Alpha Bottle Locks Reduce Theft And Increase Profit

December 14, 2016 by Leave a Comment

 

AA Blog 01
Bottle Lock(s):  5
Bottle Security:  4
Alpha Bottle Locks Reduce Theft And Increase Profit
So yesterday on my way home from work, I stopped by one of the local liquor stores, to pick up some Huckleberry Vodka for our weekend trip.  Before you start judging me, I don’t drink very often and although technically the item was for my husband, I do occasionally partake in a good Moscow Mule.  I am not sure if you have had one before, but they are pretty delicious.  Anyway, we are going to my Aunt’s wedding on Saturday and thought I would pick some up just in case.  While in the store, another patron came in and I overheard her ask where the Fireball had moved to.  Apparently, that shopper was a more frequent customer, by the sounds of it.  The store clerk said that she had to move the Fireball to a shelf near the counter, because having it displayed by the door was resulting in it, “walking away”.  Now being in law enforcement for over 15 years and in loss prevention for over 3 years, I am very familiar with what she meant by “walking away”.  I have responded to my fair share of alcohol thefts from the local grocery stores, resulting from stacking product in close proximity to the doors.  As most people in law enforcement or loss prevention know, this results in a quick get-a-way, and lengthy investigation.  These types of investigations rely on a low quality camera system to identify the subject.  Often times a suspect cannot be identified in this process.  If you are a retail store owner you want nothing more than to increase your bottle security, but is there a better way?  I am here to tell you there is.  Bottle locks are devices that are designed specifically for protecting bottles of any kind from “walking away”.  
These bottle security devices are some of the best on the market, not only do they prevent someone from removing the cap without the bottle shattering, they can also be equipped with RF technology to prevent thieves from exiting the store with the bottle.  I am not sure if you have had the opportunity to see these devices in person, but I have, and I tell you they are a huge deterrent. In the military we had liquor stores that sold liquor, beer and wine, and the majority of them had this type of bottle security to prevent shoplifting.  The best thing about Bottle locks is they can be used over and over again.  The store clerk simply removes the device with a specially designed key at the time of sale, and those Locks are then placed on other merchandise.  They come in various sizes and shapes to meet any retailer’s product and stocking needs.         
You have to ask yourself, why would your average thief want to try and steal an item with bottle security, when they can go somewhere that doesn’t have them and get what they want much easier?  Although these devices can be used in liquor stores they can also be used in convenience stores and grocery stores that sell wine or liquor.  They can also be used in taverns, nightclubs and restaurants to prevent employee theft of stored inventory. 
I would say most liquor stores I have been to, are small locally run businesses.  They have limited staff on hand and profit margins tend to be a lot smaller then some of the major retail chains.  So as I was standing there pondering which brand of Vodka to buy, I couldn’t help but think about how unprotected that small business was to theft.  There was only one employee working at the time, which is probably pretty common on a Tuesday afternoon, yet there were three customers wandering around the isles unattended and unsupervised.  I imagine some small businesses see these and other types of security devices as an added expense, but even though upfront costs may be greater, preventing shoplifting will only increase profit margins long term.  It also ensures lower prices for your customers, which is always a means for bolstering sales and increasing profit.  Bottle Locks lead the industry for bottle protection and can provide the small business owner with added protection and peace of mind.   
For more information about Bottle Locks, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547. 

So yesterday on my way home from work, I stopped by one of the local liquor stores, to pick up some Huckleberry Vodka for our weekend trip. Before you start judging me, I don’t drink very often and although technically the item was for my husband, I do occasionally partake in a good Moscow Mule. I am not sure if you have had one before, but they are pretty delicious. Anyway, we are going to my Aunt’s wedding on Saturday and thought I would pick some up just in case. While in the store, another patron came in and I overheard her ask where the Fireball had moved to. Apparently, that shopper was a more frequent customer, by the sounds of it. The store clerk said that she had to move the Fireball to a shelf near the counter, because having it displayed by the door was resulting in it, “walking away”. Now being in law enforcement for over 15 years and in loss prevention for over 3 years, I am very familiar with what she meant by “walking away”. I have responded to my fair share of alcohol thefts from the local grocery stores, resulting from stacking product in close proximity to the doors. As most people in law enforcement or loss prevention know, this results in a quick get-a-way, and lengthy investigation. These types of investigations rely on a low quality camera system to identify the subject. Often times a suspect cannot be identified in this process. If you are a retail store owner you want nothing more than to increase your bottle security, but is there a better way? I am here to tell you there is. Bottle locks are devices that are designed specifically for protecting bottles of any kind from “walking away”.  

 

These bottle security devices are some of the best on the market, not only do they prevent someone from removing the cap without the bottle shattering, they can also be equipped with RF technology to prevent thieves from exiting the store with the bottle. I am not sure if you have had the opportunity to see these devices in person, but I have, and I tell you they are a huge deterrent. In the military we had liquor stores that sold liquor, beer and wine, and the majority of them had this type of bottle security to prevent shoplifting. The best thing about Bottle locks is they can be used over and over again. The store clerk simply removes the device with a specially designed key at the time of sale, and those Locks are then placed on other merchandise. They come in various sizes and shapes to meet any retailer’s product and stocking needs.         

 

You have to ask yourself, why would your average thief want to try and steal an item with bottle security, when they can go somewhere that doesn’t have them and get what they want much easier? Although these devices can be used in liquor stores they can also be used in convenience stores and grocery stores that sell wine or liquor. They can also be used in taverns, nightclubs and restaurants to prevent employee theft of stored inventory. 

 

I would say most liquor stores I have been to, are small locally run businesses. They have limited staff on hand and profit margins tend to be a lot smaller then some of the major retail chains. So as I was standing there pondering which brand of Vodka to buy, I couldn’t help but think about how unprotected that small business was to theft. There was only one employee working at the time, which is probably pretty common on a Tuesday afternoon, yet there were three customers wandering around the isles unattended and unsupervised. I imagine some small businesses see these and other types of security devices as an added expense, but even though upfront costs may be greater, preventing shoplifting will only increase profit margins long term. It also ensures lower prices for your customers, which is always a means for bolstering sales and increasing profit. Bottle Locks lead the industry for bottle protection and can provide the small business owner with added protection and peace of mind.   

 

For more information about Bottle Locks, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547. 

 

 

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: , ,

Bars And Grocery Store Businesses Aren’t The Only Establishments That Can Benefit From Using Bottle Locks: Part 2

November 16, 2016 by Leave a Comment

 

Bottle Locks-4                                                                                                                        WC Blog 187
Bottle Lock-3
Liquor Bottle Security-5
Bars And Grocery Store Businesses Aren’t The Only Establishments That Can Benefit From Using Bottle Locks: Part 2
     In part 1 of this two part series I mentioned that I was surprised when I looked at a government website that listed a lengthy list of venues and businesses that sell alcoholic beverages, some beer only and others any number of spirits and/or wines.  I discussed the businesses that one would expect to see selling wines and spirits, mainly, bars, clubs, grocery stores and package stores or state stores.  I also reviewed how bottle locks, if used in these establishments could improve in-stocks, sales and profitability.  As promised, in part 2,  I am going to cover the not-so-obvious locations that may sell alcohol and could also benefit from the use of liquor bottle security.
     As a reminder I just want to clarify for some who may have missed part 1 or are new to liquor bottle security, just what it is I am talking about.  Liquor bottle security may sound like something a parent of teenagers is concerned with, like how to lock the liquor cabinet and keep the kids out.  Well, in a manner of speaking, that is sort of what we are discussing.  Bottle locks are a type of bottle security, but better than the family cabinet.  A bottle lock is a locking cap that fits over a manufacturer’s lid or top.  The lock is placed over the top and locks together preventing someone from being able to get to a bottle lid in order to open it.  They are able to activate electronic article surveillance (EAS) antenna alarms if carried near or through the antennas.  Some locks will even alarm if tampered with should someone attempt to break it off.  Most thieves don’t want the hassle associated with trying to steal a protected product and if they are lucky enough to get it out of a business they don’t want to have to fight to get at the merchandise.  
     So, without further delay, here is a list from the governments’ Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau website listing businesses I had not thought of as being sellers of alcohol products:
• Airlines                                                                            
• Airport lounges
• Amusement Parks
• Bed and Breakfast Inns
• Bingo Halls
• Boats (Pleasure)
• Bowling Alleys
• Casinos
• Catering Services
• Concession Stands
• Drug Stores
• Florist Services
• Fraternal Organizations
• Fundraising Organizations
• Gift Basket Dealers
• Golf Courses
• Grills
• Hospitals
• Hotels
• Inns
• Leagues
• Limousine Services
• Lodges
• Lunch Wagons
• Military Installations
• Pool Halls
• Race Tracks
• Recreation Centers
• Snack Bars
• Stadiums
• Trains
• Wine and Cheese (sellers)
What a list!  If any of these places sells wines or spirits, they can use bottle locks to minimize the risk of loss due to customer OR employee theft.  
     You may be thinking to yourself, “I own a limousine service and I include a bottle of wine as a part of one of my packages.  So if a client purchases a bottle of wine from me, how does a bottle lock benefit me?”  The bottle lock in this case may not be to keep your client out of your supply, but rather, it may keep out potential dishonest employees. How many of your employees may have access to your wine cooler or cellar?  By using locks in this situation you might not need to be as concerned about whether you left your cellar unlocked when you left for the day.  Think about  a stadium where you might have employees under the age of 21 at a counter that serves alcohol.  Wouldn’t you feel better knowing that any alcohol bottles are secured with liquor bottle security such as Alpha bottle locks preventing under age workers from gaining access that could lead to trouble for you?
     Liquor bottle security clearly prevents theft and may even prevent or limit business liability.  Both of these can affect the bottom line for a company.  Why not take a closer look and see if Alpha Security may be able to help you reduce risk and improve profits.
Need information on Bottle Locks?  Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.

In part 1 of this two part series I mentioned that I was surprised when I looked at a government website that listed a lengthy list of venues and businesses that sell alcoholic beverages, some beer only and others any number of spirits and/or wines. I discussed the businesses that one would expect to see selling wines and spirits, mainly, bars, clubs, grocery stores and package stores or state stores. I also reviewed how bottle locks, if used in these establishments could improve in-stocks, sales and profitability. As promised, in part 2,  I am going to cover the not-so-obvious locations that may sell alcohol and could also benefit from the use of liquor bottle security.

As a reminder I just want to clarify for some who may have missed part 1 or are new to liquor bottle security, just what it is I am talking about. Liquor bottle security may sound like something a parent of teenagers is concerned with, like how to lock the liquor cabinet and keep the kids out. Well, in a manner of speaking, that is sort of what we are discussing. Bottle locks are a type of bottle security, but better than the family cabinet. A bottle lock is a locking cap that fits over a manufacturer’s lid or top. The lock is placed over the top and locks together preventing someone from being able to get to a bottle lid in order to open it. They are able to activate electronic article surveillance (EAS) antenna alarms if carried near or through the antennas. Some locks will even alarm if tampered with should someone attempt to break it off. Most thieves don’t want the hassle associated with trying to steal a protected product and if they are lucky enough to get it out of a business they don’t want to have to fight to get at the merchandise.  

So, without further delay, here is a list from the governments’ Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau website listing businesses I had not thought of as being sellers of alcohol products:

• Airlines                                                                            

• Airport lounges

• Amusement Parks

• Bed and Breakfast Inns

• Bingo Halls

• Boats (Pleasure)

• Bowling Alleys

• Casinos

• Catering Services

• Concession Stands

• Drug Stores

• Florist Services

• Fraternal Organizations

• Fundraising Organizations

• Gift Basket Dealers

• Golf Courses

• Grills

• Hospitals

• Hotels

• Inns

• Leagues

• Limousine Services

• Lodges

• Lunch Wagons

• Military Installations

• Pool Halls

• Race Tracks

• Recreation Centers

• Snack Bars

• Stadiums

• Trains

• Wine and Cheese (sellers)

What a list!  If any of these places sell wines or spirits, they can use bottle locks to minimize the risk of loss due to customer OR employee theft.  

You may be thinking to yourself, “I own a limousine service and I include a bottle of wine as a part of one of my packages. So if a client purchases a bottle of wine from me, how does a bottle lock benefit me?” The bottle lock in this case may not be to keep your client out of your supply, but rather, it may keep out potential dishonest employees. How many of your employees may have access to your wine cooler or cellar? By using locks in this situation you might not need to be as concerned about whether you left your cellar unlocked when you left for the day. Think about  a stadium where you might have employees under the age of 21 at a counter that serves alcohol. Wouldn’t you feel better knowing that any alcohol bottles are secured with liquor bottle security such as Alpha bottle locks preventing under age workers from gaining access that could lead to trouble for you?

Liquor bottle security clearly prevents theft and may even prevent or limit business liability.  Both of these can affect the bottom line for a company. Why not take a closer look and see if Alpha Security may be able to help you reduce risk and improve profits.

 

Need information on Bottle Locks? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.

 

 

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: , , , ,

Liquor Bottle Security; Ideas For All Budget Sizes: Part 2

October 25, 2016 by Leave a Comment

 

Liquor Bottle Security-4                                                                                                              wc blog 181
Bottle Locks-5
Liquor Bottle Security; Ideas For All Budget Sizes: Part 2
     In this series I am discussing the liquor bottle security needs of grocery store owners and alcohol beverage store owners.  Due to my television bombarding me with car and truck advertisements I thought it was interesting to note the different ploys used to try to entice me to buy their products.  On the high end there are the luxury cars with the guy in the tuxedo looking rather James Bondish driving through the city at night to go to some posh nightclub.  All eyes turn to watch as the car glides through the streets commanding the attention of even the drivers of other cars.  On the other end of the spectrum, I am wooed by the company that can get me into a car under $200 a month, 100,000 mile warranties and buy here pay here promises.  Not everyone can afford that sports car but nearly everyone can get into the affordable car.  But neither one may fit the needs of the driver who needs a truck to haul work- loads around on a farm.  Different needs for different purposes and budgets.  Store owners can face the same considerations and needs.  In part 1 of the series I reviewed how the owner on a tight economy budget can still get protection with bottle locks and some strategic planning.  In Part 2, I am going to cover the mid-sized budget and the liquor bottle security enhancements that can be more effective.
     Before going on, if you did not read part 1 of the series or are new to retail anti-theft devices, I want to review what bottle locks are and how they work.  Simply stated, bottle locks are devices that are placed on a bottle to prevent someone from being able to open a bottle and drink the contents.  They can activate Electronic Article Surveillance antennas if a shoplifter tries to steal a bottle that is protected.  The locks are removed only with a removal key held at a register or carried by store personnel.  Bottle locks also come in different designs, some are collars that are designed to activate EAS antennas, but don’t prevent the opening of the cap.  Other locks provide full cap coverage and extend down part of the bottle neck. 
     So what would I call a mid-priced system or the pick-up truck of liquor bottle security for a retail store?  Having a background of nearly 20 years of retail loss prevention experience and over 25 years of total retail experience I can provide some solid steps to make a strong impact on shortage reduction without breaking the bank.  First, invest in electronic article surveillance antennas that will cover each entrance, including vendor doors and employee entrances to your facility.  Theft doesn’t occur with shoplifters only, employees can and do steal as well.  Next, decide on how much of your inventory you want to protect.  By the way, Alpha security can give you guidance on where to purchase antennas for the store.  In a perfect world, I would recommend a lock on each and every wine or liquor bottle, but that might not be in your budget.  If not, set a price point for bottle locks and another for bottle collars.  I suggested a $30 price point for budget constrained stores, but in this case, perhaps a $20 price point could be the mark for locking bottles.  
     For this category of stores, also consider staffing two employees at all times.  The store owner and another employee would be perfect.  One person operates the cash register and the other person provides customer service while doing other duties such as stocking shelves, straightening and ensuring locks are on all the bottles within the price range determined earlier.  A full blown camera system may not be affordable, but often two or three cameras are within a budget, hooked up through a store computer.  Place one camera at the entrance to the store ensuring great face shots.  Place another at the register so the register, employee and customer are in view and finally, one at an employee or vendor door.   Keep fixtures no higher than shoulder height and where possible, place mirrors in corners to see hidden areas.
   
     Following these suggestions, your liquor bottle security will be effective and do the job you need to keep shrinkage low.  The payoff will be seen in the performance of your bottom line.
Get more information on liquor bottle security, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
     

In this series I am discussing the liquor bottle security needs of grocery store owners and alcohol beverage store owners. Due to my television bombarding me with car and truck advertisements I thought it was interesting to note the different ploys used to try to entice me to buy their products. On the high end there are the luxury cars with the guy in the tuxedo looking rather James Bondish driving through the city at night to go to some posh nightclub. All eyes turn to watch as the car glides through the streets commanding the attention of even the drivers of other cars. On the other end of the spectrum, I am wooed by the company that can get me into a car under $200 a month, 100,000 mile warranties and buy here pay here promises. Not everyone can afford that sports car but nearly everyone can get into the affordable car. But neither one may fit the needs of the driver who needs a truck to haul work- loads around on a farm. Different needs for different purposes and budgets. Store owners can face the same considerations and needs. In part 1 of the series I reviewed how the owner on a tight economy budget can still get protection with bottle locks and some strategic planning. In Part 2, I am going to cover the mid-sized budget and the liquor bottle security enhancements that can be more effective.

Before going on, if you did not read part 1 of the series or are new to retail anti-theft devices, I want to review what bottle locks are and how they work. Simply stated, bottle locks are devices that are placed on a bottle to prevent someone from being able to open a bottle and drink the contents. They can activate Electronic Article Surveillance antennas if a shoplifter tries to steal a bottle that is protected. The locks are removed only with a removal key held at a register or carried by store personnel. Bottle locks also come in different designs, some are collars that are designed to activate EAS antennas, but don’t prevent the opening of the cap. Other locks provide full cap coverage and extend down part of the bottle neck. 

So what would I call a mid-priced system or the pick-up truck of liquor bottle security for a retail store? Having a background of nearly 20 years of retail loss prevention experience and over 25 years of total retail experience I can provide some solid steps to make a strong impact on shortage reduction without breaking the bank. First, invest in electronic article surveillance antennas that will cover each entrance, including vendor doors and employee entrances to your facility. Theft doesn’t occur with shoplifters only, employees can and do steal as well. Next, decide on how much of your inventory you want to protect. In a perfect world, I would recommend a lock on each and every wine or liquor bottle, but that might not be in your budget. If not, set a price point for bottle locks and another for bottle collars. I suggested a $30 price point for budget constrained stores, but in this case, perhaps a $20 price point could be the mark for locking bottles.  

For this category of stores, also consider staffing two employees at all times. The store owner and another employee would be perfect. One person operates the cash register and the other person provides customer service while doing other duties such as stocking shelves, straightening and ensuring locks are on all the bottles within the price range determined earlier. A full blown camera system may not be affordable, but often two or three cameras are within a budget, hooked up through a store computer. Place one camera at the entrance to the store ensuring great face shots. Place another at the register so the register, employee and customer are in view and finally, one at an employee or vendor door. Keep fixtures no higher than shoulder height and where possible, place mirrors in corners to see hidden areas.        

 

Following these suggestions, your liquor bottle security will be effective and do the job you need to keep shrinkage low. The payoff will be seen in the performance of your bottom line.

 

Get more information on liquor bottle security, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
     

 

 

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: , , , ,

Liquor Bottle Security; Ideas For All Budget Sizes: Part 1

September 21, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Liquor bottle security-3                                                                                                         WC blog 180
Bottle Locks – 5

 

 

Liquor Bottle Security; Ideas For All Budget Sizes: Part 1

 

     Recently I was thinking about merchandise protection and how does a store owner go about choosing the method that will best suit his or her needs.  I had this revelation while watching car commercials which were intruding upon one of my favorite television shows.  The first advertisement was to sell me a pick-up truck followed by a commercial for another company selling me a sports car.  A little later a commercial came on trying to entice me to purchase an affordable car.  There is a similar concern for small grocery store and alcohol beverage store owners trying to get a feel for what they can afford in terms of liquor bottle security.  Can they get by with the bare essentials, the affordable compact car or do they need a workhorse, 8 cylinder 440 horsepower pick-up truck?  How about the shop owner looking for the equivalent of the sleek, powerful and fully equipped sports car?  Okay, I am only talking about theft prevention which can vary from using just bottle locks to a full blown security system.  But the point is the same, what will fit the needs and budget of the small or medium size retail business owner?  In this series I will address each “vehicle” in terms of how it relates to varying budgets.

 

     What are bottle locks you may be asking, and how do they work?  Bottle locks are devices that fit on top of a bottle of wine or liquor and lock in place.  Locks may be in the form of a collar the covers only part of the neck of a bottle, or it may cover the entire bottle cap and part of the bottle neck.  Some bottle locks are clear and allow customers to see the manufacturer’s designs or logos on the foil or paper on the neck of the bottle.  Other locks are totally black and no information on the neck can be viewed.  To some store owners this may or may not be an important consideration in which lock style to purchase. 

 

     Many bottle locks also have the ability to activate an Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) antenna if brought into the radio frequency range of the antenna.  Locks are manufactured with radio frequency technology built into the lock that can be sensed by the antenna and trip an alarm if it is too close to the antenna and doors.  Locks may also have tamper alarms that will sound if someone tries to force a protective cap off and some have a third alarm that will activate in the lock if the device is carried out the door.

  SO, the question becomes what kind of liquor bottle security are you looking for in order to protect your store?  Let’s assume you are on a somewhat tight budget and you need to keep your merchandise safe from theft, in other words, you’re in the market for the compact economy car.  It’s advertised for great gas mileage, gets you where you want to go and the small print always reminds you that additional features cost more.  For this kind of protection I am going to suggest you may not be able to protect all of your products.  You may be limited in the amount of items you can protect due to cost crunching.  In this case, establish a price point and protect every bottle that hits that mark or higher, you might decide any bottle $30 or greater will be locked. Even for the “economy” car budget you invest in an EAS antenna system for all of your entrances ensuring product being stolen will be detected.

 

       Staffing will probably be minimal in order to increase profit margin.  In this case, place the register near the front door to be able to immediately respond to any EAS alarm.  Set up drink coolers or candy fixtures and turnstiles to prevent a person from grabbing and running in a straight line to the door.  Assuming you can’t afford cameras keep your shelves and fixtures no higher than chest level so you can observe customers.  Also, while cameras may not be affordable, you can purchase mirrors to place in corners that aid in seeing those sections that are not in the line of sight.

 

     Following these easy steps you can have an affordable ride that will keep expenses low and still have an impact on your drive to minimize shoplifting and theft.  Did I say we are still talking about liquor bottle security?

 

Liquor bottle security is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.

 

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: , , ,

Don’t Be The Unwitting Source For Alcohol Bargain Hunters; Use Bottle Locks To Protect Wine And Spirits

August 25, 2016 by Leave a Comment

 

Bottle Locks-4                                                                                                                      WC Blog 175
Bottle Security- 3
Don’t Be The Unwitting Source For Alcohol Bargain Hunters; Use Bottle Locks To Protect Wine And Spirits
      In my position as a Retail Loss Prevention Manager I frequently had concerns about Organized Retail Crime activity in our area.  I met with Loss Prevention Managers from other retailers and police to discuss the trends I was seeing and we shared information to try to identify those involved.  My biggest concerns were in our health and beauty departments and electronics department.  Though we sold some wine I never considered that alcohol would be targeted by professional shoplifters.  I assumed that those stealing wine and spirits were doing so for a single bottle or two.  Little did I realize until I did some research that alcohol IS a target of professional criminals and there is a black market for the product.  It makes me wonder why more liquor stores and grocery stores that sell alcohol are not using some type of bottle security such as bottle locks on their merchandise.
     Bottle locks come in a variety of styles and sizes to fit nearly any bottle on the market.  These locks have built in radio frequency (RF) Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) technology that cause an EAS antenna alarm to sound when a bottle with a lock is brought in range of the antenna. The locks are built for maximum efficiency making it nearly impossible to tamper with the device to force it off.  If an attempt to force a lock off the top of a bottle is made, the likely result will be a broken bottle and liquor on the floor.  Bottle security doesn’t have to consist of hiding all the merchandise behind locking cases, requiring an employee to retrieve every single bottle.
     What are Organized Retail Crime organizations doing with all this alcohol they are stealing?  They resell the merchandise to small liquor store and bar owners who then save on the cost from a legitimate supplier and use the stolen merchandise to sell in their patron’s drinks.  Below are just a few of the examples I have come across to validate my point:
• Chicago.suntimes.com dated 3/3/2016 headline “Three arrested for stealing stolen liquor at Humboldt Park store”.  The story by Ashlee Rezin reports that, “Three men have been arrested for selling stolen merchandise, including more than 100 bottles of high-end alcohol at a Humboldt Park neighborhood store…”
• Patch.com dated 9/13/2015 headline “Buffalo Grove Convenience Store Owner Charged With Selling Stolen Liquor”.  In the story by Amie Schaenzer, the owner of the store in Buffalo Grove, Illinois was accused of buying stolen bottles of liquor at one store he owned and selling it at another store he owned.
• 8/4/2014 citypaper.com writer Edward Ericson, Jr. reported on a case on March 16th in which a liquor store owner was charged with stealing less than $1,000 worth of Hennessy after buying it from an unauthorized distributor and failing to pay the proper state tax.  According to the report a half million dollar shipment of Hennessy cognac had been stolen from a tractor trailer.
How big a problem is Organized Retail Theft in the United States?  According to the National Retail Federation 2014 Organized Retail Crime Survey, Organized Retail Crime is a $30 billion dollar a year problem.  It is important for even small business owners to use liquor bottle security to keep merchandise from walking out the door.  
     Stores can protect wine and spirits with bottle locks and allow their customers the freedom to look at a bottle and handle it without concern for sending someone to open a case.  Customer service will continue to excel because shoppers can move about with merchandise and not feel rushed to make a decision, because they don’t have an employee waiting to walk away.  Bottle locks can be a big win for customer service and a driver for profitable sales.
Get more information on bottle locks, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.

In my position as a Retail Loss Prevention Manager I frequently had concerns about Organized Retail Crime activity in our area. I met with Loss Prevention Managers from other retailers and police to discuss the trends I was seeing and we shared information to try to identify those involved. My biggest concerns were in our health and beauty departments and electronics department. Though we sold some wine I never considered that alcohol would be targeted by professional shoplifters. I assumed that those stealing wine and spirits were doing so for a single bottle or two. Little did I realize until I did some research that alcohol IS a target of professional criminals and there is a black market for the product. It makes me wonder why more liquor stores and grocery stores that sell alcohol are not using some type of bottle security such as bottle locks on their merchandise.

Bottle locks come in a variety of styles and sizes to fit nearly any bottle on the market. These locks have built in radio frequency (RF) Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) technology that cause an EAS antenna alarm to sound when a bottle with a lock is brought in range of the antenna. The locks are built for maximum efficiency making it nearly impossible to tamper with the device to force it off. If an attempt to force a lock off the top of a bottle is made, the likely result will be a broken bottle and liquor on the floor. Bottle security doesn’t have to consist of hiding all the merchandise behind locking cases, requiring an employee to retrieve every single bottle.

 

What are Organized Retail Crime organizations doing with all this alcohol they are stealing? They resell the merchandise to small liquor store and bar owners who then save on the cost from a legitimate supplier and use the stolen merchandise to sell in their patron’s drinks. Below are just a few of the examples I have come across to validate my point:

• Chicago.suntimes.com dated 3/3/2016 headline “Three arrested for stealing stolen liquor at Humboldt Park store”. The story by Ashlee Rezin reports that, “Three men have been arrested for selling stolen merchandise, including more than 100 bottles of high-end alcohol at a Humboldt Park neighborhood store…”

• Patch.com dated 9/13/2015 headline “Buffalo Grove Convenience Store Owner Charged With Selling Stolen Liquor”. In the story by Amie Schaenzer, the owner of the store in Buffalo Grove, Illinois was accused of buying stolen bottles of liquor at one store he owned and selling it at another store he owned.

• 8/4/2014 citypaper.com writer Edward Ericson, Jr. reported on a case on March 16th in which a liquor store owner was charged with stealing less than $1,000 worth of Hennessy after buying it from an unauthorized distributor and failing to pay the proper state tax. According to the report a half million dollar shipment of Hennessy cognac had been stolen from a tractor trailer.

 

How big a problem is Organized Retail Theft in the United States? According to the National Retail Federation 2014 Organized Retail Crime Survey, Organized Retail Crime is a $30 billion dollar a year problem. It is important for even small business owners to use liquor bottle security to keep merchandise from walking out the door.  

 

Stores can protect wine and spirits with bottle locks and allow their customers the freedom to look at a bottle and handle it without concern for sending someone to open a case. Customer service will continue to excel because shoppers can move about with merchandise and not feel rushed to make a decision, because they don’t have an employee waiting to walk away. Bottle locks can be a big win for customer service and a driver for profitable sales.

 

Get more information on bottle locks, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.

 

 

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: , , ,

Liquor Bottle Security May Prevent Loss Of Liquor License

July 20, 2016 by Leave a Comment

 

Liquor bottle security – 4                                                                                                         WC blog 150
Bottle Locks – 5
Liquor Bottle Security May Prevent Loss Of Liquor License 
     I have been doing research on liquor sales and was surprised to learn there are a  number of states in which proposals are being made to allow grocery stores and convenience stores to sell spirits, as well as wine.  Obviously driven by a desire to improve profits and add a new product line to their offerings, grocery and big box retailers are pushing to be permitted to sell liquors, something that generally has been restricted to alcohol and beverage commission stores to this point.  One concern that has been raised by opponents in states where this is or has been proposed is that it could lead to an increase in juvenile shoplifting of spirits.  Indeed, in Washington State where the sale of spirits in grocery stores was approved by voters, there are complaints of increased theft by minors.  This led to the passage of state House Bill 2155 in 2014 which makes it possible for stores to lose their liquor license if there is too much theft of spirits.  According to a May 9, 2014 article in Columbian.com, Columbian Political Writer Lauren Drake writes, “The measure, House Bill 2155, states that a licensee experiencing an “unacceptable rate of spirits theft” defined as two or more incidents in a six month period, where the result is an underage drinker ends up possessing the booze, could see their license pulled by the state’s liquor control board.”  If other states follow suit permitting grocery stores and convenience stores to sell spirits, it is safe to assume similar legislation could follow in those states.  So what are some actions stores may take to enhance liquor bottle security?  Incorporating the use of bottle locks on product is one solution.
     Wines and spirits are stolen when they are easy to access, and there are no security measures in place to deter shoplifters.  Bottle locks provide liquor bottle security by preventing access to the bottle cap.  The locks cover the top of the bottle and depending on the style of lock used, protects part of the neck of the bottle as well.  Once in place, the locks can only be removed by using a special detachment key which should be maintained at the points of sale.  If someone tries to pry a bottle lock off, the result will be a broken bottle of liquor.  Another protective feature of these locks is that they are electronic article surveillance (EAS) sensitive and will cause EAS antenna alarms to sound if a locked bottle is carried in the vicinity of the antenna.  
     No business owner wants shoplifting to take place in their stores and they especially don’t want minors to get hold of alcoholic beverages.  If stores other than alcohol and beverage commission stores are going to sell these products, they will have to take steps to keep product available to their customers and out of the hands of youth.  Lock up cases could do the job, but the problem with lock up cases is that they require staff to be available to respond immediately when someone wants something out of the case.  Lock up cases also requires the employee to walk the merchandise to the checkout lane taking up more of the employee’s time.  One other issue with lock up cases is that the customer is unable to hold the product and look at it.  Sales significantly improve when customers have the ability to select products, look at them and continue to shop.  Bottle locks give the shopper the freedom of movement they desire and makes shopping faster for them. 
     If you are a store owner selling or considering selling spirits, make sure you look into liquor bottle security which includes EAS antennas and bottle locks.  I would also suggest signage warning patrons that bottle locks are in use as an added deterrent to theft.  Additional security measures could include video cameras and public view monitors on the aisle in which the alcohol is kept.  Placement of alcohol should be done so that the product is in direct view of a cashier or customer service point.  With such measures in place a store owner should be able to deter not only juvenile shoplifters but adult shoplifters too.  You will find that proactive security steps on your part will protect you and your business if laws are enacted such as those in Washington State.
Liquor bottle security is important and we can help you with it.  Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk. 

I have been doing research on liquor sales and was surprised to learn there are a  number of states in which proposals are being made to allow grocery stores and convenience stores to sell spirits, as well as wine. Obviously driven by a desire to improve profits and add a new product line to their offerings, grocery and big box retailers are pushing to be permitted to sell liquors, something that generally has been restricted to alcohol and beverage commission stores to this point. One concern that has been raised by opponents in states where this is or has been proposed is that it could lead to an increase in juvenile shoplifting of spirits. Indeed, in Washington State where the sale of spirits in grocery stores was approved by voters, there are complaints of increased theft by minors. This led to the passage of state House Bill 2155 in 2014 which makes it possible for stores to lose their liquor license if there is too much theft of spirits. According to a May 9, 2014 article in Columbian.com, Columbian Political Writer Lauren Drake writes, “The measure, House Bill 2155, states that a licensee experiencing an “unacceptable rate of spirits theft” defined as two or more incidents in a six month period, where the result is an underage drinker ends up possessing the booze, could see their license pulled by the state’s liquor control board.” If other states follow suit permitting grocery stores and convenience stores to sell spirits, it is safe to assume similar legislation could follow in those states. So what are some actions stores may take to enhance liquor bottle security? Incorporating the use of bottle locks on product is one solution.

Wines and spirits are stolen when they are easy to access, and there are no security measures in place to deter shoplifters. Bottle locks provide liquor bottle security by preventing access to the bottle cap. The locks cover the top of the bottle and depending on the style of lock used, protects part of the neck of the bottle as well. Once in place, the locks can only be removed by using a special detachment key which should be maintained at the points of sale. If someone tries to pry a bottle lock off, the result will be a broken bottle of liquor. Another protective feature of these locks is that they are electronic article surveillance (EAS) sensitive and will cause EAS antenna alarms to sound if a locked bottle is carried in the vicinity of the antenna.  

No business owner wants shoplifting to take place in their stores and they especially don’t want minors to get hold of alcoholic beverages. If stores other than alcohol and beverage commission stores are going to sell these products, they will have to take steps to keep product available to their customers and out of the hands of youth. Lock up cases could do the job, but the problem with lock up cases is that they require staff to be available to respond immediately when someone wants something out of the case. Lock up cases also requires the employee to walk the merchandise to the checkout lane taking up more of the employee’s time. One other issue with lock up cases is that the customer is unable to hold the product and look at it. Sales significantly improve when customers have the ability to select products, look at them and continue to shop. Bottle locks give the shopper the freedom of movement they desire and makes shopping faster for them. 

If you are a store owner selling or considering selling spirits, make sure you look into liquor bottle security which includes EAS antennas and bottle locks. I would also suggest signage warning patrons that bottle locks are in use as an added deterrent to theft. Additional security measures could include video cameras and public view monitors on the aisle in which the alcohol is kept. Placement of alcohol should be done so that the product is in direct view of a cashier or customer service point. With such measures in place a store owner should be able to deter not only juvenile shoplifters but adult shoplifters too. You will find that proactive security steps on your part will protect you and your business if laws are enacted such as those in Washington State.

 

Liquor bottle security is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk. 

 

 

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: , , ,

Shoplifters Don’t Worry About Bottle Prices, That’s Why You Should – Use Bottle Security For ALL Wine And Spirits.

June 23, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Bottle Locks-5                                                                                                                                 WC blog 125
Bottle Security-3
Alpha Security-3
Shoplifters Don’t Worry About Bottle Prices, That’s Why You Should – Use Bottle Security For ALL Wine And Spirits.
     Wine and liquor bottle security for grocery stores and alcohol beverage stores can be a difficult problem to address.  According to the 2014-2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer report, in the Food and Beverages vertical rankings category, wines and spirits ranked number one both in North America AND Worldwide.  The report states on page 55, “Products that are easy to steal, as well as easy to sell, are most prone to theft – resulting in high pilferage for items such as accessories, perfumes, and wines and spirits.”  If you run a store that sells wine or alcohol you may be seeing empty shelves, but not from sales.  Thieves could be targeting your merchandise if you aren’t protecting it. You may contend that you are protecting your merchandise because you are locking up your high dollar beverages.  You might even argue that you are using bottle locks to secure merchandise higher than a specific price point. I would commend you on those efforts, but I believe you could do better.  Shoplifters may be denied access to the expensive goods, but they will move to the cheaper items if they think no one is paying attention.  A solution for protecting your lower-risk, lower end-merchandise is the Alpha Security Steel grip bottle cap.
     The Steel Grip lock is an electronic article surveillance (EAS) device that is designed to provide bottle security for lower-risk wines and spirits.  The lock has a metal strap that is secured around the lower portion of the bottle cap, tightening it around the neck of the bottle.  While it does not protect the full cap like the other styles of bottle locks do, it does provide visual deterrence and EAS alarm protection if someone attempts to steal a bottle.
     I have always been opposed to the merchandise protection strategy that sets a price point on merchandise before it is protected with some type of security device.  As a former Loss Prevention Manager, I had to abide by similar guidelines and it annoyed me.  In my opinion, this type of strategy is indicating there will be an acceptable level of loss.  Here is what I mean, I walked into one grocery store and looked at their selection of wines.  I tried to determine the price point that they were using before they implemented bottle security.  It appeared the price of a bottle had to be around $29.99 or above before they used bottle locks to protect the merchandise. There were not a lot of selections at this price point, so that left a LOT of wine and champagne unprotected below that price.  As a matter of fact, I would estimate over 95 percent of the merchandise in the department was NOT protected and therefore subject to theft.  It might be irritating to a shoplifter to be prevented from stealing the higher priced bottle, but I can tell you from experience, they will be willing to settle for a $20 bottle if the $30 bottle is not available.  Why is that loss acceptable to any store manager?  That’s the message being sent.
     The best strategy for improving profits and keeping store shelves in-stock for your legitimate customers is to protect all of the merchandise in a category of which you are concerned could be a target for theft.  In a grocery store, squash and celery theft may not be a significant concern, but wine is (as indicated in the Global Retail Theft Barometer Report).  Grocery managers should not worry about merchandise protection for veggies, but investing in Alpha Security bottle locks for all of the wine in the store could pay big dividends, especially if all the bottles are protected in some fashion.
     Use Alpha Security full size bottle locks on your top shelf/ high ticket wines and spirits but don’t neglect the lower priced bottles.  Use the Steel Grip bottle lock to deter ALL theft in your store and watch your profits grow.
Bottle Security is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
     
     

Wine and liquor bottle security for grocery stores and alcohol beverage stores can be a difficult problem to address.  According to the 2014-2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer report, in the Food and Beverages vertical rankings category, wines and spirits ranked number one both in North America AND Worldwide. The report states on page 55, “Products that are easy to steal, as well as easy to sell, are most prone to theft – resulting in high pilferage for items such as accessories, perfumes, and wines and spirits.” If you run a store that sells wine or alcohol you may be seeing empty shelves, but not from sales. Thieves could be targeting your merchandise if you aren’t protecting it. You may contend that you are protecting your merchandise because you are locking up your high dollar beverages.  You might even argue that you are using bottle locks to secure merchandise higher than a specific price point. I would commend you on those efforts, but I believe you could do better. Shoplifters may be denied access to the expensive goods, but they will move to the cheaper items if they think no one is paying attention. A solution for protecting your lower-risk, lower end-merchandise is the Alpha Security Steel grip bottle cap.

 

The Steel Grip lock is an electronic article surveillance (EAS) device that is designed to provide bottle security for lower-risk wines and spirits. The lock has a metal strap that is secured around the lower portion of the bottle cap, tightening it around the neck of the bottle. While it does not protect the full cap like the other styles of bottle locks do, it does provide visual deterrence and EAS alarm protection if someone attempts to steal a bottle.

     

I have always been opposed to the merchandise protection strategy that sets a price point on merchandise before it is protected with some type of security device. As a former Loss Prevention Manager, I had to abide by similar guidelines and it annoyed me. In my opinion, this type of strategy is indicating there will be an acceptable level of loss. Here is what I mean, I walked into one grocery store and looked at their selection of wines. I tried to determine the price point that they were using before they implemented bottle security. It appeared the price of a bottle had to be around $29.99 or above before they used bottle locks to protect the merchandise. There were not a lot of selections at this price point, so that left a LOT of wine and champagne unprotected below that price.  As a matter of fact, I would estimate over 95 percent of the merchandise in the department was NOT protected and therefore subject to theft. It might be irritating to a shoplifter to be prevented from stealing the higher priced bottle, but I can tell you from experience, they will be willing to settle for a $20 bottle if the $30 bottle is not available. Why is that loss acceptable to any store manager? That’s the message being sent.
     

The best strategy for improving profits and keeping store shelves in-stock for your legitimate customers is to protect all of the merchandise in a category of which you are concerned could be a target for theft. In a grocery store, squash and celery theft may not be a significant concern, but wine is (as indicated in the Global Retail Theft Barometer Report). Grocery managers should not worry about merchandise protection for veggies, but investing in Alpha Security bottle locks for all of the wine in the store could pay big dividends, especially if all the bottles are protected in some fashion.
     

Use Alpha Security full size bottle locks on your top shelf/ high ticket wines and spirits but don’t neglect the lower priced bottles. Use the Steel Grip bottle lock to deter ALL theft in your store and watch your profits grow.

 

Bottle Security is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.     

     

 

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: , , , ,

Pretty And Protected; Bottle Locks Don’t Need To Limit Bottle Label Appeal

May 25, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Bottle Locks-4                                                                                                                          WC blog 106
Liquor bottle security-3
Alpha Security -4
Bottle Security-3
Pretty And Protected; Bottle Locks Don’t Need To Limit Bottle Label Appeal
     Have you ever noticed the different bottles that beverage makers use to sell their products, especially the wine and alcohol manufacturers? Bottle shapes, sizes, and styles along with the labels and packaging are meant to provide a distinction from competitors to make their brand stand out. Sometimes, as with boxed wines, the idea is to promote the packaging as more environmentally friendly that those in glass bottles. Use a gold foil around the top of the champagne bottle and the message you may be sending your customers is that this is a brand the sophisticated and wealthy consumer is drinking. The messaging being sent by the manufacturer of a product is usually the result of testing to marketing groups. So when I begin to think about writing about the value of bottle locks to prevent theft, I have to take into consideration, what impact if any, the device might have on the selling features of the beverages.  
     My first priority when writing is to help retailers find the best liquor bottle security device on the market to help them prevent shortage due to theft and in some cases, even unintentional walk outs. Using bottle locks is the optimum solution for prevention of theft because they operate with electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems. Install an EAS system and when a bottle with a bottle lock is carried within the range of an EAS antenna, the antenna sounds a loud alarm and built in lights flash, alerting store personnel to a situation that needs attention.  Using bottle security also deters theft since shoplifters don’t want to hassle with trying to force off a security device or risk setting off an alarm when they walk out a door.  If a cashier forgets to check the bottom of a shopping cart and a bottle has been overlooked, the alarm will sound and the patron can return and pay for it.
     Obviously then, bottle security is a great solution to preventing shortage, but you may still be concerned that you don’t want to cover up the labeling information or detract from the packaging of your bottles.  Alpha Security has produced a Crystal Guard security device that covers the bottle cap and part of the neck of the bottle.  It has a clear front that provides the customer the ability to view the label and wrapping around the top of the bottle. The device still covers up plenty of the bottle cap, making it nearly impossible to tamper with the cap or the device itself. The features of the bottle labeling are not interfered with and thus keep the allure of that particular selling point. 
     If, on the other hand, you are strictly concerned with liquor bottle security and preventing theft and the package labeling is secondary you may be interested in the Alpha Security S3 Bottle Cap. This liquor bottle security lock is, in my opinion, simply no-nonsense in appearance.  It doesn’t look like it’s supposed to be pretty or classy; for a security device if it could talk it would say, “Don’t mess with me”.  Just the visual impact of these bottle locks would send the message to shoplifters to go away. This Alpha Security device covers the entire lid and top portion of a bottle and is extremely difficult to tamper with. As a matter of fact tampering with this or any of the bottle locks could result in a broken bottle. There is no clear or see through functionality on this lock so bottle neck labels or foils will not be seen, but that may not be a concern if it keeps the merchandise in the store.
     Trying to balance maintaining the selling features of a product with the need to prevent theft and shortage can be tricky. Alpha Security has a broad selection of bottle locks that can meet your needs for bottle security and showing off the eye catching features of your merchandise.
Need information on bottle locks? Contact us or give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.

Have you ever noticed the different bottles that beverage makers use to sell their products, especially the wine and alcohol manufacturers? Bottle shapes, sizes, and styles along with the labels and packaging are meant to provide a distinction from competitors to make their brand stand out. Sometimes, as with boxed wines, the idea is to promote the packaging as more environmentally friendly that those in glass bottles. Use a gold foil around the top of the champagne bottle and the message you may be sending your customers is that this is a brand the sophisticated and wealthy consumer is drinking. The messaging being sent by the manufacturer of a product is usually the result of testing to marketing groups. So when I begin to think about writing about the value of bottle locks to prevent theft, I have to take into consideration, what impact if any, the device might have on the selling features of the beverages.  

 

My first priority when writing is to help retailers find the best liquor bottle security device on the market to help them prevent shortage due to theft and in some cases, even unintentional walk outs. Using bottle locks is the optimum solution for prevention of theft because they operate with electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems. Install an EAS system and when a bottle with a bottle lock is carried within the range of an EAS antenna, the antenna sounds a loud alarm and built in lights flash, alerting store personnel to a situation that needs attention.  Using bottle security also deters theft since shoplifters don’t want to hassle with trying to force off a security device or risk setting off an alarm when they walk out a door. If a cashier forgets to check the bottom of a shopping cart and a bottle has been overlooked, the alarm will sound and the patron can return and pay for it.

 

Obviously then, bottle security is a great solution to preventing shortage, but you may still be concerned that you don’t want to cover up the labeling information or detract from the packaging of your bottles.  Alpha Security has produced a Crystal Guard security device that covers the bottle cap and part of the neck of the bottle.  It has a clear front that provides the customer the ability to view the label and wrapping around the top of the bottle. The device still covers up plenty of the bottle cap, making it nearly impossible to tamper with the cap or the device itself. The features of the bottle labeling are not interfered with and thus keep the allure of that particular selling point. 

     

If, on the other hand, you are strictly concerned with liquor bottle security and preventing theft and the package labeling is secondary you may be interested in the Alpha Security S3 Bottle Cap. This liquor bottle security lock is, in my opinion, simply no-nonsense in appearance.  It doesn’t look like it’s supposed to be pretty or classy; for a security device if it could talk it would say, “Don’t mess with me”. Just the visual impact of these bottle locks would send the message to shoplifters to go away. This Alpha Security device covers the entire lid and top portion of a bottle and is extremely difficult to tamper with. As a matter of fact tampering with this or any of the bottle locks could result in a broken bottle. There is no clear or see through functionality on this lock so bottle neck labels or foils will not be seen, but that may not be a concern if it keeps the merchandise in the store.

 

Trying to maintain the balance of selling features with the need to prevent theft and shortage can be tricky. Alpha Security has a broad selection of bottle locks that can meet your needs for bottle security and showing off the eye catching features of your merchandise.

 

Need information on bottle locks? Contact us or give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.

 

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: , , , ,

Too Many Shoplifters And Not Enough Staff? Bottle Locks Are The Solution

April 19, 2016 by Leave a Comment

 

Bottle Locks -5                                                                                                                                   WC blog 81
Bottle Security-3
Too Many Shoplifters And Not Enough Staff? Bottle Locks Are The Solution
     If your liquor store is a small to medium size business you may not have a lot of payroll to pour into a large staff.  You probably have no budget for a security person to monitor the activity in your building or even to stand watch at the front door.  With such limitations, how do you manage to prevent shoplifters from stealing your product?  Perhaps the question should be DO you stop people from shoplifting in your store?  How much shortage do you experience in a year?  Do you make shortage prevention a priority or do you hope it will get better next year?  Stores that are already operating on tight budgets need to find some method to support loss prevention efforts without adding people.  Smart strategies for reducing theft includes, using bottle locks and doing away with lockups or locking display cases. 
     Everyone is familiar with what a locking display case is, but not everyone is familiar with what a bottle lock is so allow me to digress for a moment.  Bottle locks are re-usable devices that can be placed over the cap and neck of a bottle that prevents it from being opened.  The store has a detachment key at the point(s) of sale that the cashier uses to remove the cap after the bottle is purchased.   The locks are tamper proof, so they cannot be forced off in the store without a serious risk of breaking the bottle.  They are also electronic article surveillance (EAS) compatible.  Stores protected with EAS antennas will have an alarm set off if a shoplifter attempts to leave the store with stolen product.
    Now before you think I have gone off the deep end by suggesting you can get rid of lock up display cases, let me explain myself.  One strategy that shoplifters use on the stores they will hit is to divide and conquer.  Many times shoplifters who work in pairs or small groups have already scouted the store and assessed how many employees are working or will work on a given shift.  With that information in hand, they enter the store and move to different areas.  An employee may not even realize the pair is together.  One member of the team acts as a decoy, looking for items that are locked up and seeking assistance from someone with a key.  This person may be loud or obnoxious, either, causing a scene, asking far too many questions or just being too friendly and talkative.  While the distracted employee is trying to give great customer service, the second member of the team is concealing bottles in another area of the store and then walking out with stolen merchandise.  It is possible, under the right circumstances that the shoplifter could re-enter and get another haul.  Bottle locks allow employees the flexibility of not having to go to the lock up case to remove merchandise or show a bottle to someone.  When the bottle security devices are being used patrons can pick up and select the merchandise they want and carry them around the store.  If staffed with a single employee, that employee can stay at the front of the store and ring up sales and monitor the front door alarm.
     You may be thinking you don’t need to worry about bottle security after all because you always have at least two employees working at all times.  Who does your merchandise stocking?  Who tickets your merchandise or straightens the shelves?  Who does the work in the stockroom?  How do you work out your meal breaks for your staff, do you bring in a third employee?  When employees are task oriented, customer service tends not to be the focus of attention.   Bottle Locks eliminate the concern over trying to keep up with all of the customers in the store at the same time.  
     Bottle security for your liquor store isn’t an easy task.  Adding additional employees for the sake of preventing theft is not the best answer.  Install an EAS system and protect product with bottle locks and benefit from reduced stock shortage.
For more information on bottle locks, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 

If your liquor store is a small to medium size business you may not have a lot of payroll to pour into a large staff. You probably have no budget for a security person to monitor the activity in your building or even to stand watch at the front door. With such limitations, how do you manage to prevent shoplifters from stealing your product? Perhaps the question should be DO you stop people from shoplifting in your store? How much shortage do you experience in a year? Do you make shortage prevention a priority or do you hope it will get better next year? Stores that are already operating on tight budgets need to find some method to support loss prevention efforts without adding people. Smart strategies for reducing theft includes, using bottle locks and doing away with lockups or locking display cases. 

     Everyone is familiar with what a locking display case is, but not everyone is familiar with what a bottle lock is so allow me to digress for a moment. Bottle locks are re-usable devices that can be placed over the cap and neck of a bottle that prevents it from being opened. The store has a detachment key at the point(s) of sale that the cashier uses to remove the cap after the bottle is purchased. The locks are tamper proof, so they cannot be forced off in the store without a serious risk of breaking the bottle. They are also electronic article surveillance (EAS) compatible. Stores protected with EAS antennas will have an alarm set off if a shoplifter attempts to leave the store with stolen product.

Now before you think I have gone off the deep end by suggesting you can get rid of lock up display cases, let me explain myself. One strategy that shoplifters use on the stores they will hit is to divide and conquer. Many times shoplifters who work in pairs or small groups have already scouted the store and assessed how many employees are working or will work on a given shift. With that information in hand, they enter the store and move to different areas. An employee may not even realize the pair is together. One member of the team acts as a decoy, looking for items that are locked up and seeking assistance from someone with a key. This person may be loud or obnoxious, either, causing a scene, asking far too many questions or just being too friendly and talkative. While the distracted employee is trying to give great customer service, the second member of the team is concealing bottles in another area of the store and then walking out with stolen merchandise. It is possible, under the right circumstances that the shoplifter could re-enter and get another haul. Bottle locks allow employees the flexibility of not having to go to the lock up case to remove merchandise or show a bottle to someone.  When the bottle security devices are being used patrons can pick up and select the merchandise they want and carry them around the store. If staffed with a single employee, that employee can stay at the front of the store and ring up sales and monitor the front door alarm.

You may be thinking you don’t need to worry about bottle security after all because you always have at least two employees working at all times. Who does your merchandise stocking? Who tickets your merchandise or straightens the shelves? Who does the work in the stockroom? How do you work out your meal breaks for your staff, do you bring in a third employee?  When employees are task oriented, customer service tends not to be the focus of attention. Bottle Locks eliminate the concern over trying to keep up with all of the customers in the store at the same time. 

 

Bottle security for your liquor store isn’t an easy task. Adding additional employees for the sake of preventing theft is not the best answer. Install an EAS system and protect product with bottle locks and benefit from reduced stock shortage.

 

For more information on bottle locks, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 

 

 

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: , ,

Bottle Locks Could Have Prevented Alcohol Haul

March 23, 2016 by Leave a Comment

 

Bottle security-3                                                                                                                                     WC blog 53
Bottle Locks-5
Alpha Security-3
Bottle Locks Could Have Prevented Alcohol Haul
     I’ve just been reading several online news reports about liquor theft rings.  There are some extremely high dollar thefts that have taken place.  Some involve the theft of an entire delivery trailer load and others are rings hitting grocery stores and liquor stores.  In A New York Post report about a liquor store heist, the owner estimated that the robbers ultimately made off with “between $45,000 and $50,000,” “nearly 100 cases, in high-end booze,” (Kevin Sheehan, January 28, 2014).  In a 2013 article from King 5 titled, “Grocery stores go undercover to bust liquor store thieves” they discussed the problems faced by a grocery store from liquor theft.  It also discussed how the merchandise is stolen by boosters and how it is resold.  A part of the article that I found compelling and I want to address is a statement made by a member of the store security team investigating theft rings in his store.  The article says, “…and some may wonder why grocery stores don’t just lock their liquor up or keep bottles in a separate, more secure part of the store where workers can watch it more closely.”   The Security Officer or representative states, “It is a difficult balance…You can remove it from the shelf and turn customers away.  You put too much product on the shelf and you are exposing yourself to theft.”  (This story aired on Nov. 4, 2013). This is where I would like to take issue and address bottle security.  Grocery stores and liquor stores can prevent a significant amount of the theft that is taking place by using bottle locks on their products.
     The Loss Prevention representative seems to give an either/or solution to the problem.  As I read the article, the response to the posed question seems to be one that would either limit product and quantity on the shelf or it would remove it altogether.  I am willing to give the benefit of the doubt that the interviewee was not giving the same full response that he might have under different circumstances.  Regardless, the answer is there, and I would like to offer an alternate solution.  I believe stores could use bottle locks on their product to secure them from theft.  Bottle locks come in a number of options and styles.  For example, Alpha security offers everything from an adjustable collar lock which fits around the neck of a bottle to a bottle lock that covers the entire cap and prevents tampering with the seal and the cap.  All of these bottle locks will activate an electronic article surveillance antenna at the exits and entrances of a store. Generally, boosters do not tend to intentionally steal product that is obviously protected with anti-theft devices. They are in it for the fast buck, so they prefer to get away without being noticed.  This allows the booster to hit a store multiple times.  
      When a store uses Alpha security products customers will not “turn away” as the Loss Prevention officer indicates, because shelves don’t have to be empty.  Bottle locks give the store the flexibility to allow customers access to product and ability to select the item(s) they want and continue to shop. Hiding bottles in purses, backpacks or even luggage will not prevent the activation of EAS alarm systems.   The flip side of his argument is also negated if bottle security is employed on liquor and wine.  Because a bottle has a lock on it, I would argue the shelf can be fully stocked.  The deterrence value of the lock and the alarm capability will send the thieves to other stores.  One additional quasi-question was posed by the writer or interviewer, asking why the alcohol could not be put in a more secure part of the store.  My response would have to be that keeping merchandise in a specific area that is a “secured” environment turns off customers and also requires more manpower.  Bottle security allows the free movement of merchandise in the store and the design makes it very difficult to defeat.
     There is no need for keeping shelves bare or locking up wines and spirits in some cabinet or remote area of your store.  Alpha security has the necessary products to secure your bottles so that you can keep your customers happy and deter the thieves who would steal your profits.  
For more information on Bottle Security, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
     

I’ve just been reading several online news reports about liquor theft rings. There are some extremely high dollar thefts that have taken place. Some involve the theft of an entire delivery trailer load and others are rings hitting grocery stores and liquor stores. In A New York Post report about a liquor store heist, the owner estimated that the robbers ultimately made off with “between $45,000 and $50,000,” “nearly 100 cases, in high-end booze,” (Kevin Sheehan, January 28, 2014). In a 2013 article from King 5 titled, “Grocery stores go undercover to bust liquor store thieves” they discussed the problems faced by a grocery store from liquor theft. It also discussed how the merchandise is stolen by boosters and how it is resold. A part of the article that I found compelling and I want to address is a statement made by a member of the store security team investigating theft rings in his store. The article says, “…and some may wonder why grocery stores don’t just lock their liquor up or keep bottles in a separate, more secure part of the store where workers can watch it more closely.”   The Security Officer or representative states, “It is a difficult balance…You can remove it from the shelf and turn customers away.  You put too much product on the shelf and you are exposing yourself to theft.”  (This story aired on Nov. 4, 2013). This is where I would like to take issue and address bottle security. Grocery stores and liquor stores can prevent a significant amount of the theft that is taking place by using bottle locks on their products.

 

The Loss Prevention representative seems to give an either/or solution to the problem. As I read the article, the response to the posed question seems to be one that would either limit product and quantity on the shelf or it would remove it altogether. I am willing to give the benefit of the doubt that the interviewee was not giving the same full response that he might have under different circumstances. Regardless, the answer is there, and I would like to offer an alternate solution. I believe stores could use bottle locks on their product to secure them from theft. Bottle locks come in a number of options and styles. For example, Alpha security offers everything from an adjustable collar lock which fits around the neck of a bottle to a bottle lock that covers the entire cap and prevents tampering with the seal and the cap. All of these bottle locks will activate an electronic article surveillance antenna at the exits and entrances of a store. Generally, boosters do not tend to intentionally steal product that is obviously protected with anti-theft devices. They are in it for the fast buck, so they prefer to get away without being noticed. This allows the booster to hit a store multiple times.  

When a store uses Alpha security products customers will not “turn away” as the Loss Prevention officer indicates, because shelves don’t have to be empty. Bottle locks give the store the flexibility to allow customers access to product and ability to select the item(s) they want and continue to shop. Hiding bottles in purses, backpacks or even luggage will not prevent the activation of EAS alarm systems.  The flip side of his argument is also negated if bottle security is employed on liquor and wine. Because a bottle has a lock on it, I would argue the shelf can be fully stocked. The deterrence value of the lock and the alarm capability will send the thieves to other stores. One additional quasi-question was posed by the writer or interviewer, asking why the alcohol could not be put in a more secure part of the store. My response would have to be that keeping merchandise in a specific area that is a “secured” environment turns off customers and also requires more manpower. Bottle security allows the free movement of merchandise in the store and the design makes it very difficult to defeat.

There is no need for keeping shelves bare or locking up wines and spirits in some cabinet or remote area of your store. Alpha security has the necessary products to secure your bottles so that you can keep your customers happy and deter the thieves who would steal your profits.  

 

For more information on Bottle Security, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

     

 

 

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: , , ,
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