Space And Security – You Can Have Them Both With The Classic N10 EAS Antenna

Big Box retailers have always had an edge in the ability to add security measures to their stores to the disadvantage of their smaller competitors. The bigger budgets of big box stores allows for the addition of digital, closed circuit television systems, dedicated loss prevention teams and Anti-Shoplifting systems. Not only do the large corporations have the budget advantages, but they also have the space. Space is often NOT a luxury available to the small business owner. Checkpoint’s Classic N10 EAS Antenna may provide a viable solution for the business on a budget and struggling to optimize space.

When the small retailer, fixed for space and money loses merchandise to theft, it is much more difficult to recover those dollars through sales. It may come down to a very difficult choice to make, protect merchandise at the cost of losing selling space or increase selling space and lose the benefit of security. Checkpoint systems has a solution with a new product they have developed called the Classic N10 EAS Antenna. I believe this could be exactly what the doctor ordered for the small retailer and “mom and pop shops” out there. This will be an affordable system designed to reduce the space requirements of more traditional antennas and still provide the protections afforded by those bigger antennas. The Classic N10 EAS antenna will work with all of the existing Checkpoint Tags already on the market so there is no concern for reduced protection.  

My background in loss prevention has always been in large department stores and big box retail. Space was never an issue for these stores when it came to the placement of Electronic Article Surveillance equipment. We have all become accustomed to walking past antennas when we enter and exit stores. They come in various shapes and sizes, from tall, plastic encased pillars to the sleek, clear, acrylic models. Each in their own way does exactly what it is designed to do, it makes the potential shoplifter consider the fact there is some form of Anti-Shoplifting effort being made by that particular location and sends them elsewhere. Electronic Article Surveillance systems are also a deterrent to potential employee theft. While not a cure, they are helpful in removing the temptation from the employee who might otherwise test an employer with lax or no security measures in place.

A disadvantage to having such a system is the space required to install these EAS antennas. In a large store there is ample room to set up these devices, especially when most of these stores have spacious entry ways and shopping cart corrals at the front. For the smaller retailers, every square foot of sales floor space is critical. Fixtures and displays are often located next to the doors in order to take advantage of selling area. Space not used can often equate to potential loss of sales. I am reminded of a store manager I once worked for who used to tell me, “You can’t sell airspace”. He was referring to excess space between shelves on an endcap, but the same principle applies. You can’t sell from an unused piece of real estate in a store. When a store is not going to install an Anti-Shoplifting system, it becomes the one that other retailers are driving their shoplifters to go to. The idea behind deterrence is to send the bad guys to an easier target. Don’t believe me? Consider how many robberies occur in gas stations versus big box stores. Big box stores have more money, but they also have more protection in place.

The future is bright for small stores that previously wanted to install Anti-Shoplifting measures but could not, whether due to space constraints or prohibitive costs. With the incorporation of a Checkpoint Classic N10 EAS antenna system, I cannot see profits going anywhere but up. Keep sales floor space full by using ALL available square footage and shelves full through theft deterrence. Paying customers will appreciate it and return to buy more!  

For more information about the Checkpoint Classic N10 EAS Antenna contact us or call 1.770.426.0547