Checkpoint Hard Tags-5 WC Blog 255
EAS tags-4
electronic article surveillance-3
Stop shoplifting-5
Helping Employees Understand How Checkpoint Hard Tags Helps Prevent Shortage
During my time as a Loss Prevention Manager we would regularly look at numbers and break them down for training purposes. We wanted to make stock shortage make sense to our store employees. It’s one thing to tell someone that the store stock shortage results came in at a 1% shrink rate it’s another thing for it to have meaning. In real life, that doesn’t sound like a tremendous amount and it certainly isn’t going to motivate an employee to do much to try to stop shoplifting. What difference will it make to that employee if one out of ten pairs of designer jeans valued at $50 hanging on a fixture is missing the Checkpoint hard tag? Nine pair of the jeans are protected, isn’t that adequate? What are the odds a shoplifter would be looking to steal THAT particular size? If your employees are indifferent to shortage you need to help them understand how important it is that they help stop shoplifting. They need to be alert to missing EAS tags and properly responding to electronic article surveillance (EAS) alarm activations. Shortage needs to be discussed in relevant terms to motivate people to want to impact it.
For readers who are not familiar with Checkpoint hard tags, I would like to take a minute to discuss them and how they can help a store stop shoplifting. EAS tags come in a soft or hard tag version. The soft tags can be peeled off of a roll of tags and applied to most surfaces. Checkpoint hard tags are designed of a hard plastic that comes in two parts. The main piece is pinned through a garment and a cap is pushed over the pin and keeps the tag on the item. Removal of the tag requires a special detachment tool and any other attempt to take the tag off results in damage to the clothing item to which it is attached. Checkpoint tags all work in conjunction with electronic article surveillance antennas and cause an antenna alarm to sound if tagged merchandise comes too close to the doorway where the antenna is located. To sum it up, EAS tags stop shoplifting through visual deterrence (shoplifters see tags and don’t want to hassle with them) and physical alarm activations (the chance of being stopped for a receipt check or the possibility they could be apprehended for theft).
When we trained employees, we tried very hard to make the numbers we were tossing at them make more sense and more of an impact. For example, one statistic we used was that for every item that was stolen, it was estimated it would require selling ten of that item to make up the lost profit. If that one pair of $50 designer jeans that was missing the Checkpoint tag was stolen it was estimated we would have to sell $500 of that same type of jeans to make up the loss. We found that the employees paid more attention when they took that into consideration.
Another training tool we incorporated to make inventory results make more sense to associates was to break the losses down by the year, month, week, day and hour. This is a great way to remind people that theft isn’t a once a year event, but it takes place throughout the year. It serves to make it clear it is important to stop prevent theft daily. Think about it like this, I worked for a big box retailer so just to make it easy $120,000 shortage would have been a good result but consider how this breaks down:
• $10,000 a month in losses
• $2307.62 a week in losses
• $328.77 a day in losses
• $13.70 an hour in losses
When all of this is taken into consideration, missing Checkpoint hard tags don’t seem like such a small deal any longer. Now employees take more ownership of helping to stop shoplifting by ensuring all merchandise has an EAS tags on them. Instead of waving off the person who has activated the electronic article surveillance antennas they will be more inclined to do a thorough receipt check. Shortage has relevance and employees see they can make an impact.
Stock shortage hurts a store’s profitability and all employees can play a role in stopping it, but there needs to be context. Explain it to your employees and help them understand how they can impact shortage by making sure Checkpoint hard tags are properly placed on all merchandise.
Checkpoint hard tags are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
During my time as a Loss Prevention Manager we would regularly look at numbers and break them down for training purposes. We wanted to make stock shortage make sense to our store employees. It’s one thing to tell someone that the store stock shortage results came in at a 1% shrink rate it’s another thing for it to have meaning. In real life, that doesn’t sound like a tremendous amount and it certainly isn’t going to motivate an employee to do much to try to stop shoplifting. What difference will it make to that employee if one out of ten pairs of designer jeans valued at $50 hanging on a fixture is missing the Checkpoint hard tag? Nine pair of the jeans are protected, isn’t that adequate? What are the odds a shoplifter would be looking to steal THAT particular size? If your employees are indifferent to shortage you need to help them understand how important it is that they help stop shoplifting. They need to be alert to missing EAS tags and properly responding to electronic article surveillance (EAS) alarm activations. Shortage needs to be discussed in relevant terms to motivate people to want to impact it.
For readers who are not familiar with Checkpoint hard tags, I would like to take a minute to discuss them and how they can help a store stop shoplifting. EAS tags come in a soft or hard tag version. The soft tags can be peeled off of a roll of tags and applied to most surfaces. Checkpoint hard tags are designed of a hard plastic that comes in two parts. The main piece is pinned through a garment and a cap is pushed over the pin and keeps the tag on the item. Removal of the tag requires a special detachment tool and any other attempt to take the tag off results in damage to the clothing item to which it is attached. Checkpoint tags all work in conjunction with electronic article surveillance antennas and cause an antenna alarm to sound if tagged merchandise comes too close to the doorway where the antenna is located. To sum it up, EAS tags stop shoplifting through visual deterrence (shoplifters see tags and don’t want to hassle with them) and physical alarm activations (the chance of being stopped for a receipt check or the possibility they could be apprehended for theft).
When we trained employees, we tried very hard to make the numbers we were tossing at them make more sense and more of an impact. For example, one statistic we used was that for every item that was stolen, it was estimated it would require selling ten of that item to make up the lost profit. If that one pair of $50 designer jeans that was missing the Checkpoint tag was stolen it was estimated we would have to sell $500 of that same type of jeans to make up the loss. We found that the employees paid more attention when they took that into consideration.
Another training tool we incorporated to make inventory results make more sense to associates was to break the losses down by the year, month, week, day and hour. This is a great way to remind people that theft isn’t a once a year event, but it takes place throughout the year. It serves to make it clear it is important to stop prevent theft daily. Think about it like this, I worked for a big box retailer so just to make it easy $120,000 shortage would have been a good result but consider how this breaks down:
• $10,000 a month in losses
• $2307.62 a week in losses
• $328.77 a day in losses
• $13.70 an hour in losses
When all of this is taken into consideration, missing Checkpoint hard tags don’t seem like such a small deal any longer. Now employees take more ownership of helping to stop shoplifting by ensuring all merchandise has an EAS tags on them. Instead of waving off the person who has activated the electronic article surveillance antennas they will be more inclined to do a thorough receipt check. Shortage has relevance and employees see they can make an impact.
Stock shortage hurts a store’s profitability and all employees can play a role in stopping it, but there needs to be context. Explain it to your employees and help them understand how they can impact shortage by making sure Checkpoint hard tags are properly placed on all merchandise.
Checkpoint hard tags are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Checkpoint System-4 WC Blog 307
Retail Theft Prevention-3
Stop Shoplifting-3
Responding To A Checkpoint System EAS Alarm Can Be Intimidating; Train Your Employees How To Approach Customers With Confidence And A Smile
There are many situations in retail where employees have encounters that can be uncomfortable, especially when they aren’t trained on how to approach people. I have seen customers become defensive when a cashier catches a ticket switch while ringing a sale. The employee became intimidated by the customer’s attitude. As a Manager On Duty I have had to deal with customers who have become angry when I wouldn’t allow a full refund for an item because they had no receipt. I have seen employees wave at a customer who set off an electronic article surveillance (EAS) pedestal rather than have to try to resolve the cause of an alarm. There have also been instances where an employee did approach a shopper who set off a tower alarm and the employee’s attitude created a tense situation. For retail theft prevention to be effective store owners and managers need to conduct ongoing training with staff on how to effectively handle conflict or de-escalate situations appropriately, especially with regard to events involving Checkpoint Systems.
A Checkpoint System is a tool that is only as effective as the store team using it. The retail theft prevention system itself is a combination of EAS pedestals installed at entry/exit doors and other key locations in a store, and the use of protective EAS tags and labels placed on merchandise. There are also deactivation pads located at checkout lanes and detachment tools to remove hard tags from merchandise. The pedestals alarm when tagged merchandise is carried near them and alert employees that a possible theft is taking place. Tags and labels provide the protection for merchandise ensuring that if a shoplifter attempts to steal product the tower alarm will be activated. Deactivation pads and detachment tools remove hard tags or “de-tune” soft tags to ensure paid merchandise won’t inadvertently cause an alarm and be a customer distraction. If your team isn’t properly trained to use this tool you degrade the effectiveness of your system to deter theft and prevent shoplifting in your store.
What do I mean? Isn’t a retail theft prevention system going to stop shoplifting once it is installed? Just having a system will deter a certain amount of shoplifting theft, the casual shoplifter generally doesn’t want to risk setting off an EAS pedestal alarm and chance being caught. It is crucial that your employees are trained in properly responding to pedestal alarm activations to get the most out of your system and that means knowing how to approach customers and resolve alarm events. Training will also make approaching customers who have set off an alarm much easier to do.
Frequently, the EAS tower alarm sound will stop shoplifting by startling a dishonest customer and they drop the goods they had and run. But not every thief runs and not every alarm is due to an attempted theft. Employees who are not properly trained to respond can be uncomfortable or even scared to have to interact with the customer who caused the event. Spend time teaching associates to walk to the doors, smile and begin a conversation with a “hello”. They can then ask about the customer’s purchases, did they buy something that may not have deactivated at the register properly? Follow-up with the question, “Do you mind if I see your receipt to try to figure out what’s causing this alarm?” By not sounding like an accusation is being made, it de-escalates the situation by making it appear an error has taken place. By showing concern that an error may have taken place I have even been able to help a customer find that tags from a prior purchase at another store were never deactivated. I have found hidden tags in wallets and the customer said they regularly were setting off alarms and never knew why. For the person who WAS trying to shoplift, giving them a potential way out by approaching and suggesting maybe they forgot to have something rung up removes the suggestion they had the intention of stealing (even if that was their intent). This is an effective method of getting the merchandise back (which is what the tower is supposed to do) and getting the crook out of your building.
Give your employees the proper training and they can stop shoplifting when the Checkpoint system alarms go off. You also give your employees the confidence that interactions at the doors don’t have to be confrontational and they will be more willing to step up and respond to those alarms.
Need information on a Checkpoint system? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
There are many situations in retail where employees have encounters that can be uncomfortable, especially when they aren’t trained on how to approach people. I have seen customers become defensive when a cashier catches a ticket switch while ringing a sale. The employee became intimidated by the customer’s attitude. As a Manager On Duty I have had to deal with customers who have become angry when I wouldn’t allow a full refund for an item because they had no receipt. I have seen employees wave at a customer who set off an electronic article surveillance (EAS) pedestal rather than have to try to resolve the cause of an alarm. There have also been instances where an employee did approach a shopper who set off a tower alarm and the employee’s attitude created a tense situation. For retail theft prevention to be effective store owners and managers need to conduct ongoing training with staff on how to effectively handle conflict or de-escalate situations appropriately, especially with regard to events involving Checkpoint Systems.
A Checkpoint System is a tool that is only as effective as the store team using it. The retail theft prevention system itself is a combination of EAS pedestals installed at entry/exit doors and other key locations in a store, and the use of protective EAS tags and labels placed on merchandise. There are also deactivation pads located at checkout lanes and detachment tools to remove hard tags from merchandise. The pedestals alarm when tagged merchandise is carried near them and alert employees that a possible theft is taking place. Tags and labels provide the protection for merchandise ensuring that if a shoplifter attempts to steal product the tower alarm will be activated. Deactivation pads and detachment tools remove hard tags or “de-tune” soft tags to ensure paid merchandise won’t inadvertently cause an alarm and be a customer distraction. If your team isn’t properly trained to use this tool you degrade the effectiveness of your system to deter theft and prevent shoplifting in your store.
What do I mean? Isn’t a retail theft prevention system going to stop shoplifting once it is installed? Just having a system will deter a certain amount of shoplifting theft, the casual shoplifter generally doesn’t want to risk setting off an EAS pedestal alarm and chance being caught. It is crucial that your employees are trained in properly responding to pedestal alarm activations to get the most out of your system and that means knowing how to approach customers and resolve alarm events. Training will also make approaching customers who have set off an alarm much easier to do.
Frequently, the EAS tower alarm sound will stop shoplifting by startling a dishonest customer and they drop the goods they had and run. But not every thief runs and not every alarm is due to an attempted theft. Employees who are not properly trained to respond can be uncomfortable or even scared to have to interact with the customer who caused the event. Spend time teaching associates to walk to the doors, smile and begin a conversation with a “hello”. They can then ask about the customer’s purchases, did they buy something that may not have deactivated at the register properly? Follow-up with the question, “Do you mind if I see your receipt to try to figure out what’s causing this alarm?” By not sounding like an accusation is being made, it de-escalates the situation by making it appear an error has taken place. By showing concern that an error may have taken place I have even been able to help a customer find that tags from a prior purchase at another store were never deactivated. I have found hidden tags in wallets and the customer said they regularly were setting off alarms and never knew why. For the person who WAS trying to shoplift, giving them a potential way out by approaching and suggesting maybe they forgot to have something rung up removes the suggestion they had the intention of stealing (even if that was their intent). This is an effective method of getting the merchandise back (which is what the tower is supposed to do) and getting the crook out of your building.
Give your employees the proper training and they can stop shoplifting when the Checkpoint System alarms go off. You also give your employees the confidence that interactions at the doors don’t have to be confrontational and they will be more willing to step up and respond to those alarms.
Need information on a Checkpoint System? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Training to reduce employee theft-3 WC Blog 304
Stop shoplifting-4
Employee Theft-3
Can Your Employees Be Stealing? Professional Manager Training To Reduce Employee Theft Is Now Available For Everyone
I can remember when I started working in the Loss Prevention field over 26 years ago and I had no idea what it would entail. I assumed I was going to catch shoplifters stealing clothes, how hard could that be? There were about two days of training from the human resources department on company procedures. I then was required to spend time on the salesfloor and operating a cash register but I knew that wasn’t what I would be happy doing, I wanted to start catching bad guys. Finally I was released to go to the Loss Prevention department! I learned about closed circuit television (and yes, VCR’s), and I began learning how to identify signs of shoplifting. I eventually helped stop shoplifting by assisting in catching thieves, then catching them on my own. As I learned to do my job and became better at it, I began to learn about employee theft. I can’t say I didn’t know it existed, but I had no idea there were so many methods that employees will use to steal. When I eventually took a promotional opportunity to move to a Loss Prevention Manager for another company, I took with me the knowledge I had gained. In my new role I learned even more and had additional training to reduce employee theft. If it was important for me to receive ongoing training, how important is it for a retail owner and managers of stores with no security resources to receive training to reduce employee theft?
Employee theft can include more than simply cash theft from a register or stealing a pack of gum from a checklane. Return fraud, gift card fraud, merchandise theft, and even time card manipulation all impact store profits and can be detrimental to customer service as well. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. offers training programs that can help owners and managers learn how to identify and address issues, reducing the impact they can have on a business. Additional training programs are offered to help stop shoplifting in stores. There is no better resource for training than by an expert who has been in the field and has experience investigating and prosecuting internal theft cases. This experience is available to help retail managers learn what they can do to deter associate theft and stop shoplifting.
I recognize that many small stores do not have a Loss Prevention department. Even national chain stores do not all have in-store security but rather someone at a district or regional level responsible for employee theft investigations. These Loss Prevention managers often visit stores and conduct safety and security audits and spend time training and educating store managers. So what is a small, independently owned store manager to do when he or she can’t afford their own Loss Prevention personnel? Store managers must become educated on the impact of theft on their store and how to identify signs of dishonest activity. An employee who is going to steal isn’t going to advertise their intentions. There are some thieves who are good at what they do and they can make it difficult even for a trained security professional to catch them. There are steps a management team can take to help preclude employees from stealing first place. From pre-employment screening to holding new employee orientations that include the topics of internal theft and how to stop shoplifting, Loss Prevention Systems, inc. wants to help you with training to reduce employee theft.
You may not have a Loss Prevention department but with the proper training you can learn how to protect your business from unnecessary losses. Let us help you keep shortage low and profits high.
Get more information on training to reduce employee theft, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
I can remember when I started working in the Loss Prevention field over 26 years ago and I had no idea what it would entail. I assumed I was going to catch shoplifters stealing clothes, how hard could that be? There were about two days of training from the human resources department on company procedures. I then was required to spend time on the salesfloor and operating a cash register but I knew that wasn’t what I would be happy doing, I wanted to start catching bad guys. Finally I was released to go to the Loss Prevention department! I learned about closed circuit television (and yes, VCR’s), and I began learning how to identify signs of shoplifting. I eventually helped stop shoplifting by assisting in catching thieves, then catching them on my own. As I learned to do my job and became better at it, I began to learn about employee theft. I can’t say I didn’t know it existed, but I had no idea there were so many methods that employees will use to steal. When I eventually took a promotional opportunity to move to a Loss Prevention Manager for another company, I took with me the knowledge I had gained. In my new role I learned even more and had additional training to reduce employee theft. If it was important for me to receive ongoing training, how important is it for a retail owner and managers of stores with no security resources to receive training to reduce employee theft?
Employee theft can include more than simply cash theft from a register or stealing a pack of gum from a checklane. Return fraud, gift card fraud, merchandise theft, and even time card manipulation all impact store profits and can be detrimental to customer service as well. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. offers training programs that can help owners and managers learn how to identify and address issues, reducing the impact they can have on a business. Additional training programs are offered to help stop shoplifting in stores. There is no better resource for training than by an expert who has been in the field and has experience investigating and prosecuting internal theft cases. This experience is available to help retail managers learn what they can do to deter associate theft and stop shoplifting.
I recognize that many small stores do not have a Loss Prevention department. Even national chain stores do not all have in-store security but rather someone at a district or regional level responsible for employee theft investigations. These Loss Prevention managers often visit stores and conduct safety and security audits and spend time training and educating store managers. So what is a small, independently owned store manager to do when he or she can’t afford their own Loss Prevention personnel? Store managers must become educated on the impact of theft on their store and how to identify signs of dishonest activity. An employee who is going to steal isn’t going to advertise their intentions. There are some thieves who are good at what they do and they can make it difficult even for a trained security professional to catch them. There are steps a management team can take to help preclude employees from stealing first place. From pre-employment screening to holding new employee orientations that include the topics of internal theft and how to stop shoplifting, Loss Prevention Systems, inc. wants to help you with training to reduce employee theft.
You may not have a Loss Prevention department but with the proper training you can learn how to protect your business from unnecessary losses. Let us help you keep shortage low and profits high.
Get more information on training to reduce employee theft, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
AA Blog 24-Checkpint labels
Checkpoint labels: 5
EAS labels: 3
Don’t Let Food Theft Get You Down In The Dumps, Protect Yourself With Checkpoint Labels
A couple of weeks ago we were out with some friends for a birthday party. We were at a local bowling alley and sat down to get some food. The waitress had yet to grab the last customer’s check, which had cash in it. We started to discuss how easily someone could take that money without anyone noticing. Not that we would ever do that, but this resulted in a subsequent discussion about theft in general. We all agreed on the prevalence of shoplifting and theft in general. Most of my friends are in law enforcement and we tend to all run in similar circles, so we all have various experience on the subject. One of the guys there, who isn’t in law enforcement, said that his brother is a habitual shoplifter. He said that his brother has, on multiple occasions, walked into a grocery store, filled a cart completely full with food, and just walked out the door with it. Of course he didn’t condone the activity and was not present when it happened, but apparently his brother is pretty proud of the behavior, gloating about it often. His brother stated that he has only been stopped by a store employee once because the items were not bagged. His brother said he just shrugged it off and left the cart and walked away. Nobody tried to stop him, nor was he ever prosecuted for the attempted theft. I have actually been called to these types of calls, when I worked in law enforcement, and I am sure they happen rather frequently. As a business owner it is important to protect your property and take appropriate action to stop shoplifting. The best way to do that is by using Checkpoint labels on your merchandise.
Checkpoint labels are an effective way of securing your property and alerting associates of potential theft. These labels are equipped with Electronic Article Surveillance technology, which sound an audible alarm, when someone attempts to remove the product from the store. Food production, shipping and weather conditions continue to affect grocery costs in the United States. Food has become an inherent part of the holiday season and higher food prices result in increased theft. EAS labels can be used on any product, to include food. Checkpoint labels, for food items, are specifically designed so there is no risk of contamination if direct contact is made. They are also microwave safe so they won’t damage your customer’s property and won’t degrade causing issues with the food integrity. Not all labels meet those stringent food safety standards. These EAS labels are a high quality product at a reasonable price, which ensures they activate and deactivate effectively, to minimize errors and loss. Using these labels on all of your high line food products, such as prime cuts of meat, coffee, alcohol and other items can help reduce your loss and increase profits.
Checkpoint labels can provide the added security you need to protect your valuable commodities. I think about my friend’s brother, and how easy it was for him to just walk out the door with hundreds of dollars in food, without any detection. Obviously those stores were not equipped with EAS labels or a retail anti-theft system in general. It is unfortunate that retailers and grocers think they are immune to theft, when in fact they are extremely vulnerable. We can’t rely solely on our associates to recognize and intervene in these types of incidents. We as an industry must look towards a multi-faceted approach to loss prevention, and EAS labels can help you reduce overhead and reduce theft.
Checkpoint labels are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
A couple of weeks ago we were out with some friends for a birthday party. We were at a local bowling alley and sat down to get some food. The waitress had yet to grab the last customer’s check, which had cash in it. We started to discuss how easily someone could take that money without anyone noticing. Not that we would ever do that, but this resulted in a subsequent discussion about theft in general. We all agreed on the prevalence of shoplifting and theft in general. Most of my friends are in law enforcement and we tend to all run in similar circles, so we all have various experience on the subject. One of the guys there, who isn’t in law enforcement, said that his brother is a habitual shoplifter. He said that his brother has, on multiple occasions, walked into a grocery store, filled a cart completely full with food, and just walked out the door with it. Of course he didn’t condone the activity and was not present when it happened, but apparently his brother is pretty proud of the behavior, gloating about it often. His brother stated that he has only been stopped by a store employee once because the items were not bagged. His brother said he just shrugged it off and left the cart and walked away Nobody tried to stop him, nor was he ever prosecuted for the attempted theft. I have actually been called to these types of calls, when I worked in law enforcement, and I am sure they happen rather frequently. As a business owner it is important to protect your property and take appropriate action to stop shoplifting. The best way to do that is by using Checkpoint labels on your merchandise.
Checkpoint labels are an effective way of securing your property and alerting associates of potential theft. These labels are equipped with Electronic Article Surveillance technology, which sound an audible alarm, when someone attempts to remove the product from the store. Food production, shipping and weather conditions continue to affect grocery costs in the United States. Food has become an inherent part of the holiday season and higher food prices result in increased theft. EAS labels can be used on any product, to include food. Checkpoint labels, for food items, are specifically designed so there is no risk of contamination if direct contact is made. They are also microwave safe so they won’t damage your customer’s property and won’t degrade causing issues with the food integrity. Not all labels meet those stringent food safety standards. These EAS labels are a high quality product at a reasonable price, which ensures they activate and deactivate effectively, to minimize errors and loss. Using these labels on all of your high line food products, such as prime cuts of meat, coffee, alcohol and other items can help reduce your loss and increase profits.
Checkpoint labels can provide the added security you need to protect your valuable commodities. I think about my friend’s brother, and how easy it was for him to just walk out the door with hundreds of dollars in food, without any detection. Obviously those stores were not equipped with EAS labels or a retail anti-theft system in general. It is unfortunate that retailers and grocers think they are immune to theft, when in fact they are extremely vulnerable. We can’t rely solely on our associates to recognize and intervene in these types of incidents. We as an industry must look towards a multi-faceted approach to loss prevention, and EAS labels can help you reduce overhead and reduce theft.
Checkpoint labels are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
EAS Labels-3 WC Blog 313
Stop Shoplifting-3
Checkpoint Security Tags-3
Are Professional Boosters Bugging You With Theft? Checkpoint Security Tags Have A Solution To Help “SWAT” Them Away
Back in the days when I was a Loss Prevention Manager we had theft issues involving certain items we suspected were being stolen by Organized Retail Crime (ORC) groups. These groups would target specific items that had high resale value on the black market and they were being sold for under the retailer prices. Items at that time included DVD’s, CD’s, Cosmetics, a number of Health and Beauty items and even boxed sets of ball cards. The stores in our market took a number of steps to try to stop shoplifting from taking place but we also wanted to identify our merchandise if it got to certain locations notorious for dealing in stolen goods. Flea markets and mom and pop shops were two notable locations where we suspected our merchandise was ending up. In order to try to identify our products from items that may have been taken from other retailers we used a number of tricks. We began marking product with store stamps that included the store number and stickers with a logo and even EAS labels that we marked. In some cases these tactics proved useful but as any good investigator knows you don’t assume a tactic can’t be defeated, you try to find ways to get by a tactic before the bad guys do. We found that often we could find ways around some of our own strategies and if we could then thieves could as well, that’s how they make a living. Those days may be behind retailers now. New Checkpoint security tags are on the market that will defeat even the most stubborn criminal.
The 2928 S Micro “SWAT” Tag is the latest member in the family of Checkpoint security tags. This tag is a tiny 1.1” diameter circle in size. It helps stop shoplifting and reduces shortage due to the visible circuitry that potential shoplifters can see when they look at the tag. The clear viewing window helps keep product information easy to read and gives the store flexibility in the placement of EAS labels on merchandise. The feature that I am most excited about with this new product is an indelible, leave-behind layer that will stymie some boosters and help aid Loss Prevention and police efforts to shut down Organized Retail Theft rings. It works like this; the booster sees the “SWAT” Tag and forcibly removes it from the package. An indelible graphic is left behind on the package that cannot be removed! This means that if the booster sells it to their buyer and it is on a store shelf or flea market booth, the merchandise is marked and risky for resale or easy to identify in a sting operation. Just when you think it can’t get any better, the leave behind layer is customizable if a retailer chooses to do so. A custom QR code can be included making it easy for ORC investigators to scan the code and identify where the product originated. The second option is for a custom layer that has a company logo on it. If no customizing is to be done, a black lock logo is the default, warning away thieves.
You may be wondering if this works on product that is shrink-wrapped. What happens when the bad guys tear off the plastic wrap that seals so many items, doesn’t the logo go away? When boosters steal, the merchandise has to be in the condition that it is sold. For example, if a video game software item is stolen and the shrink wrap is removed, it will not have the same resale value to the buyer. Boosters make about .25 cents on the dollar so if they make $10 on a $40 video game, that amount will go down significantly if they remove the cellophane wrapper, if they can sell it at all. The risk/reward ratio is not in the booster’s favor so they have to keep packaging intact. You can see then how the 2928 S Micro “SWAT” Tag is superior to other EAS labels in terms of preventing ORC theft.
Checkpoint security tags can stop shoplifting and reduce store shortage. The Checkpoint “SWAT” Tag can prevent ORC theft and help law enforcement break up the groups that are plaguing your store and other retailers. Start enjoying the benefits of reduced theft and improved profits today by ordering the 2928 S Micro “SWAT” Tag for ALL of your merchandise.
Get more information on Checkpoint Security Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Back in the days when I was a Loss Prevention Manager we had theft issues involving certain items we suspected were being stolen by Organized Retail Crime (ORC) groups. These groups would target specific items that had high resale value on the black market and they were being sold for under the retailer prices. Items at that time included DVD’s, CD’s, Cosmetics, a number of Health and Beauty items and even boxed sets of ball cards. The stores in our market took a number of steps to try to stop shoplifting from taking place but we also wanted to identify our merchandise if it got to certain locations notorious for dealing in stolen goods. Flea markets and mom and pop shops were two notable locations where we suspected our merchandise was ending up. In order to try to identify our products from items that may have been taken from other retailers we used a number of tricks. We began marking product with store stamps that included the store number and stickers with a logo and even EAS labels that we marked. In some cases these tactics proved useful but as any good investigator knows you don’t assume a tactic can’t be defeated, you try to find ways to get by a tactic before the bad guys do. We found that often we could find ways around some of our own strategies and if we could then thieves could as well, that’s how they make a living. Those days may be behind retailers now. New Checkpoint security tags are on the market that will defeat even the most stubborn criminal.
The 2928 S Micro “SWAT” Tag is the latest member in the family of Checkpoint security tags. This tag is a tiny 1.1” diameter circle in size. It helps stop shoplifting and reduces shortage due to the visible circuitry that potential shoplifters can see when they look at the tag. The clear viewing window helps keep product information easy to read and gives the store flexibility in the placement of EAS labels on merchandise. The feature that I am most excited about with this new product is an indelible, leave-behind layer that will stymie some boosters and help aid Loss Prevention and police efforts to shut down Organized Retail Theft rings. It works like this; the booster sees the “SWAT” Tag and forcibly removes it from the package. An indelible graphic is left behind on the package that cannot be removed! This means that if the booster sells it to their buyer and it is on a store shelf or flea market booth, the merchandise is marked and risky for resale or easy to identify in a sting operation. Just when you think it can’t get any better, the leave behind layer is customizable if a retailer chooses to do so. A custom QR code can be included making it easy for ORC investigators to scan the code and identify where the product originated. The second option is for a custom layer that has a company logo on it. If no customizing is to be done, a black lock logo is the default, warning away thieves.
You may be wondering if this works on product that is shrink-wrapped. What happens when the bad guys tear off the plastic wrap that seals so many items, doesn’t the logo go away? When boosters steal, the merchandise has to be in the condition that it is sold. For example, if a video game software item is stolen and the shrink wrap is removed, it will not have the same resale value to the buyer. Boosters make about .25 cents on the dollar so if they make $10 on a $40 video game, that amount will go down significantly if they remove the cellophane wrapper, if they can sell it at all. The risk/reward ratio is not in the booster’s favor so they have to keep packaging intact. You can see then how the 2928 S Micro “SWAT” Tag is superior to other EAS labels in terms of preventing ORC theft.
Checkpoint security tags can stop shoplifting and reduce store shortage. The Checkpoint “SWAT” Tag can prevent ORC theft and help law enforcement break up the groups that are plaguing your store and other retailers. Start enjoying the benefits of reduced theft and improved profits today by ordering the 2928 S Micro “SWAT” Tag for ALL of your merchandise.
Get more information on Checkpoint Security Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
