Uncategorized — Page 146

Clothing security benefits the retailer

April 1, 2011 by Staff Editor

Over the years, clothing security has proven much less of a challenge than what was previously thought. Clothing security sounds like a daunting, or even scary task. The name alone can invoke a sense of uneasiness, “Clothing Security”. What does that mean?

As I observed the salesfloor from the “catwalk” of one way mirrors at a national clothing store, clothing security was the last thing I was interested in. I wanted to catch shoplifters. In my young mind, I thought “Take what you think you’ll get away with, I’ll catch you.” A point I didn’t really understand until a couple of years later as I grew in loss prevention. Catching shoplifters is a big part of security, but it is impossible to catch every single dirtbag that steals from you.

Later, the realities of clothing security included attaching security tags on clothes. Security tags on clothes; significantly, helps deter the shoplifters I couldn’t catch. I’ve always thought of security tags on clothes as my loss prevention partner. Working clothing stores as a loss prevention agent, I found I could count on security tags on clothes to assist me in preventing theft and loss and watched the areas of merchandise I couldn’t.

A few years ago I read a book written from the shoplifter’s point of view. The writer gave detailed instructions on how to steal, what to do when confronted by security and what to avoid when shoplifting. The writer, an experienced thieve in my opinion, mentioned security tags on clothes and the hassle they provide if your intent as a shoplifter includes getting out of the store unnoticed. He goes on more specifically telling his followers to “case” stores with no clothing security tags. He actually tells these people to wander from store to store looking for clothing stores with no clothing security tags. Are there really stores out there without clothing security tags?

Visit the Retail Loss Prevention Store

For more information about a clothing alarm or related products contact us at clothing security or call us at 1.770.426.0547

Prevent Shoplifting Through Continuing Education

March 31, 2011 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

Finding a sure fire way to prevent shoplifting keeps storeowners and loss prevention agents busy looking for answers. Each store and each location presents its own set of unique challenges when it comes to shoplifting, from location, to clientele, to merchandise mix.

All stores have two things in common, however: customers and employees. The most basic element in reducing opportunity to the shoplifter is customer service. Good customer service, that is paying attention to the customer individually, is one of the best ways to make a shoplifter think twice about stealing, especially if the staff is aware that any customer is a potential shoplifter.

Of course not every customer is a shoplifter, but potentially if given the right circumstances, any customer could be a shoplifter. If everyone is continually reminded, during staff meetings, on the bulletin board, and in notes placed in paychecks that preventing shoplifting is a part of everyone’s responsibility. This doesn’t go just for sales staff, but for support people as well. Every employee should acknowledge each customer and make eye contact as often as possible. This creates the impression in the potential shoplifter’s mind that he is known in that store.

If any staff member is instrumental in interrupting of a shoplifter, recovery of merchandise, or simply bringing a suspicious shopper to the attention of management, then that employee should be recognized for her contribution to the store’s profit.

When it comes to ways to prevent shoplifting, employees are definitely the key. But it’s up to the store management to keep the employees consistently engaged in shoplifting awareness.

For a total store effort to prevent retail theft, in addition to the bells and whistles of electronic devices like CCTV and EAS, employees have to be trained on the correct way to use all the tools at their disposal.

Employee engagement is the most valuable tool to prevent shoplifting.

Want to know more ways to prevent shoplifting? Call 770-426-0547 or click here. Visit our Online Loss Prevention Store here.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Prevent Shoplifting

Shoplifters agree that security tags on clothes prevent theft

March 30, 2011 by Staff Editor

I searched on the internet for “clothing security tags” and found a website in which shoplifters posted their tips for shoplifting clothing. The amusing thing was that some of the posts lamented the fact that when there are security tags on clothes, it is much more difficult to shoplift. Several also posted that they would not try to steal from businesses that had this type of clothing security.

Professionals can argue all day long about the benefits of clothing security tags, and how they will save you money by decreasing your losses due to clothing theft. It was inspiring, however, to read that the shoplifters feel the same way. That offers some credibility to your clothing security when shoplifters are openly posting that they are leery of the measures chosen to prevent clothing theft.

Security tags on clothes truly are a benefit to businesses. They offer a physical deterrent by being visible to the potential shoplifter. Clothing security tags also serve as a clothing alarm, alerting management that clothing is leaving your business without being purchased. Clothing security tags can prevent the theft of clothing in your business and reduce the losses associated with this type of theft. Just ask the shoplifters – some tend to agree.

We all want our businesses to generate a profit, which can be especially challenging in today’s market. When searching for ways to prevent the theft of clothing, consider clothing security tags. Even the shoplifters recognize that theft is much more difficult when there are security tags on clothes.

Visit the Retail Loss Prevention Store

For more information about clothing alarm or clothing security or clothing security tags contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: clothing alarm, Clothing Security, clothing security tags, security tags on clothes

Prevent Shoplifting Now

March 28, 2011 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

It takes a comprehensive effort to prevent shoplifting in any retail environment, and retailers have tried every way under the sun it seems to get it done.

I stopped in a truck stop in Tennessee that took a novel approach: They had taken screen shots of known shoplifters from their CCTV system and posted the pictures of these folks at various places throughout the store with captions attached. The captions said things like, “This THIEF stole a can of Vienna sausage!” under one man’s picture, or “This lady SHOPLIFTED a $3.00 magazine!” under another picture. These pictures were at the checkout stands and all over the store. Clearly, this storeowner had enough of his merchandise being stolen and wasn’t afraid to get personal about it.

I’m not sure that this choice of methods to prevent shoplifting would work on Fifth Avenue in New York.

There are some ways, however, that all retailers can use to control shoplifting. The first is staff awareness. Every employee should be trained and retrained on the store’s policies regarding shoplifting. There are certain signs to look for that indicate shoplifting is occurring in certain areas of the store and that a particular item happens to be a popular target of thieves. Information such as this should be mentioned at new hire orientations and at periodic store, department, and staff meetings. Everyone should know what to do if they think they have seen a shoplifter.

Another way that works well in almost any retail environment is the installation of a retail anti theft device, such as one of the models manufactured by Checkpoint Systems. The antenna placed at the entrance/exit detects Checkpoint labels and Checkpoint tags that have not been removed from the item by the cashier. An alarm sounds as the tags pass through, alerting staff to take action. Checkpoint Systems has a great training program for employees.

Call LPSI at 770-426-0547 to find out more about Checkpoint Systems and ways to prevent shoplifting, or click here for more information. Click here to visit our Online Loss Prevention Store.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Prevent Shoplifting

Make stealing clothes difficult with clothing security

March 28, 2011 by Staff Editor

I was recently involved in researching on video a customer that we believed was stealing clothing in order to return it for money. She had multiple returns she had conducted without a receipt, going to several different stores and using more than one identification. She was finally apprehended for shoplifting clothing, but not before returning some of what she had already stolen and receiving cash.

There are ways that thefts like this can be prevented. Clothing security tags are a great deterrent to this type of stealing for profit scheme. Clothing security not only provides a visual deterrent, but an audible one should the shoplifter attempt to leave your business without purchasing the items with a clothing alarm.

Security tags on clothes are well worth the investment, when you consider what a thief like the one mentioned above could cost a company. If shoplifters are able to make such an easy profit stealing, there is nothing stopping them from stealing over and over again, until they are caught. Most jobs don’t pay as well as what these shoplifters can make if they steal clothing for resale or return.

Do not allow yourself to be a victim. Investing in security tags on clothes is a way to protect the merchandise that you would like to offer for sale to your honest customers. No matter what the reason a shoplifter may have for why he or she would like to steal the clothing that you sell, it is much more difficult when there are clothing security tags. We would all like to make a shoplifter’s life a little more difficult, wouldn’t we?

Remember the key to a clothing security program is a clothing alarm .

Visit the Retail Loss Prevention Store

For more information about clothing alarm or clothing security or clothing security tags or contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: clothing alarm, Clothing Security, clothing security tags, security tags on clothes

Oh No! Another Employee Theft

March 27, 2011 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

Employee theft is one of those things that goes on day after day. The only times most employers pay any attention to internal theft is when it either 1) happens to them; or 2) makes the newspaper. When an employee theft is big enough to make the news, it means that some employer placed his trust in the wrong employee.

Very recently, according to various news reports out of Jacksonville, a long time Northeast Florida medical center employee was arrested and charged in the theft of over $200,000 as a result of an internal audit. The woman had worked in the accounts payable department since the mid ‘80’s.

Also in the news, a business manager stole more than $115,000, from a non-profit association in Maine in just over four years that she was employed. Her MO was to forge the executive director’s signature on checks that she used to pay herself and her creditors, use an association credit card for personal purchases, and pay her own credit card bills with the association’s operating account. The embezzlement wasn’t discovered until after the manager was fired for other reasons.

In both of these examples, it’s clear that the opportunity to steal went on far too long based on the amounts taken. Internal theft is going to happen, that’s just a fact of life. But smart companies put measures in place to reduce the chances that examples like these will be able to continue for any length of time without detection.

If you’re an employer, don’t think internal theft can’t happen to you. Enterprising employees with a reason can always think of a way to get out with cash, property, or merchandise, believing that they can get away with it.

Take a look at the ways employee theft can happen at your workplace and work to eliminate the threat by increasing the likelihood of detection through the implementation of random and periodic audits by a corporate fraud investigator or a qualified loss prevention agent.

For a vulnerability assessment or to discuss a suspicion of employee theft, call 888-426-0547 or click here for more information.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: corporate fraud investigator, employee theft, internal theft

Security tags on clothes actually help keep customers?

March 26, 2011 by Staff Editor

Well in theory, Security tags on clothes will help you keep your customers coming back. It’s true. If you have the merchandise a customer wants, and it’s easily and readily available, they’ll be back over and over (as long as you maintain a pleasurable shopping environment).

Now security tags on clothes can be tricky, especially when you are a high end retailer not wanting to infringe on the appearance of the garment. Security tags on clothes provide the seller with a great deal of security and give the potential thief a negative impression of your business, and that’s a good thing. Looking around your store, what type of clothing security do you need? Are you experiencing any loss in a particular brand, type, style or color? Security tags on clothes will probably be the solution to most of your issues.

Working in sporting goods was always a positive experience for me. I liked the merchandise and typically can deal with the people that shop these types of stores. One store I worked at had a big problem with keeping its higher priced clothing items in the store. This highly desired sporting apparel posed a real problem. Clothing security tags were not being used as they should’ve been nor was the store putting on additional effort into the program.

The fix was simple. Increase the amount of security tags on clothes and spread the program out other merchandise that showed a losing trend.
In the retail world of today, business can be simple. Solutions to protect assets and boost profits are right in front of us and in most cases, are already being followed, maybe just not as effectively as they could be.

The bottom line to protect your bottom line, use clothing security tags to protect your merchandise.

Visit the Retail Loss Prevention Store

For more information about clothing security tags or clothing alarm or clothing security contact us at security tags on clothes or call us at 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: clothing alarm, Clothing Security, clothing security tags, security tags on clothes

A Retailer Reacts to Employee Theft – Atlanta Georgia

March 25, 2011 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

What goes through an employer’s mind when he realizes that he is a victim of employee theft? Anger? Betrayal? Revenge? Helplessness? Disappointment?

Certainly most of emotions are legitimate. An employer takes a person into his company, gives him an opportunity to learn, work, and succeed, pays him a salary to do it, puts him in a position with some degree of trust and yet the employee still injures the company and the employer by taking merchandise, property, or money that doesn’t belong to him.

After an employee theft investigation has determined that an employee was indeed guilty of theft the employer may consider if he himself had anything to do with the failure.

In many cases, the answer is yes, because for internal theft to occur, the thief must have opportunity and motive to steal.

An employer should convey to each employee from the day he is hired, that it is not all right to steal. Not from the company, not from a customer, and not from another employee. Most people know this already, but it never hurts to lay a groundwork that is clearly understood, and that is that the company culture does not tolerate theft or those that tolerate it.

Adequate supervision is a must. An employee who knows that his work is subject to review is less likely to commit an internal theft episode. This goes for every employee from the porter who takes out the trash (Do you ever check the outside trash area for stolen property?) to the bookkeeper (Avoid giving too much responsibility to one individual), and everyone in between. Supervisors and managers are not immune to committing employee theft; as a matter of fact, they can cause more damage for a longer period of time than a “regular employee” because of their positions of trust and responsibilities.

Assign job responsibilities so that a system of checks and balances exists, lessening the odds that an employee can engage in internal theft undetected.

Don’t exempt any employee from these rules. In most employee theft investigations, the thief almost always was “one of my most trusted employees”, according to the owner.

Do you need an employee theft investigation or just want to know how to avoid employee theft and not become a victim? Call 770-426-0547 in Atlanta Georgia or click here for more information.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: employee theft, employee theft investigation, internal theft

Prevent Shoplifting with Education and Awareness in Atlanta Georgia

March 25, 2011 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

Methods to prevent shoplifting, – as well as vendor theft and internal theft – should be included in everyone’s job description in a retail environment. There are some very basic things that each employee can do during the course of the workday that contribute greatly to preventing theft.

· Customer service is one of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent shoplifting. Simply making customers aware that staff knows they are there by acknowledging them, making eye contact with them, and speaking to them, is often enough to deter any illegal behavior. It’s about preventing shoplifting rather than catching the criminal. A legitimate visitor is flattered to have your attention; a shoplifter is likely to go elsewhere.

· Vary the routine. Do employees always take the same route from the stock area to the work area? Think about walking in other more indirect ways from place to place, and check some of the more out-of–the-way areas for anything unusual, like stashed merchandise or discarded packaging. Shoplifters prefer hidden, less visible areas to do their work, and stay away the more frequently traveled routes.

· Be aware of surroundings, even if involved completing a routine task. Many times, workers tend to become so intent on an assignment that they fail to notice unusual activity or circumstances that might occur close by them. This type of tunnel vision causes employees to miss important signs of theft activity. Don’t overlook the obvious when attempting to prevent shoplifting.

· All staff should know their area and know their merchandise and be able to tell if something is out of place, misidentified, priced wrong, or missing. The more familiar with the surroundings, the more likely to notice if something is out of place.

Education and awareness on the part of employees goes a long way in the effort to prevent shoplifting in Atlanta Georgia and elsewhere.

Learn more ways to prevent shoplifting by calling 770-426-0547 or click here to contact us at LPSI in Atlanta Georgia.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Prevent Shoplifting

Clothing security tags help prevent theft

March 24, 2011 by Staff Editor

Working in the retail clothing industry, clothing security tags have helped deter several instances of customer and employee theft.

Clothing security tags have been around for some time. They have developed and have become more effective in recent years. Most major department stores selling clothing have security tags on clothes. Yet, there are still some smaller stores that don’t have any sort of clothing security.

I was working with a loss prevention agent at a store stocked full of highly desired, high ticket clothing items. We had been experiencing large instances of customer grab and runs, and general customer theft.

Additionally, we believed this store to be a target of Organized Retail Crime because of its lack of security tags on clothes and other forms of clothing security.

After walking the store, we indentified the highest shrink items and most frequently stolen merchandise. Working with the store team, we were able to effectively roll out the clothing security program the way the company had expected it to be done. In doing so, we put security tags on clothes, which provided much of the items with better clothing security. These security tags on clothes are a visible deterrent to thieves and cause the professionals grief when trying to quickly get the merchandise out of the store unnoticed.

During our surveillance, we watched as a team of 3 entered the store and broke apart. The first suspect went to the high theft merchandise and immediately noticed the security tags on clothes. He pulls out his cellphone. As he holds it to his ear, we see suspect #2 pull his cellphone out of his pocket and put it to his ear. No doubt, the first suspect was calling #2 to tell him about the clothing security tags and all about the clothing security.

Visit the Retail Loss Prevention Store

For more information about a clothing alarm contact us at clothing security or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: clothing alarm, Clothing Security, clothing security tags, security tags on clothes