Improved Inventory Results With Alpha Spider Wrap

June 29, 2016 by Leave a Comment

 

Alpha Spider Wrap-5                                                                                                                              WC blog 131
Retail Anti-Theft Devices-4
Prevent Shoplifting-3
Improved Inventory Results With Alpha Spider Wrap 
     As a former store Loss Prevention Manager I found inventory time could be a little nerve wracking because I never knew what surprises the inventory results would hold.  I usually felt fairly confident we would have good shrink results but my concern was seeing what our top shortage departments would be. Were the major items that we were losing due to theft or operational issues? What would those items be?  Sometimes there would be items that were almost guaranteed to be on the Top 10 shortage department lists, such as cosmetics and DVDs.  Occasionally something would show up that made me scratch my head trying to figure out what in the world I was going to do to prevent shoplifting of the item and prevent a recurrence the next year.  One such item that made the list one year was vacuum cleaners.  The fix for us came when we started using Alpha Spider Wrap to protect our high end vacuums.
     Alpha Spider Wrap uses aircraft grade steel cable housed in a cinching device to protect merchandise.  The wires can be loosened to fit around a boxed item and then tightened to create a snug fit and keep it from being slipped off.   These retail anti-theft devices come in different sizes so even though we used the larger wraps for our vacuums, we had smaller wraps available for other merchandise in the store.  Alpha Spider Wraps are available in several models with different features.  They are all radio frequency sensitive to work with store electronic article surveillance systems.  Some are tamper proof so they will sound an alarm if someone attempts to cut a wire to remove the device.  There are also wraps available in a 3 alarm design that will self-alarm if someone were to get a protected item out the doors, past electronic article surveillance antennas.
     In the case of our vacuum cleaner issue, we knew there had been some attempts to roll out vacuums past the cash registers, but we did not know how many thefts had taken place over the year.  To prevent shoplifting we had placed our closed circuit television cameras on the aisle where the vacuums were merchandised.  We had also attempted to use retail anti-theft devices such as EAS tags and tamper-proof security tape on the boxes. Finally, I tried to staff my front end security team members at times we suspected shoplifters were trying to conduct roll-outs.  Obviously the results spoke for themselves and it was apparent we had not done enough to curb the thieves.  They were cleaning house (pun intended) and I needed a new tactic, especially when I learned from Loss Prevention Managers in other stores that they were experiencing the same problem.  
     Our company had recently started purchasing Alpha Spider Wrap and sending them to stores.  I had our merchandise protection specialist and our security team members start securing the vacuums with these new retail anti-theft devices.  At this point we were also tracking sales and on-hand counts of our high end vacuums and as we wrapped merchandise we started to notice that the in-stocks were improving.  Major improvements were seen in the decrease of empty shelf spaces and much to the chagrin of my Loss Prevention peers; I was hearing they were still experiencing significant losses.  It seemed the steps we were taking were shifting shoplifter activity to other stores and away from us.  By the next inventory we saw a drastic decline in the shortage dollars for this department, due in large part to the use of these wraps.
     Retail anti-theft devices such as Alpha Spider Wrap can prevent shoplifting in your store, lik it did on ours.  Why wait for inventory results before protecting your products?  Be proactive now and watch your profits grow.
Need information on Alpha Spider Wrap? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
     

As a former store Loss Prevention Manager I found inventory time could be a little nerve wracking because I never knew what surprises the inventory results would hold. I usually felt fairly confident we would have good shrink results but my concern was seeing what our top shortage departments would be. Were the major items that we were losing due to theft or operational issues? What would those items be? Sometimes there would be items that were almost guaranteed to be on the Top 10 shortage department lists, such as cosmetics and DVDs. Occasionally something would show up that made me scratch my head trying to figure out what in the world I was going to do to prevent shoplifting of the item and prevent a recurrence the next year. One such item that made the list one year was vacuum cleaners. The fix for us came when we started using Alpha Spider Wrap to protect our high end vacuums.

Alpha Spider Wrap uses aircraft grade steel cable housed in a cinching device to protect merchandise. The wires can be loosened to fit around a boxed item and then tightened to create a snug fit and keep it from being slipped off. These retail anti-theft devices come in different sizes so even though we used the larger wraps for our vacuums, we had smaller wraps available for other merchandise in the store. Alpha Spider Wraps are available in several models with different features. They are all radio frequency sensitive to work with store electronic article surveillance systems.  Some are tamper proof so they will sound an alarm if someone attempts to cut a wire to remove the device. There are also wraps available in a 3 alarm design that will self-alarm if someone were to get a protected item out the doors, past electronic article surveillance antennas.

In the case of our vacuum cleaner issue, we knew there had been some attempts to roll out vacuums past the cash registers, but we did not know how many thefts had taken place over the year. To prevent shoplifting we had placed our closed circuit television cameras on the aisle where the vacuums were merchandised. We had also attempted to use retail anti-theft devices such as EAS tags and tamper-proof security tape on the boxes. Finally, I tried to staff my front end security team members at times we suspected shoplifters were trying to conduct roll-outs. Obviously the results spoke for themselves and it was apparent we had not done enough to curb the thieves. They were cleaning house (pun intended) and I needed a new tactic, especially when I learned from Loss Prevention Managers in other stores that they were experiencing the same problem.  

Our company had recently started purchasing Alpha Spider Wrap and sending them to stores. I had our merchandise protection specialist and our security team members start securing the vacuums with these new retail anti-theft devices. At this point we were also tracking sales and on-hand counts of our high end vacuums and as we wrapped merchandise we started to notice that the in-stocks were improving. Major improvements were seen in the decrease of empty shelf spaces and much to the chagrin of my Loss Prevention peers; I was hearing they were still experiencing significant losses. It seemed the steps we were taking were shifting shoplifter activity to other stores and away from us. By the next inventory we saw a drastic decline in the shortage dollars for this department, due in large part to the use of these wraps.

Retail anti-theft devices such as Alpha Spider Wrap can prevent shoplifting in your store, lik it did on ours. Why wait for inventory results before protecting your products?  Be proactive now and watch your profits grow.

 

Need information on Alpha Spider Wrap? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.

     

 

 

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ALPHA SPIDER WRAPS ARE SHOCKINGLY EFFECTIVE AGAINST THEFT

May 31, 2016 by Leave a Comment

 

ALPHA SPIDER WRAPS ARE SHOCKINGLY EFFECTIVE AGAINST THEFT
Early last year, my company began carrying a line of electric dog training collars. Being a pet specialty store, it was important for us to have a very open merchandising concept for our customers. We needed our customers to be able to have as much access to the products as possible, in order to maximize sales all while maintaining very tight payroll budgets. The problem? No one listened when I screamed about a product protection plan. Now, we’re playing loss reaction as we scramble to get Alpha Spider Wraps out to all of our stores. 
When our buyers first set out to purchase the new line, which included price points from $99 as the lowest, up to $699 for the top of the line model, no one (but LP) thought there would be a theft problem, so all conversations discussing how to prevent shoplifting were met with an all too common phrase by company management that went something like, “we don’t foresee this being a shrink producer.” Then why on Earth did you invite me to this meeting and ask for my opinion?! 
I tried over and over again to make my case; scouring data from any place I could pull it. I even had a spreadsheet that listed all stores that our vendor was supplying and then a cross reference with online retail sites that somehow were getting their hands on the product. Still, I got very little buy in on methods to deploy in order to prevent shoplifting in this category. So, I did what I’ve done more times that I care to say with the corporate guys. I sat back and I waited; waited for them to see what a disastrous idea it would be by failing to protect these items. 
It obviously didn’t take long for my stores to start reporting issues with theft. By mid-year, the buyers and merchants were in a literally tizzy. They weren’t profitable. They were (imagine that) losing more of these items than they were selling. Guess who they came running to? Oh, it wasn’t a cordial, “can you please help us”, it was more like, “Why is LP allowing so much theft to happen? Aren’t you guys supposed to prevent shoplifting?” It was about this time that I compiled every email, every note and every meeting agenda I could find from the past 6 months and showed where I had tried (valiantly I may add) to offer suggestions for protection before these units ever had hit the floor. Of course there was the inevitable meeting to “discuss shrink”. I showed up with nothing more than an Alpha Spider Wrap. 
Moral of the story; listen to the people that you employ to protect your store’s inventory. We all understand the importance of open concept merchandising and the ability for the customer to touch and feel an item. YOU have to understand that for us, it’s just as important to keep that same product in the store and available only for our paying customers. So when your LP team tells you to use an Alpha Spider Wrap, go ahead and listen to them, they usually know what they’re talking about. 
 
For more information about Alpha Technology, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.

Early last year, my company began carrying a line of electric dog training collars. Being a pet specialty store, it was important for us to have a very open merchandising concept for our customers. We needed our customers to be able to have as much access to the products as possible, in order to maximize sales all while maintaining very tight payroll budgets. The problem? No one listened when I screamed about a product protection plan. Now, we’re playing loss reaction as we scramble to get Alpha Spider Wraps out to all of our stores. 

 When our buyers first set out to purchase the new line, which included price points from $99 as the lowest, up to $699 for the top of the line model, no one (but LP) thought there would be a theft problem, so all conversations discussing how to prevent shoplifting were met with an all too common phrase by company management that went something like, “we don’t foresee this being a shrink producer.” Then why on Earth did you invite me to this meeting and ask for my opinion?! 

 I tried over and over again to make my case; scouring data from any place I could pull it. I even had a spreadsheet that listed all stores that our vendor was supplying and then a cross reference with online retail sites that somehow were getting their hands on the product. Still, I got very little buy in on methods to deploy in order to prevent shoplifting in this category. So, I did what I’ve done more times that I care to say with the corporate guys. I sat back and I waited; waited for them to see what a disastrous idea it would be by failing to protect these items. 

 It obviously didn’t take long for my stores to start reporting issues with theft. By mid-year, the buyers and merchants were in a literally tizzy. They weren’t profitable. They were (imagine that) losing more of these items than they were selling. Guess who they came running to? Oh, it wasn’t a cordial, “can you please help us”, it was more like, “Why is LP allowing so much theft to happen? Aren’t you guys supposed to prevent shoplifting?” It was about this time that I compiled every email, every note and every meeting agenda I could find from the past 6 months and showed where I had tried (valiantly I may add) to offer suggestions for protection before these units ever had hit the floor. Of course there was the inevitable meeting to “discuss shrink”. I showed up with nothing more than an Alpha Spider Wrap. 

 Moral of the story; listen to the people that you employ to protect your store’s inventory. We all understand the importance of open concept merchandising and the ability for the customer to touch and feel an item. YOU have to understand that for us, it’s just as important to keep that same product in the store and available only for our paying customers. So when your LP team tells you to use an Alpha Spider Wrap, go ahead and listen to them, they usually know what they’re talking about. 
 

For more information about Alpha Technology, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.

 

 

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Get the Biggest Bang For Your Buck, Invest In Alpha Security Products

April 28, 2016 by Leave a Comment

 

Alpha Security – 5                                                                                                                            WC blog 69
Prevent Shoplifting-5
Retail Anti-Theft Devices-4
Get the Biggest Bang For Your Buck, Invest In Alpha Security Products
     Retail shortage is a huge problem and seems to get worse every year.  According the 2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer total retail shrinkage in North America during 2014-2015 was $36.79 billion dollars.  Shrinkage increase reported by respondents, who participated in both the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 surveys, went from 1.28% in 2013-2014 to 1.87% in 2014-2015.  So what can a store owner do to drive down shortage?  Let me preface this by letting you know I have roughly 20 years of loss prevention experience and over 25 total years of retail experience.   Regardless of the size of your store, there are steps that any retailer can take to improve shortage results and, in the process improve profits.  It may surprise some readers that I am not going to say customer service is at the top of my list.  While customer service is important and it is a deterrent to prevent shoplifting and it does a great deal to improve sales, it does not have the same impact that a security system has when it includes retail anti-theft devices such as Alpha Security products.
     Here is what I mean.  Customer service deters shoplifting.  That’s wonderful and I am the first to insist that a business MUST establish a culture of customer service excellence.  The payoff is going to be a returning customer base, word of mouth promotion, increased sales and this also leads to a happier staff.  I could go on about the benefits of customer service but that will be another time.  The problem I see is that it only truly impacts one facet of shrinkage.  A security system built around retail anti-theft devices and closed circuit television will not only prevent shoplifting, but it deters employee theft and vendor theft as well.  The only area of retail shrinkage it does not impact is administrative loss, such as vendor billing errors, keying errors on receipts, mis-scanning product, etc.  A well designed system makes all thieves aware that theft is not going to be tolerated from the moment they walk in the door of a retailer.  Alpha security products include hard tags to protect clothing and accessories, hardware and electronics.  Alpha Spider Wrap allows the display of electronics products and accessibility to the customer.  Alpha Keepers prevent the theft of a multitude of products from health and beauty items to DVDs and videogames.  These retail anti-theft devices have visual deterrence value because thieves, whether shoplifters or employees recognize the challenge they will have if they choose to try to steal merchandise that is protected.  This may be trying to remove a clothing security hard tag and damaging merchandise in the process or it could be trying to cut an Alpha Spider Wrap and activating a tamper alarm.  The harder it is for a criminal to get what they want, the more likely they are to leave something alone.  
     The other protection offered by Alpha Security devices is that they do work with an electronic article surveillance system and when passed through an EAS antenna, these products activate the alarm.  A well trained staff knows how to properly respond to an alarm activation and can recover merchandise that was secured by a device.  Yes, I have had vendors and employees exit a store with merchandise that was not paid for and an alarm was activated.  EAS systems are not installed simply to prevent shoplifting but employee and vendor theft as well.   Many of the Alpha Security products can be purchased in either a 2 alarm or 3 alarm version, the 3 alarm adding an additional layer of protection in that the third alarm is an audible alarm built in the device itself.  In case someone exits with a 3 alarm device they set off the EAS antenna alarm and if they get to a certain point the internal alarm actually built in the unit activates (the third alarm is the tamper alarm). 
     Customer Service is a great way to prevent shoplifting and all associates should be trained on it and expected to deliver.  It will prevent a significant amount of shoplifting theft, but not all of it. It also has negligible effect on internal theft and vendor theft.   Retail anti-theft devices can deter and prevent shoplifting, vendor theft and employee theft.  Invest in Alpha Security products and know that you will start to see immediate return on investment with the impact on all areas of retail theft.
For more information on Alpha Security, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 

Retail shortage is a huge problem and seems to get worse every year. According the 2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer total retail shrinkage in North America during 2014-2015 was $36.79 billion dollars. Shrinkage increase reported by respondents, who participated in both the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 surveys, went from 1.28% in 2013-2014 to 1.87% in 2014-2015. So what can a store owner do to drive down shortage? Let me preface this by letting you know I have roughly 20 years of loss prevention experience and over 25 total years of retail experience. Regardless of the size of your store, there are steps that any retailer can take to improve shortage results and, in the process improve profits. It may surprise some readers that I am not going to say customer service is at the top of my list. While customer service is important and it is a deterrent to prevent shoplifting and it does a great deal to improve sales, it does not have the same impact that a security system has when it includes retail anti-theft devices such as Alpha Security products.

Here is what I mean. Customer service deters shoplifting. That’s wonderful and I am the first to insist that a business MUST establish a culture of customer service excellence. The payoff is going to be a returning customer base, word of mouth promotion, increased sales and this also leads to a happier staff. I could go on about the benefits of customer service but that will be another time. The problem I see is that it only truly impacts one facet of shrinkage. A security system built around retail anti-theft devices and closed circuit television will not only prevent shoplifting, but it deters employee theft and vendor theft as well. The only area of retail shrinkage it does not impact is administrative loss, such as vendor billing errors, keying errors on receipts, mis-scanning product, etc. A well designed system makes all thieves aware that theft is not going to be tolerated from the moment they walk in the door of a retailer. Alpha security products include hard tags to protect clothing and accessories, hardware and electronics. Alpha Spider Wrap allows the display of electronics products and accessibility to the customer. Alpha Keepers prevent the theft of a multitude of products from health and beauty items to DVDs and videogames. These retail anti-theft devices have visual deterrence value because thieves, whether shoplifters or employees recognize the challenge they will have if they choose to try to steal merchandise that is protected. This may be trying to remove a clothing security hard tag and damaging merchandise in the process or it could be trying to cut an Alpha Spider Wrap and activating a tamper alarm.  The harder it is for a criminal to get what they want, the more likely they are to leave something alone.       

 

The other protection offered by Alpha Security devices is that they do work with an electronic article surveillance system and when passed through an EAS antenna, these products activate the alarm. A well trained staff knows how to properly respond to an alarm activation and can recover merchandise that was secured by a device. Yes, I have had vendors and employees exit a store with merchandise that was not paid for and an alarm was activated. EAS systems are not installed simply to prevent shoplifting but employee and vendor theft as well.  Many of the Alpha Security products can be purchased in either a 2 alarm or 3 alarm version, the 3 alarm adding an additional layer of protection in that the third alarm is an audible alarm built in the device itself. In case someone exits with a 3 alarm device they set off the EAS antenna alarm and if they get to a certain point the internal alarm actually built in the unit activates (the third alarm is the tamper alarm). 

 

Customer Service is a great way to prevent shoplifting and all associates should be trained on it and expected to deliver.  It will prevent a significant amount of shoplifting theft, but not all of it. It also has negligible effect on internal theft and vendor theft.  Retail anti-theft devices can deter and prevent shoplifting, vendor theft and employee theft. Invest in Alpha Security products and know that you will start to see immediate return on investment with the impact on all areas of retail theft.

 

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

 

 

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Part 1: Alpha Technology S3i – Taking Alpha Security To A New Level

February 10, 2016 by Leave a Comment

 

 Alpha Security-3                                                                                                              WC blog 27
Retail Anti Theft Devices-3
Alpha Technology-3
Alpha Hard Tags-3
Part 1: Alpha Technology S3i – Taking Alpha Security To A New Level
When we discuss merchandise protection the first thought is always towards preventing theft and fraud.  The same thing can be said in discussing Alpha Technology; our initial thought turns to security devices such as bottle locks, Alpha hard tags and Alpha Keeper boxes.  There is nothing wrong with this, the purpose of retail anti-theft devices is to prevent shoplifting, but, what if it is combined with smart intelligence?  What benefits could your store(s) see by incorporating tools that not only enhance theft prevention but also provides inventory management data?  Alpha Security S3i technology takes merchandise protection to a new level, bringing Loss Prevention and store operations together to optimize store profitability.  In part one of this article, I want to cover the impact Alpha S3i can have on Loss Prevention tactics to save you money.  In part 2 we will review the benefits of S3i from an operations and inventory control perspective.
     It used to be that the primary purpose of retail anti-theft devices like Alpha hard tags and electronic article surveillance systems was to prevent shoplifting. EAS tagging or placing alarmed hard tags was going to deter theft or it was going to sound an alarm when someone attempted to sneak out of the store with product.  Alpha S3i uses the advancements in mobile and cloud based technologies to now make it possible to track merchandise as it is removed from a shelf and moved through a store.  Working with Alpha Technology, monitoring zones will be created for areas that are designated as high risk.  For example, perhaps your store has an aisle or two dedicated to just high risk electronics such as computer routers and hard drives.  That area can be set up as a zone and if merchandise tagged with Alpha S3i alarm devices is moved out of that zone, a real time alert can be sent to store radios, smart phones, tablets, or computers.  These alerts can prompt personnel to offer customer service to the patron who has selected the merchandise and walked out of the area.  Perhaps your business is not large enough to justify a Loss Prevention officer, so alerting store personnel or managers may be your only immediate responder.  Getting that customer service to the individual walking away with the merchandise may be your best means of preventing a loss.
     For Loss Prevention personnel, the benefits are even more pronounced.  In-Store Loss Prevention teams can receive an alert and immediately respond to a signal on their radio or smart device.  Monitoring cameras has always been a hit or miss proposition.  Even with multiple digital cameras hooked up to a closed circuit television system, one person can only see so much at one time.  Alpha Security S3i technology can make security teams smarter in how they focus their efforts.  For smaller stores that may not have the benefit of in-store Loss Prevention, but may be monitored from a district or regional level, S3i still provides alerts and time stamps provide the ability to narrow CCTV review time down to a specific event.  This data may provide information needed to track an organized theft ring or even dishonest employee activity.  I recall my own experiences of video review for missing merchandise.  Sometimes I did not have any more information than what sales tracking reports could provide on merchandise, such as when an item was last received in the store.  Video review could be time consuming and did not always provide the results I was looking for in an investigation.  With Alpha Technology S3i, investigation time for missing merchandise can be reduced to minutes versus hours.
     Make your security system work smarter not harder.  Leverage the advantages of Alpha security S3i technology to keep your merchandise where you want it, in the store or at a point of sale. Checkout what the next generation of retail anti- theft devices such as S3i Alpha hard tags and spider wrap can do to protect your assets. 
For more information on Alpha Security, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

When we discuss merchandise protection the first thought is always towards preventing theft and fraud. The same thing can be said in discussing Alpha Technology; our initial thought turns to security devices such as bottle locks, Alpha hard tags and Alpha Keepers. There is nothing wrong with this, the purpose of retail anti-theft devices is to prevent shoplifting, but, what if it is combined with smart intelligence? What benefits could your store(s) see by incorporating tools that not only enhance theft prevention but also provides inventory management data? Alpha Security S3i technology takes merchandise protection to a new level, bringing Loss Prevention and store operations together to optimize store profitability. In part one of this article, I want to cover the impact Alpha S3i can have on Loss Prevention tactics to save you money.  In part 2 we will review the benefits of S3i from an operations and inventory control perspective.

 

It used to be that the primary purpose of retail anti-theft devices like Alpha hard tags and electronic article surveillance systems was to prevent shoplifting. EAS tagging or placing alarmed hard tags was going to deter theft or it was going to sound an alarm when someone attempted to sneak out of the store with product. Alpha S3i uses the advancements in mobile and cloud based technologies to now make it possible to track merchandise as it is removed from a shelf and moved through a store. Working with Alpha Technology, monitoring zones will be created for areas that are designated as high risk. For example, perhaps your store has an aisle or two dedicated to just high risk electronics such as computer routers and hard drives. That area can be set up as a zone and if merchandise tagged with Alpha S3i alarm devices is moved out of that zone, a real time alert can be sent to store radios, smart phones, tablets, or computers. These alerts can prompt personnel to offer customer service to the patron who has selected the merchandise and walked out of the area. Perhaps your business is not large enough to justify a Loss Prevention officer, so alerting store personnel or managers may be your only immediate responder. Getting that customer service to the individual walking away with the merchandise may be your best means of preventing a loss.

 

For Loss Prevention personnel, the benefits are even more pronounced. In-Store Loss Prevention teams can receive an alert and immediately respond to a signal on their radio or smart device. Monitoring cameras has always been a hit or miss proposition. Even with multiple digital cameras hooked up to a closed circuit television system, one person can only see so much at one time. Alpha Security S3i technology can make security teams smarter in how they focus their efforts. For smaller stores that may not have the benefit of in-store Loss Prevention, but may be monitored from a district or regional level, S3i still provides alerts and time stamps provide the ability to narrow CCTV review time down to a specific event. This data may provide information needed to track an organized theft ring or even dishonest employee activity. I recall my own experiences of video review for missing merchandise. Sometimes I did not have any more information than what sales tracking reports could provide on merchandise, such as when an item was last received in the store. Video review could be time consuming and did not always provide the results I was looking for in an investigation. With Alpha Technology S3i, investigation time for missing merchandise can be reduced to minutes versus hours.

 

Make your security system work smarter not harder. Leverage the advantages of Alpha security S3i technology to keep your merchandise where you want it, in the store or at a point of sale. Checkout what the next generation of retail anti- theft devices such as S3i Alpha hard tags and spider wrap can do to protect your assets. 

 

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

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,

Sharing Alpha Tools and Ideas

September 11, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Alpha Technology is very versatile for protecting a retailer’s inventory.  I remember when our company first took the leap and bought Alpha Keepers for our razor cartridge refills.  We used to merchandise them all in these big bulky display units.  They were terribly heavy and difficult to correctly install.  The customers had trouble figuring out how they actually dispensed the razors; they had to press a button and then open the coinciding door for their desired choice.  If the door did not close properly it sounded an alarm over the PA system.  Oh, and the doors would break so easily, then we had to disable the alarm or the constant sounding would drive us mad!
So there was this magic day when we got Alpha Keepers for them instead, so all we had to do was install some pegs, and just hang up the keepers.  It made our work so much easier, and the customers were very pleased with the simplicity of the system.  
I believe the next size Alpha Keepers we got was for our high retail stomach remedies.  Every time one would announce it was going to become an OTC item, rather than prescription only, it was only a matter of time before they were targeted by thieves.  Again, rather than some complicated system, or keeping them locked behind the counter, we had  the option to just lock them in the clear boxes and put them right on the shelves.  
We sell a little of many different categories.  Once, we had a special purchase of small HD televisions.  Our stores became famous on the local news for a sudden rash of thefts because people were grabbing the boxes, which conveniently had handles right on top, and running out the door with up to four at a time.  Thankfully, our company’s next investment was the Alpha Spider Wraps.  They stretch to fit the item you need to protect, and will alarm if there is an attempt to leave with them still attached, and can also self-alarm if someone tries to tamper with or cut the cables.  I use these things on boxes of name brand hair regrowth, high retail electric toothbrushes, and even some other small electronics.  (Thankfully we are no longer in the television business.)
Another store manager came to my store just the other day and was lamenting of the woman that keeps coming to her store and running out with large bottles of laundry detergent.  I just happened to have a box of Alpha Cable Locks on hand.  These are very easy to utilize on bottles like this; they just loop right around the handle and lock tight.  The Alpha Cable Lock is very sturdy and offers alarm capability as well as the other tools.  They are also a great visual deterrent.  Luckily I do not have any issues with theft of my laundry items, and this box is just sitting in my office.  So I gave it to this other store manager to use at her store instead.  
I am super thankful for my company owners purchasing these items for our stores, and they have made a major improvement in stopping the losses we were incurring.  All of these tools are easy to attach, easy to remove, and allow our customers the most easy experience shopping in our stores which is one reason they choose us in the first place.
For more information contact us: 1.770.426.0547 or Preventshopliftingloss.net

Alpha Technology is very versatile for protecting a retailer’s inventory.  I remember when our company first took the leap and bought Alpha Keepers for our razor cartridge refills.  We used to merchandise them all in these big bulky display units.  They were terribly heavy and difficult to correctly install.  The customers had trouble figuring out how they actually dispensed the razors; they had to press a button and then open the coinciding door for their desired choice.  If the door did not close properly it sounded an alarm over the PA system.  Oh, and the doors would break so easily, then we had to disable the alarm or the constant sounding would drive us mad!

So there was this magic day when we got Alpha Keepers for them instead, so all we had to do was install some pegs, and just hang up the keepers.  It made our work so much easier, and the customers were very pleased with the simplicity of the system.  

I believe the next size Alpha Keepers we got was for our high retail stomach remedies.  Every time one would announce it was going to become an OTC item, rather than prescription only, it was only a matter of time before they were targeted by thieves.  Again, rather than some complicated system, or keeping them locked behind the counter, we had  the option to just lock them in the clear boxes and put them right on the shelves.  

We sell a little of many different categories.  Once, we had a special purchase of small HD televisions.  Our stores became famous on the local news for a sudden rash of thefts because people were grabbing the boxes, which conveniently had handles right on top, and running out the door with up to four at a time.  Thankfully, our company’s next investment was the Alpha Spider Wraps.  They stretch to fit the item you need to protect, and will alarm if there is an attempt to leave with them still attached, and can also self-alarm if someone tries to tamper with or cut the cables.  I use these things on boxes of name brand hair regrowth, high retail electric toothbrushes, and even some other small electronics.  (Thankfully we are no longer in the television business.)

Another store manager came to my store just the other day and was lamenting of the woman that keeps coming to her store and running out with large bottles of laundry detergent.  I just happened to have a box of Alpha Cable Locks on hand.  These are very easy to utilize on bottles like this; they just loop right around the handle and lock tight.  The Alpha Cable Lock is very sturdy and offers alarm capability as well as the other tools.  They are also a great visual deterrent.  Luckily I do not have any issues with theft of my laundry items, and this box is just sitting in my office.  So I gave it to this other store manager to use at her store instead.

I am super thankful for my company owners purchasing these items for our stores, and they have made a major improvement in stopping the losses we were incurring.  All of these tools are easy to attach, easy to remove, and allow our customers the most easy experience shopping in our stores which is one reason they choose us in the first place.

For more information contact us at Prevent Shoplifting Loss or call 1.770.426.0547.

 

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It Takes A Well Rounded Manager To Prevent Shoplifting

August 11, 2015 by Leave a Comment
We all work with difficult personalities, right? If you’re out there reading this and you don’t, well you should consider yourself very lucky. There hasn’t been a job, office, or store that I’ve worked in where I didn’t have at least one difficult personality to work with. One that stands out involved a store manager who was tired of shoplifting in his store. He would call me every week it seemed to complain about the theft problem and tell me that my department (LP) wasn’t doing enough to prevent shoplifting in his store. Being is that preventing losses was literally, all I did, I took it just a little personal. To make matters worse, this same store manager would resist every LP initiate that came down. 
This particular store was having a huge issue with electronics being stolen at the store. As a way to prevent shoplifting of these items, I had our offices send him a few cases of Alpha Spider Wraps. A few weeks later, I was conducting some visits in stores and found that the cases were still sitting in the warehouse. The store manager told me that he didn’t have the payroll budget to spend in order for his employees to put those devices on the products that he, himself, was complaining about being commonly shoplifted. Would’ve taken 10 minutes and he could’ve saved thousands of dollars in shrink. 
There are in fact some of you, right now, sitting at home, or in your office reading this, saying to yourself, “Wow… I’m kind of like that manager.” Even though you’ll never say it to anyone but yourself, you know it. It’s not because you want to battle, but it’s because you’re thinking too much like a manager. I used to think that a good LP professional had a background in law enforcement, or degrees in criminal justice. What I’ve learned is the opposite. Some of the best people that work for me now have MBA’s, degrees in marketing and even Human Resource management. I bring this up for one reason. In order to prevent shoplifting, you have see if from not only an LP perspective, but also from a business view as well. 
You own your business. Someone comes to you and says, “Here’s this tool. If you implement this tool today, you will increase your profits.” Chances are, you’re going to use that tool. That exactly what EAS devices are to retailers. Tools to reduce losses, thus increasing your profits. Don’t be that manager anymore. Accept the tools available to you and prevent shoplifting losses before they ever happen. 
For more information, contact us: Prevent Shoplifting, or call 1.770.426.0547

We all work with difficult personalities, right? If you’re out there reading this and you don’t, well you should consider yourself very lucky. There hasn’t been a job, office, or store that I’ve worked in where I didn’t have at least one difficult personality to work with. One that stands out involved a store manager who was tired of shoplifting in his store. He would call me every week it seemed to complain about the theft problem and tell me that my department (LP) wasn’t doing enough to prevent shoplifting in his store. Being is that preventing loss was literally, all I did, I took it just a little personal. To make matters worse, this same store manager would resist every LP initiate that came down. 

 This particular store was having a huge issue with electronics being stolen at the store. As a way to prevent shoplifting of these items, I had our offices send him a few cases of Alpha Spider Wraps. A few weeks later, I was conducting some visits in stores and found that the cases were still sitting in the warehouse. The store manager told me that he didn’t have the payroll budget to spend in order for his employees to put those devices on the products that he, himself, was complaining about being commonly shoplifted. Would’ve taken 10 minutes and he could’ve saved thousands of dollars in shrink. 

 There are in fact some of you, right now, sitting at home, or in your office reading this, saying to yourself, “Wow… I’m kind of like that manager.” Even though you’ll never say it to anyone but yourself, you know it. It’s not because you want to battle, but it’s because you’re thinking too much like a manager. I used to think that a good LP professional had a background in law enforcement, or degrees in criminal justice. What I’ve learned is the opposite. Some of the best people that work for me now have MBA’s, degrees in marketing and even Human Resource management. I bring this up for one reason. In order to prevent shoplifting, you have to see it from not only an LP perspective, but also from a business view as well. 

 You own your business. Someone comes to you and says, “Here’s this tool. If you implement this tool today, you will increase your profits.” Chances are, you’re going to use that tool. That exactly what EAS devices are to retailers. Tools to reduce losses, thus increasing your profits. Don’t be that manager anymore. Accept the tools available to you and prevent shoplifting losses before they ever happen.

For more information, contact us: Prevent Shoplifting, or call 1.770.426.0547

 

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How Does Your Store Prevent Shoplifting?

June 11, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Our company pays an outside vendor to come perform our annual inventories.  That keeps the checks and balances system in place, and helps keep the store management honest in their accountability of losses.  (Several instances of managers attempting to fraudulently pad their inventory numbers by filling empty boxes, or fudging pre-counted merchandise have been discovered, but that is a whole other blog for another day!)  We do what we can to Prevent Shoplifting, deter employee theft, and watch for any paperwork and vendor errors all year long, but the actual count of the store is crucial.  
We need this reporting because we have to know where we are losing merchandise in order to stop it in the future.  We are given a “shrink” budget because some loss is inevitable, but if we are getting hit and don’t even know it, then that budget won’t cut it.  The inventory crew found several empty packages during the count: a muscle stimulator, allergy medication, and an over the counter diet drug.  Those three items combined for about a $250 retail loss, and we didn’t even know they were missing. 
It’s not easy to Prevent Shoplifting.  It takes planning, execution, and in many cases Retail Anti-theft Devices.  From now on those electric muscle stimulator boxes will be protected with Alpha Spider Wraps.  I don’t want them locked up because they are truly an impulse item.  People browsing the pain relievers may decide that creams and pills aren’t enough anymore, so I want them to have the option of choosing that product instead.  But if I hide it behind the counter, even if I put a sign there explaining it’s new location, the chances I will sell any become basically zero.  The same goes for the large quantity count boxes of allergy medications.  I need those available on the shelf.  They obviously have a much higher retail than the 30-day boxes, but they also offer a significant convenience to the customers.  So the answer may be to encase these size boxes in Alpha Keepers. 
The idea is to Prevent Shoplifting, not to lose sales.  Sales fixes problems.  When you determine your “shrink”, it is the percentage of loss compared to your sales.  
There are so many choices when it comes to Retail Anti-theft Devices, you have to decide what works best for your merchandise.  If you specialize in cosmetics you will use much different product protection than a store that sells electronics.  Both types of stores have to Prevent Shoplifting or they cannot survive, but they have to know which items are the most vulnerable and which devices to use that will deter theft.  
I do not have the space to put everything up behind the checkout, nor do I ever want to.  Shoppers prefer to choose their items, pick them up, read the instructions, etc.  By utilizing the many tools from Alpha Technology, we are able to protect the items on the shelves while still giving the customers access to the items they came to buy.  
For more information contact us: 1.770.426.0547

Our company pays an outside vendor to come perform our annual inventories.  That keeps the checks and balances system in place, and helps keep the store management honest in their accountability of losses.  (Several instances of managers attempting to fraudulently pad their inventory numbers by filling empty boxes, or fudging pre-counted merchandise have been discovered, but that is a whole other blog for another day!)  We do what we can to Prevent Shoplifting, deter employee theft, and watch for any paperwork and vendor errors all year long, but the actual count of the store is crucial.  We need this reporting because we have to know where we are losing merchandise in order to stop it in the future.  We are given a “shrink” budget because some loss is inevitable, but if we are getting hit and don’t even know it, then that budget won’t cut it.  The inventory crew found several empty packages during the count: a muscle stimulator, allergy medication, and an over the counter diet drug.  Those three items combined for about a $250 retail loss, and we didn’t even know they were missing. 

It’s not easy to Prevent Shoplifting.  It takes planning, execution, and in many cases Retail Anti-theft Devices.  From now on those electric muscle stimulator boxes will be protected with Alpha Spider Wraps.  I don’t want them locked up because they are truly an impulse item.  People browsing the pain relievers may decide that creams and pills aren’t enough anymore, so I want them to have the option of choosing that product instead.  But if I hide it behind the counter, even if I put a sign there explaining it’s new location, the chances I will sell any become basically zero.  The same goes for the large quantity count boxes of allergy medications.  I need those available on the shelf.  They obviously have a much higher retail than the 30-day boxes, but they also offer a significant convenience to the customers.  So the answer may be to encase these size boxes in Alpha Keepers. 

The idea is to Prevent Shoplifting, not to lose sales.  Sales fixes problems.  When you determine your “shrink”, it is the percentage of loss compared to your sales.  

There are so many choices when it comes to Retail Anti-theft Devices, you have to decide what works best for your merchandise.  If you specialize in cosmetics you will use much different product protection than a store that sells electronics.  Both types of stores have to Prevent Shoplifting or they cannot survive, but they have to know which items are the most vulnerable and which devices to use that will deter theft.  

I do not have the space to put everything up behind the checkout, nor do I ever want to.  Shoppers prefer to choose their items, pick them up, read the instructions, etc.  By utilizing the many tools from Alpha Technology, we are able to protect the items on the shelves while still giving the customers access to the items they came to buy. 

For more information contact us at Preventshopliftingloss.com or call 1.770.426.0547

 

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Economic Efficiency Award- Alpha Nano Gate

February 2, 2015 by Leave a Comment
When you are a small retailer, you are constantly on the look out for ways to reduce your overhead. Finding a cost effective way to prevent shoplifting is beneficial in not only reducing your operating costs, but to also increase your revenue through maximizing inventory availability.
One of the more cost efficient retail anti theft devices is the Alpha Security Alpha Nano Gate. The “Best Retail Product” award winner for economic efficiency in 2012, the Alpha Nano Gate is a small footprint antennae designed as an alternative to the larger EAS pedestals commonly found in the retail sector to prevent shoplifting.
The small design is easily installed with six screws and a battery to back up the system in case of power failure or intentional tampering.  This design makes it easy to be installed into the smaller entryways often found in specialty boutiques and locally owned retail establishments.
The device literally is plugged in and ready to go. Without a need for a service contract, bulky wiring, or tuning, it is easy to see why these retail anti theft devices won their award in the economic efficiency category.
Visit the Loss Prevention Store for Alpha 2Alarm, Alpha 3Alarm, Alpha Fashion2, Alpha Jewel Lok, Alpha Nano Gate,  Alpha Shark Tag, Alpha Spider Wrap and other retail anti-theft devices from Alpha Security to use in conjunction with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.
For more information on how you can use Alpha Security retail anti-theft devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 

When you are a small retailer, you are constantly on the look out for ways to reduce your overhead. Finding a cost effective way to prevent shoplifting is beneficial in not only reducing your operating costs, but to also increase your revenue through maximizing inventory availability.

One of the more cost efficient retail anti theft devices is the Alpha Security Alpha Nano Gate. The “Best Retail Product” award winner for economic efficiency in 2012, the Alpha Nano Gate is a small footprint antennae designed as an alternative to the larger EAS pedestals commonly found in the retail sector to prevent shoplifting.

The small design is easily installed with six screws and a battery to back up the system in case of power failure or intentional tampering.  This design makes it easy to be installed into the smaller entryways often found in specialty boutiques and locally owned retail establishments.

The device literally is plugged in and ready to go. Without a need for a service contract, bulky wiring, or tuning, it is easy to see why these retail anti theft devices won their award in the economic efficiency category.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store for Alpha 2Alarm, Alpha 3Alarm, Alpha Fashion2, Alpha Jewel Lok, Alpha Nano Gate,  Alpha Shark Tag, Alpha Spider Wrap and other retail anti-theft devices from Alpha Security to use in conjunction with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

For more information on how you can use Alpha Security retail anti-theft devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 

 

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Merchandise Availability- Alpha Security

January 3, 2015 by Leave a Comment
When we look at ways to prevent shoplifting, we are really trying to do is to increase our merchandise availability. Sure, no one really wants thieves and crooks taking advantage of our businesses, but the bottom line is about maximizing our availability to increase our revenue from customer sales.
Retail anti theft devices, such as the one developed by industry leader Alpha Security, are tried and true tools specifically created to prevent shoplifting. As shoplifting decreases, our inventories become more accurate and more plentiful (due to a lack of missing merchandise). We, as retailers, spend significantly less time worrying about whether or not we have a particular item in stock, and more time getting the customers to actually buy them.
When customers can walk into a location and find the item they want, and the quantity they need, sales increase. Taking it one step further, you also get the advantage of repeat business. The customer knows they can rely on your retail location to be in stock for their consumer needs. By reducing theft through the use of Alpha Security retail anti theft devices, you assure you have the right in stock availability to satisfy your customer’s needs. 
Visit the Loss Prevention Store for Alpha 2Alarm, Alpha 3Alarm, Alpha Fashion2, Alpha Jewel Lok, Alpha Nano Gate,  Alpha Shark Tag, Alpha Spider Wrap and other retail anti-theft devices from Alpha Security to use in conjunction with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.
For more information on how you can use Alpha Security retail anti-theft devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 

When we look at ways to prevent shoplifting, we are really trying to do is to increase our merchandise availability. Sure, no one really wants thieves and crooks taking advantage of our businesses, but the bottom line is about maximizing our availability to increase our revenue from customer sales.

Retail anti theft devices, such as the one developed by industry leader Alpha Security, are tried and true tools specifically created to prevent shoplifting. As shoplifting decreases, our inventories become more accurate and more plentiful (due to a lack of missing merchandise). We, as retailers, spend significantly less time worrying about whether or not we have a particular item in stock, and more time getting the customers to actually buy them.

When customers can walk into a location and find the item they want, and the quantity they need, sales increase. Taking it one step further, you also get the advantage of repeat business. The customer knows they can rely on your retail location to be in stock for their consumer needs. By reducing theft through the use of Alpha Security retail anti theft devices, you assure you have the right in stock availability to satisfy your customer’s needs. 

Visit the Loss Prevention Store for Alpha 2Alarm, Alpha 3Alarm, Alpha Fashion2, Alpha Jewel Lok, Alpha Nano Gate,  Alpha Shark Tag, Alpha Spider Wrap and other retail anti-theft devices from Alpha Security to use in conjunction with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

For more information on how you can use Alpha Security retail anti-theft devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 

 

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New In Box-Alpha Spider Wrap

December 31, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Some inventory items are valuable only if they can be resold as NIB or New In Box. Any damage to the box, or a lack of tags is an indicator that the product is either used, or stolen- both of which reduces the resale value as well as the actual ability to be resold. Other items can be sold without the box. In those cases, the Alpha Security Alpha Spider Wrap is an effective deterrent.
Power tools are a good example of an item that does not need to be sold new in box. In some cases, it is even easier to sell power tools if they look to be slightly used. These tools are taken to construction sites and sold with a story that they no longer need them, or they didn’t like the tool and bought a different one.
The Alpha Spider Wrap retail anti theft devices prevent shoplifting by keeping the power tools in their boxes. This makes them harder to steal. A large box is more obvious walking out a door, than a power tool tucked inside of a coat. If the Alpha Spider Wrap wires are cut to eliminate the tools packaging, an audible alarm is activated, alerting everyone around that the box is being tampered with.
Visit the Loss Prevention Store for Alpha 2Alarm, Alpha 3Alarm, Alpha Fashion2, Alpha Jewel Lok, Alpha Nano Gate,  Alpha Shark Tag, Alpha Spider Wrap and other retail anti-theft devices from Alpha Security to use in conjunction with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.
For more information on how you can use Alpha Security retail anti-theft devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 

Some inventory items are valuable only if they can be resold as NIB or New In Box. Any damage to the box, or a lack of tags is an indicator that the product is either used, or stolen- both of which reduces the resale value as well as the actual ability to be resold. Other items can be sold without the box. In those cases, the Alpha Security Alpha Spider Wrap is an effective deterrent.

Power tools are a good example of an item that does not need to be sold new in box. In some cases, it is even easier to sell power tools if they look to be slightly used. These tools are taken to construction sites and sold with a story that they no longer need them, or they didn’t like the tool and bought a different one.

The Alpha Spider Wrap retail anti theft devices prevent shoplifting by keeping the power tools in their boxes. This makes them harder to steal. A large box is more obvious walking out a door, than a power tool tucked inside of a coat. If the Alpha Spider Wrap wires are cut to eliminate the tools packaging, an audible alarm is activated, alerting everyone around that the box is being tampered with.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store for Alpha 2Alarm, Alpha 3Alarm, Alpha Fashion2, Alpha Jewel Lok, Alpha Nano Gate,  Alpha Shark Tag, Alpha Spider Wrap and other retail anti-theft devices from Alpha Security to use in conjunction with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

For more information on how you can use Alpha Security retail anti-theft devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 

 

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