Anti-Shoplifting

Checkpoint security tags fit into the profit puzzle

September 22, 2010 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

The use of checkpoint security tags play an important role in the retail world other than protecting merchandise from theft. The use of anti theft devices such as a checkpoint security system will significantly reduce retail theft and just as significantly if not more significantly boost profit margins.

Think about this if you are a retailer. If you lose a $10 item, what is the effect that has? Did you just lose $10? Or if your net profit margin is 3% did you lose $7? That is the thinking we hear from our clients when we first discuss this with them.

Think about this. If the net margin on a $10 item is 3% then in order to produce $10 of profit to replace the stolen item you need to divide $10 by 3%. That number is $333.33. So if you lose $100 the sales required to replace that would be $3,333.33 and the numbers go from there.

According to the University Of Florida’s National Retail Security Survey large national retailers average about 2% net profit and lose around 2%. These retailers typically have well managed Loss Prevention departments managing inventory and cash losses daily.

So an average retailer doing $1 mil will loose $20,000 if they have the same loss prevention program in place, most do not and lose double, triple, quadruple that and more. Many do not really know what they are losing because they do not have programs in place to watch loss.

Back to boosting profits…you can easily cut your losses in half by using checkpoint security tags so let’s look at the effect on margin. Go from a 5% loss to a 2.5% loss in a $1mil retail business that has a net margin of 3% before using checkpoint systems anti shoplifting solutions then the $25,000 you saved bumps the net margin from 3% to 5.5% which is a 54% increase in net margin.

For more info on how you can boost profits by incorporating loss prevention solutions go to: checkpoint security tags

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: Anti-Shoplifting, anti-theft devices, checkpoint security system, Checkpoint security tags, checkpoint systems, retail theft, shoplifting

Training Is A Key Component In Atlanta Anti Shoplifting Programs

September 20, 2010 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

As an LP professional and the former Director of Loss Prevention for several large companies I figured out pretty quickly that if the only solution I had to an anti shoplifting program was apprehension that I would not be around long.

Why? It goes back to the old saying: “Once the horse is out of the barn…” Prevention is the solution to any anti shoplifting program. To get there we have to look at what is the most cost effective approach…Training. By training yourself and your staff you will deter shoplifting no mater which way you take you’re anti shoplifting program.

Retail theft in the form of shoplifting is dependent on your ability to convince the shoplifter to go elsewhere. Training your employees in the art of using customer service as an anti shoplifting tool is a cost effective approach. Shoplifters hate attention so let’s give them a lot of it. In fact once an employee is trained to actually spot a shoplifter they can go into the customer service attack mode. Customer service them to death!

Of course people who are shoplifting come in many types. Training will help even your newest employee to become a retail theft deterrence very quickly. In most cases once you have a core of people trained they can then train others.

What should comprise a great anti shoplifting training program? There should be amongst other topics training on: How to identify a person who is shoplifting. How shoplifters steal, how to shut down the shoplifter and actually frustrate them (that way they go elsewhere, maybe your competitor) and apprehension (if necessary).

Train your people correctly and reinforce the training in an ongoing manner and you will see your retail theft losses drop like a stone.

For more information: anti shoplifting training in Atlanta or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: Anti-Shoplifting, retail theft, shoplifting

Why This Southern Girl is Anti-Shoplifting

September 16, 2010 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

When I was six years old, my grandmother, her name was Irene by the way, made me a true anti shoplifting fanatic. How you might ask? Well, let me tell you a story………

When I was six years old there was a sewing store that Irene and I used to frequent. Fabric and cloth stores were much more prevalent in the 1960’s and 1970’s than they are now, and they carried a variety of things that would peak your interest, like buttons. This place had thousands of buttons in all different shapes and sizes. You should be beginning to see where I’m going with this story.

One type of button especially caught my eye; it was pearl with a beautiful rose painted on it in pink. Well, I decided I needed it. But I didn’t have any money, being 6 years old and all. So I TOOK it. Yep, I became a shoplifter. Well of course when sweet Irene found out, not only did I have to take it back and apologize, but I got the spanking of my life! And bam, instantly I became extremely anti shoplifting. Corporal punishment tends to make believers out of the best of us.

All kinds of people are shoplifting. Celebrities do it mostly because their personalities lend themselves that they are convinced they will not be caught, or so psychology tells us. To most people, getting something for nothing is like giving themselves a reward. There is also a “high” associated with getting away with the theft.

This need to take things in American has led to the development of such anti shoplifting devices as surveillance cameras, security tags on clothing, ink tags on clothing and security guards posted on exits and entrances of department stores.

So are you wondering if I ever got my button? As a matter of fact my grandmother bought it for me a few months later. I still have it to this day. I guess she figured I had learned my lesson.

Do you need help in your small business developing an anti shoplifting program? Contact us at anti shoplifting or call 1.770.426.0547.

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: Anti-Shoplifting, shoplifting

Retail Theft: The Scourge Of Business

September 10, 2010 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

Shoplifters and employees that steal are about the lowest forms of life. They cause retail businesses billions of dollars in retail theft. There are several entire industries devoted to anti shoplifting and employee theft. Still these people cause us headaches. As a former Director of Loss Prevention for several major companies I have found that much of the problem of anti shoplifting and employee theft falls with the retailers themselves.

Theses types of retail theft must be attacked daily. You cannot let your guard down. You must have loss prevention program than focuses on prevention. Take shoplifting as an example. Anti shoplifting programs such as Checkpoint security tags do little if the employees are not supporting the program. Seek out employees that are enthusiastic about prevention and their jobs. Use incentives such as bonuses or contests. Make those employees the core of your retail theft prevention effort. If they are into it then others will come along.

One of the key issues that retailers must keep in the forefront of their over all plan is training. Training that is focused on prevention pays dividends beyond just shoplifting prevention. One of the key prevention tactics in anti shoplifting is customer service. Shoplifters hate customer service. They want to blend into your “normal” customer base. They do not want to stand out in any way. If your employees emphasize customer contact and follow up this in itself will shut off a portion of your retail theft. This in turn benefits your overall sales because your good customers like the attention. To stop more hard-core shoplifters you need to practice stronger anti shoplifting techniques.

Another area that is often overlooked is the use of a tag alarm system such as Checkpoint security tags. Again, it goes back to training and management’s enforcement. How many times have you see a tag alarm go off at the front door and the employee simply waves the customer through? Do you think that this is company policy? Very unlikely. The employee is thinking that they just rang up the customer. They know that they got everything the customer put on the POS. So it must just be the Checkpoint security tags that did not get deactivated right? Wrong, what the employee did not think about is the item that the “customer” had concealed on their person. The tag alarm caught it, the employee didn’t. Training, training and more training. Then hold employees to the standard!

For more information: shoplifting or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: Anti-Shoplifting, Checkpoint security tags, retail theft, shoplifting, tag alarm

Alarm…Alarm Checkpoint Security System Alarm…Now what?

August 31, 2010 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

OK, your checkpoint security system at the front door goes into alarm. A customer that just left the point of sale is there with a package. They have stopped and are looking back at you. What do you do now?

How many time have you seen this happen and the sales clerk just waves the customer on? That is the worst thing that can happen. Several things have happened. You have allowed an employee to completely circumvent your anti shoplifting program. You have also sent a message to your customers that your people are not professional. And worst of all you tell shoplifters that they can defeat your checkpoint security system.

A lack of training and enforcement of that training is primarily at fault. Installing the system and believing that your shoplifting problems are over is short sighted. Your employees must know how to handle a checkpoint security system alarm properly and do it every time. Otherwise a person who is shoplifting in your store will simply view it as an inconvenience and create a situation where they can simply cause an alarm and be waved on.

Training is simple: Provide good customer service! Teach your employees that they are not to be afraid to approach a customer/alarm. Make a clear friendly statement like “excuse me sir we must have forgotten to remove or deactivate an inventory control device on your purchase. Let me take care of that for you”.

Anti theft devices like a checkpoint security system will tell you if a tag is present but your employees must resolve the situation. Check the packages for tags and labels. The easiest way is for the employee to ask the customer for their package, the employee then passes the package through the antennas themselves. They should then locate the checkpoint security tags and resolve the situation. If no tags are found in the package ask the customer to walk through the checkpoint security system antennas with out the package. If there is an alarm then again your stores training should tell them what to do next.

Want more information about anti theft devices or shoplifting? Contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: Anti-Shoplifting, anti-theft devices, checkpoint security system, Checkpoint security tags, shoplifting

Checkpoint Systems leads the anti shoplifting technology market

August 27, 2010 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

Checkpoint Systems out of New Jersey is the world’s leading manufacturer of Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) systems helping retailers all over the globe reduce retail theft and increase profits.

The reason lies in the technology. Checkpoint systems are based on radio frequency (RF) vs. the older accousto magnetic (AM) technology used by Tyco’s Sensormatic systems. The RF system offers multiple advantages, one of the most used is the virtually unlimited use of labels.

Many retailers buy blank labels and print their pricing information directly on the checkpoint labels. This reduces labor and increases security at the same time.

Checkpoint systems labels can be custom printed in bulk to include logo art, safety instruction or just about anything you could want, which disguises the security tag.

RF technology is the leading technology in retail inventory management as well with the increasing use of RFID. Retailers are currently using RFID to scan/ read product as it enters the dock and it immediately gets logged into inventory. The technology exists to read the RF labels on products while on the shelf which will allow retailers to do instant store wide inventory or automate ordering based on shelf stock.

Checkpoint systems also can integrate into POS systems for various benefits, one being only deactivating labels that are actually scanned into the register. This eliminates thieves running merchandise over an unoccupied counter to deactivate a labels and steal the product.

To learn more go to checkpoint systems

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: Anti-Shoplifting, Checkpoint labels, checkpoint systems, retail theft, shoplifting

Anti Theft Devices Boost Profits and Keep Shoplifters Out

August 26, 2010 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

It is a proven fact that installing anti theft devices in retail applications will deter shoplifters sending them on to unprotected stores. Retailers frustrated by theft often overlook how less inventory loss translates to more profits. Lost inventory ends up affecting operating costs. Just stating the obvious, higher costs means lower profits. Lower costs mean higher profits. You can make more money without having to sell more product.

The most effective solution that keeps the riff raff out of store is the installation of an Electronic Article Surveillance (or EAS) system. Checkpoint security systems is the market leader in EAS systems. The system includes installing pedestal mounted antennas at the entry/ exit ways. These antennas are visible from just outside the door so shoplifters scoping out a potential target can see them before entering the store, and at that time will move on to another target.

The presence of anti shoplifting technology such as checkpoint security tags on clothes and merchandise in the store will deter the amateur shoplifter and the impulse shoplifter from stealing. The checkpoint security tags are detected by the antennas at the doorways and will set off a loud alarm and flashing light alerting staff to attend to the situation.

The tag alarm on merchandise can only be removed by a specific tool that is mounted behind the cash out counter. The tag alarm is highly visible and is a great visual deterrent.

To learn more about checkpoint security systems anti shoplifting solutions visit here: anti theft devices or contact: Loss Prevention Systems, Inc., a national installation company.

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: Anti-Shoplifting, anti-theft devices, checkpoint security system, checkpoint security systems, Checkpoint security tags, shoplifting, tag alarm

Checkpoint Security System Introduction

August 25, 2010 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

A checkpoint security system will help you reduce your shoplifting losses and increase your profits by keeping more inventory on hand and available for sale. A Checkpoint security system involves installing devices inside the exit way, “antennas” that will detect inventory that has been “tagged” with checkpoint security system tags which are either Checkpoint hard tags or Checkpoint labels.

This method of anti shoplifting technology is also a great deterrent. Studies show that installing Electronic Article Surveillance antennas (EAS) at doorways visually says that “this place is protected and secured”, which will scare of a large majority of shoplifters. These shoplifters then pass the protected store by and move on to another unprotected retail target.

Learn more here: checkpoint security system

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: Anti-Shoplifting, Checkpoint labels, checkpoint security system, shoplifting

Checkpoint Security Systems Used To Prevent Shoplifting

August 25, 2010 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

Retailers are using Checkpoint Security Systems to prevent shoplifting and control inventory shrinkage. Loss Prevention Systems has seen retail shrinkage rates drop as much as 50% in many retailers that put this anti shoplifting program in place.

All Checkpoint security tags are paper-thin and come is dozens of styles. A Retailer can custom print barcode and pricing information directly on them on them, in most cases using the POS printer you have in your store. LPSI can also custom print them for you. This reduces labor and provides an additional tag disguise from shoplifters.

All Checkpoint Security Systems are professionally installed and consist of a set of antennas at the customer doors. The antennas have a contemporary modern design and complement any décor. You can even place advertising panels on them that communicate your latest sales, promotions or just your logo. Checkpoint Security Systems even provide automatic customer counting.

Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. is a Certified Checkpoint Security Systems Dealer. We install and support any location in the mainland US.

For more information: checkpoint security systems or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: Anti-Shoplifting, checkpoint security system, checkpoint security systems, Checkpoint security tags, shoplifting

Anti shoplifting solution for small retailers on a budget

August 25, 2010 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

The Checkpoint Security Systems ValueGuard antenna system is a security system for small retail stores on a budget who are looking to prevent shoplifting. It uses a basic design with many details of Checkpoint Security Systems more advanced antenna systems. The outcome a sturdy (EAS) Electronic Article Surveillance antenna system that is able to deliver immediate benefits at a lower price.

It is ideally designed for any retail application such as hard goods stores, liquor stores, grocery stores, book stores, sporting goods and convenience stores just to name a few. This ValueGuard system includes Digital Signal Processing, superior Checkpoint labels and tag discrimination and the power to work well in today’s most difficult retail situations.

The Features Include:

Works with the complete range of Checkpoint labels 8.2 MHz RF labels, as well as hard tags.
Tuneable for either 8.2 MHz or 9.5 MHz applications.
Integrated alarm sounder and alarm indicator light which enables easy alarm identification.
Three foot or six foot aisle systems
Stainless Steel endcaps help protect the antennas form damage
Optional merchandising panels can be used to generate revenue through advertising sales or to promote in-store specials
Checkpoint labels can be custom printed by you with your barcode, product or logo information

For more information go to: anti shoplifting / checkpoint security systems or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: Anti-Shoplifting, Checkpoint labels, checkpoint security system, checkpoint security systems, shoplifting