How Checkpoint Systems Stopped A Booster

The true purpose of loss prevention is deterring theft. Stores can deter theft through several different means. Shoplifters prefer to get in a store unnoticed, so one tried and true method to stop shoplifting is speaking to and making eye contact with every person that walks through your front door. Offer them help and ask if they need help finding anything. Many times this can be a dead giveaway because they are not prepared for the interaction, so they say something ridiculous, like they were looking for motor oil and you only sell clothing. It’s like when someone comes up to my pharmacy counter and asks for syringes for their grandma’s diabetic dog.  

Another great way to stop shoplifting is by using anti-theft tools like Checkpoint Systems. I was sitting in my office last week, looking out over the sales floor, and saw a guy come in the front door. The first thing I noticed was that he was wearing a tee-shirt with a button up shirt over it, but it was open. Boosters used to grab a shopping basket or a large gift bag from the greeting card section, but another trend is to just wear extra layers to conceal the merchandise. It was almost a hundred degrees that day, so that’s why his attire really caught my eye. He got a shopping cart and went to the small grocery section where he picked up a big bag of chips. Then he went down the pain relief and cold remedies aisle.  He was bent down looking at some different items; picking up random things and putting them back down. Interestingly enough, the items he was picking up are those Breathe Right strips that are very commonly stolen and resold at the area flea market. They all happen to have Checkpoint Labels on them, so it’s either not what he was looking for or they didn’t seem to be appealing to him. Then he went over to the pain and sleep medications. Again, these are stolen very frequently, and again, they all have Checkpoint Labels adhered to the fronts of the packages and he kept putting the boxes back on the shelf. Next he went around and down the stomach remedies section. This section holds a lot of high retail items so I came down the stairs and got a little closer. I wasn’t too worried, because I know most of the targeted items in this aisle are encased in Alpha Keepers, as well as tagged with Checkpoint Labels. It’s a little overkill, but it works, and that’s all that matters. The guy didn’t pick up anything over there. He could tell he wasn’t going to be successful at my location, so he left the cart and the chips in the aisle and walked out the door.

That’s the beauty of Checkpoint Systems.  With the increased danger of apprehensions these days, I use every tool at my disposal to deter theft instead of having to go toe to toe with a criminal. The entire inventory I lose comes straight off my profit line, so I have to work hard to stop shoplifting.  But I’m not going to put myself or my staff in peril. My Checkpoint Systems gates sit there like a silent sentry, doing its job without a lot of fanfare. It’s the first thing a thief notices when they come in the door. And they know they can’t beat it, so they start looking around to see what actually has Checkpoint Labels attached. Without the labels, the system can’t detect theft, so that part is paramount.  

Get more information on how Checkpoint Systems can help you. Contact us or call today. 1.770.426.0547