Training to reduce employee theft-3 WC Blog 320
Stop shoplifting-4
Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. Provides Training To Stop Shoplifting And Reduce Employee Theft And Keep Your Employees Safe In The Process
Before I get too far into this article about the importance of training to stop shoplifting and training to reduce employee theft, I would ask you to take a few minutes to take a look at some of these headlines:
• Walmart loss prevention officer killed pursuing suspected shoplifter, WSB-TV, Apr 12,2016 http://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/gwinnett-county/loss-prevention-officer-killed-at-lilburn-walmart/207995435
• Loss prevention officers stabbed at JC Penney, Jan 24, 2013 http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/20700570/loss-prevention-officers-stabbed-at-jcpenney
• Kmart loss prevention officer killed by shoplifters, Jan 18, 2010, http://www.nbc-2.com/story/11839243/kmart-loss-prevention-officer-killed-by-shoplifters
• Police: Margate Walmart Employee Killed By Fleeing Thief, Sep 21, 2012 http://miami.cbslocal.com/2012/09/21/police-margate-walmart-employee-killed-by-fleeing-thief/
• Man wanted for fatally stabbing worker at Va. Burlington Coat Factory, March 4, 2017 http://wtvr.com/2017/03/04/burlington-coat-factory-employee-fatally-stabbed-potomac-mills/
• Police: Employee attacks manager, co-workers while being fired, Friday, November 8, 2013 http://komonews.com/news/local/police-employee-attacks-manager-coworkers-while-being-fired
• Prescott Walmart employee arrested after attempting to harm co-workers, December 05, 2016 http://www.12news.com/news/local/arizona/prescott-wal-mart-employee-arrested-after-attempting-to-harm-co-workers/362586930
What is my point in showing you these headlines? In the first 5 reports, trained Loss Prevention employees were injured or killed in their attempts to do their jobs and prevent criminals from stealing merchandise. Let me repeat that, they were attempting to stop shoplifting and preventing criminals from getting away. In the last 2 instance employees posed a danger and/or harmed co-workers and managers. Shoplifting is not a game and many of the people who perpetrate the crimes are dangerous. Employees who steal can be just as dangerous. How prepared are you to handle a shoplifting situation? Are you or your managers truly prepared for events that could get out of hand?
Training to reduce employee theft and stop shoplifting is important for all managers, especially those in stores with no Loss Prevention personnel available to prevent theft and help deter dishonest employees. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. offers training sessions that can help you prevent shoplifting by teaching you about who it is that is stealing from your business, how to develop programs to deter criminals and how to approach them SAFELY. You will learn about anti-theft devices that make your store less appealing to thieves and send them elsewhere. Training programs are also available to help you with the methods of identifying employee theft and the various methods they use to steal. Were you aware that employee theft may include theft from your customers as well as your business? Employees may steal credit cards, gift cards, even receipts from your customers and in the process damage the reputation of your business. How do you repair that? Sometimes the best prevention is weeding out bad apples before they get a foot in the door. To that end, Loss Prevention Systems also has training available for teaching about pre-employment hiring and background checks. The potentially violent or dishonest employee can often be identified in a proper screening and avoided altogether.
If the stories I linked to do not persuade you of the real danger shoplifters can pose or that there are dangerous employees out there, then let me tell you about my personal experiences. I have nearly 20 years of Loss Prevention experience and 27 years of total retail experience. As a Loss Prevention manager for a major chain we went through training on how to properly approach shoplifters, how to detain them and if necessary physically restrain them. All of our L.P. personnel attended these sessions. While the training did prevent some dangerous situations my team and I still experienced being pushed, bitten, punched and verbal threats from thieves that they were in possession of a weapon. In some cases this was simply when we approached the suspect and hadn’t yet fully engaged in a stop. There are proper ways to try to approach shoplifters or deter them. Loss Prevention Systems Trainers can help keep you and your team safe.
Dangers from employees can be just as real. I have had an employee who was going to be fired and he threatened to kill himself. I have had employees who were terminated from their job and threatened to meet our Human Resources Manager in the parking lot when they got off of work. I have responded to the store in the early morning hours when a freight team member pulled a box cutter on a cleaning crew employee. Background checks, pre-employment screening and training on how to be ready for these situations should be required for your managers.
Don’t let criminals rip you off or employees steal your money and reputation. Let Loss prevention Systems, Inc. give your managers training to reduce employee theft and stop shoplifting.
Before I get too far into this article about the importance of training to stop shoplifting and training to reduce employee theft, I would ask you to take a few minutes to take a look at some of these headlines:
• Walmart loss prevention officer killed pursuing suspected shoplifter, WSB-TV, Apr 12,2016 http://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/gwinnett-county/loss-prevention-officer-killed-at-lilburn-walmart/207995435
• Loss prevention officers stabbed at JC Penney, Jan 24, 2013 http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/20700570/loss-prevention-officers-stabbed-at-jcpenney
• Kmart loss prevention officer killed by shoplifters, Jan 18, 2010, http://www.nbc-2.com/story/11839243/kmart-loss-prevention-officer-killed-by-shoplifters
• Police: Margate Walmart Employee Killed By Fleeing Thief, Sep 21, 2012 http://miami.cbslocal.com/2012/09/21/police-margate-walmart-employee-killed-by-fleeing-thief/
• Man wanted for fatally stabbing worker at Va. Burlington Coat Factory, March 4, 2017 http://wtvr.com/2017/03/04/burlington-coat-factory-employee-fatally-stabbed-potomac-mills/
• Police: Employee attacks manager, co-workers while being fired, Friday, November 8, 2013 http://komonews.com/news/local/police-employee-attacks-manager-coworkers-while-being-fired
• Prescott Walmart employee arrested after attempting to harm co-workers, December 05, 2016 http://www.12news.com/news/local/arizona/prescott-wal-mart-employee-arrested-after-attempting-to-harm-co-workers/362586930
What is my point in showing you these headlines? In the first 5 reports, trained Loss Prevention employees were injured or killed in their attempts to do their jobs and prevent criminals from stealing merchandise. Let me repeat that, they were attempting to stop shoplifting and preventing criminals from getting away. In the last 2 instance employees posed a danger and/or harmed co-workers and managers. Shoplifting is not a game and many of the people who perpetrate the crimes are dangerous. Employees who steal can be just as dangerous. How prepared are you to handle a shoplifting situation? Are you or your managers truly prepared for events that could get out of hand?
Training to reduce employee theft and stop shoplifting is important for all managers, especially those in stores with no Loss Prevention personnel available to prevent theft and help deter dishonest employees. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. offers training sessions that can help you prevent shoplifting by teaching you about who it is that is stealing from your business, how to develop programs to deter criminals and how to approach them SAFELY. You will learn about anti-theft devices that make your store less appealing to thieves and send them elsewhere. Training programs are also available to help you with the methods of identifying employee theft and the various methods they use to steal. Were you aware that employee theft may include theft from your customers as well as your business? Employees may steal credit cards, gift cards, even receipts from your customers and in the process damage the reputation of your business. How do you repair that? Sometimes the best prevention is weeding out bad apples before they get a foot in the door. To that end, Loss Prevention Systems also has training available for teaching about pre-employment hiring and background checks. The potentially violent or dishonest employee can often be identified in a proper screening and avoided altogether.
If the stories I linked to do not persuade you of the real danger shoplifters can pose or that there are dangerous employees out there, then let me tell you about my personal experiences. I have nearly 20 years of Loss Prevention experience and 27 years of total retail experience. As a Loss Prevention manager for a major chain we went through training on how to properly approach shoplifters, how to detain them and if necessary physically restrain them. All of our L.P. personnel attended these sessions. While the training did prevent some dangerous situations my team and I still experienced being pushed, bitten, punched and verbal threats from thieves that they were in possession of a weapon. In some cases this was simply when we approached the suspect and hadn’t yet fully engaged in a stop. There are proper ways to try to approach shoplifters or deter them. Loss Prevention Systems Trainers can help keep you and your team safe.
Dangers from employees can be just as real. I have had an employee who was going to be fired and he threatened to kill himself. I have had employees who were terminated from their job and threatened to meet our Human Resources Manager in the parking lot when they got off of work. I have responded to the store in the early morning hours when a freight team member pulled a box cutter on a cleaning crew employee. Background checks, pre-employment screening and training on how to be ready for these situations should be required for your managers.
Don’t let criminals rip you off or employees steal your money and reputation. Let Loss prevention Systems, Inc. give your managers training to reduce employee theft and stop shoplifting.
Need information on training to reduce employee theft? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now
AA Blog
Checkpoint labels: 5
Stop shoplifting: 3
Checkpoint Labels Provide An Easy And Cost-Efficient Means To Protect Your Sales Inventory
In the retail business we tend to have clearances and sales that include excess items, clothing and other specialty items that need to be removed from inventory. My mother-in-law always hits the clearance sales, looking for all types of items, gifts, clothes and children’s toys that need to go. It is a great time for shoppers to pick up a great deal. This may also include high valued items that are marked down in an attempt to reduce inventory. While shopping this year my mother-in-law said that they had moved all the sales items to the front of the store and were making room for a whole row of new items. You would think that these types of sales items would be low risk for theft, but unfortunately that is not the case. In my experience I have seen higher than normal rates of theft of these types of items. I believe this has to do with the fact that these items are low priority for the store. We realize that these items are significantly reduced in price, and what doesn’t get sold, tends to get written off as an inventory loss. Therefore, we don’t typically increase security on these types of items. They also tend to put these products in areas that are close to exits, for high visibility and access. These areas typically have reduced associate interaction and monitoring. These areas are a low priority for associates, as they are typically already restocking new products, and focusing on areas that contain higher priced items. I have found that the easiest and cheapest way to protect these types of items and stop shoplifting is to use Checkpoint labels.
Checkpoint labels provide the added security you need to protect your retail property, at a reasonable price, without a great deal of added time or effort. These labels come in various shapes and sizes to meet all your product needs. They are equipped with EAS technology, which provide a reliable means to notify associates when a theft occurs. Electronic article surveillance provides an audible alarm when someone attempts to remove an item from the store. Checkpoint labels can be printed in store, to allow for a simple way to price and individualize your labels, quickly and efficiently. These labels are designed for accuracy and efficiency, while allowing you the ability to customize your labels with individualized logos or store barcodes, for a multi-faceted product. These labels can be used on any product to include food items. These labels have a high grade adhesive, which prevents removal once applied to the product. These labels provide a cost-efficient means to stop shoplifting, with little time or effort.
I tend to use Checkpoint Labels for the majority of my retail products, due to the simplicity and quality of the product. It is a convenient product that allows me the ability to customize them to meet my individual sales needs. They come in a large roll, which allows me the ability to simply print the labels in store. I can include my pricing, store barcode and logo, while securing my products with EAS technology that is compatible with my existing security program. They are easily deactivated at the time of sale, which increases customer satisfaction while protecting my products from theft. These are a great means to stop shoplifting in your stores, regardless of the items you are trying to protect. Whether you are decreasing inventory, reducing holiday items, or protecting high line items, the labels can provide you the security you need.
Need information on Checkpoint labels? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
In the retail business we tend to have clearances and sales that include excess items, clothing and other specialty items that need to be removed from inventory. My mother-in-law always hits the clearance sales, looking for all types of items, gifts, clothes and children’s toys that need to go. It is a great time for shoppers to pick up a great deal. This may also include high valued items that are marked down in an attempt to reduce inventory. While shopping this year my mother-in-law said that they had moved all the sales items to the front of the store and were making room for a whole row of new items. You would think that these types of sales items would be low risk for theft, but unfortunately that is not the case. In my experience I have seen higher than normal rates of theft of these types of items. I believe this has to do with the fact that these items are low priority for the store. We realize that these items are significantly reduced in price, and what doesn’t get sold, tends to get written off as an inventory loss. Therefore, we don’t typically increase security on these types of items. They also tend to put these products in areas that are close to exits, for high visibility and access. These areas typically have reduced associate interaction and monitoring. These areas are a low priority for associates, as they are typically already restocking new products, and focusing on areas that contain higher priced items. I have found that the easiest and cheapest way to protect these types of items and stop shoplifting is to use Checkpoint labels.
Checkpoint labels provide the added security you need to protect your retail property, at a reasonable price, without a great deal of added time or effort. These labels come in various shapes and sizes to meet all your product needs. They are equipped with EAS technology, which provide a reliable means to notify associates when a theft occurs. Electronic article surveillance provides an audible alarm when someone attempts to remove an item from the store. Checkpoint labels can be printed in store, to allow for a simple way to price and individualize your labels, quickly and efficiently. These labels are designed for accuracy and efficiency, while allowing you the ability to customize your labels with individualized logos or store barcodes, for a multi-faceted product. These labels can be used on any product to include food items. These labels have a high grade adhesive, which prevents removal once applied to the product. These labels provide a cost-efficient means to stop shoplifting, with little time or effort.
I tend to use Checkpoint Labels for the majority of my retail products, due to the simplicity and quality of the product. It is a convenient product that allows me the ability to customize them to meet my individual sales needs. They come in a large roll, which allows me the ability to simply print the labels in store. I can include my pricing, store barcode and logo, while securing my products with EAS technology that is compatible with my existing security program. They are easily deactivated at the time of sale, which increases customer satisfaction while protecting my products from theft. These are a great means to stop shoplifting in your stores, regardless of the items you are trying to protect. Whether you are decreasing inventory, reducing holiday items, or protecting high line items, the labels can provide you the security you need.
Need information on Checkpoint labels? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Customer Counting Systems-5 WC Blog 286
People Counting Systems-4
Door Counting Sensor-3
Set New And Profitable Goals For Your Store By Using People Counting Systems
I think back to 1990 when I first started working in retail as a Loss Prevention Associate. It was here that I learned not only about the ins and outs of merchandise theft, I started learning about store operations as well. I learned that the corporate office gave sales goals for the day and that the store managers based a successful day on meeting or exceeding those goals. As I progressed in my career with other companies I became a Loss Prevention Manager, then a Loss Prevention Manager with Manager On Duty Responsibilities followed by a stint as a Logistics Manager. I still work in retail after 26 years. One thing I have learned is that every company I work for bases successful days on meeting and exceeding sales goals. Fair enough. You have to have goals in order to know where you want to go otherwise a company stagnates or worse yet wanders aimlessly since they have nothing to shoot for except a non-specific goal of “To Be Successful”. But then what does that look like? I have been rethinking sales goals recently especially as the company I work for has focused some store measurements on patron “conversion” rates and also as I have investigated People Counting Systems.
People counting systems or customer counting systems as they are sometimes referred to, use a door counting sensor to track how many people enter and exit a business or building during the day. Reporting data from these customer counting systems can provide managers with data showing how many people entered and exited by the hour of the day. Stores that have measures in place to stop shoplifting and reduce merchandise shrinkage with a Checkpoint Security System can have a Visiplus customer counting device attached to the Checkpoint electronic article surveillance (EAS) antennas. Using the Smart Alarm Management tool, those stores can monitor EAS alarm activity and compare the information to door counting sensor numbers to better manage EAS activity levels.
Here is where my recent thinking has been taking me. We get excited over meeting a sales goal, usually a number based on historical sales information like the prior year sales for that same day. Adjustments may be made based on an overall picture of how the economy is performing or whether an event the prior year may have impacted sales. An example of this would be a store that had to close due to a hurricane evacuation the prior year is not going to have a sales goal based off of last year’s sales data. If a store has a daily sales goal of $10,000 and makes $11,000 the management team is going to be pleased and that would properly be something to be happy about. But let me toss out a new idea. What if the stores used people counting systems and found that they had 400 customers enter the store during the day and only had 300 transactions. What in the world happened to those other 100 customers? What could have been done to get those 100 people to purchase something before leaving the store? Without using customer counting systems you would never know you missed selling opportunities to another 100 customers.
All your information is from sales transactions and yes, you beat your sales goal by $1,000 but could you have beaten it by $1,100 or more? By using a door counting sensor you could set new goals, you had 400 customers in your store last Wednesday, how will you attract 410 THIS Wednesday. You missed 100 potential sales last Wednesday, what will you do differently to try to help more customers find what they need or can use while in the store? Can you entice your customers to make an impulse purchase with a cool display of food or drinks at the font of the store? Maybe the new goals you set for your store are dollar related AND customer driven.
It is one thing to aim for increased sales dollars it’s another thing to find ways to draw in more customers. If you can attract those customers then your goal is to get them to buy and that is a challenge but one that is necessary if you want your business to grow. The only way to know how many customers are visiting your store is by using customer counting systems. Invest in people counting systems today and see a whole new set of goals to achieve and with it, more growth and profit.
Get more information on People Counting Systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
I think back to 1990 when I first started working in retail as a Loss Prevention Associate. It was here that I learned not only about the ins and outs of merchandise theft, I started learning about store operations as well. I learned that the corporate office gave sales goals for the day and that the store managers based a successful day on meeting or exceeding those goals. As I progressed in my career with other companies I became a Loss Prevention Manager, then a Loss Prevention Manager with Manager On Duty Responsibilities followed by a stint as a Logistics Manager. I still work in retail after 26 years. One thing I have learned is that every company I work for bases successful days on meeting and exceeding sales goals. Fair enough. You have to have goals in order to know where you want to go otherwise a company stagnates or worse yet wanders aimlessly since they have nothing to shoot for except a non-specific goal of “To Be Successful”. But then what does that look like? I have been rethinking sales goals recently especially as the company I work for has focused some store measurements on patron “conversion” rates and also as I have investigated People Counting Systems.
People counting systems or customer counting systems as they are sometimes referred to, use a door counting sensor to track how many people enter and exit a business or building during the day. Reporting data from these customer counting systems can provide managers with data showing how many people entered and exited by the hour of the day. Stores that have measures in place to stop shoplifting and reduce merchandise shrinkage with a Checkpoint Security System can have a Visiplus customer counting device attached to the Checkpoint electronic article surveillance (EAS) antennas. Using the Smart Alarm Management tool, those stores can monitor EAS alarm activity and compare the information to door counting sensor numbers to better manage EAS activity levels.
Here is where my recent thinking has been taking me. We get excited over meeting a sales goal, usually a number based on historical sales information like the prior year sales for that same day. Adjustments may be made based on an overall picture of how the economy is performing or whether an event the prior year may have impacted sales. An example of this would be a store that had to close due to a hurricane evacuation the prior year is not going to have a sales goal based off of last year’s sales data. If a store has a daily sales goal of $10,000 and makes $11,000 the management team is going to be pleased and that would properly be something to be happy about. But let me toss out a new idea. What if the stores used people counting systems and found that they had 400 customers enter the store during the day and only had 300 transactions. What in the world happened to those other 100 customers? What could have been done to get those 100 people to purchase something before leaving the store? Without using customer counting systems you would never know you missed selling opportunities to another 100 customers.
All your information is from sales transactions and yes, you beat your sales goal by $1,000 but could you have beaten it by $1,100 or more? By using a door counting sensor you could set new goals, you had 400 customers in your store last Wednesday, how will you attract 410 THIS Wednesday. You missed 100 potential sales last Wednesday, what will you do differently to try to help more customers find what they need or can use while in the store? Can you entice your customers to make an impulse purchase with a cool display of food or drinks at the font of the store? Maybe the new goals you set for your store are dollar related AND customer driven.
It is one thing to aim for increased sales dollars it’s another thing to find ways to draw in more customers. If you can attract those customers then your goal is to get them to buy and that is a challenge but one that is necessary if you want your business to grow. The only way to know how many customers are visiting your store is by using customer counting systems. Invest in people counting systems today and see a whole new set of goals to achieve and with it, more growth and profit.
Get more information on People Counting Systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Checkpoint Tags – 5 WC Blog 337
Stop Shoplifting- 3
Balancing Efforts To Stop Shoplifting And Use Loss Prevention Resources Wisely – Part 2
In case you may have missed Part 1 of this two-part series, I am visiting an argument/question that recently popped up in an article in LP INSIDER magazine, “To Stop or Not to Stop the Shoplifter: Is This Still a Question?”, by Johnny Custer, LPC, CFI, March 14, 2017. The arguments posed by the writer question whether the best uses of Loss Prevention professionals should be to focus on and stop shoplifting or can they be more effective in reducing shortage in other ways. I pointed out in Part 1 that shoplifting accounts for more shortage than the author contends by referencing the 2014-2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer Report. I also expressed my concern that it is a poor use of assets for stores to focus the attention of Loss Prevention on store operations as I have personally experienced. Stores usually pay someone to manage the operations, replenishment and administrative functions for the business. I will return to this point in a little later. To be fair to the author, he did not totally disapprove of stopping shoplifters, and his concern is partially for L.P. safety. I will also say, as someone who has had to fight with shoplifters, it can be dangerous but proper training on safe apprehensions and when to disengage can alleviate much of that concern. One area that was not specifically addressed in the article and I believe can stop shoplifting AND impact other shortage is the use of Checkpoint Tags on merchandise. They can help L.P. prevent external and internal theft and even improve some operational shortage issues.
Checkpoint Tags are readily identifiable to shoplifters when placed in highly visible locations on merchandise. Since the objective of the shoplifter is to steal without getting caught, most do not want to contend with trying to force off a tag which is usually unsuccessful and damages product. They also don’t want to risk leaving a tag on and activating the electronic article surveillance pedestals at the doors when they try to exit with unpaid for products. Employees who want to steal face the same risks, so internal theft is also reduced with the use of Checkpoint Tags. One often overlooked benefit of electronic article surveillance tags is that when a tagged item is missed by a cashier during checkout, such as a product on the bottom of the shopping cart or a small cosmetic item in a buggy, the electronic article surveillance pedestal detects the item and employees can assist the customer in purchasing it or returning it to the salesfloor. This is not a theft issue it is an operational/training issue.
The writer states in his article, “There are other aspects of shrink occurring in your buildings that contribute to the bulk of your shrink woes. These aspects are more controllable and much safer to address.” One of his suggestions to focus on is, “Train and require continued training on all facets of business operation, including perpetual inventory process, price changes, markdowns, seasonal changeovers, DSD and receiving processes…” While I have no argument against L.P. being trained to recognize the potential shortage issues related to these areas, it is my opinion this is NOT where L.P. teams should be focused. Certainly we can be partners in this and L.P. can bring a fresh set of eyes to a problem but, I would refer again to the 2014-2015 GRTB that indicated administrative and non-crime shortage accounts for approximately 13% of shortage and vendor fraud and theft 6% of stores shortage. Together they combine for 19% of store losses. I would suggest the use of Checkpoint Tags to stop shoplifting could help to reduce some of the vendor theft that may be taking place if we are talking about the theft of other merchandise while the vendor is in the store. As I also mentioned tagging can help improve some operational issues. Unless, your L.P. team is focusing on theft related to fraudulent markdowns, I don’t feel this is the best use of a Loss Prevention department.
I do understand the concerns over the dangers associated with shoplifter detentions and apprehensions. That said, underestimating the impact of shoplifting and choosing to let criminals get away with theft is an invitation to increased shortage, not the other way around. Deter theft with Checkpoint Tags and customer service but don’t dismiss the value of L.P. apprehensions of shoplifters. The threat of being apprehended is a deterrent in itself.
Need information on Checkpoint Tags? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
In case you may have missed Part 1 of this two-part series, I am visiting an argument/question that recently popped up in an article in LP INSIDER magazine, “To Stop or Not to Stop the Shoplifter: Is This Still a Question?”, by Johnny Custer, LPC, CFI, March 14, 2017. The arguments posed by the writer question whether the best uses of Loss Prevention professionals should be to focus on and stop shoplifting or can they be more effective in reducing shortage in other ways. I pointed out in Part 1 that shoplifting accounts for more shortage than the author contends by referencing the 2014-2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer Report. I also expressed my concern that it is a poor use of assets for stores to focus the attention of Loss Prevention on store operations as I have personally experienced. Stores usually pay someone to manage the operations, replenishment and administrative functions for the business. I will return to this point in a little later. To be fair to the author, he did not totally disapprove of stopping shoplifters, and his concern is partially for L.P. safety. I will also say, as someone who has had to fight with shoplifters, it can be dangerous but proper training on safe apprehensions and when to disengage can alleviate much of that concern. One area that was not specifically addressed in the article and I believe can stop shoplifting AND impact other shortage is the use of Checkpoint Tags on merchandise. They can help L.P. prevent external and internal theft and even improve some operational shortage issues.
Checkpoint Tags are readily identifiable to shoplifters when placed in highly visible locations on merchandise. Since the objective of the shoplifter is to steal without getting caught, most do not want to contend with trying to force off a tag which is usually unsuccessful and damages product. They also don’t want to risk leaving a tag on and activating the electronic article surveillance pedestals at the doors when they try to exit with unpaid for products. Employees who want to steal face the same risks, so internal theft is also reduced with the use of Checkpoint Tags. One often overlooked benefit of electronic article surveillance tags is that when a tagged item is missed by a cashier during checkout, such as a product on the bottom of the shopping cart or a small cosmetic item in a buggy, the electronic article surveillance pedestal detects the item and employees can assist the customer in purchasing it or returning it to the salesfloor. This is not a theft issue it is an operational/training issue.
The writer states in his article, “There are other aspects of shrink occurring in your buildings that contribute to the bulk of your shrink woes. These aspects are more controllable and much safer to address.” One of his suggestions to focus on is, “Train and require continued training on all facets of business operation, including perpetual inventory process, price changes, markdowns, seasonal changeovers, DSD and receiving processes…” While I have no argument against L.P. being trained to recognize the potential shortage issues related to these areas, it is my opinion this is NOT where L.P. teams should be focused. Certainly we can be partners in this and L.P. can bring a fresh set of eyes to a problem but, I would refer again to the 2014-2015 GRTB that indicated administrative and non-crime shortage accounts for approximately 13% of shortage and vendor fraud and theft 6% of stores shortage. Together they combine for 19% of store losses. I would suggest the use of Checkpoint Tags to stop shoplifting could help to reduce some of the vendor theft that may be taking place if we are talking about the theft of other merchandise while the vendor is in the store. As I also mentioned tagging can help improve some operational issues. Unless, your L.P. team is focusing on theft related to fraudulent markdowns, I don’t feel this is the best use of a Loss Prevention department.
I do understand the concerns over the dangers associated with shoplifter detentions and apprehensions. That said, underestimating the impact of shoplifting and choosing to let criminals get away with theft is an invitation to increased shortage, not the other way around. Deter theft with Checkpoint Tags and customer service but don’t dismiss the value of L.P. apprehensions of shoplifters. The threat of being apprehended is a deterrent in itself.
Need information on Checkpoint Tags? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
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.
