The Benefits of 3 Alarm Technology to Prevent Shoplifting and Liability

March 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment

There is a large amount of shoplifting in retail stores today.  In fact, shoplifting is a multi-billion dollar a year industry.  It affects not only your store’s profits, but the economy as a whole.  In addition, there is a lot of liability in making shoplifting apprehensions.  Not only can injury be a result, but so can slander, unlawful imprisonment, etc. as well.  Many companies have gone away from making apprehensions altogether as the liability is just too high.  This is not a real solution as it then makes them a target for increased activity and possible Organized Retail Crime.  So how do you prevent shoplifting and keep liability in check?

The answer is by using 3 Alarm technology from Alpha Security.  Retail anti theft devices are a staple in the Loss Prevention industry because they work.  Items like EAS tags pose a danger to shoplifters as it draws attention to them which can lead to their arrest.  This is an important tool in the fight to prevent shoplifting.  To take this one step further Alpha Security created 3 Alarm technology.  These retail anti theft devices have an alarm built in.  So not only does the door alarm sound, but if tampered with or stolen the item alarms itself. 

This “alarm” part of the 3 Alarm technology is where the reduced liability comes into play.  Many times the EAS alarm sounds and we don’t know why.  It is tricky to engage the person who set off the alarm without making accusations that will come back to bite us.  It is much easier and safer to question the alarm sounding from their pants.  While a customer can blame a new wallet or their cell phone for setting off the door alarm, there really is no way to explain the alarm from within their personal possession.  This gives store associates a much less liable way to ask for their product back.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store for retail anti theft devices that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

For more information on how you can use retail anti theft devices to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 

 

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The Innovative Solution

March 14, 2012 by Leave a Comment

A very large part of having the successful ability to prevent shoplifting is the ability to be innovative. Sometimes innovation comes in the form of bribery. For example: Pizza Party to the lowest shrink loss department!

Sometimes innovation comes in the form of excessive communication- Tell me again why your LP newsletter is taped to the lunch tables and inside the bathroom stalls?

Sometimes innovation comes in the form of retail anti theft devices like the Nano Gate. The Nano Gate is a replacement for the EAS towers located at the entrance doors. No longer big and bulky, this tower is streamlined to accommodate a new scope of uses.

The Nano Gate is great for boutiques and small specialty stores as it keeps with a more customer friendly or high-end image. Because of it’s more compact size, it can be used not just at the points of egress, but also in mini areas or pads.

Need a watchdog on your handbag wall? There it is! How about some infrequently used corners or back stock areas? Perfect there too. Do you have an employee entrance? What a great deterrent from employee theft!

Retail anti theft devices can seem to be the same thing over and over. Innovative solutions can brake out of those molds. Knowing when and how to utilize these innovations will make all the difference in the world when it comes to your bottom line profits. Don’t be the same, innovate!

Visit the Loss Prevention Store for retail anti theft devices that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

For more information on how you can use retail anti theft devices to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 

 

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Retail Anti-Theft Devices: Technology For A Real Problem

March 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Shoplifting or theft is as old as the marketplace.  For many years retailers worked with limited technology to address the issue, but today is a new day.  The loss prevention industry has long sought for new technology to provide an edge against shoplifting.  Recently, the focus has been on retail anti-theft devices as a means to prevent shoplifting.  Currently, there are many retail anti-theft devices on the markets, some examples are:  2 Alarm, 3 Alarm, Jewel Lok, Nano Gate, Shark Tag, and Spider Wrap.

Each of these tools has their place in the retail environment.  The 2 Alarm and the 3 Alarm security tags is a flexible article security tag.  It can be used for many different applications such as:  Clothing security, merchandise security and most of all to prevent shoplifting.  The 2 Alarm and 3 Alarm tags use RF or EAS technology to notify the store’s personnel in the event that merchandise is taken from the store.  These tags work best with merchandise that can be pinned.  The Jewel Lok is a small security tag.  The Jewel Lok is designed to work to secure your high priced jewelry.  The Jewel Lok works on the same principal as the 2 Alarm and 3 Alarm, but in a smaller package.  These devices are designed to prevent shoplifting

The shark tag and Spider Wrap are newer products to hit the marketplace.  The Shark tag is used to prevent loses that can occur from return fraud.  The Shark Tag is a non EAS/RF retail anti theft device.  It is attached to merchandise and easily removed by cutting.  This allows the retailer to see if the merchandise has been worn.  While not designed to prevent shoplifting, the retailer can then deny the return of unsellable merchandise.  Spider Wrap is used for securing merchandise packaged within boxes.  The Spider Wrap retail anti-theft device is a great tool for “tagging” these difficult to control items. 

All of the above mentioned retail anti-theft devices could be partnered with the Nano Gate.  The Nano Gate is a device that is placed on the exit/entrance of an area that needs to be secure and not have your product in the area.  I’ve worked in the loss prevention industry for a number of years and it’s my belief that it is important to invest in retail anti theft devices for the health of any business.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store for retail anti theft devices that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

For more information on how you can use retail anti theft devices to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 

 

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Jewel Lok is a must for spring season.

March 9, 2012 by Leave a Comment

We are at that time of year that I usually find an increase in jewelry shopping at my store.  All the new spring dresses and outfits require the matching accessories.  In addition, the warm weather change is more inviting to jewelry as short sleeves and open cut tops are better for showing off bracelets, necklaces, etc.  With that said, it is also a hard time to control the inventory.  We all know that quality accessories are expensive.  Many consumers want the product, but don’t want to pay the price.  I have found the Jewel Lok by Alpha to be a great help in my efforts to prevent shoplifting.

Alpha security makes a revolutionary line of retail anti theft devices.  Alpha offers many different retail anti theft devices that are made for specific products.  Finally a company that does not employee a one size fits all approach to prevent shoplifting.  The Jewel Lok comes in several different options.  You can get Jewel Lok devices that will fit on stud earrings, loop earrings and other loose jewelry (such as bracelets, necklaces, watches, etc.).  There are two main benefits to these retail anti theft devices.  The first is that these locks physically attach to the product and cannot be easily removed like a soft EAS label.  There is much more security here.  The second benefit is they still provide open showing.  We lose a lot of sales when we lock product inside cases.  Many customers don’t like waiting on an employee just to see a product.  You can still openly display these products, but rest easy knowing they are protected.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store for retail anti theft devices that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

For more information on how you can use retail anti theft devices to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 

 

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Reactionary Protection

March 7, 2012 by Leave a Comment

We don’t always know what items are going to be the next hot theft item or what merchandise we are going to need to focus on to prevent shoplifting next. Sometimes it takes a few losses to realize how desirable something has become to a shoplifter. The best that we can do before theft becomes noticeable is to protect our most expensive merchandise with a Spider Wrap, Jewel Lok, Shark Tag, or one of the many other retail anti theft devices that are available on the market.

When deciding what to spider wrap after assessing price points, my typical strategy is to focus on things that are easy to steal and easy to sell. Any high dollar item with packaging that has a handle shoots straight to the top of my spider wrap priority list. High dollar small or easy to conceal items are typically first on my spider wrap list as well. Sometimes browsing local resale shops or online resale websites can help to identify what merchandise is being targeted.

When determining what merchandise to shark tag, I will typically tag merchandise seasonally or as I am noticing trends in used merchandise returns on specific types of merchandise. The most common time that we utilize a shark tag is during school dance seasons such as prom or homecoming. Affixing a shark tag to all high dollar dresses helps to prevent people from purchasing and using the item for their big event and then returning afterward. We will also use a shark tag on our leather coats to prevent seasonal wearers who purchase an expensive coat at the beginning of the season and return it once the cold season is over.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store for retail anti theft devices that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

For more information on how you can use retail anti theft devices to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 

 

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Fashion Forward

March 5, 2012 by Leave a Comment

When you work in clothing sales you have to be acutely aware of current trends. When you work loss prevention for a clothing retailer, you have to be equally aware of the trends, and not just the obvious ones.

 The fashion industry is constantly changing, and the “IT” item this week may not be the same one two weeks from now. Knowing what is the hot item will help you know what should be placed up front and on display. It should also let you know what you need to be aware of from a shrink perspective. Not everyone who is fashion forward will pay the legitimate price. 

To prevent shoplifting of those items, you have to first be aware of what they are. I remember a holiday broach that we left out on a display table one year. My Store Manager told me to watch to make sure none were stolen. Three weeks later they were all still there- not only had they not been stolen, but they also had not sold. I joked with my manger that I guessed they were too ugly to even be stolen.

 Conversely, the cashmere scarves by a popular designer were flying off the shelves. The sales rate was extremely high, as were the attempts by shoplifters. We spent a lot of time making sure that item had retail anti theft devices like hard tags on them. We even put a Shark Tag in the middle to prevent someone from trying to wear it out the door.

 Without knowing the popular fashion trend, we would have suffered some serious merchandise losses. We also would have lost out on sales by not having the right product in place at the right time.

 Visit the Loss Prevention Store for retail anti theft devices that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

 For more information on how you can use retail anti theft devices to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

 

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Is It Worth the Risk?

March 2, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Many LP professionals have had a known theft suspect they couldn’t wait to arrest. They were aware of the subject, but for whatever reason, this person had evaded detainment and continued to steal from their store. While working for one company, I had a woman who came in multiple times per month and treated our store like a swap meet, leaving her old earrings on the cards and taking ours. Whenever she entered the store, we would initiate surveillance and intend to make a detainment, but she would either dump the merchandise or we’d be uncertain which items she took.

 In my experience, jewelry is one of the toughest items to protect against loss. It’s challenging to maintain observation of such a small item when it’s being carried by a moving person or being palmed in their hand. Jewelry can be easily concealed and just as easily dumped, increasing the likelihood of an unproductive stop. Many companies place additional apprehension requirements for jewelry items as a result of the risk they create for retailers. I’ve made the difficult decision many times to let a shoplifter go because I wasn’t willing to gamble my job or jeopardize my employer on an item that may have been either stolen or dumped. Obviously, detainment isn’t going to be the answer to retailers’ jewelry theft problem.

Because so many challenges faced retailers trying to protect their jewelry from five finger discounts, the creation of the Jewel Lok felt like a miracle. Introduced in 2011, this innovative retail anti-theft device resolved the aesthetic display dilemma others before it couldn’t. My favorite feature of this solution is that a shoplifter attempting to defeat it will break the jewelry before they can remove it. If my store had the Jewel Lok, we wouldn’t have a collection of that subject’s earrings we’re going to return to her when we finally get her someday.

 Visit the Loss Prevention Store for retail anti theft devices like the jewel lok that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

 For more information on how you can use retail anti theft devices to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 

 

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Nano Gate … A great new way to prevent shoplifting!!!

February 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment

There are many retail anti theft devices on the market today that are aimed at helping retailers prevent shoplifting.  Many of these retail anti theft devices and systems have been around for years and some are much newer.  A relatively new system that I have found to be very useful is the Nano Gate (and 3 Alarm tags) by Alpha Security.

 By this time I think we are all pretty familiar with standard EAS systems.  You put sensor tags on merchandise and if it passes the door pedestals then an alarm sounds.  We all hope we can prevent shoplifting by bringing attention to those who are setting off the system.  Two problems have developed with this system.  One, in many stores no one pays attention to this alarm anymore and it sounds all day with no response from employees or customers.  When that happens the deterrent effect is lost.  A second issue is that even if you do respond as an employee, you are limited in what you can search and what you can do to recover your product.

 The Nano Gate and Alpha’s 3 Alarm tags address these problems.  The first piece of the solution is the 3 Alarm tags.  These retail anti theft devices are like standard hard sensor tags with the exception that they have an alarm built into the tag.  If a would-be shoplifter tampers with the tag then the alarm will sound on the tag itself.  This is great at deterring seasoned shoplifters who can quickly defeat standard EAS tags.  The second part of the system is the Nano Gate.  Unlike standard pedestals that just alarm, when the 3 Alarm tag passes by the Nano Gate the built in senor alarm sounds.  When an employee responds it will be hard for a shoplifter to explain the alarm coming from their bag (or other places) as anything but theft.

 Visit the Loss Prevention Store for retail anti theft devices that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

 For more information on how you can use retail anti theft devices to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

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Spider Wraps help defend a web of deceit.

February 27, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Have you ever noticed empty holes on your shelf, but your inventory system says you should have the product?  Have you ever found empty boxes in back corners of the store?  Theft and loss is a major part of the retail industry.  We all face theft and we all work hard to prevent shoplifting.  In most cases we use some type of retail anti theft devices to help prevent shoplifting.  Guess what … it still happens.  So what do you do when traditional methods to prevent shoplifting stop working???

 One suggestion is to check out products from Alpha Security.  One top product that has paid huge dividends in my company is the Spider Wrap.  Unlike traditional retail anti theft devices the Spider Wrap completely encompasses the product.  I can’t tell you how many times I have had shoplifters peel EAS labels off of my boxed products and then steal them anyway.  The Spider Wrap eliminates this by using a wire to cross all 4 sides of the box and hold a hard tag in place.  This cannot be simply removed.  

Another great function of the Spider Wrap is the built in alarm.  If a would-be shoplifter tries to cut the wire then the alarm sounds and draws immediate attention to that person and associates can react while he/she is still in the store versus waiting until they are running out the door and it’s too late.  Additionally, if you add the Nano Gate to your system then if a shoplifter tries to walk out with protected items then the Nano Gate will set off the sensor alarm on the product.  It is easy to explain why a door alarm is going off; it is much harder to explain why your pants or bag are alarming.  The Nano Gate and Spider Wrap are a great solution to prevent shoplifting when traditional methods fail.

 Visit the Loss Prevention Store for retail anti theft devices that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

 For more information on how you can use retail anti theft devices to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

 

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Not Just for Wardrobing

February 24, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Anytime you work with clothes as a retailer you will inevitably come across a few incidences of wardrobing. Wardrobing is where someone buys an item of clothing, say a new dress or a pair of shoes. They wear the item, usually just once for a special occasion, and then return the item.

 It is frustrating to the retailer because you potentially loose sales by not having that item in stock for a true customer, but most people don’t want to buy items that look used or retagged (if price tags had been torn off).

 Hey, I even saw a lady open a bag of socks to see if she liked them, and then put them back on the shelf and grab a new unopened bag! She was the one that opened it in the first place and still didn’t want it.

 Any way, there is a product out by Checkpoint called the Shark Tag. It pins onto the front of a garment and can only be removed by scissors.  Even though it is designed to prevent wardrobing, it can also be a great retail anti theft device to prevent shoplifting.

 Attaching the Shark Tag onto items like lingerie or swimsuits may prevent an item from being concealed under clothes. You can’t very well wear a bra with a big pin sticking through your shirt with out someone noticing.

 Shark Tags are also a visible cue. Not every shoplifter knows what has an RF tag and what doesn’t. If an item looks like it has even the slightest chance of being tagged, they potentially will avoid it altogether.

 Visit the Loss Prevention Store for retail anti theft devices that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

 For more information on how you can use retail anti theft devices to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 

 

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