WHY INSTALL A CHECKPOING SECURITY SYSTEM?
What are those towers at the front of most retailers? You know, those little things that you see everywhere, but perhaps haven’t thought much about? Chances are, it’s a part of that store’s Checkpoint security system. What is that, and what benefit could that have to my store you say? Well, probably too many to list, but I’ll try anyway.
What is a Checkpoint Security System?
It’s an all-encompassing, multi-pronged technology aimed at one goal; stop shoplifting. It’s more than just the towers you see at the front of the store. The entire system consists of hard tags, soft tags, other EAS devices, detachers and deactivators at the registers and of course, those very visible towers.
Why is it important for my business?
You want to stop shoplifting, right? You understand that your staff can’t be in every square inch of your store during every waking minute of the day. A Checkpoint Security System can be that extra set of eyes that never wander, never take a break and never let the thieves get away.
How does it work?
Well, it starts by applying EAS tags to merchandise throughout your store. There is an endless combination of sticky “soft” tags, hard tags and specialty tags that all will trigger an audible and visual alarm if they pass through those towers without first being removed, or deactivated at the point of sale. If a shoplifter knows that you are utilizing anti-theft technology in your store, they WILL think twice before concealing that pair of pants, or car GPS.
Does it interfere with my Legitimate Customers?
In short, absolutely, 100% no. A Checkpoint Security System is one of the most cost effective methods to stop shoplifting. Not only do the alarming towers give you notice to customers exiting the store with unpaid merchandise, the assorted variety of EAS tags provide a physical barrier to theft.
In short, a Checkpoint Security System is a vital part of any retail store. Simple systems and towers are incredibly inexpensive, provided a positive return on investment and helps you keep a low-price commitment to your honest customers. If you’re trying to find a way to stop shoplifting, look no further!
Checkpoint Security System is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
What are those towers at the front of most retailers?
You know, those little things that you see everywhere, but perhaps haven’t thought much about? Chances are, it’s a part of that store’s Checkpoint security system. What is that, and what benefit could that have to my store you say? Well, probably too many to list, but I’ll try anyway.
What is a Checkpoint Security System?
It’s an all-encompassing, multi-pronged technology aimed at one goal; stop shoplifting. It’s more than just the towers you see at the front of the store. The entire system consists of hard tags, soft tags, other EAS devices, detachers and deactivators at the registers and of course, those very visible towers.
Why is it important for my business?
You want to stop shoplifting, right? You understand that your staff can’t be in every square inch of your store during every waking minute of the day. A Checkpoint Security System can be that extra set of eyes that never wander, never take a break and never let the thieves get away.
How does it work?
Well, it starts by applying EAS tags to merchandise throughout your store. There is an endless combination of sticky “soft” tags, hard tags and specialty tags that all will trigger an audible and visual alarm if they pass through those towers without first being removed, or deactivated at the point of sale. If a shoplifter knows that you are utilizing anti-theft technology in your store, they WILL think twice before concealing that pair of pants, or car GPS.
Does it interfere with my Legitimate Customers?
In short, absolutely, 100% no. A Checkpoint Security System is one of the most cost effective methods to stop shoplifting. Not only do the alarming towers give you notice to customers exiting the store with unpaid merchandise, the assorted variety of EAS tags provide a physical barrier to theft.
In short, a Checkpoint Security System is a vital part of any retail store. Simple systems and towers are incredibly inexpensive, provided a positive return on investment and helps you keep a low-price commitment to your honest customers. If you’re trying to find a way to stop shoplifting, look no further!
Checkpoint Security Systems are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Employee Theft- 4 WC log 311
Stop Shoplifting-3
Manager Training To Stop Employee Theft-3
Manager Training To Stop Employee Theft And Shoplifting Can Make Shortage Reduction Easier And Save You Money In The Long Run
When a new hire is brought on board with a business there should always be some type of discussion with them about the company expectations in regard to shoplifters and employee theft. Do you take the time to do an orientation or training? Do you address these points or simply gloss over them? Do you avoid even bringing it up out of concern the employee may get irritated over it and will quit? You can’t shrink from the necessity of having these orientations or on-boarding talks. But what is the best way to go about it? Well, you could just hold a meeting in an office or classroom setting and read over dry, old material that talks about theft and fraud. You could do a power point presentation with a handout, those are always fun. Though I worked for a large company I always made it a point as the Loss Prevention Manager to meet with new hires. Whether it was a mass orientation for a group of seasonal new hires or a single cashier coming to work for us; I made sure I met with everyone at some point and talked about their role in preventing shortage. I would discuss how they could help stop shoplifting and even employee theft. I also made sure they understood what would happen if I caught them stealing. I would frequently end my presentation with the comment that if they were planning on stealing while working for the company they would do themselves a favor by not showing up their first day of work so they could avoid jail later. Believe it or not, occasionally I did have new hires that would not show up for work.
Being comfortable with a topic is an important aspect of creating an impactful new employee orientation. Theft and fraud are not always topics managers are comfortable talking about. Suppose you had a class available to you on manager training to stop employee theft, would that build your confidence in this area so you could speak about it? It is possible to speak about theft and fraud in generalities but making employees understand the negative impact it has on them and the business isn’t always easy to do. Manager training to stop employee theft and shoplifter theft reduction training are just two of the seminars available to retailers from Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. Learn from an expert in the field of Loss Prevention, Bill Bregar, as he teaches you what you need to know about shoplifting and how to develop procedures to address it. Bill can also instruct you and your managers on the full impact that employee theft and fraud can have on your business and how you can see signals that may be pre-cursors to an employee stealing from you. With these trainings, whether for your employees or managers, you will have the knowledge in hand that you can use to train future managers and employees.
Are you thinking, “I have tried talking to my employees about how to stop shoplifting but they don’t seem to be paying attention or they don’t care”? It is possible that they aren’t paying attention because you don’t have all the information you need to make it important to them. For example, have you talked to employees about how it hits them in the wallet when a co-worker steals from the business? If there was no theft to worry about how much more could they be paid? How about the impact shoplifters have on them and their families in terms of the prices of merchandise when they go shopping? Of course as the business owner and manager you have your own personal interest in the success of the business and the need to curtail theft. Proper training can help you build a culture of shortage awareness in your store.
Don’t underestimate how much your employees and managers can do to stop shoplifting and prevent theft and fraud. Let Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. conduct manager training to stop employee theft in your stores and see the impact it can have on shortage reduction.
Need information on conducting manager training to stop employee theft? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
When a new hire is brought on board with a business there should always be some type of discussion with them about the company expectations in regard to shoplifters and employee theft. Do you take the time to do an orientation or training? Do you address these points or simply gloss over them? Do you avoid even bringing it up out of concern the employee may get irritated over it and will quit? You can’t shrink from the necessity of having these orientations or on-boarding talks. But what is the best way to go about it? Well, you could just hold a meeting in an office or classroom setting and read over dry, old material that talks about theft and fraud. You could do a power point presentation with a handout, those are always fun. Though I worked for a large company I always made it a point as the Loss Prevention Manager to meet with new hires. Whether it was a mass orientation for a group of seasonal new hires or a single cashier coming to work for us; I made sure I met with everyone at some point and talked about their role in preventing shortage. I would discuss how they could help stop shoplifting and even employee theft. I also made sure they understood what would happen if I caught them stealing. I would frequently end my presentation with the comment that if they were planning on stealing while working for the company they would do themselves a favor by not showing up their first day of work so they could avoid jail later. Believe it or not, occasionally I did have new hires that would not show up for work.
Being comfortable with a topic is an important aspect of creating an impactful new employee orientation. Theft and fraud are not always topics managers are comfortable talking about. Suppose you had a class available to you on manager training to stop employee theft, would that build your confidence in this area so you could speak about it? It is possible to speak about theft and fraud in generalities but making employees understand the negative impact it has on them and the business isn’t always easy to do. Manager training to stop employee theft and shoplifter theft reduction training are just two of the seminars available to retailers from Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. Learn from an expert in the field of Loss Prevention, Bill Bregar, as he teaches you what you need to know about shoplifting and how to develop procedures to address it. Bill can also instruct you and your managers on the full impact that employee theft and fraud can have on your business and how you can see signals that may be pre-cursors to an employee stealing from you. With these trainings, whether for your employees or managers, you will have the knowledge in hand that you can use to train future managers and employees.
Are you thinking, “I have tried talking to my employees about how to stop shoplifting but they don’t seem to be paying attention or they don’t care”? It is possible that they aren’t paying attention because you don’t have all the information you need to make it important to them. For example, have you talked to employees about how it hits them in the wallet when a co-worker steals from the business? If there was no theft to worry about how much more could they be paid? How about the impact shoplifters have on them and their families in terms of the prices of merchandise when they go shopping? Of course as the business owner and manager you have your own personal interest in the success of the business and the need to curtail theft. Proper training can help you build a culture of shortage awareness in your store.
Don’t underestimate how much your employees and managers can do to stop shoplifting and prevent theft and fraud. Let Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. conduct manager training to stop employee theft in your stores and see the impact it can have on shortage reduction.
Need information on conducting manager training to stop employee theft? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
AA Blog 32
Checkpoint Labels: 5
Stop Shoplifting: 3
Checkpoint Labels Provide A Multi-Faceted Means to Stop Shoplifting and Avoid Price Swapping
When it comes to retail shoplifting, I have had my share of problems, but I have also learned a lot throughout the years. I have learned new ways to protect my store and my products from not only shoplifting in general, but from price switching and clearance tagging. I am not sure if this has been a problem for you in your store, but I know it was a huge problem for me. Of course we weren’t locating these issues on the front end, but instead we were finding them after the sale, when we were netting our losses. We had a large problem, with people switching prices or adding clearance stickers to expensive items, which included returns for full price credits on the same items. It was a problem that was significantly affecting our bottom line and we knew we had to do something about it. We just weren’t sure how we could stop shoplifting of this type, without requiring management approval for every sale item. This as you know would be time consuming and an irritation to our loyal customers. I had discussed these issues with some of my counterparts to see what they were doing to prevent this type of activity in their stores. Some of them had changed their brand of labels, so they would adhere better, but that still wasn’t fool proof. I wanted a way to ensure that our labels were being utilized to the best of our ability without added expense. That was when I discovered Checkpoint Labels.
Checkpoint Labels are the perfect way to prevent price swapping. These labels can be easily printed in store, so you can print the label with your pricing and your store logo on site at a low cost. These labels once applied, cannot be removed without damaging the label. They are also equipped with EAS technology to stop shoplifting. They are a multi-faceted tool to protect all your products. They come in various sizes and shapes to meet all of your needs, and a new label can easily be re-applied in the event of a sale. This eliminates the need for a secondary sales tag, which can be swapped to other non-sale items. Having the ability to quickly adjust pricing in store, is an ideal way to protect your products while saving time and money. It also makes for a good shopping experience for your customers, by reducing time and hassle during the checkout process. Checkpoint Labels also offer a clear label that can be placed over the existing barcode, which adds EAS technology and prevents price swapping all in one label.
Preventing shoplifting is an ongoing battle, regardless of the method in which it is occurring. I know I have struggled with managing this problem from all angles, but I do know that Checkpoint Labels have substantially reduced my loss. They work on so many levels to protect my property, which makes for a cost-effective means to stop shoplifting. I have purchased the label makers, which really helps me manage my pricing more effectively in store. They come in large rolls that allow me to manage my products and my security at a low cost, with very little effort. I love how handy they are, and unlike other cheap labels, I know they won’t peel off, and they work more effectively in alerting my staff when a breach occurs. Now anytime a fellow retailer comes to me about their personal store issues, I can pass on the knowledge I have learned, and hopefully help them in their loss prevention efforts. Helping one another is key in this field.
Get more information on Checkpoint Labels, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
When it comes to retail shoplifting, I have had my share of problems, but I have also learned a lot throughout the years. I have learned new ways to protect my store and my products from not only shoplifting in general, but from price switching and clearance tagging. I am not sure if this has been a problem for you in your store, but I know it was a huge problem for me. Of course we weren’t locating these issues on the front end, but instead we were finding them after the sale, when we were netting our losses. We had a large problem, with people switching prices or adding clearance stickers to expensive items, which included returns for full price credits on the same items. It was a problem that was significantly affecting our bottom line and we knew we had to do something about it. We just weren’t sure how we could stop shoplifting of this type, without requiring management approval for every sale item. This as you know would be time consuming and an irritation to our loyal customers. I had discussed these issues with some of my counterparts to see what they were doing to prevent this type of activity in their stores. Some of them had changed their brand of labels, so they would adhere better, but that still wasn’t fool proof. I wanted a way to ensure that our labels were being utilized to the best of our ability without added expense. That was when I discovered Checkpoint Labels.
Checkpoint Labels are the perfect way to prevent price swapping. These labels can be easily printed in store, so you can print the label with your pricing and your store logo on site at a low cost. These labels once applied, cannot be removed without damaging the label.They are also equipped with EAS technology to stop shoplifting. They are a multi-faceted tool to protect all your products. They come in various sizes and shapes to meet all of your needs, and a new label can easily be re-applied in the event of a sale. This eliminates the need for a secondary sales tag, which can be swapped to other non-sale items. Having the ability to quickly adjust pricing in store, is an ideal way to protect your products while saving time and money. It also makes for a good shopping experience for your customers, by reducing time and hassle during the checkout process. Checkpoint Labels also offer a clear label that can be placed over the existing barcode, which adds EAS technology and prevents price swapping all in one label.
Preventing shoplifting is an ongoing battle, regardless of the method in which it is occurring. I know I have struggled with managing this problem from all angles, but I do know that Checkpoint Labels have substantially reduced my loss. They work on so many levels to protect my property, which makes for a cost-effective means to stop shoplifting. I have purchased the label makers, which really helps me manage my pricing more effectively in store. They come in large rolls that allow me to manage my products and my security at a low cost, with very little effort. I love how handy they are, and unlike other cheap labels, I know they won’t peel off, and they work more effectively in alerting my staff when a breach occurs. Now anytime a fellow retailer comes to me about their personal store issues, I can pass on the knowledge I have learned, and hopefully help them in their loss prevention efforts. Helping one another is key in this field.
Get more information on Checkpoint Labels, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Checkpoint security system-4 WC blog 283
Checkpoint tags-4
Stop shoplifting-3
Inventory Time Does Not Have To Be Intimidating; A Checkpoint Security System And A Few Tips Can Lead To Great Results – Part 2
In part 1 of this two-part series on tips for preparing for a successful inventory I touched on the importance of meeting with an Inventory Team Leader prior to your store inventory date. This is the time to make sure questions about the inventory process are answered; both parties share their expectations of the other for breaks, package checks, the order of how things will be inventoried and what the store needs to do to prep the merchandise and departments. A successful inventory requires the store and the inventory crew to act as a single team. I also discussed briefly how a store with a Checkpoint security system benefits not only from how it can stop shoplifting during the year but the night of inventory it can prevent employee and vendor theft. If a dishonest inventory crew member or a store employee tries to exit with concealed merchandise protected by Checkpoint tags, an electronic article surveillance antenna will detect the tags and the alarm will activate. Yes, I have seen it work on inventory nights.
If you missed part 1, a quick review of what a Checkpoint security system is and how it operates is in order. A Checkpoint system includes everything from electronic article surveillance (EAS) antennas positioned at entrance/exit doors, hardware at checkout counters that deactivates soft Checkpoint tags and detachment tools to remove hard Checkpoint tags. The tags are designed to set off the EAS antennas when the protected merchandise is carried too close to the doors. Most theft can be deterred just by protecting merchandise and when a thief does attempt to steal, the alarm activation alerts store staff to respond and recover items or the would be shoplifter drops the items. When you stop shoplifting with a Checkpoint system during the course of the year inventory results improve and add profit to the store.
Doing all you can to prevent employee theft and stop shoplifting is crucial to good stock shortage results but once you hit inventory time, it is a matter of doing all you can to ensure you get an accurate count. Whether the store is using an outside inventory company or using their own employees, there are preparations that can increase the likelihood you will get a more accurate count:
• Use prep time to ensure the Checkpoint Security system is working and leave time to have a service call placed if necessary.
• Clothes on tables should be turned so the barcode faces out, it makes each piece easier to scan for the inventory crew and means there will be less straightening to do later.
• Inventory teams don’t straighten after counting so having hang tags easy to get to creates less of a mess. I mentioned clothing above, but don’t forget bath towels and wash clothes also.
• Make sure all merchandise on a peghook is the same SKU. Though each item should be scanned, many times during inventory the first item is scanned and the inventory team member keys in the quantity of items on the peg, regardless of whether there are different SKU’s.
• Use prep time to ensure everything has a scannable barcode and if items are missing Checkpoint tags, this is the perfect time to catch it and fix it.
• Does your store have non-working displays? If so, be sure these are marked with DNI (Do Not Inventory) tags.
• Make sure working model displays taken from store inventory are counted.
• If you sell food, it would be beneficial to check for dates as your team preps and also look for cans with loose labels and tape the labels or have a cart set aside for merchandise you will manually count or do a financial inventory sheet on.
• Stores selling food should also ask the vendors to help prepare by giving store credits for merchandise that isn’t selling and take it out of the building. It will help move product and tidy up stockroom space.
• If the store sells jewelry, keeping name brands together by price point can make auditing easier to determine where a counting error may have occurred.
• AUDIT! I can’t stress enough the importance of auditing behind the inventory counters. Whether you are using an outside agency or your own employees. When a counter is identified who continually makes errors, it should already be agreed with the inventory leader that counter will be removed from the store.
• If people leave the building for breaks, have a manager or security monitor the doors in case the Checkpoint security system alarms.
Following these tips can help you enjoy a smooth inventory night and experience more accurate results.
Get more information on Checkpoint tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
In part 1 of this two-part series on tips for preparing for a successful inventory I touched on the importance of meeting with an Inventory Team Leader prior to your store inventory date. This is the time to make sure questions about the inventory process are answered; both parties share their expectations of the other for breaks, package checks, the order of how things will be inventoried and what the store needs to do to prep the merchandise and departments. A successful inventory requires the store and the inventory crew to act as a single team. I also discussed briefly how a store with a Checkpoint security system benefits not only from how it can stop shoplifting during the year but the night of inventory it can prevent employee and vendor theft. If a dishonest inventory crew member or a store employee tries to exit with concealed merchandise protected by Checkpoint tags, an electronic article surveillance antenna will detect the tags and the alarm will activate. Yes, I have seen it work on inventory nights.
If you missed part 1, a quick review of what a Checkpoint security system is and how it operates is in order. A Checkpoint system includes everything from electronic article surveillance (EAS) antennas positioned at entrance/exit doors, hardware at checkout counters that deactivates soft Checkpoint tags and detachment tools to remove hard Checkpoint tags. The tags are designed to set off the EAS antennas when the protected merchandise is carried too close to the doors. Most theft can be deterred just by protecting merchandise and when a thief does attempt to steal, the alarm activation alerts store staff to respond and recover items or the would be shoplifter drops the items. When you stop shoplifting with a Checkpoint system during the course of the year inventory results improve and add profit to the store.
Doing all you can to prevent employee theft and stop shoplifting is crucial to good stock shortage results but once you hit inventory time, it is a matter of doing all you can to ensure you get an accurate count. Whether the store is using an outside inventory company or using their own employees, there are preparations that can increase the likelihood you will get a more accurate count:
• Use prep time to ensure the Checkpoint Security system is working and leave time to have a service call placed if necessary.
• Clothes on tables should be turned so the barcode faces out, it makes each piece easier to scan for the inventory crew and means there will be less straightening to do later.
• Inventory teams don’t straighten after counting so having hang tags easy to get to creates less of a mess. I mentioned clothing above, but don’t forget bath towels and wash clothes also.
• Make sure all merchandise on a peghook is the same SKU. Though each item should be scanned, many times during inventory the first item is scanned and the inventory team member keys in the quantity of items on the peg, regardless of whether there are different SKU’s.
• Use prep time to ensure everything has a scannable barcode and if items are missing Checkpoint tags, this is the perfect time to catch it and fix it.
• Does your store have non-working displays? If so, be sure these are marked with DNI (Do Not Inventory) tags.
• Make sure working model displays taken from store inventory are counted.
• If you sell food, it would be beneficial to check for dates as your team preps and also look for cans with loose labels and tape the labels or have a cart set aside for merchandise you will manually count or do a financial inventory sheet on.
• Stores selling food should also ask the vendors to help prepare by giving store credits for merchandise that isn’t selling and take it out of the building. It will help move product and tidy up stockroom space.
• If the store sells jewelry, keeping name brands together by price point can make auditing easier to determine where a counting error may have occurred.
• AUDIT! I can’t stress enough the importance of auditing behind the inventory counters. Whether you are using an outside agency or your own employees. When a counter is identified who continually makes errors, it should already be agreed with the inventory leader that counter will be removed from the store.
• If people leave the building for breaks, have a manager or security monitor the doors in case the Checkpoint security system alarms.Following these tips can help you enjoy a smooth inventory night and experience more accurate results.
Get more information on Checkpoint tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Auto Peg Tag-5 WC Blog 259
Electronic Article Surveillance-3
Stop Shoplifting-4
Checkpoint Hard Tags-4
Battered By Battery Theft? Auto Peg Tags Help You Battle Back Against Bad Guys
For retailers, there are some items that get stolen and on the surface it seems the items are stolen at random. Having worked in Retail Loss Prevention for many years I learned that sometimes what appears to be random may actually have wider implications. For example, I once started to see an increase in the theft of certain high blood pressure cold medicines. Initially I thought the thefts were professionals boosting for resale on the black market. After partnering with police friends, I learned that the medicines were stolen by teenagers to get high. I also began learning about the dangers associated with the abuse of these medicines which was another scary prospect. I learned to start looking a little harder when theft trends appeared. While professional boosting may be part of a problem, there may be a darker motivation behind the theft of certain items. Unfortunately, many times retailers are reactive rather than proactive and try to protect merchandise after a theft trend has cost money and shortage. Rather than wait to stop shoplifting until a problem crops up, stores could use Checkpoint hard tags on products now to prevent a problem from starting. A good example of this would be to use the Auto Peg Tag on packages of batteries.
An Auto Peg Tag is an effective means to stop shoplifting while still keeping merchandise readily available for customers to pick up and carry to a checkout counter. These Checkpoint hard tags fit over the peg hole of a package and snap closed. It can only be removed with a detachment tool at a checkout counter. The tags are designed with electronic article surveillance technology built into them so they will cause an electronic article surveillance antenna to activate if a protected package is carried too close to the antenna. Few shoplifters want to risk setting off an alarm and draw attention to them. The bright color of the Auto Peg Tag alerts potential thieves that the package is protected and has EAS technology. Like other Checkpoint Hard Tags, the visual deterrence value alone helps to stop shoplifting of merchandise from a store.
What product is it that may be a target of thieves in your store and you aren’t even aware of it? For the purposes of this article, my concern is the need to protect packages of batteries, especially lithium batteries. Yes, batteries in general are expensive and can be profitable for simple resale, but you may not be aware that lithium batteries in particular are used as an ingredient in the manufacture of methamphetamine. According to the United States Department of Justice Archive, “The ingredients that are used in the process of making meth can include: …drain cleaner, battery acid and lithium (taken from inside batteries).” https://www.justice.gov/archive/olp/methawareness/ . If your store is seeing shortage in this area, the reason may be they are contributing to a major drug problem in the U.S.
So while most people are aware of the restrictions that have been placed on pseudoephedrine due to the use of it in making methamphetamine, many don’t realize lithium batteries are also key components. Because this is an important part of the process, lithium batteries are a high theft item. If you carry these batteries you may want to take another look at your peghooks to see just how instock you are. If you do not seem to have an issue, now would be the time to look at Checkpoint hard tags for protection. If you have already been impacted it is better to invest in the Auto Peg Tags now and stop shoplifting from continuing to hurt your business.
Use the protection of electronic article surveillance and Auto Peg Tags on all of your pegged merchandise, but I truly urge you to focus on your lithium batteries. You can improve your stock shortage results and possibly help to curb a drug epidemic.
Get more information on Auto Peg Tags. Contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
For retailers, there are some items that get stolen and on the surface it seems the items are stolen at random. Having worked in Retail Loss Prevention for many years I learned that sometimes what appears to be random may actually have wider implications. For example, I once started to see an increase in the theft of certain high blood pressure cold medicines. Initially I thought the thefts were professionals boosting for resale on the black market. After partnering with police friends, I learned that the medicines were stolen by teenagers to get high. I also began learning about the dangers associated with the abuse of these medicines which was another scary prospect. I learned to start looking a little harder when theft trends appeared. While professional boosting may be part of a problem, there may be a darker motivation behind the theft of certain items. Unfortunately, many times retailers are reactive rather than proactive and try to protect merchandise after a theft trend has cost money and shortage. Rather than wait to stop shoplifting until a problem crops up, stores could use Checkpoint hard tags on products now to prevent a problem from starting. A good example of this would be to use the Auto Peg Tag on packages of batteries.
An Auto Peg Tag is an effective means to stop shoplifting while still keeping merchandise readily available for customers to pick up and carry to a checkout counter. These Checkpoint hard tags fit over the peg hole of a package and snap closed. It can only be removed with a detachment tool at a checkout counter. The tags are designed with electronic article surveillance technology built into them so they will cause an electronic article surveillance antenna to activate if a protected package is carried too close to the antenna. Few shoplifters want to risk setting off an alarm and draw attention to them. The bright color of the Auto Peg Tag alerts potential thieves that the package is protected and has EAS technology. Like other Checkpoint Hard Tags, the visual deterrence value alone helps to stop shoplifting of merchandise from a store.
What product is it that may be a target of thieves in your store and you aren’t even aware of it? For the purposes of this article, my concern is the need to protect packages of batteries, especially lithium batteries. Yes, batteries in general are expensive and can be profitable for simple resale, but you may not be aware that lithium batteries in particular are used as an ingredient in the manufacture of methamphetamine. According to the United States Department of Justice Archive, “The ingredients that are used in the process of making meth can include: …drain cleaner, battery acid and lithium (taken from inside batteries).” https://www.justice.gov/archive/olp/methawareness/ . If your store is seeing shortage in this area, the reason may be they are contributing to a major drug problem in the U.S.
So while most people are aware of the restrictions that have been placed on pseudoephedrine due to the use of it in making methamphetamine, many don’t realize lithium batteries are also key components. Because this is an important part of the process, lithium batteries are a high theft item. If you carry these batteries you may want to take another look at your peghooks to see just how instock you are. If you do not seem to have an issue, now would be the time to look at Checkpoint hard tags for protection. If you have already been impacted it is better to invest in the Auto Peg Tags now and stop shoplifting from continuing to hurt your business.
Use the protection of electronic article surveillance and Auto Peg Tags on all of your pegged merchandise, but I truly urge you to focus on your lithium batteries. You can improve your stock shortage results and possibly help to curb a drug epidemic.
Get more information on Auto Peg Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
