Stop Shoplifting By Beating The Shoplifters Up?

January 12, 2019 by Leave a Comment

 

Stop Shoplifting By Beating The Shoplifters Up?
A good friend of mine had a great story about how to stop shoplifting. He told me that when he was an Assistant Manager in a very large retail chain some years ago that his Manager had a unique way to deal with the shoplifters they caught. Apparently this was a frequent occurrence at this store. The Manager would tell the two employees that caught and were holding onto the shoplifter in a very convincing tone “We do not have time to wait for the Police to get here. Just take him out back of the store and beat the “stuffing” out of him.”
At this point my friend said most shoplifters would start crying, promise to change their evil ways and never return. My friend said it was both funny and pretty pathetic to watch. Of course, they would then let him go to scamper off into the sunset. But, he did say that after this was done for a while, their shrink losses were less.
To stop shoplifting now, in this century, I would not recommend this course of action. But do not take my word for it, call your Attorney and ask him/her. So if we cannot beat the stuffing out of them then how do we stop shoplifting? Well, in this century we have modern conveniences such as running water, electricity and Sensormatic systems. These systems when used properly with our training will allow you to significantly reduce your shoplifting losses and increase your sales. Increase your sales? Yep, if your merchandise is not being stolen, then it is available to your good customers. On top of that the training we provide, enhances your customer service skills. Enhanced customer service skills with drive away the shoplifter and make your legitimate customers happier. Come on, who does not like good customer service? A knowledgeable employee that is personable and helping with your selections? Oh, yeah shoplifters. THEY HATE CUSTOMER SERVICE. 
So can you beat the stuffing out of a shoplifter you catch with a Sensormatic system? Well, no to that also. But in fact by stopping shoplifting through deterrence with a Sensormatic system you are being proactive. Most shoplifters will not steal, if they know you have an active system on guard and customer service oriented employees working the floor. We want to PREVENT the losses from even occurring or even so far as to make the shoplifter think twice and ultimately not steal from you.
But aren’t those systems expensive and they false alarm a lot. No and Yes (kind of). So, NO our Sensormatic systems are available in all budget ranges. You can get a great system at a very affordable price, fully installed. Loss Prevention Systems even has awesome equipment financing. That preserves your cash. So, YES many Radio Frequency (RF) Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) systems are famous for false alarms including phantom alarms, which are alarms that occur when no one is around the system.
Sensormatic EAS systems are Acousto Magnetic (AM). Without going into technical detail, an AM system has few false or phantom alarms. It is a different technology that has been around 50+ years. That is one of the reasons that Sensormatic is in 80% of the top 200 Retailers world-wide. 
So instead of you beating yourself up (or someone else) fix the problem once and for all. We do this every day, day in and day out. Loss Prevention Systems folks are specialists in not just shoplifting prevention but loss prevention in general. We understand employee theft, inventory control, pre-employment background screening and much more. 
Do not try to reinvent the wheel. Contact us today to stop shoplifting and learn more about Sensormatic systems.

A good friend of mine had a great story about how to stop shoplifting. He told me that when he was an Assistant Manager in a very large retail chain some years ago that his Manager had a unique way to deal with the shoplifters they caught. Apparently this was a frequent occurrence at this store. The Manager would tell the two employees that caught and were holding onto the shoplifter in a very convincing tone “We do not have time to wait for the Police to get here. Just take him out back of the store and beat the “stuffing” out of him.”

 

At this point my friend said most shoplifters would start crying, promise to change their evil ways and never return. My friend said it was both funny and pretty pathetic to watch. Of course, they would then let him go to scamper off into the sunset. But, he did say that after this was done for a while, their shrink losses were less.

 

To stop shoplifting now, in this century, I would not recommend this course of action. But do not take my word for it, call your Attorney and ask him/her. So if we cannot beat the stuffing out of them then how do we stop shoplifting? Well, in this century we have modern conveniences such as running water, electricity and Sensormatic systems. These systems when used properly with our training will allow you to significantly reduce your shoplifting losses and increase your sales. Increase your sales? Yep, if your merchandise is not being stolen, then it is available to your good customers. On top of that the training we provide, enhances your customer service skills. Enhanced customer service skills with drive away the shoplifter and make your legitimate customers happier. Come on, who does not like good customer service? A knowledgeable employee that is personable and helping with your selections? Oh, yeah shoplifters. THEY HATE CUSTOMER SERVICE. 

 

So can you beat the stuffing out of a shoplifter you catch with a Sensormatic system? Well, no to that also. But in fact by stopping shoplifting through deterrence with a Sensormatic system you are being proactive. Most shoplifters will not steal, if they know you have an active system on guard and customer service oriented employees working the floor. We want to PREVENT the losses from even occurring or even so far as to make the shoplifter think twice and ultimately not steal from you.

 

But aren’t those systems expensive and they false alarm a lot. No and Yes (kind of). So, NO our Sensormatic systems are available in all budget ranges. You can get a great system at a very affordable price, fully installed. Loss Prevention Systems even has awesome equipment financing. That preserves your cash. So, YES many Radio Frequency (RF) Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) systems are famous for false alarms including phantom alarms, which are alarms that occur when no one is around the system.

 

Sensormatic EAS systems are Acousto Magnetic (AM). Without going into technical detail, an AM system has few false or phantom alarms. It is a different technology that has been around 50+ years. That is one of the reasons that Sensormatic is in 80% of the top 200 Retailers world-wide. 

 

So instead of you beating yourself up (or someone else) fix the problem once and for all. We do this every day, day in and day out. Loss Prevention Systems folks are specialists in not just shoplifting prevention but loss prevention in general. We understand employee theft, inventory control, pre-employment background screening and much more. 

 

Do not try to reinvent the wheel. Contact us or call 1-770-426-0547 today to stop shoplifting and learn more about Sensormatic systems.

 

 

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A Loss Prevention System To Start The New Year

January 11, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Shrink in the retail industry is a  loss that many retailers seem unable to fight.  The budget to invest in security in the retail industry has declined over the years with no plans to restore it now or in the foreseeable future. Many of the small retailers believe that installing a loss prevention system will be too expensive for them to afford even though  they seem unable to stop the shoplifting that is causing their store major losses.

Loss prevention systems that allow these retailers to deter the shoplifting from happening in their stores are an investment they seem to ignore or to believe they are too expensive for them to even consider. The benefits associated with installing a loss prevention system in a retail store are numerous, and research has  shown the investment of purchasing such system can be recouped within a year.

Many retail stores do a physical inventory regularly that allows them to gauge the state of their store. Depending on the size of their business, this physical inventory should be done at the end of the month or quarter, and definitely one at the end of the year. For many retail stores, if an inventory is done after the holidays, it can offer a very shocking reality.  

The shoplifting, employee theft, vendor and clerical errors are seen clearly and painfully, and cannot offer an explanation or a solution to the tremendous losses in the store. A physical inventory is also a very expensive way to account for the merchandise in the store. The many hours and personnel required to do this kind of inventory are financially draining for many businesses and their bottom line.

If after the holidays your business has decided to purchase and install a loss prevention system that will allow you to deter the shoplifting and  employee theft in your store, there are a few key features such system should have to help you be successful.

  1. A software platform that allows the retail business a concise and up to the minute inventory analysis to make the necessary adjustments for their business.  
  2. EAS  solutions that are tied to an RF surveillance system that enables the loss prevention team to make decisions accurately and in a timely manner every day all year long
  3. A loss prevention system that will offer training to your employees and help you navigate solutions to your specific problems.

There are many loss prevention systems sellers that will help you find the financing available, give you the training, and the customer care you need to make the installation of the system a success.

Having doubts about buying and installing a loss prevention system in place is understandable and expected.  But, letting shoplifting, employee theft and other external factors influence the earnings you work hard to earn is not a sustainable solution. Contact us and talk to us, we will be happy to work with you.

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Clothing Security Puts A Stop To Shrinking Clothes

January 4, 2019 by Leave a Comment

 

Clothing Security – 4                                                                                                                    WC Blog 727
Sensormatic Tags -4
Clothing Security Puts A Stop To Shrinking Clothes
     Let’s assume that everyone reading this article owns or manages a clothing and fashion store and no one is using any type of clothing security tags on merchandise. Rather than ask you why you are not doing it, I would like to know what it would take to get you to change your mind. Would you have to be losing 1% in shortage to convince you that merchandise protection is important? Would an average of 1.5% shrink make you reconsider a decision not to put Sensormatic tags on merchandise? If you still don’t see it as extremely important then maybe this fact from the Sensormatic Global Shrink Index will jolt you a bit. On page 43 of their report the shrinkage rate in the U.S. for 2017-2018 in Fashion and Accessory stores was a whopping 2.43% ranking #1 (worst) among the 12 vertical store categories listed. I don’t know how much clearer the facts can be that clothing has to be protected and for most small or even medium sized stores a Loss Prevention Associate is out of the question. What isn’t out of your price range is a Sensormatic security system and the use of Sensormatic tags.
     In their global analysis of retailers, the Global Shrink Index says that 62% of respondents indicate EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance) investment is increasing (pg. 23). The report also says that external theft/shoplifting in the U.S. accounted for over 1/3 of retail shortage or 35.55%. Why are retailers investing more in EAS technology? Because the major retailers recognize that Sensormatic tags and labels can have a significant impact on theft reduction and especially shoplifting. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. (LPSI) believes EAS can reduce store inventory shrinkage by about half. If you go to their Loss Prevention Calculator (tabbed as ROI Calc. on their home page), you can see that the figure they give if you purchase a Sensormatic system from them is a reduction in shrink of approximately .55%. They project retailer’s average shortage is 1.2% and with the installation of a Loss Prevention system it would reduce shortage  to a .65%. The evidence is clear that clothing security will be improved if a store begins to use EAS tags and labels.
     LPSI founder Bill Bregar also knows that while purchasing a security system is going to help reduce theft there has to be proper training on how to test equipment, respond to alarm activations and how customer service all make a system more effective. This company won’t abandon you after a sale. Purchase a Sensormatic system from LPSI and you receive “free, live shoplifting prevention training for the life of your Sensormatic…system.” That is correct, clothing security isn’t just about installing a system and forgetting about it. There are best practices to get the most out of a system and Bill wants you to get every dollar’s worth out of a new one and also learn how to prevent shoplifting.
     Clothing security also requires a store to put in measures to control employee theft as well as shoplifting. While employees can steal in ways that are not necessarily stopped by Sensormatic tags, for example the passing of merchandise at the checkout lane, tags DO prevent employees from outright theft. I have witnessed employees hiding merchandise in purses and under their clothing and then walking out of a store. As long as they do not have access to detachment tools or deactivation pads and they have to exit through EAS pedestals, employees with concealed, tagged items are going to set off the alarms. Store procedural controls such as mandatory bag checks before leaving and requiring employees to keep coats and purses in lockers can help further reduce opportunities for dishonest workers to steal.
     With the addition of a Sensormatic system and tags, training from LPSI and sensible store policies regarding employee expectations, store owners can dramatically reduce shrinkage. Fashion retailers don’t have to feel the pain of 2.43% shrink. Contact Bill and his team and get the resources that can cut that number in half and then some.
For more information about clothing security, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Let’s assume that everyone reading this article owns or manages a clothing and fashion store and no one is using any type of clothing security tags on merchandise. Rather than ask you why you are not doing it, I would like to know what it would take to get you to change your mind. Would you have to be losing 1% in shortage to convince you that merchandise protection is important? Would an average of 1.5% shrink make you reconsider a decision not to put Sensormatic tags on merchandise? If you still don’t see it as extremely important then maybe this fact from the Sensormatic Global Shrink Index will jolt you a bit. On page 43 of their report the shrinkage rate in the U.S. for 2017-2018 in Fashion and Accessory stores was a whopping 2.43% ranking #1 (worst) among the 12 vertical store categories listed. I don’t know how much clearer the facts can be that clothing has to be protected and for most small or even medium sized stores a Loss Prevention Associate is out of the question. What isn’t out of your price range is a Sensormatic security system and the use of Sensormatic tags.

In their global analysis of retailers, the Global Shrink Index says that 62% of respondents indicate EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance) investment is increasing (pg. 23). The report also says that external theft/shoplifting in the U.S. accounted for over 1/3 of retail shortage or 35.55%. Why are retailers investing more in EAS technology? Because the major retailers recognize that Sensormatic tags and labels can have a significant impact on theft reduction and especially shoplifting. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. (LPSI) believes EAS can reduce store inventory shrinkage by about half. If you go to their Loss Prevention Calculator (tabbed as ROI Calc. on their home page), you can see that the figure they give if you purchase a Sensormatic system from them is a reduction in shrink of approximately .55%. They project retailer’s average shortage is 1.2% and with the installation of a Loss Prevention system it would reduce shortage  to a .65%. The evidence is clear that clothing security will be improved if a store begins to use EAS tags and labels.

LPSI founder Bill Bregar also knows that while purchasing a security system is going to help reduce theft there has to be proper training on how to test equipment, respond to alarm activations and how customer service all make a system more effective. This company won’t abandon you after a sale. Purchase a Sensormatic system from LPSI and you receive “free, live shoplifting prevention training for the life of your Sensormatic…system.” That is correct, clothing security isn’t just about installing a system and forgetting about it. There are best practices to get the most out of a system and Bill wants you to get every dollar’s worth out of a new one and also learn how to prevent shoplifting.

Clothing security also requires a store to put in measures to control employee theft as well as shoplifting. While employees can steal in ways that are not necessarily stopped by Sensormatic tags, for example the passing of merchandise at the checkout lane, tags DO prevent employees from outright theft. I have witnessed employees hiding merchandise in purses and under their clothing and then walking out of a store. As long as they do not have access to detachment tools or deactivation pads and they have to exit through EAS pedestals, employees with concealed, tagged items are going to set off the alarms. Store procedural controls such as mandatory bag checks before leaving and requiring employees to keep coats and purses in lockers can help further reduce opportunities for dishonest workers to steal.

With the addition of a Sensormatic system and tags, training from LPSI and sensible store policies regarding employee expectations, store owners can dramatically reduce shrinkage. Fashion retailers don’t have to feel the pain of 2.43% shrink. Contact Bill and his team and get the resources that can cut that number in half and then some.

 

For more information about clothing security, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

 

 

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Did The Grinch Steal Your Retail Christmas? 

January 1, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Wow, Christmas is over and Retailers are starting to dig out from the carnage. Unfortunately, some of the carnage is all the merchandise that shoplifters have liberated from your store. I believe that theft is actually the oldest vice around. Even older than “the oldest profession”. As long are there are two things on this earth 1-people and 2-stuff, there will be theft. Well, neither is going away anytime soon. So what do we do?  

The first thing is to make the decision to take your store back from the enemy. Putting the solution off will not fix the problem and it will get worse. The second is to implement the two proven solutions. Training and a Sensormatic system. 

TRAINING – Over the past 35 years I have heard countless retailers say the same thing. “I don’t know what I can or cannot do with or about shoplifters”. Shoplifters are no different than any other business challenge we face. Attack it head-on. Loss Prevention Systems can educate you on what you can and cannot do. But more importantly, we will take you off the defensive and put you on the offense. Now I know what you may be thinking right now. “I am not going to chase shoplifters down and tackle them!”. Well, I am glad we got that out because we do not want you to do that either. We want to prevent the loss from occurring (that’s why we call ourselves Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. What a coincidence, huh?).  

Training should cover a discussion of the problem itself, the law both criminal and civil, who shoplifters are and how to spot them before they even steal, going on the offensive with customer service tactics and more. We do this live via webinar with as many of your folks as you can pull together. I have actually found that most of the time we need to do two sessions so we do not leave the store short staffed or someone misses out. Training will help give you the confidence to attack the shoplifting scourge head-on. 

SENSORMATIC SYSTEM – “So if I am trained, why do I need a Sensormatic system and Sensormatic security labels?” Great question, glad you asked that! (sorry, I am in one of those moods) Consider this, training is only half of the solution. You and your staff can be trained up in the techniques to prevent and deal with shoplifting but you cannot be everywhere at once, even in a small boutique. Shoplifters WILL create an environment where they can steal. On top of that what you will find is that some of your “best” customers are also actually stealing from you. Yes, that good customer is buying merchandise, either small inexpensive items or even more expensive ones but they are actually stealing other merchandise in addition to that. And because they are a “best” or frequently seen customer less attention is paid to their activities. They are kind of a fixture, they hang out a bit, joke with the staff, ask questions and then…. They are simply not observed because “that’s just Sam or Wendy, they are really nice”. 

So to handle all that you will find that a Sensormatic system is actually cheaper than additional payroll. In addition to that, the Sensormatic system never takes a day off, does not call in sick or no show. The Sensormatic system is working 24/7. Actually, many of our systems actually power themselves down after you close to save on your energy bill. They automatically wake themselves up when you come in the next day. 

A Sensormatic system has two benefits. It sends a message to the thieves (real customers do not care) and prevents losses. And, of course, the tags and labels are actually protecting your merchandise and bottom line. 

So there are no more excuses. Make this year the best yet for sales you make and actually keep the margin make on the bottom line. Grinch, GO AWAY! Contact us today. We can make both Training and a Sensormatic system your reality. 

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A Proper Reflection Of The Past Year Can Make The New Year Even Better

January 1, 2019 by Leave a Comment

It is January and you are ready to get started on your new year. What does the start of a New Year look like for your business? Are you still trying to move out seasonal and clearance merchandise? Are you preparing to trim back payroll by releasing seasonal employees? Maybe you are already thinking about inventory and what you will need to do to prepare for that day. There are all sorts of ways retail owners and managers start the New Year but I would suggest that before you look forward you take time to look back on the previous year. 

There are a couple of reasons I would suggest reflecting on what the past year has been like for the business. First, by taking the time to reflect on the year you can celebrate the store wins with the entire store team. Employees want to know how their contributions have helped the store meet goals that were set. You may have one or one hundred successes to share but your entire team has put in the work and should be given a chance to share in the successes. It can be a simple cake in the breakroom or a small in-store party but let your employees know that their efforts paid off and are appreciated.  

 Another reason for reflection is that you can evaluate what did not go as planned. This is when you pull out planning documents or action plans and look at what goals were not reached. Did you meet your sales goals? Did you make stock shortage objectives? Did you meet your employee turnover goals? If you cannot celebrate an item as a win you will want to move that to the new store action plan for this year. You and your management team will need to consider what can be done differently to achieve the goals you set and missed. This is not a 5-minute task. This will require the team to drill down to the causes that led to a missed goal and then plan how to improve it. Sometimes this can feel personal and everyone needs to leave their feelings outside the room. Approach the problem as a group and find ways to help each other with action items. 

One of my favorite tools for a New Year is what I have adopted from several workplaces, a “What Works/What Didn’t Work” session. I have seen these done by only a management team but the truly effective sessions include team members and hourly staff. The employees will often provide you with insight into problems you did not know existed. Here is an example; you may think you have a good return policy and your return desk employees are happy. You don’t see anything that indicates problems with your refund program. What you may not be aware of is that your service desk employees are unhappy because they feel that managers are not supporting them after they turn down a refund with no receipt. The managers are called when the customer is upset and the manager arrives and tells the customer they “will take care of it”. Sure, the customers are happy and the policies look like they are enforced but the service desk employees feel foolish and undermined. A “What Worked/What Didn’t Work” session can help you see how you can improve policies, services and improve morale. When you conduct one, make sure you also ask your employees for suggestions on how to improve what they think did not work. Don’t let it simply be a gripe session. It also allows you to clarify reasons some policies may be in place that employees were unaware of before the meetings. 

After you have celebrated, evaluated and set new goals you are almost ready to jump into your New Year. Make sure your goals are realistic and create plans that will be effective in achieving those goals. If reducing shortage by .5% is your goal, you may want to install an Electronic Article Surveillance system. If making your hiring process easier and reducing paperwork is a goal, Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. can help you with their Applicant Management Center. If parking lot break-ins are an issue you can request improved lighting from your property management company. If you need help in risk assessment and loss reduction Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. offers a consultation package that involves everything from an onsite visit to a comprehensive loss prevention policies and procedures package. 

Start your year off right with a look back at the previous year. Share wins, evaluate opportunities and work as a team to create plans that will lead to an even better year than last. Make 2019 a year of growth and prosperity and consider taking Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. along as a partner!

 

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Resolved Or Solved? How Planning Can Make New Year’s Resolutions Work

January 1, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Have you ever noticed how we all anticipate a New Year will bring new and exciting things into our lives (or businesses) but after the first month we often realize that nothing is new or improved or better? In fact, we may be disappointed as the year progresses that problems we hoped would be resolved (read, “magically disappear”) are still there. We make resolutions at the beginning of the year that are meant to help “improve” or “fix” something we know is an opportunity but then we slide back into our routines and those “problems” don’t get any better.

     In retail, those problems may involve personnel issues such as hiring and retention. Concerns may be for store profitability including expenses, sales, and shortage. Maybe concerns are over what may be classified non-controllable expenses, building rent, taxes, etc. Wishing problems away is not a solution nor is a resolution. If you want to resolve to solve problems you have you need to create an actual action plan and then take a partner(s) to stick to it, often one of your store managers or department management team. As you look at the areas of opportunity and break them down you can find that correcting one area can make a significant impact on other areas. Let me give you an example of what I mean.

e.g You identify that you have an issue with excessively high merchandise shrink.

      You need to identify all of the possible causes of the shortage problem.

  1. Do you use retail anti-theft devices?
  2. If you use a Sensormatic security system are you tagging everything?
  3. What areas are your highest shortage departments and are they vendor serviced?
    • If they are vendor serviced are you checking in and out vendors?
    • Are you improperly tossing out of date merchandise rather than receiving vendor credits?  
  4. Is employee theft causing shrinkage you haven’t seen?
    • Do you complete pre-employment background checks before hiring?
    • Do you require pre-employment drug screening?
    • Do you know the signals to look for that would indicate an employee may be stealing?
  5. Do you control your compactor and who throws out the trash and if you have a baler who is crushing cardboard?
    • Employees and vendors who are stealing and have access to a compactor will toss out the empty packages they would otherwise leave behind.
    • Uncontrolled compactors mean anyone can throw away anything that looks like trash but some small items can be overlooked and thrown away and cause a shortage.

These are not all of the contributors to a shortage. You can continue to drill down and I would encourage you and your team to do so. The project doesn’t stop there. Once you have identified the issues you need to create an action plan to address each concern. The plan should also include benchmarks or measurements that will show you are doing what you said you would do. There must also be deadlines for completion.

     There are areas that will cross over and can be beneficial to each section. Let’s say that you have focused on shortage and you also believe you have a hiring/retention problem. It seems people are going in and out like a revolving door. You have to ask yourself are you hiring the right people in the first place. If your employees keep leaving it could be they have stolen from you to get what they want and they are leaving before you catch on to them. If you start doing background checks you will be more selective in who you are bringing on your team. You may have been hiring a lot of people with criminal records or spotty work histories. Being selective and hiring the right people can also build a more dependable workforce. This leads to improved morale, more initiative and a better work ethic overall. Improving your hiring can improve shortage results due to dishonest employee activity.

     Another example of crossover would be compactor controls. Start regulating who is tossing out the trash and you impact retail shrinkage but you may also find that merchandise that was being overlooked is now being stocked more carefully. Overlooked items are getting back on the sales floor. Not only do you reduce shortage you improve sales.

     Wishing the New Year will bring improvements is no way to operate a business. Planning and follow through on those plans will bring about the positive changes you want to see. Resolve that 2019 will be a year of growth and profitable sales! Happy New Year!

          

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New Year’s Resolutions That Help The Environment And Can Keep Stores Profitable

January 1, 2019 by Leave a Comment

It’s 2019 and time to make some New Year’s resolutions! We all know how easy a resolution can be to make but they are hard to keep. We also know that it is just as easy to break a resolution but are there resolutions a store owner can make that would benefit the store AND benefit society? I think one resolution that would be mutually beneficial for both would be the implementation of environment-friendly policies and procedures. We are talking about sensible measures that would appeal to anyone on either side of the political spectrum. Right now there is a big push for the elimination of plastic shopping bags. There are also those opposed to going back to paper bags. What could the solution be? Try encouraging the use of recyclable, reusable shopping bags for your customers. You make those opposed to one-time use bags happy and you save money on the need to regularly purchase more shopping bags (which can be a rather pricey supply on your monthly expense report). To implement this type of change you would want to have reusable bags ready for your customers and you might even give them away for the first few weeks you start the program. After that, you might give customers a small discount to customers who bring their own bags, say 1% on every transaction.

     Problems that may arise by allowing recycled bags into the store. The first concern is the potential for increased shoplifting. Inviting customers to bring their bags into the store to bag groceries is going to make shoplifting that much easier. Thieves already walk by unattended cash registers to pick up plastic shopping bags as they enter the store. They fill them up, look like any other customer who has made a purchase at an in-store terminal and they leave. Most customers are honest but I would remind readers that one of the necessary ingredients for shoplifting is opportunity. Without opportunity, some people who may be tempted to steal for a thrill are kept in check. You provide opportunity by permitting reusable bags and some will take advantage of it. You also have to think, are the bags only allowed at the checkout stand? How do you keep shoppers from filling them up as a convenience rather than using a shopping cart? How do you monitor the shoppers for those who may be stealing and those who are simply picking up merchandise for purchase? It can lead to problems for store owners.

     There is a way to allow the use of shopping bags and minimize the risk of increased shoplifting and that is the installation of an electronic article surveillance system (EAS). If you are going to resolve to help the environment you can still do it just by adding an EAS System in your store if you don’t already have one. You tag all of your merchandise with EAS tags or labels depending on what the merchandise is or how you strategize your theft prevention procedures. If a shopper has concealed merchandise in a bag they brought in and did not pay for it the alarm is going to be activated and your employees will respond to it.

     Since we are on the topic of being environmentally responsible it is important that retailers know that many EAS tags are built out of recyclable materials. Hard tags can be used multiple times to tag and re-tag merchandise thereby saving on the need for constantly purchasing new tags and since they are recyclable they help the environment. It should also be noted a lot of Sensormatic systems help to reduce power consumption. When the systems are not in use (during non-working store hours) they go into a power saver mode. Stores save money and wasted energy. The use of EAS loss prevention equipment saves stores money by preventing theft and it allows stores the ability to appeal to their environmentally focused customers thus driving sales.

     Another environment-friendly step you can make as a retailer is to look at recycling those cardboard boxes your merchandise is shipped in. A cardboard bale can bring in anywhere from $10 to $20 a ton. If this does not seem like a cost-effective move for your store you could try partnering with a neighboring store and combine efforts. It isn’t a lot of money but it does keep cardboard out of landfills and you can advertise that to your customers.

     Resolutions may not be easy to keep but once you start down the road of using merchandise protection and you see the money you save in shortage and how easy it is to implement you won’t find it difficult to stay on track. In 2019, resolve to make some changes that will help the environment and make your store more profitable at the same time.

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Sensormatic Tags Provide Plenty Of Protection

December 19, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Electronic Article Surveillance -3                                                                                                  WC Blog 723
Stop Shoplifting-3
Sensormatic Tags-3


Sensormatic Tags Provide Plenty Of Protection

     It’s been a while since I went on a rant about the mechanisms retailers put in place to stop shoplifting that drive me up the wall. After my shopping trip to a store to purchase a computer monitor because mine went kaput I got annoyed. This store puts security wraps around $80 routers and even some landline telephone systems but on an open shelf they had a computer monitor that was on sale normally priced around $119. There were no Sensormatic tags or other protection on it to prevent someone from picking it up and walking out the doors with it. Are You KIDDING ME? This same company has jump drives in security boxes. Good Grief! With the price points of some of the items that are protected with anti-theft devices to stop shoplifting it makes no sense to me that a computer monitor that WOULD be a target for shoplifters would be left unprotected.

     This isn’t my only rant on merchandise protection in stores. It wasn’t long ago that I was in another retail store that carries infant formula. This store was securing the baby formula cans in a type of security box device that appeared designed specifically for the formula cans in much the same way as Sesnormatic Magnetic Infant Formula Tags are designed to protect baby formula and similarly shaped cans. The protection of the cans is a great idea but what I found silly was the baby formula was then placed behind a security display that restricts the cans to being removed one at a time. I know why they are doing this. Baby formula is a high theft item for Organized Retail Crime groups. These are groups of professional shoplifting rings that are adept at stealing large quantities of merchandise and reselling them to mom and pop shops and through the internet. The thing that drives me crazy is the electronic article surveillance devices are supposed to be the deterrent to theft while making merchandise more accessible to the shoppers. Trust the tags, they work.

      Even Bill Bregar the CEO of Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. a former National Director of Loss Prevention recognizes that Sensormatic Tags and other retail anti-theft devices provide protection AND improve sales for stores. Use of electronic article surveillance systems gives retailers the ability to make merchandise more available to customers. Customers are more apt to purchase something they can pick up and carry rather than having to wait for assistance at a showcase. They also don’t like to feel restricted when they want more than one item from a shelf. Trusting in the Sensormatic system to do what it is intended to do improves sales and decreases shortage. Doubling security in my opinion only negates the purpose of using anti-shoplifting devices by impeding sales not enhancing them.

     Another rant I have involves security display cases and this directly impacts me because I work in a store that uses these monstrosities. Our store uses a new style of lock-up case that requires an electronic key to open. Now I already hate display cases because of how they are NOT customer friendly. The type our store uses are not employee or customer friendly. The key is held next to a place on the door and when the button on the key is held down a metal door pin is retracted and the door can be opened. The problem is the key has to be “recharged” or it does not retract the pin or the key works but the pin simply doesn’t respond. I have had to make customers wait for up to 10 minutes to get a key recharged (that is uncomfortable). Also when I went to look for my computer monitor another employee stopped me and asked if I knew how to make the key work because the managers were all busy and no one else was available to assist her. I showed her how to open the case and then I went shopping. If we just relied on Sensormatic tags and had enough employees on the floor we would avoid this issue.

      Electronic Article Surveillance can stop shoplifting and increase sales if it is managed properly. Not trusting a system once it is in place is counterproductive and results in lost sales as customers get annoyed at waiting. Invest in a Sensormatic security system and trust it to work in your favor. You will be happy with the results and you will stay off of my rant list.
Need information on Sensormatic tags? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.

It’s been a while since I went on a rant about the mechanisms retailers put in place to stop shoplifting that drive me up the wall. After my shopping trip to a store to purchase a computer monitor because mine went kaput I got annoyed. This store puts security wraps around $80 routers and even some landline telephone systems but on an open shelf they had a computer monitor that was on sale normally priced around $119. There were no Sensormatic tags or other protection on it to prevent someone from picking it up and walking out the doors with it. Are You KIDDING ME? This same company has jump drives in security boxes. Good Grief! With the price points of some of the items that are protected with anti-theft devices to stop shoplifting it makes no sense to me that a computer monitor that WOULD be a target for shoplifters would be left unprotected.
     

This isn’t my only rant on merchandise protection in stores. It wasn’t long ago that I was in another retail store that carries infant formula. This store was securing the baby formula cans in a type of security box device that appeared designed specifically for the formula cans in much the same way as Sesnormatic Magnetic Infant Formula Tags are designed to protect baby formula and similarly shaped cans. The protection of the cans is a great idea but what I found silly was the baby formula was then placed behind a security display that restricts the cans to being removed one at a time. I know why they are doing this. Baby formula is a high theft item for Organized Retail Crime groups. These are groups of professional shoplifting rings that are adept at stealing large quantities of merchandise and reselling them to mom and pop shops and through the internet. The thing that drives me crazy is the electronic article surveillance devices are supposed to be the deterrent to theft while making merchandise more accessible to the shoppers. Trust the tags, they work.
     

Even Bill Bregar the CEO of Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. a former National Director of Loss Prevention recognizes that Sensormatic Tags and other retail anti-theft devices provide protection AND improve sales for stores. Use of electronic article surveillance systems gives retailers the ability to make merchandise more available to customers. Customers are more apt to purchase something they can pick up and carry rather than having to wait for assistance at a showcase. They also don’t like to feel restricted when they want more than one item from a shelf. Trusting in the Sensormatic system to do what it is intended to do improves sales and decreases shortage. Doubling security in my opinion only negates the purpose of using anti-shoplifting devices by impeding sales not enhancing them.
     

Another rant I have involves security display cases and this directly impacts me because I work in a store that uses these monstrosities. Our store uses a new style of lock-up case that requires an electronic key to open. Now I already hate display cases because of how they are NOT customer friendly. The type our store uses are not employee or customer friendly. The key is held next to a place on the door and when the button on the key is held down a metal door pin is retracted and the door can be opened. The problem is the key has to be “recharged” or it does not retract the pin or the key works but the pin simply doesn’t respond. I have had to make customers wait for up to 10 minutes to get a key recharged (that is uncomfortable). Also when I went to look for my computer monitor another employee stopped me and asked if I knew how to make the key work because the managers were all busy and no one else was available to assist her. I showed her how to open the case and then I went shopping. If we just relied on Sensormatic tags and had enough employees on the floor we would avoid this issue.
     

Electronic Article Surveillance can stop shoplifting and increase sales if it is managed properly. Not trusting a system once it is in place is counterproductive and results in lost sales as customers get annoyed at waiting. Invest in a Sensormatic security system and trust it to work in your favor. You will be happy with the results and you will stay off of my rant list.

 

Need information on Sensormatic tags? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Loss Prevention Systems For The New Year

December 12, 2018 by Leave a Comment

For a loss prevention officer, the holiday season is a hard time to be jolly when the busiest shopping season of the year brings with it its shoplifters, crime, and theft.  During the holiday season, the number of incidents involving shoplifting increases considerably, and the losses the store suffers can be devastating to their bottom line.

For any retail store in the United States and across the globe, having a loss prevention system in place or a loss prevention officer in their store can be the difference between having profits or losses during their fiscal year. 

According to recent studies, more than half of retail stores in the United States have stopped investing in their loss prevention teams or systems even though their inventory shrink rate has seen an increase in the last year.  The inventory shrink rate takes into consideration the following:

  • Shoplifting
  • Employee theft
  • Vendor fraud
  • Administrative and paperwork errors

Shoplifting theft accounts for almost 40% of the total theft a store experiences, and even though the amount an employee steals can surpass that of the common shoplifter each instance it happens, the shoplifting theft can be considerable every year.

According to many pieces of research, retail stores lose approximately $35 million a day due to shoplifting or $48.9 billion in a year. Those detrimental statistics in the retail industry are worth considering when many stores and businesses decide whether to invest in a loss prevention system or a loss prevention team to combat the shoplifting in their store.

A loss prevention system expense can be recovered within a short period of time, and if your losses are increasing each year, the time you will recoup the money invested in the system shortens considerably. 

The introduction of a loss prevention system in the store allows your employees to dedicate more time with the customers entering your store, than attempting to catch the shoplifter. The system also allows your store to be protected and send a message to the shoplifters. Shoplifters know where and which stores to target.  If you are a store that doesn’t prosecute shoplifters or doesn’t have a loss prevention team or system, you are vulnerable and can become the target store for many of these shoplifters.

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How Extensive Is Your Shoplifting Problem? Do You Even Know? A Sensormatic System Is Only One Part Of The Solution!

December 11, 2018 by Leave a Comment

 

How Extensive Is Your Shoplifting Problem? Do You Even Know? A Sensormatic System Is Only One Part Of The Solution!
If you do not stop shoplifting it will chip away a little at a time. But usually adds up to big losses. Even with a Sensormatic system you are still vulnerable. If you are taking regular inventories which every Retailer regardless of size should be doing, then it will not sneak up on you as fast. Even doing a cycle count on selected suspect merchandise items will provide some insight into your losses. However, many times you see your losses in empty packages found on the sales floor or restrooms. But your losses are most likely much higher than what you think they are or hope they are. To stop shoplifting you cannot ignore the problem, it WILL get worse. In my 35+ years of dealing with shoplifters, I have never seen the issue go away on its own. 
The good news is that shoplifting is a very solvable problem. Like any other business problem you simply need to understand the real solutions. Signs, camera systems and the like do not stop shoplifting. It is difficult to get legitimate shoppers to look at signs let alone shoplifters. A camera system does not even concern a shoplifter. They know that you are not watching live and once they are gone it does not matter. If they think you may be watching, they simply take the merchandise to an area that you do not have covered with a camera. Some will test your camera system by taking an item and moving it somewhere that would make you think that they have stolen it. They then walk out without the item and see if they are stopped.  
Another problem in dealing with shoplifters is that you and your staff may be uncomfortable with approaching or even stopping them. It is very common to have doubts or even fears. What can I do? What does the law allow? Will I get in trouble under criminal or civil law? What happens if I am wrong? How do I approach a suspected shoplifter? What do I do if they run off? All of these are great questions. Many times I see Retailers get so concerned about these unknowns that they simply shy away from the problem. There is no need to do that. And again the shoplifting problem will not get better only worse.
Solutions:
There are only two reasonable, cost effective solutions to stop shoplifting. The first is an Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) system such as Sensormatic. And just as importantly, training. I have been in the field of loss prevention since I left being a Police Officer. I have apprehended many shoplifters when I was a Store Investigator. And I have designed the shoplifting program for several major Retailers as their Director of Loss Prevention. Of course, there was all the other experience I gained along that journey. With that said I am here to tell you that these two solutions are the only solutions to shoplifting and they must be done together. Training you and your staff how to deter or approach a shoplifter is worthless and not cost effective without a Sensormatic system. The same goes for the Sensormatic system. It is worthless unless you have the deterrence and approach skills.  
The great news is that my company, Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. (LPSI) can help you with both solutions. We train you up and follow your progress, answer your questions. You are getting your own professional LP Director when you purchase your Sensormatic system from Loss Prevention Systems. We teach live via webinars how to deter and approach shoplifters. The technique will delight your good customers but shoplifters will hate it and go elsewhere. The Sensormatic system will back your staff up when they are too busy with other customers. Shoplifters look for those opportunities to hit you!
Do you want to stop shoplifting? Contact us or call 1-770-426-0547 today and fix your shoplifting problem once and for all!!!

If you do not stop shoplifting it will chip away a little at a time. But usually adds up to big losses. Even with a Sensormatic system you are still vulnerable. If you are taking regular inventories which every Retailer regardless of size should be doing, then it will not sneak up on you as fast. Even doing a cycle count on selected suspect merchandise items will provide some insight into your losses. However, many times you see your losses in empty packages found on the sales floor or restrooms. But your losses are most likely much higher than what you think they are or hope they are. To stop shoplifting you cannot ignore the problem, it WILL get worse. In my 35+ years of dealing with shoplifters, I have never seen the issue go away on its own. 

 

The good news is that shoplifting is a very solvable problem. Like any other business problem you simply need to understand the real solutions. Signs, camera systems and the like do not stop shoplifting. It is difficult to get legitimate shoppers to look at signs let alone shoplifters. A camera system does not even concern a shoplifter. They know that you are not watching live and once they are gone it does not matter. If they think you may be watching, they simply take the merchandise to an area that you do not have covered with a camera. Some will test your camera system by taking an item and moving it somewhere that would make you think that they have stolen it. They then walk out without the item and see if they are stopped.  

 

Another problem in dealing with shoplifters is that you and your staff may be uncomfortable with approaching or even stopping them. It is very common to have doubts or even fears. What can I do? What does the law allow? Will I get in trouble under criminal or civil law? What happens if I am wrong? How do I approach a suspected shoplifter? What do I do if they run off? All of these are great questions. Many times I see Retailers get so concerned about these unknowns that they simply shy away from the problem. There is no need to do that. And again the shoplifting problem will not get better only worse.

 

Solutions:

There are only two reasonable, cost effective solutions to stop shoplifting. The first is an Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) system such as Sensormatic. And just as importantly, training. I have been in the field of loss prevention since I left being a Police Officer. I have apprehended many shoplifters when I was a Store Investigator. And I have designed the shoplifting program for several major Retailers as their Director of Loss Prevention. Of course, there was all the other experience I gained along that journey. With that said I am here to tell you that these two solutions are the only solutions to shoplifting and they must be done together. Training you and your staff how to deter or approach a shoplifter is worthless and not cost effective without a Sensormatic system. The same goes for the Sensormatic system. It is worthless unless you have the deterrence and approach skills.  

 

The great news is that my company, Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. (LPSI) can help you with both solutions. We train you up and follow your progress, answer your questions. You are getting your own professional LP Director when you purchase your Sensormatic system from Loss Prevention Systems. We teach live via webinars how to deter and approach shoplifters. The technique will delight your good customers but shoplifters will hate it and go elsewhere. The Sensormatic system will back your staff up when they are too busy with other customers. Shoplifters look for those opportunities to hit you!

 

Do you want to stop shoplifting? Contact us or call 1-770-426-0547 today and fix your shoplifting problem once and for all!!!

 

 

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With:
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