Retailers’ Biggest Nightmare: Shoplifting

December 5, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Big corporations across the globe worry about cybersecurity attacks and the repercussions those attacks have on the corporation’s bottom line. These cybersecurity attacks to their servers and information databases can be costly and can bring with them costly lawsuits as well.  But, according to many analysts, employee theft and shoplifting are the more concerning issues affecting the retail industry.  They alone account for more than two-thirds of their shrinkage and that figure seems to be rising every year.  During the holiday season, those issues become more problematic and costly, and the retail industry looks for ways to prevent the great loses they will certainly suffer during this jolly time.

For more about this and other stories, follow the links below.

This crime in the workplace is costing US businesses $50 billion a year

There is a hidden risk facing small businesses across the country that often goes unnoticed until it suddenly rips through a firm’s finances: employee theft. It’s a crime that is costing U.S. businesses $50 billion annually, according to Statistic Brain.

Matt Ham can attest to that. He has had two run-ins with thefts by employees at his small business, Computer Repair Doctor, which has eight stores in Florida, Ohio and South Carolina, which collectively totals 30 employees.

At a store in Florida, two employees were caught stealing parts from inventory and skimming cash about a year and half ago, he said. After a thorough investigation, Ham sat them down with his attorney and they came up with a plan for restitution. Both employees had to pay back the thousands of dollars they stole. The chain has now put more safeguards in place, such as better inventory controls and a strict cash-counting process.

Survey finds no let up in one of retailers’ biggest threats

Nearly all retailers fell victim to organized retail crime during the past year. And the losses are mounting.

 Ninety-six percent of responding retailers experienced ORC in the past year, according to the 13th annual ORC study by the National Retail Federation. And 67% reported an increase in this type of activity during the past year.

The survey of retail loss prevention employees found that losses averaged $726,351 per $1 billion in sales, up from $700,259 last year. Los Angeles continued to be the hardest-hit area for ORC in the nation, a position it has held since 2012. Following in order were New York City, Houston, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, Orlando, San Francisco/Oakland, Orange County, Calif., and Northern New Jersey.

“Organized retail crime continues to be one of the biggest challenges to retailers of all sizes,” NRF VP for loss prevention Bob Moraca said. “These crimes happen across the country every day, with criminals getting smarter, more brazen, more aggressive and sometimes even attacking store employees and shoppers. Fighting ORC is a full-time job, and retailers must learn how to stay a step ahead of these thieves.”

Loss Prevention Trends to Watch During the Holiday Shopping Season

All retail eyes are focused on online security and digital transactions during the holiday season. But according to the National Retail Federation (NRF), shoplifting and employee theft accounted for more than two-thirds of inventory shrinkage in 2016. Retailers need to improve their internal security systems to boost their loss prevention abilities and keep their shrink rate from rising above last year’s historical high of 1.44 percent.

Retail store shrinkage is a known part of the industry, but with all the attention centered around cybertheft of customer information and implementing proper security measures at point-of-sale (POS) systems, the age-old problem of losing products at the physical store has taken a back seat.

Leveraging Cybersecurity Technology for Loss Prevention

Technology is playing a larger role across all retail efforts, and some of the tactics employed in the back office to protect the company’s digital data can be expanded to store-level prevention. The specifics of the skills needed differ between cybersleuths and on-the-floor store personnel, but more education and discussion between these disciplines can help.

 

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RETAILERS COMBAT THEIR THEFT PROBLEM WITH THE HIGHEST QUALITY CLOTHING SECURITY TAGS!

December 1, 2017 by Leave a Comment
RETAILERS COMBAT THEIR THEFT PROBLEM WITH THE HIGHEST QUALITY CLOTHING SECURITY TAGS! 
 Clothing Security Tags-4                                                                ML Blog 09
  Clothing Alarm-3
       Shoplifting is a huge problem for business owners. Retailers lose billions of dollars each year, due to exorbitant expanses of theft. But what are they doing to protect themselves? Stores attempt a myriad of solutions to combat the reoccurring problem. However, this issue is colossal and is increasing every day. Most of the retailers I have had the privilege to work with use some form of theft deterrent. Some retailers utilize public view monitors or even visual signs, stating “shoplifters will be prosecuted”. You will see these emblems in fitting rooms or at store entrances. Signs help and monitors, but are not merchandise protection devices. They can make a thief think or plan better strategy, but they do little to prevent a truly resourceful culprit.  They alone are not enough to reduce annual shrink totals, so we now have to expand our programs to protect our assets. Retailers need security devices that are shoplifter proof, keeping your merchandise on the shelf. Luckily, now you can use clothing security tags to secure your assets from boosters wiping out your store. 
 
       You name it; I have seen it. Throughout my several years of experience in Loss Prevention, clothing security tags have been particularly successful. In 2015, I apprehended a grand total of eighty-three shoplifters in one year at my particular store.  Ninety percent of the pilferers intentionally stole products that were not tagged with a clothing alarm. I would watch via CCTV the shoplifters look through the racks and flip through the clothes, hoping to find one without a security device. After not being able to find a non-tagged item, they leave the store and do not come back! This keeps the shoplifters away from your business and sends them to other retailers that do not have their items protected. The trend shows what really works. Each year since 2015, I notice the same type of pattern. The shoplifters are too nervous to steal product with a clothing alarm because they know it will alarm at the door, bringing all eyes on them. That is the last thing a shoplifter wants as they always avoid associates and scope for areas of less traffic. If the thieves try to remove the clothing security tags, it can be very difficult. In my previous stores, I have experimented with these tags and devices to test the removal of them. I’ve learned that even with tools, it is a time consuming and noisy undertaking.  When you walk into other retailers, you will notice a majority of them utilize them as well. It is extremely uncommon for a retailer to not use tags now, simply because these stores have seen the importance of keeping a security tag program in place. It makes a huge difference when you look at your current shrink numbers, versus the numbers from prior years of not utilizing them. 
       The stores who implement this as a mandatory program see it works, and continue the program each year. My stores managers also like that are recyclable, making it an inexpensive and convenient fix for a gigantic problem. You place the clothing alarm right on the product, which takes no time. With how hard you work for sales, we can’t allow tons of product to be in the hands of thieves. I order clothing security tags anytime I work Loss Prevention at a new location, because I know the benefit of having these on my clothing items or accessories. Protect your valuable merchandise by saying NO to thieves with this easy fix!
Get more information on Clothing Security Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today. 

Shoplifting is a huge problem for business owners. Retailers lose billions of dollars each year, due to exorbitant expanses of theft. But what are they doing to protect themselves? Stores attempt a myriad of solutions to combat the reoccurring problem. However, this issue is colossal and is increasing every day. Most of the retailers I have had the privilege to work with use some form of theft deterrent. Some retailers utilize public view monitors or even visual signs, stating “shoplifters will be prosecuted”. You will see these emblems in fitting rooms or at store entrances. Signs help and monitors, but are not merchandise protection devices. They can make a thief think or plan better strategy, but they do little to prevent a truly resourceful culprit.  They alone are not enough to reduce annual shrink totals, so we now have to expand our programs to protect our assets. Retailers need security devices that are shoplifter proof, keeping your merchandise on the shelf. Luckily, now you can use clothing security tags to secure your assets from boosters wiping out your store.         

 

You name it; I have seen it. Throughout my several years of experience in Loss Prevention, clothing security tags have been particularly successful. In 2015, I apprehended a grand total of eighty-three shoplifters in one year at my particular store.  Ninety percent of the pilferers intentionally stole products that were not tagged with a clothing alarm. I would watch via CCTV the shoplifters look through the racks and flip through the clothes, hoping to find one without a security device. After not being able to find a non-tagged item, they leave the store and do not come back! This keeps the shoplifters away from your business and sends them to other retailers that do not have their items protected. The trend shows what really works. Each year since 2015, I notice the same type of pattern. The shoplifters are too nervous to steal product with a clothing alarm because they know it will alarm at the door, bringing all eyes on them. That is the last thing a shoplifter wants as they always avoid associates and scope for areas of less traffic. If the thieves try to remove the clothing security tags, it can be very difficult. In my previous stores, I have experimented with these tags and devices to test the removal of them. I’ve learned that even with tools, it is a time consuming and noisy undertaking.  When you walk into other retailers, you will notice a majority of them utilize them as well. It is extremely uncommon for a retailer to not use tags now, simply because these stores have seen the importance of keeping a security tag program in place. It makes a huge difference when you look at your current shrink numbers, versus the numbers from prior years of not utilizing them. 

 

 The stores who implement this as a mandatory program see it works, and continue the program each year. My stores managers also like that are recyclable, making it an inexpensive and convenient fix for a gigantic problem. You place the clothing alarm right on the product, which takes no time. With how hard you work for sales, we can’t allow tons of product to be in the hands of thieves. I order clothing security tags anytime I work Loss Prevention at a new location, because I know the benefit of having these on my clothing items or accessories. Protect your valuable merchandise by saying NO to thieves with this easy fix!

 

Get more information on Clothing Security Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today. 

 

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LOSE LESS BY UTILIZING CHECKPOINT HARD TAGS IN YOUR BUSINESS NOW!

December 1, 2017 by

 

LOSE LESS BY UTILIZING CHECKPOINT HARD TAGS IN YOUR BUSINESS NOW!
 Checkpoint Hard Tags-   4                           ML Blog 13
 Stop Shoplifting – 3
        
        Lose less to sell more! What are you doing to ensure merchandise is not walking out of your business daily? A lot of businesses do not realize how many thieves are shoplifting, right under their noses each day.  Checkpoint Hard Tags will keep the shoplifters from stealing from your store, sending them to your competitors that don’t invest in the most cutting edge technology out there. 
        When I am hired as a Loss Prevention Manager for a new store, I usually hear, “There is not a lot of theft that goes on here”. It never fails that I start watching CCTV each day, and apprehend several shoplifters each week. The store management team then is amazed by the amount of theft they had no idea was occurring so often. Sometimes it takes a trained eye to be able to shed light to these type of issues. For business owners, Checkpoint Hard Tags will stop shoplifting so you won’t have to preside over a decline in your store. It’s the perfect way to protect your assets and take care of your shoppers and focus on sales!   I started at a new location a few years back, and they had no Checkpoint Hard Tags on any of their high dollar merchandise. The retailer sold jeans, jackets, pants, suit, shirts, and sweaters. A majority of the product, was at a price point over $79.99 per unit. The store had a shrink percent at 1.07, which had jumped from just a 0.45 the prior year. Of course I hear, “I really don’t think we have a theft problem”. The store never updated any of their merchandise protection standards because they thought they would see a massive amount of people running straight out the exit doors. I explained that 75 percent of the shoplifters conceal in the fitting room, and many do not leave tags or other evidence behind. Without protective devices, how do you know your assets are not going out the door this way?! If you are not finding tags and can’t monitor every item people are selecting, then you really have no idea how much theft is happening. I pulled the store’s shrink numbers by department and found that their top 3 shrink consisted of junior’s jeans, men’s sportswear, and woman’s jackets. I started doing daily counts on these items and found exactly what I already knew. Those items were not just being sold, and we had several missing from theft. I then showed the information I tracked to the management staff. We then expedited an order of Checkpoint Hard Tags. Once we received and distributed them to the high loss items, I continued to monitor the clothing items over the next 3 weeks. We went from missing a massive amount, to missing only 1! I was able to earn trust from the store, proving that they keep merchandise on the shelf and finally stop shoplifting! The store manager had us order more and place them on all high dollar items throughout the entire store. This was now a norm, and everyone was on the same page. Checkpoint Hard Tags are inexpensive enough to not affect sales, and they are reusable, which is great for budget purposes. The following year the store came in at a 0.39 percent shrink, which is a big improvement over the prior years!
        Don’t waste time, hoping to stop shoplifting without merchandise protection that truly works in retailers. It will only get worse, and we have to make a change in order to decrease shrinkage in our stores. Lose less so you can sell more. 
   Need information on Checkpoint Hard Tags? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now. 
.                                                        

Lose less to sell more! What are you doing to ensure merchandise is not walking out of your business daily? A lot of businesses do not realize how many thieves are shoplifting, right under their noses each day. Checkpoint Hard Tags will keep the shoplifters from stealing from your store, sending them to your competitors that don’t invest in the most cutting edge technology out there. 

When I am hired as a Loss Prevention Manager for a new store, I usually hear, “There is not a lot of theft that goes on here”. It never fails that I start watching CCTV each day, and apprehend several shoplifters each week. The store management team then is amazed by the amount of theft they had no idea was occurring so often. Sometimes it takes a trained eye to be able to shed light to these type of issues. For business owners, Checkpoint Hard Tags will stop shoplifting so you won’t have to preside over a decline in your store. It’s the perfect way to protect your assets and take care of your shoppers and focus on sales!  I started at a new location a few years back, and they had no Checkpoint Hard Tags on any of their high dollar merchandise. The retailer sold jeans, jackets, pants, suit, shirts, and sweaters. A majority of the product, was at a price point over $79.99 per unit. The store had a shrink percent at 1.07, which had jumped from just a 0.45 the prior year. Of course I hear, “I really don’t think we have a theft problem”. The store never updated any of their merchandise protection standards because they thought they would see a massive amount of people running straight out the exit doors. I explained that 75 percent of the shoplifters conceal in the fitting room, and many do not leave tags or other evidence behind. Without protective devices, how do you know your assets are not going out the door this way?! If you are not finding tags and can’t monitor every item people are selecting, then you really have no idea how much theft is happening. I pulled the store’s shrink numbers by department and found that their top 3 shrink consisted of junior’s jeans, men’s sportswear, and woman’s jackets. I started doing daily counts on these items and found exactly what I already knew. Those items were not just being sold, and we had several missing from theft. I then showed the information I tracked to the management staff. We then expedited an order of Checkpoint Hard Tags. Once we received and distributed them to the high loss items, I continued to monitor the clothing items over the next 3 weeks. We went from missing a massive amount, to missing only 1! I was able to earn trust from the store, proving that they keep merchandise on the shelf and finally stop shoplifting! The store manager had us order more and place them on all high dollar items throughout the entire store. This was now a norm, and everyone was on the same page. Checkpoint Hard Tags are inexpensive enough to not affect sales, and they are reusable, which is great for budget purposes. The following year the store came in at a 0.39 percent shrink, which is a big improvement over the prior years!

Don’t waste time, hoping to stop shoplifting without merchandise protection that truly works in retailers. It will only get worse, and we have to make a change in order to decrease shrinkage in our stores. Lose less so you can sell more. 

Need information on Checkpoint Hard Tags? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.                                                       

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Holiday And Shoplifting, Are you Prepared?

November 30, 2017 by Leave a Comment

For many big retailers and the small mom and pop shop, the holidays are something to be excited about.  Your sales increase and the shop can truly see profits coming in during this time of year.  But, for them, shoplifting is and can be a devastating income loss that they may not escape nor recover from quickly enough. 

According to many analysts, there are many items that seem to be targeted by professional shoplifters to be stolen from your shop.  From designer clothing, laundry detergent, and high-end liquor, the team of organized crime rings target specific stores to shoplift thousands of dollars worth of this type of merchandise.

If you are doing business in the retail industry, prepare you loss prevention team this holiday season to be aware of the many shoplifting tricks these professional thieves know how to do.

For more about this and other topics, follow the links below.

Local shoplifting spike, national statistics show growing trend

Latest statistics show 1 in 11 Americans shoplift

SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – Some northeast Ohio law enforcement agencies are reporting a spike in shoplifting, as we make our way into the center of the holiday shopping season.

South Euclid police reported several cases since October – some of the suspect arrests captured on police body camera video.

South Euclid Assistant Chief Joe Mays told News 5 some of the offenders are caught repeatedly, and that it’s up to parents and family members to monitor their children, and get those arrested the help the they need.

“It’s a consistent cycle of individuals who commit these shoplifting offenses,” said Mays. “Parents should know where your kids are, what they’re doing, and who they’re hanging out with. We’ve had instances where we’ve gone into a home and a parent will say well yeah they came home with a television, but they told me they got it from a friend.”

Blotter: Dallas cop posts bail after arrest on shoplifting charge in Denton County

Dallas police Officer Christopher Hankins was released from Denton County Jail on Thanksgiving Day after he was accused of shoplifting groceries at a Wal-Mart in Cross Roads.

Capt. Orlando Hinojosa, a spokesman for the Denton County Sheriff’s Office, said Hankins was released Nov. 23 after posting $1,000 bail. He was arrested the previous day on a charge of theft between $750 and $2,500.

The Northeast Police Department responded to the theft report about 1:30 a.m. at the Wal-Mart  in the 11700 block of  U.S. Highway 380, according to The Dallas Morning News. The officer had been wearing his Dallas Police Department windbreaker, The News reported, and a manager said he was in the store for about two hours.

 

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Bad Santa (this one is on the naughty list)

November 29, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Could it be that Santa Claus is not always a jolly, giving man? Oh yeah. Take a look at this Santa. He (or I guess it could be a she) is out for a little cheer for…. himself. Regardless who they are, customers need to be watched. In this case, the store let their guard down because of the costume. Shoplifters use deception and costumes to steal.

In this case, the Santa costume allows plenty of room to hide merchandise. Shoplifters will make or modify clothing to become a shoplifting tool. We call these “booster” items. Booster coats, dresses, skirts, pants and more. I have even seen booster “bloomers”. They are worn under a loose fitting skirt or dress. The shoplifter drops a merchandise item through what looks like a pocket in the outer garment and into the bloomers which are secured at the knee. A lot of merchandise can be concealed that way. We once caught a woman with four cordless drills including batteries concealed that way.

Other costumes include religious clothing. How about a Nun? I have caught one of those. It was a difficult “habit” for her to break. Even someone who dresses as a member of the Armed Forces, a security officer, repairman, phone company technician with tools and a toolbox. A shoplifting team may use a person like this to distract your attention or create a scene while the others steal.

Another booster item could be a false bottom gift-wrapped box. Your merchandise Items go in the bottom with a trap door. Shopping bags are yet another tool. Especially ones from your store. Our inclination is that whatever is in there, was already purchased. Or they put stolen merchandise under merchandise that they did purchase.

The general rule of thumb is that shoplifters want to blend in with your regular customer look. Take a look at this video of a customer that “blended in” but was bottomless:

If your average customer wears a suit then that is the way the shoplifter will dress. If they wear shorts and flip-flops, then that is their targeted look. But a costume that portrays confidence such as uniforms, religion, public servant… is like hiding in plain sight. We dismiss that person “because an XXX would not be stealing from me”.

If a costume makes people uncomfortable, they would tend to avoid that person. Someone dressed in an outrageous way such as a stripper (okay, not too many places to hide something), odd clothing combinations and colors or some of what we can find at the People of Walmart website probably qualify.

Of course, no story on shoplifting costumes would be complete without a creepy clown. So if I have not weirded you out too much, then happy hunting!

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Proper Preparation For Holiday Gift Returns Reduces Fraud

November 29, 2017 by Leave a Comment

The end of the holiday gift buying season ushers in the inevitable holiday gift return season. Clothes that don’t fit, ugly holiday sweaters no one really wanted, toys that were too old for a young child or too young for the older child all lead to returns, exchanges, and refunds. For those who have been in retail for any length of time, we know that many of these items will be returned without tags or a receipt and not even a gift receipt. It also means people will try to return merchandise to your store that was never even purchased there, despite what the customer in front of you says. This means it is prime time for those who engage in return fraud. There are so many people making returns that trying to separate legitimate refunds and exchanges from the fraudulent ones is difficult. There are steps you can take to minimize the number of fraudulent returns you accept.

  • Ensure you have your store return policy clearly posted at the points of sale all year round but make it especially prominent during November and December.
  • Encourage cashiers to remind customers of the store return policy at the time of purchase. If there is a time limit to how long a customer has to refund an item that should be stated.
  • While some stores have gone to print as well as emailed receipts if your store has instituted this recommend that patrons use BOTH options. This means that even if a receipt is lost it should still be in their email.
  • Open packages to see what is inside even when shrink-wrapped. The really good criminals will know how to seal a rock inside a box to make it look normal.
  • Require a government-issued I.D. card with no-receipt refunds. It may sound extreme but those persons who engage in fraud are less likely to do so if they have to produce a picture ID.
  • For no-receipt refunds require an exchange for a like item. Criminals have gotten to the point where they are willing to accept in-store credits what they don’t want is the merchandise. Exchanging for a like item defeats their purpose.
  • Be ready for the returns. If possible have one return line for receipted returns get customers through more quickly. Have a second line for no receipt refunds/exchanges that may take more time to process. You will make life easier for the customers with receipts and you give cashiers the opportunity to be more thorough with no receipt returns without feeling pressured to hurry through the transactions.
  • Don’t leave a regular employee alone with a line of customers, have a manager at the return desk or register too. Most customers will be understanding of wait times and return policies but some won’t be and hourly employees shouldn’t have to put up with the added stress caused by upset “no-receipt” returners. Fraudulent returners also look for employees who appear to be young or relatively new. Having a manager up front can discourage some of these people.

Being aware in advance that fraudulent returns will be attempted helps prepare managers for the situations when they arise.

It should also be pointed out that gifts are not the only items that will be returned fraudulently after the holidays. A lesser-known practice called wardrobing will also be conducted by dishonest customers. Store owners should be aware that these will be the Christmas or New Year’s Eve partygoers that don’t want to rent an outfit or buy it outright. The problem with this group is they are returning their merchandise with the tags intact and with a proper receipt. Unless they are returning the items outside of a specified policy it can be very hard to put a stop to this activity. An example might be if a store has a 30-day return policy and a customer attempts a return on day 31. This would be a clear reason to turn down the refund. The only sure way to prevent this fraud is for a store to use devices known as wardrobing tags on clothes to keep it from occurring. Loss Prevention Systems Inc. can provide more information on this type of fraud for store owners or managers interested in deterring the activity.

Not all no-receipt refunds during the holidays are fraudulent but a significant number are and it hurts a store’s profit margin. Make preparations now and put control measures in place that will make it hard for criminals attempting to cheat your business.

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Make Preparations For Your End Of The Year Wrap Up

November 29, 2017 by Leave a Comment

December is the month when retailers are focused on driving those end of the year sales. We push as much merchandise as possible out of the stockrooms to fill the floors. Empty salesfloor spaces should be “no-no’s” during this time of the year. We re-merchandise our fixtures to get gift ideas in front of our customers. We also take steps to increase impulse buys by filling check lanes with snacks, batteries, magazines, gift cards, etc. Managers should also be looking at last year sales information to plan schedules around peak times of the day in order to avoid long lines at the registers. While all of this is important it is just as important to start planning for your end of the year wrap up.

Much of December into January is the same as the rest of the year but there are some differences that need to be considered. It is the end of the year and that means you will have to consider inventory will be coming up in the next few months (depending on when you take inventory of course).  Even if you take your inventory later in the year you should still be thinking about it and starting to prepare now. As your team is pushing merchandise out of the stockroom it should be emptying out. It is the perfect time to look for merchandise that has fallen from hangers or dropped into a nook or cranny that is usually hard to see. Scouring the building for merchandise that has been hidden away is another step to be taken. Sometimes customers will hide merchandise intending to come back for it later or employees may do so to avoid re-stocking it. Merchandise may also be under base decks or fall behind registers and regardless of how it gets there, it will result in shortage if not accounted for at inventory time. 

You may have hired seasonal employees for the holidays. You will need to start making decisions on who you will release and who you may decide to keep on your staff. If you have other managers working for you seek their input. It is not uncommon for us to have a skewed view of what an employee’s work and productivity may be. You may see someone occasionally and think they are performing well. You then speak with their immediate supervisor and find out this employee is really a problem to their work center. Decisions must be made as to when cuts will be made and offers of permanent employment provided. Whether you like the employee or not it is only fair to give them time to start looking for other work or have the knowledge they won’t need to do so.

Review any vendor supplied items your store may carry. Are vendors maintaining their products and filling their allocated space? Conduct spot audits of vendor merchandise and make sure if there are products soon to expire they are on the front of the shelf. Be diligent that you are receiving the appropriate credits for merchandise the vendor is removing from your store. You or a delegated manager should look at vendor credits to be sure they are being given to you in a timely manner now and through the entire year.

The end of the year is also the time to look at building maintenance issues. Parking lot lighting, exterior lights, fire, and burglary alarm tests should have all been done at the start of the 4th quarter. Now is the time to look for facility problems, are restroom sinks and toilets operating correctly? Are there any roof leaks that have not been previously reported? Are fitting room doors opening, closing and locking? Some repairs may be a landlord’s responsibility to cover, be sure those are reported and taken care of.

Finally, as you wrap up your year take time to celebrate your wins with your team and also take a look at opportunities for improvement. Make it a group effort and give everyone a chance to comment on what they thought went well and what could have gone better. Getting everyone’s insight can be enlightening and provide ideas for making the coming year even better than this year and that is how businesses stay successful.

     

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New Year’s Resolution’s To Improve Shortage This Year                                              

November 29, 2017 by Leave a Comment

A New Year is just around the corner and once again resolutions are going to be made and many of those will fall by the wayside. Why does that happen? Are goals too big to achieve? Sometimes we all start off with good intentions and we just get caught up in our normal routines and we can’t seem to focus on what it was we wanted to get done. There may be a manager out there who resolves that this is the year they will meet quarterly with each employee and discuss performance. They might do well the first quarter but then as the demands of the job take up more and more time something gives and it was the meetings. I recall one of my resolutions was to be more organized at work. I had a filing system, it was called my desktop and I knew where everything was at. I would make my resolution, create a filing system and you guessed it by the end of January I was back to my old habits. My intentions were good I just wouldn’t stay focused on it and made excuses.

      Retail shortage can be a problem for a store and if not addressed it gets worse and severely impacts the profitability of a business. Resolving to fix shortage is admirable but it requires a knowledge of where the shortage is taking place and methods that can improve problem areas. Below are some tips that can help with your resolution:

  • Know what causes the shortage. There are generally four areas that will impact shortage. Shoplifting, Employee Theft, Vendor Shortage and Administrative Errors. According to the 2014-2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer, Dishonest employees accounted for 45% of shortage, Shoplifters 36%, Vendor/Supplier Fraud 6% and Administrative and Non-Crime Loss 13% (pg. 53).
  • Rather than try to fix all areas of shortage, pick one that will give you the most bang for the buck. For example, if you were to focus on preventing shoplifting you could probably reduce your losses by almost one-third!
  • Once you decide what you want to focus on, find experts who will be happy to assist you. Go to a resource that has people experienced in the field of shortage reduction such as Loss Prevention Systems Inc. and look at their blogs and media pages and resource information. Contact them for help.
  • Educate yourself and your managers on shoplifting and employee theft. Find out how to identify and prevent both (combined this is almost 80% of your shortage). Schedule a training seminar with experts from Loss Prevention Systems Inc. who will give you the information to make your business successful. There are a number of training sessions they provide and you can find the one(s) that will be most effective at this time. You may even consider partnering with other retailers in your area to hold a group session.
  • Invest in a retail anti-theft system that will have an immediate impact on employee theft, shoplifting, AND non-crime loss. You can still focus on that one area of shortage but benefit from the impact it can have on preventing other losses.
  • Create an action plan for the area you decide to focus on. It doesn’t need to be big but it does need to have specific objectives, goals, and measures. You will also need due dates when an action item is to be complete. Set aside time each month on your calendar to review your plan. Do NOT allow anything to interfere with that time. Once you start rescheduling that time it is no longer a priority and will fail.  An example would be planning to install a Checkpoint System. If you set a date of March 1st to have it installed you need to have the date and times to schedule appointments, calls, service visits, and follow-ups if a deadline looks like it won’t be met. All of these would be on your calendar and you have to ensure they get done.

The best plans are the simple plans with achievable goals. Too many action items, trying to do too much at once or lofty or unreasonable expectations are a recipe for failure.

     As you make your resolution to reduce shortage be sure to have objective dates in place and measures you can celebrate as you accomplish them. Celebrating a small victory will lead to the achievement of other victories. It may take a little time but you will see the result of your efforts at the end of the year in increased sales and lower shrinkage.

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Is New Technology The Answer to Stop Shoplifting?

November 21, 2017 by Leave a Comment

During this holiday season, shoplifting and organized retail crime are some of the major problems retail owners and managers face.  The incidents occurring every single day according to some experts are near the 500 mark every single minute in the United States. Holiday shoppers, inventory etc, are issues the retail industry know how to deal with during this time of year, but the increase of shoplifting is a problem they have to face every single day without a solution.

For more about this and other topics, follow the links below.

Is holiday retail still king? 4 ways to get smarter about holiday marketing

As more consumers shop outside the traditional holiday shopping period, how should marketers react? Columnist Kyle Henderick outlines four ways to help your brand stay ahead of the competition.

Get ready — the holiday season is upon us, and the retail landscape is changing yet again.

While the traditional holiday season has always been a cash cow for retailers, recent data shows that many consumers no longer limit their holiday shopping activities to the period from Black Fridayto Christmas Eve. With accessibility and shipping barriers lowered, consumers are evolving their spending habits to buy early. This gives retailers both a challenge and an opportunity this year.

Do changing consumer behaviors mean that you should reduce your investment in traditional holiday retail marketing activities? Or, in the new holiday retail environment, can you position your retail brand to benefit from the evolving behaviors of today’s consumers?

Holiday retail shopping behaviors vary by generation.

The New Tech Helping Business Owners Stop Shoplifters

Amazon is known as the biggest retailer online, but most people don’t know that Amazon has taken two big steps into physical retail. The better known is Amazon’s recent purchase of Whole Foods, but last December the tech giant quietly opened a small grocery and convenience store, Amazon Go, that works differently than any other.

At Amazon Go, shoppers are tracked with a series of cameras and sensors the entire time they shop. You can just walk out the door without paying a cashier, they say it feels like shoplifting, and the items are automatically charged to your credit card. While this looks like a science fiction movie, the technology is in place today helping retail store managers thwart shoplifters.

500 Shoplifting Thefts Per Minute

Shoplifting may not seem like a big deal to regular customers who pay for the goods they take home, but it is a huge problem across the United States. In fact, there are about 500 shoplifting incidents per minute, performed by a combination of professional thieves and amateurs trying to sneak away with a freebie.

Dane County leaders encourage holiday shoppers to buy local

DANE COUNTY (WKOW) — There is a push by Dane County leaders to support local businesses this holiday season.

November marks the launch of Shift Your Shopping. The program encourages consumers to buy from local businesses ahead of the holidays. On Friday, Dane County Executive Joe Parisi and other county leaders gathered to highlight how important it is to do so.

Studies show Americans spend a large portion of their annual retail shopping budget between November 1 and December 31. According to the National Retail Federation, retail sales in November and December generally increase 3.6% to roughly $650 billion.

When that money is shifted to locally owned, independent businesses, they generate more economic benefit in local communities than money spent at national chain outlets.

“Small business Saturday is more than just retail,” said Dane Buy Local Executive Director Colin Murray. “It also includes restaurants, grocery stores, hotels, flower shops, the list goes on and on. They’re all individual businesses that rely on the local economy to be successful.”

 

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Jewelry Hijinks Might Have Been Prevented If Alpha Jewel Locks Had Been Around; How I Was Outwitted By A Slick Senior

November 21, 2017 by Leave a Comment

 

Alpha Jewel Lok-4                                                                                                                 WC Blog 354
Retail Anti-Theft Devices-3
Jewelry Hijinks Might Have Been Prevented If Alpha Jewel Locks Had Been Around; How I Was Outwitted By A Slick Senior 
     Loss Prevention personnel see a lot of strange things get stolen. Sometimes we catch the bad guys and sometimes they get one over on us. During the course of my years in the field I encountered all kinds of strange things. I had an employee I caught who stole pairs of socks along with other clothing and I caught a golfer with $300 in his wallet stealing a couple of packages of underwear but one of the oddest shoplifting stories was one about a shoplifter who actually got away. The shoplifter was an older woman, probably in her 70’s shopping in our jewelry department. Our store didn’t lock up all of our jewelry in display cases or in counter top displays. Some merchandise was out for open sale. Our retail anti-theft devices were limited to electronic article surveillance tags (EAS) tags on the backers of some items such as rings and earrings, but not all. While it would have behooved us to have Alpha Jewel Loks available to secure the smaller pieces like bracelets and earrings, they had not been developed at that time. I will get back to the story of the sticky-fingered slickster in a moment. First I need to discuss exactly what an Alpha Jewel Lok is so I don’t leave anyone scratching their head.
     Alpha makes all types of retail anti-theft devices but the only one they have that is small enough to offer EAS protection to items as small as a bracelet or small pair of hoop earrings is the Alpha Jewel Lok. This tag has a small, steel hook that locks closed in a solid housing unit with EAS technology built into it. The hook can secure clasps together, earrings or be clipped through a watch band. While you may be thinking that something this small could be broken by a thief, it is strong enough that the jewelry will break before the lock does. Shoplifters aren’t looking for broken merchandise as that defeats their purpose. The EAS portion that interacts with the alarm towers at the doors deters potential thieves who want to avoid alarm systems.
     As I was saying, this older woman was spending a lot of time around the costume jewelry counter looking at what I call the lower end jewelry. Some of it was gold plated or silver plated and could run up to around $50 a piece but generally no more than that. I caught myself watching her because she was in a high theft area but I then moved the camera to something else. I chided myself thinking, “What is this little old lady going to do?” As the customer continued to take her time picking up earrings, removing them from the backings, trying them on and then putting them back I couldn’t shake the feeling something wasn’t right. She was taking a long time trying the merchandise on, looking in a mirror and viewing herself. Part of me excused the behavior thinking that she was just a lonely woman with nowhere else to go and nothing to do. The longer she lingered the more suspicious I became and zoomed my camera in but still I saw nothing that looked like theft. The only thing that really stood out as suspicious was that she was looking only at pierced earrings and trying them on and taking them off. She didn’t look at any other types of jewelry. 
     After more than an hour of trying on earrings the sinister seventy-something went on her merry way. I knew something just did not feel right but she was gone and I was going to figure out what she did. I went to the counter and started looking at the earrings, especially a couple pair I could be sure she had tried on. As I looked at the earrings I noticed something, every pair was some type of gold. Then I noticed it, the earring backers that keep the earrings from falling out when worn were all plastic or silver. The greedy granny had stolen the gold earring backs from a LOT of our earrings. I don’t recall how many, but it was a significant number. To this day it remains a bit of a sore spot that she got one over on me.
      There are a lot of odd things that get stolen and just when you think you’ve seen it all, some new twist or turn happens that you never expected. Using Alpha Jewel Loks and other retail anti-theft devices on as many items as possible can minimize the amount of theft your store will experience and save you money. Just don’t let anything surprise you if it isn’t secured or locked up.
Need information on Alpha Jewel Loks? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.

Loss Prevention personnel see a lot of strange things get stolen. Sometimes we catch the bad guys and sometimes they get one over on us. During the course of my years in the field I encountered all kinds of strange things. I had an employee I caught who stole pairs of socks along with other clothing and I caught a golfer with $300 in his wallet stealing a couple of packages of underwear but one of the oddest shoplifting stories was one about a shoplifter who actually got away. The shoplifter was an older woman, probably in her 70’s shopping in our jewelry department. Our store didn’t lock up all of our jewelry in display cases or in counter top displays. Some merchandise was out for open sale. Our retail anti-theft devices were limited to electronic article surveillance tags (EAS) tags on the backers of some items such as rings and earrings, but not all. While it would have behooved us to have Alpha Jewel Loks available to secure the smaller pieces like bracelets and earrings, they had not been developed at that time. I will get back to the story of the sticky-fingered slickster in a moment. First I need to discuss exactly what an Alpha Jewel Lok is so I don’t leave anyone scratching their head.

Alpha makes all types of retail anti-theft devices but the only one they have that is small enough to offer EAS protection to items as small as a bracelet or small pair of hoop earrings is the Alpha Jewel Lok. This tag has a small, steel hook that locks closed in a solid housing unit with EAS technology built into it. The hook can secure clasps together, earrings or be clipped through a watch band. While you may be thinking that something this small could be broken by a thief, it is strong enough that the jewelry will break before the lock does. Shoplifters aren’t looking for broken merchandise as that defeats their purpose. The EAS portion that interacts with the alarm towers at the doors deters potential thieves who want to avoid alarm systems.

As I was saying, this older woman was spending a lot of time around the costume jewelry counter looking at what I call the lower end jewelry. Some of it was gold plated or silver plated and could run up to around $50 a piece but generally no more than that. I caught myself watching her because she was in a high theft area but I then moved the camera to something else. I chided myself thinking, “What is this little old lady going to do?” As the customer continued to take her time picking up earrings, removing them from the backings, trying them on and then putting them back I couldn’t shake the feeling something wasn’t right. She was taking a long time trying the merchandise on, looking in a mirror and viewing herself. Part of me excused the behavior thinking that she was just a lonely woman with nowhere else to go and nothing to do. The longer she lingered the more suspicious I became and zoomed my camera in but still I saw nothing that looked like theft. The only thing that really stood out as suspicious was that she was looking only at pierced earrings and trying them on and taking them off. She didn’t look at any other types of jewelry. 

After more than an hour of trying on earrings the sinister seventy-something went on her merry way. I knew something just did not feel right but she was gone and I was going to figure out what she did. I went to the counter and started looking at the earrings, especially a couple pair I could be sure she had tried on. As I looked at the earrings I noticed something, every pair was some type of gold. Then I noticed it, the earring backers that keep the earrings from falling out when worn were all plastic or silver. The greedy granny had stolen the gold earring backs from a LOT of our earrings. I don’t recall how many, but it was a significant number. To this day it remains a bit of a sore spot that she got one over on me.

There are a lot of odd things that get stolen and just when you think you’ve seen it all, some new twist or turn happens that you never expected. Using Alpha Jewel Loks and other retail anti-theft devices on as many items as possible can minimize the amount of theft your store will experience and save you money. Just don’t let anything surprise you if it isn’t secured or locked up.

 

Need information on Alpha Jewel Loks? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.

 

 

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