but that would require working for two different stores. Well, I did nearly run into this situation. I worked as a Loss Prevention Officer for a department store and we caught an employee for stealing who was taking a purse into the presentation office. This employee would look for tags on clothes and try to remove them. More on this story in a moment but it is important that I clarify what Checkpoint Security Tags are before I continue since there may be readers who are unfamiliar with them.
Checkpoint Security Tags are retail anti-theft tools used to prevent the theft of merchandise. They may come in a soft label that is adhered to merchandise, merchandise tags or labels. The security tags also come in hard versions that can be pinned to clothing, softlines merchandise, bedding and I have even seen them pinned through blister packages. Whether a soft tag or hard tag, all are designed to cause electronic article surveillance alarm towers to activate if someone tries to walk out without paying for merchandise. It makes no difference if the thief is an employee or a shoplifter, tags that have not been removed with a detachment key or detuned on a deactivation pad will set off the tower. Tower alarms summon a response from an employee who carefully follows procedures for determining the cause of the alarm. Regardless of who it is that has caused the alarm the same procedures apply. Therefore retail anti-theft devices can identify an internal thief.
In part 1 I told of an employee I prosecuted for stealing and several months later noticed him working in another store and the subsequent actions when he saw me. In the incident I was referring to above I had recently been hired as the Loss Prevention Manager of a store. It was a promotional opportunity from the store I had been working for as a Loss Prevention Associate. We went through several mass orientations for our new store opening. One of the associates seemed awfully familiar to me but I couldn’t put my finger on where I knew her from. I noticed she seemed to be watching me a lot. After several weeks, I saw her taking her purse into the signing room. THEN it dawned on me, I had assisted my boss in apprehending her for employee theft at my former store. Our Regional Loss Prevention Manager would not give the go-ahead for prosecution at that time so she only ended up being fired without going to court. At the department store she had been taking her purse into the signing and presentation office and looking for retail theft prevention devices and Checkpoint Security Tags on clothing. She would remove them if found, put the clothes in her purse and walk out. There was no reason for not pursuing a prosecution of the case except the Regional Loss Prevention Manager didn’t understand the laws of our state at the time concerning employee theft and would not defer to my boss. When it dawned on me that I finally realized where I recognized her from, she was following her old pattern, I guess I changed in my demeanor towards her changed. She abandoned her job in the new store. Not quite caught, but a great feeling of satisfaction for me that I believe I stopped her before she could start cleaning us out!
It isn’t often we get a shot at catching an employee twice for theft but I had two close calls. Regardless, I can honestly say that the use of Checkpoint Security Tags does deter theft, making it hard for employees to steal and they lower stock shortage.
Get more information on Checkpoint Security Tags contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today
Prevent Shoplifting-4 WC Blog 457
Retail Anti-Theft Devices-4
Alpha Hang Tag-4
Take A Lesson From The Government; Reduce Shortage With Retail Anti-Theft Devices That Can Be Recycled and Reused Many Times Over
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, the EPA (Environment Protection Agency) .org has been using this theme for quite a number of years to encourage citizens to reduce the amount of litter and waste we create. I remember as a young child everything went in the trash can, but newspapers were often recycled. As a Boy Scout we spent time at a recycling center helping to separate out newspapers and magazines for the center. In some states we could collect glass bottles and turn them in to a local store and get 5 cents a bottle. That was good money for a kid. In the 1980’s and 1990’s collecting aluminum cans and taking them to recycling centers could bring you extra money. Taking a lesson from the EPA, retailers can benefit from the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle model in a little different way. The idea behind the EPA’s push is to reduce, if not eliminate waste in landfills. One of the objectives for retailers should be the reduction of shortage and theft. I am proposing that store owners could reduce shortage and prevent shoplifting through the use of retail anti-theft devices.
Retail anti-theft devices come in a variety of styles and shapes that give stores the ability to protect any item they may carry. One example I like to point to is the Alpha Hang Tag. This particular device was created to be placed on the hang tab or clamshell of packaging that may be hard to protect with other devices. It serves two purposes. If merchandise is hanging on a locking peg hook the Alpha Hang tag keeps a thief from cutting the hang tab off the merchandise and removing it. The second purpose is that they operate with electronic article surveillance technology. Should a shoplifter decide to try to steal merchandise with this anti-theft device on it, Checkpoint towers at the doors sound an audible alarm. Employees act to conduct receipt checks and recover the merchandise and prevent shoplifting before the goods leave the store and cause shortage. That is assuming a store is equipped with towers (for more information on Checkpoint towers contact Loss Prevention Systems Inc.).
Recycling is an additional benefit for stores that use the Alpha Hang Tag and it saves the store money. No, they aren’t placed in a recycle container to be picked up by the local sanitation department. The tags pin together and when tagged merchandise is brought to the checkout lane the cashier uses a special detachment tool to remove the tag. Tags are then placed in a container and placed on new merchandise when it is received at the store. This means that stores don’t have to constantly purchase new devices every time a protected piece of merchandise is sold. If over time the pins on the tags become bent from multiple uses new ones can be ordered without the requirement of purchasing and entire tag. Cost savings don’t get much better than that.
Some readers may like the idea of recycling and reusing the tags but there may be some doubts about the ability of these retail anti-theft devices to prevent shoplifting. As a Loss Prevention Manager I used Alpha products and I have seen them deter shoplifters. I have watched thieves get flustered trying to pry them off of products. I have also intervened to recover protected items as would-be thieves tried to sneak items out and the alarms sounded.
Reduce store shortage and prevent shoplifting with retail anti-theft devices thereby improving your store profitability. Recycle and reuse the devices to reduce unnecessary expenditures which contribute to the bottom line. If it’s good enough for the government it should be good enough for you.
Need information on retail anti-theft devices? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, the EPA (Environment Protection Agency) .org has been using this theme for quite a number of years to encourage citizens to reduce the amount of litter and waste we create. I remember as a young child everything went in the trash can, but newspapers were often recycled. As a Boy Scout we spent time at a recycling center helping to separate out newspapers and magazines for the center. In some states we could collect glass bottles and turn them in to a local store and get 5 cents a bottle. That was good money for a kid. In the 1980’s and 1990’s collecting aluminum cans and taking them to recycling centers could bring you extra money. Taking a lesson from the EPA, retailers can benefit from the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle model in a little different way. The idea behind the EPA’s push is to reduce, if not eliminate waste in landfills. One of the objectives for retailers should be the reduction of shortage and theft. I am proposing that store owners could reduce shortage and prevent shoplifting through the use of retail anti-theft devices.
Retail anti-theft devices come in a variety of styles and shapes that give stores the ability to protect any item they may carry. One example I like to point to is the Alpha Hang Tag. This particular device was created to be placed on the hang tab or clamshell of packaging that may be hard to protect with other devices. It serves two purposes. If merchandise is hanging on a locking peg hook the Alpha Hang tag keeps a thief from cutting the hang tab off the merchandise and removing it. The second purpose is that they operate with electronic article surveillance technology. Should a shoplifter decide to try to steal merchandise with this anti-theft device on it, Checkpoint towers at the doors sound an audible alarm. Employees act to conduct receipt checks and recover the merchandise and prevent shoplifting before the goods leave the store and cause shortage. That is assuming a store is equipped with towers (for more information on Checkpoint towers contact Loss Prevention Systems Inc.).
Recycling is an additional benefit for stores that use the Alpha Hang Tag and it saves the store money. No, they aren’t placed in a recycle container to be picked up by the local sanitation department. The tags pin together and when tagged merchandise is brought to the checkout lane the cashier uses a special detachment tool to remove the tag. Tags are then placed in a container and placed on new merchandise when it is received at the store. This means that stores don’t have to constantly purchase new devices every time a protected piece of merchandise is sold. Cost savings don’t get much better than that.
Some readers may like the idea of recycling and reusing the tags but there may be some doubts about the ability of these retail anti-theft devices to prevent shoplifting. As a Loss Prevention Manager I used Alpha products and I have seen them deter shoplifters. I have watched thieves get flustered trying to pry them off of products. I have also intervened to recover protected items as would-be thieves tried to sneak items out and the alarms sounded.
Reduce store shortage and prevent shoplifting with retail anti-theft devices thereby improving your store profitability. Recycle and reuse the devices to reduce unnecessary expenditures which contribute to the bottom line. If it’s good enough for the government it should be good enough for you.
Need information on retail anti-theft devices? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Retail traffic counting may be more significant to your business than you might think. There was major remodel of a store I worked for and it affected sales for the business. The front of the store was being repainted which affected where customers could walk. Painter scaffolding was blocking portions of the entrances and we were forced to redirect traffic. A large area of our parking lot was fenced off and storage trailers occupied the space impacting vehicle parking. Inside the doorway plastic sheeting was hung down and our customers had to walk through cut out doorways. Further inside the store full departments were combined with other departments and space between fixtures was restrictive to say the least (downright claustrophobic is more appropriate). Floor tile and carpet were pulled up in areas and made walking around a cement floor uncomfortable. We did not have a door counting sensor to take an actual headcount of how many shoppers were entering the store but the information could have been useful to the company before jumping into other remodeling projects.
Retail traffic counting is exactly what it sounds like. It is the tracking of the number of people entering a store not just the tracking of daily sales data. The information obtained is important because it can aid store management in assessing the impact of events on the business. Sales data is useful for replenishment of products or comparisons of how many dollars are spent in one time frame versus another. Data can be driven down to the product level to see if a special sale item was successful or not. The downside to sales data alone is that it fails to provide the end user with the actual number of people who walked in and out of the store during the day. When people are factored in a business owner or manager can compare that figure to the total number of transactions and start to analyze if there were factors that may have contributed to missed sales opportunities. How difficult is it to obtain people counts? It is done with a door counting sensor that can be a stand-alone unit or better yet if a store has a Checkpoint System with electronic article surveillance (EAS) towers at the doors it can be connected to that system. The additional benefit is that EAS alarm activity and response can be tracked and evaluated.
Consider the usefulness of tracking the headcounts for your store. Going back to my remodel situation, we saw changes in our sales as the construction process took place. But if we knew how many patrons we were down compared to the prior year we could then make suggestions in our final store recap about what we could have done better. Would better signage or directional signs aided the parking situation? Perhaps the look of the work around the store entrance scared some customers away and we could have suggested an alternate entryway for customers. Looking back on it I believe the use of a door counting sensor would have been beneficial to us and the company.
Another useful application for retail traffic counting is that it can help measure the effectiveness of store advertising signage or new window displays to attract customers. If you have a baseline established for your patron counts and then do something creative with your signage and you can validate that the number of clients increased you can reasonably attribute the increase to the signage. If foot traffic goes up but sales data remains flat then you know you have another issue you need to evaluate and address. It may be your pricing strategy, your customer service level, too few cash registers open or something else. At least you can rule out that a lack of customers is your problem.
With the appropriate application a retail traffic counting system can be a useful assessment tool for your store. Evaluate your business and how certain activities may be driving or impeding sales so you can more effectively strategize in the future. Try adding a door counting sensor and see how you may be able to open the door to increased sales.
Need information on a retail counting system? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now
5 REASONS TO USE CLOTHING SECURITY TAGS
There are plenty of reasons to secure the clothing in your store with Checkpoint Tags; so many that I’d never be able to list them all. So, I won’t. What I will do is give you my top 5 reasons for doing so. Take in mind that every business is different and every category presents certain unique challenges associated with reducing shrink. These are, in my opinion, the best reasons to use EAS in apparel.
1. It Deters Crime
This is a no-brainer. If a shoplifter sees Clothing Security Tags in place, they are less likely to try and steal that item. Not only are you reducing external theft, you also keep the criminal element out of your store. Think about this; a large percentage of shoplifters are stealing to support a drug habit. Drug users are more likely to commit enhanced crimes like robbery, assault, vehicle burglary and even worse while spiraling down. By making shoplifting difficult, you eliminate a constant flow of this demographic into your store, thus reducing the overall likelihood of being impacted by other crimes associated with habitual shoplifters.
2. Maintain your Inventory
One often overlooked consequence of utilizing Checkpoint Tags is that you’re able to maintain better inventory. How frustrating is it when a customer is shopping for that last jean that the system says you have on hand, but you can’t locate it? Chances are, that jean was stolen. By securing those popular lines of clothing, your inventory has a chance to remain accurate, which not only helps you plan out your orders, but maintains your integrity to your customer.
3. Customer Service
This one plays right into #3. You may think of customer service as greeting and engaging the customers that walk in the door, or ask you for assistance. Think of how many customers come into your store on a daily basis. How many of them asked for help? Chances are, it’s a relatively small percentage. A major pillar of good customer service is having the product available, in reach of the customer and in-stock. Applying Clothing Security Tags on your merchandise allows you to accomplish all of those. Think about an advertised “hot item” you recently ran. How would your customers feel if they came to the store for that specific item only to find that all of them had been stolen?
4. Return on Investment
This almost goes without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway; Checkpoint Tags provide an almost immediate return on investment. Tags are cheap; like, super cheap. By spending a few cents on a hard tag, you can save a $200 loss if we use a good designer jean as an example. Think about that for just a minute. What else is out there that cost less than $1 and will give you a return of 2,000%?
5. It’s a Good Business Decision
Ultimately, everything you do for your store needs to make good business sense. You wouldn’t order a new hot pink, rhinestone encrusted, holes in the knees pair of pants unless Miley Cyrus was wearing them, and the same is true for any loss prevention solution. Utilizing Clothing Security Tags is good business. If one single product that costs mere pennies, can reduce crime in your store, help maintain accurate inventory that makes your customers happy, and provides significant ROI, then there’s no reason you shouldn’t have it in your retail tool-kit. It just makes sense.
Need information on Clothing Security, Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
There are plenty of reasons to secure the clothing in your store with Checkpoint Tags; so many that I’d never be able to list them all. So, I won’t. What I will do is give you my top 5 reasons for doing so. Take in mind that every business is different and every category presents certain unique challenges associated with reducing shrink. These are, in my opinion, the best reasons to use EAS in apparel.
1. It Deters Crime
This is a no-brainer. If a shoplifter sees Clothing Security Tags in place, they are less likely to try and steal that item. Not only are you reducing external theft, you also keep the criminal element out of your store. Think about this; a large percentage of shoplifters are stealing to support a drug habit. Drug users are more likely to commit enhanced crimes like robbery, assault, vehicle burglary and even worse while spiraling down. By making shoplifting difficult, you eliminate a constant flow of this demographic into your store, thus reducing the overall likelihood of being impacted by other crimes associated with habitual shoplifters.
2. Maintain your Inventory
One often overlooked consequence of utilizing Checkpoint Tags is that you’re able to maintain better inventory. How frustrating is it when a customer is shopping for that last jean that the system says you have on hand, but you can’t locate it? Chances are, that jean was stolen. By securing those popular lines of clothing, your inventory has a chance to remain accurate, which not only helps you plan out your orders, but maintains your integrity to your customer.
3. Customer Service
This one plays right into #3. You may think of customer service as greeting and engaging the customers that walk in the door, or ask you for assistance. Think of how many customers come into your store on a daily basis. How many of them asked for help? Chances are, it’s a relatively small percentage. A major pillar of good customer service is having the product available, in reach of the customer and in-stock. Applying Clothing Security Tags on your merchandise allows you to accomplish all of those. Think about an advertised “hot item” you recently ran. How would your customers feel if they came to the store for that specific item only to find that all of them had been stolen?
4. Return on Investment
This almost goes without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway; Checkpoint Tags provide an almost immediate return on investment. Tags are cheap; like, super cheap. By spending a few cents on a hard tag, you can save a $200 loss if we use a good designer jean as an example. Think about that for just a minute. What else is out there that cost less than $1 and will give you a return of 2,000%?
5. It’s a Good Business Decision
Ultimately, everything you do for your store needs to make good business sense. You wouldn’t order a new hot pink, rhinestone encrusted, holes in the knees pair of pants unless Miley Cyrus was wearing them, and the same is true for any loss prevention solution. Utilizing Clothing Security Tags is good business. If one single product that costs mere pennies, can reduce crime in your store, help maintain accurate inventory that makes your customers happy, and provides significant ROI, then there’s no reason you shouldn’t have it in your retail tool-kit. It just makes sense.
Need information on Clothing Security, Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Can Loss Prevention Be Free? – 3 WC Blog 461
Free Loss Prevention Calculator-4
Thieves Are Cooking Up Schemes That Cause Shortage; The Free Loss Prevention Calculator Shows You If You Can Afford To Stop Them (Hint: You Can!)
I enjoy cooking and grilling out. When cooking I can experiment with seasonings, add the ingredients I want to add or change things up a little bit. I have a favorite dirty rice dish I have adapted from one that I tried in a local fast-food restaurant. I sometimes make it with smoked sausage and hot and mild sausage from a tube. Sometimes I use just one type of sausage. I have mixed in corn, black beans and pinto beans and on other occasions I have varied the combination. I also add banana peppers and the liquid from the jar. How much depends on how I am feeling that night. On the flip side of that I detest baking. I try to wing it and don’t use precise measures as I simply make a mess of my wife’s kitchen. She shakes her head and usually ends up taking over if I try to bake, that’s just how it is. The thing about it is I like cooking but probably because I don’t have to calculate or measure anything. Baking takes way too much effort and I anticipate how bad it will turn out before I start. I could calculate but I don’t enjoy it. Sometimes I think store owners operate in a similar manner. They open a store and sell things because they like being independent, they enjoy customer service and they have flexibility to operate as they want (as long as they seem to make a profit). When it comes to the not-so-fun things they try to ignore it and avoid dealing with it like stock shortage. Who wants to think about the theft that is probably taking place and not having any idea how to deal with it? Mention a Loss Prevention System and all they can hear is that they will spend more money while failing to consider what the theft is costing them. They would have to calculate how much they are losing, the cost of a system, the maintenance of it, support and service, etc. it becomes overwhelming. It is possible they could have a change of heart if they asked the question, “Can Loss Prevention Be Free?” and then heard the answer.
I am proposing to all those small and medium size store owners and managers that perhaps your concerns about the cost to address stock shortage might not be as horrible as you think. I challenge you to ask the question, “Can Loss Prevention Be Free?” You will find the answer is yes! To determine how it can be you will use the Free Loss Prevention Calculator available on the Loss Prevention Systems Inc. (LPSI) website. The Free Loss Prevention Calculator is easy to use and only requires the input of annual store sales and how much you would consider spending on a Checkpoint System. The calculator assumes a conservative reduction in shortage from 1.2% to .65% and then provides the user with the number of months it would take for a system to pay for itself in shortage reduction savings. Reducing shortage eventually pays for the system that will help prevent theft in the first place.
No, this isn’t some “half-baked” idea. The reality is that a Checkpoint System can pay for itself. I have worked in retail for over 27 years and almost 20 of those years were in Loss Prevention. I have seen the impact a retail anti-theft system can have on deterring theft. Another feature of the Free Loss Prevention Calculator you may appreciate is that absolutely none of the information you enter in it is saved, sent anywhere or requires some type of registration. No strings attached, free means free. Change your numbers, play around with different amounts you might consider investing now that you know it will pay for itself over time and see what happens. Should you decide you would like to talk to someone a little more about a system a representative would be more than happy to answer your questions but YOU have to call them. After all, they don’t have any idea you were checking out their website.
Can Loss Prevention Be Free? Yes, and so are the resources to verify it. Check it out for yourself. Stock shortage certainly isn’t free and the longer you avoid addressing it the more money thieves are costing you. Don’t put this on the back burner any longer check out the Free Loss Prevention Calculator then give LPSI a call to see what you need to do to get YOUR Loss Prevention System.
For more information about the Free Loss Prevention Calculator contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
I enjoy cooking and grilling out. When cooking I can experiment with seasonings, add the ingredients I want to add or change things up a little bit. I have a favorite dirty rice dish I have adapted from one that I tried in a local fast-food restaurant. I sometimes make it with smoked sausage and hot and mild sausage from a tube. Sometimes I use just one type of sausage. I have mixed in corn, black beans and pinto beans and on other occasions I have varied the combination. I also add banana peppers and the liquid from the jar. How much depends on how I am feeling that night. On the flip side of that I detest baking. I try to wing it and don’t use precise measures as I simply make a mess of my wife’s kitchen. She shakes her head and usually ends up taking over if I try to bake, that’s just how it is. The thing about it is I like cooking but probably because I don’t have to calculate or measure anything. Baking takes way too much effort and I anticipate how bad it will turn out before I start. I could calculate but I don’t enjoy it. Sometimes I think store owners operate in a similar manner. They open a store and sell things because they like being independent, they enjoy customer service and they have flexibility to operate as they want (as long as they seem to make a profit). When it comes to the not-so-fun things they try to ignore it and avoid dealing with it like stock shortage. Who wants to think about the theft that is probably taking place and not having any idea how to deal with it? Mention a Loss Prevention System and all they can hear is that they will spend more money while failing to consider what the theft is costing them. They would have to calculate how much they are losing, the cost of a system, the maintenance of it, support and service, etc. it becomes overwhelming. It is possible they could have a change of heart if they asked the question, “Can Loss Prevention Be Free?” and then heard the answer.
I am proposing to all those small and medium size store owners and managers that perhaps your concerns about the cost to address stock shortage might not be as horrible as you think. I challenge you to ask the question, “Can Loss Prevention Be Free?” You will find the answer is yes! To determine how it can be you will use the Free Loss Prevention Calculator available on the Loss Prevention Systems Inc. (LPSI) website. The Free Loss Prevention Calculator is easy to use and only requires the input of annual store sales and how much you would consider spending on a Checkpoint System. The calculator assumes a conservative reduction in shortage from 1.2% to .65% and then provides the user with the number of months it would take for a system to pay for itself in shortage reduction savings. Reducing shortage eventually pays for the system that will help prevent theft in the first place.
No, this isn’t some “half-baked” idea. The reality is that a Checkpoint System can pay for itself. I have worked in retail for over 27 years and almost 20 of those years were in Loss Prevention. I have seen the impact a retail anti-theft system can have on deterring theft. Another feature of the Free Loss Prevention Calculator you may appreciate is that absolutely none of the information you enter in it is saved, sent anywhere or requires some type of registration. No strings attached, free means free. Change your numbers, play around with different amounts you might consider investing now that you know it will pay for itself over time and see what happens. Should you decide you would like to talk to someone a little more about a system a representative would be more than happy to answer your questions but YOU have to call them. After all, they don’t have any idea you were checking out their website.
Can Loss Prevention Be Free? Yes, and so are the resources to verify it. Check it out for yourself. Stock shortage certainly isn’t free and the longer you avoid addressing it the more money thieves are costing you. Don’t put this on the back burner any longer check out the Free Loss Prevention Calculator then give LPSI a call to see what you need to do to get YOUR Loss Prevention System.
For more information about the Free Loss Prevention Calculator contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
