Can You Pay for Sitting Ducks?

While previously working as an agent, my location was seeing an increase shrinkage from theft in our liquor department and needed to tackle the issue of bottle security. The store I was working in was one of many locations for a national corporation and based on shortage and locality we had been classified as a “low-exposure” store. Consequently, merchandise protection strategies such as EASy Bottle and bottle locks were not available to our location, which were reserved for “high-exposure” stores.

Due to the absence of a bottle lock solution, liquor bottle security incidents were occurring daily. One subject regularly came into the store on her lunch break to drink a couple of bottles of high-priced wine before returning to work. A group began targeting Hennessy liquor, which disappeared off the shelves and into their pant legs and jackets. My team dedicated our efforts to reducing this loss even if the company wasn’t providing us with solutions from Alpha security. We performed perpetual inventory of “hot” liquor items twice a day and spent the majority of our shifts monitoring the aisle via CCTV.

Our efforts resulted in the reduction of theft in the liquor department, but other departments were now seeing an increase. There just weren’t enough agents to dedicate their shifts to sitting in front of monitors and staring at the cameras of high theft areas. I believe our liquor bottle security dilemma could have been avoided had the company been willing to provide all of its stores with EASy Bottle bottle locks, a theft solution from Alpha security. Whether a store is able to have a security team on its payroll or not, a bottle lock prevents the item from being opened before they are removed at the point of sale. With this peace of mind, store personnel can keep their merchandise on an open display without worrying about bottle security.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase EASy Bottle bottle locks by Alpha Security.

For more information on Alpha Security, Bottle Lock, Bottle locks, Bottle Security, liquor bottle security, or EASy Bottle contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.

Washington State Liquor Bottle Security

The State of Washington is in the process of privatizing liquor sales. This means there is a huge opportunity for retailers in the state! It also means that shoplifters are looking forward to new opportunities. Liquor bottle security is critical from the start. Retailers that take bottle security serious before they open their doors to liquor sales customers this year will be ahead of the pack.

Bottles locks such as EASy Bottle, EASy Guarde, Crystal Guarde and Steel Grip by Alpha Security will keep your profits in store by denying shoplifters the ability to steal your product. Bottle locks can even deny shoplifters the ability to open and consume or pour off your merchandise into a flask before they even leave the store.

Washington State retailers will be facing these same issues just like other states have. The great news is that the bottle lock solution works and works very well. Alpha Security basically invented the bottle lock and produces the highest quality bottle locks made. They are built to stand up to wear and tear in a retail environment. A bottle lock is simple and easy to apply and remove, by store staff.

A bottle security program is easy to set up and maintain. It is clearly cost effective. Consider the loss of one bottle of Grey Goose. Shoplifters do not target less expensive brands they go right for the expensive stuff. Securing these bottles behind a counter has a negative effect on your good customers. They cannot shop and compare as easily. Keeping all product on the sales floor and available it the principal behind a wine and liquor bottle security program.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase EASy Bottle bottle locks by Alpha Security.

For more information on Alpha Security , Bottle Lock , Bottle locks , Bottle Security , liquor bottle security or EASy Bottle contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

It’s A Snap!

Being a mentor to several managers and loss prevention employees within my company, I seem to field a lot of problem solving questions. Some of the questions that pop up are about liquor bottle security. What’s the best solution? What is cost effective? Will it be a drain on my payroll to implement and then maintain? I usually recommend the use of bottle locks for all around bottle security.

Alpha Security has a nice assortment of EASy Bottle Bottle Locks. They are designed to fit a variety of sizes and types of liquor bottles. By protecting the contents inside, the locks create an easy solution to liquor bottle theft and unauthorized usage. It’s a great addition to protecting your investments in both the retail sector and in restaurants or bars.

The bottle locks are easy to apply, easy to maintain, and easy to get results. I always recommend to my trainees that sometimes it is the easiest solution to a problem that garners the best results.

I know that cost effective liquor bottle security will always be a question. When you use a bottle lock, not only will it save countless hours of misspent payroll, but also it saves the headache of worrying about bottle security.

There are enough challenges out there that take up our time when it comes to customer service, merchandising, and driving sales. When you can eliminate the problems associated with shrink, it’s a snap to say EASy Bottles really are easy!

 Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase EASy Bottle bottle locks by Alpha Security.

For more information on Bottle Security , liquor bottle security or EASy Bottle, Alpha Security , Bottle Lock , Bottle locks, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Top Notch Security For Your Top Shelf

One of the best parts about my job is being sent around the country to conduct training classes. It’s a chance for me to break out of my normal routine and see how regional differences shape our outlooks. I gain valuable insight into loss prevention tactics and methods that are often very different from my own.

One of the topics that often come up is liquor bottle security. Where and how alcohol is sold varies by law from state to state. Some states only allow sales in certain stores marked only for the sales of wine and spirits. Other states allow anyone from the convenience store to the local big box chain to grocery stores to sell any time of day or night.

While state laws differ drastically, the fact that liquor is a high theft item is pretty universal. The need for liquor bottle security is across the board. One of the major players in bottle security is a company called Alpha Security. Their line of bottle locks like the EASy Bottle is top notch.

It’s a universal solution to a universal problem. The Bottle locks are great for not only preventing liquor bottle theft, but also for wine bottles. As I continue to travel and compare notes with my trainees, I always mention this line of products to them. It might just be the solution they have been waiting for to protect their top shelf.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase EASy Bottle bottle locks by Alpha Security.

For more information on Alpha Security , Bottle Lock , Bottle locks , Bottle Security , liquor bottle security or EASy Bottle contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

How Does A Bottle Lock Work?

Bottle locks have become a very popular device for preventing shoplifting. These bottle locks prevent the opening of a bottle of liquor in the store and the thief either pouring it off into another container or drinking it there. A bottle lock can either be a device that goes on the neck of the bottle or in the form of a cap that goes over the top of the bottle. Consideration must also be given to whether or not the retailer has an Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) system or not. Let me explain all three of these issues as it pertains to liquor bottle security.

First, an EAS system is a set of antennas that are placed at customer entry/exits. If a shoplifter attempts to remove any liquor bottle that has liquor bottle security on it, it activates the system and lets staff know. These systems such as a Checkpoint system are professionally installed and have a 15+ year life span if maintained. Their cost is nominal especially when you consider that they deter the theft of expensive bottles of liquor or wine.

Next, the first kind of bottle security is the Bottle cap. The very first version of this is the EASy Bottle by Alpha Security. The latest model is the EASy Guarde also by Alpha Security. There are several models of bottle locks in between that provide different features. A bottle lock cap fits over the top of the bottle and covers the bottles cap completely. It locks onto the neck of the bottle. This keeps anyone from removing it or opening the bottle. Built into the bottle lock is an EAS tag. So if a shoplifter approaches the doors it will notify staff. The beauty of bottle lock caps is that they can be used without an EAS system. This is called product denial. If a shoplifter does steal the bottle chances are that the bottle will shatter before the shoplifter gets the cap off.

The second kind of bottle security is the Steel Grip also by Alpha Security. The Steel Grip fits around the neck of the bottle only. It locks in place. If a shoplifter tries the steal the bottle the built in EAS hard tag sets the system off. The steal grip must be used in conjunction with an EAS system and does not provide product denial. However, Steel Grip is less expensive.

Both types of bottle locks require a special S3 key to remove them. These keys are controlled and only sold to verified retailers. Bottle locks are reusable over and over.

 Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase EASy Bottle bottle locks by Alpha Security.

For more information on Alpha Security, Bottle Lock , Bottle locks , Bottle Security , liquor bottle security or EASy Bottle contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

Liquor Bottle Security: A Package Deal!!

So a friend of mine decides he wants to open a “package store” which is essentially a liquor store. He is one of these guys that “sees” more on a big picture level as opposed to worrying about the details. We all know the saying “the devil is in the details”. Well one of those “devils” is liquor bottle security. This was a detail that he ignored wholeheartedly while planning his business. I don’t think my friend ever gave one thought to the fact I spent almost 15 years in the loss prevention field when he was setting up his business. In fact I don’t think he gave any thought to security at all in his “business plan”. He had the idea, he had money and away he went to open his business. That is where the trouble began.

I watched him from afar wondering how he would employ bottle security over his product. I secretly started doing my own research knowing eventually the flickering fluorescent light bulb over his head would eventually blink on and he would get the idea to call me for help. My research started with looking for a company that had some type of a bottle lock or bottle security device. I came across a company called Alpha Security that had created some pretty innovative products. They had the EASy bottle system which employed bottle locks that had their own alarms as well as an embedded rf chip that would alert the alarm pedestals at the front of the store if the product with alarm was removed from the store without deactivation. The bottle locks were impressive to say the least, strong, sleek and not cumbersome. I envisioned any attempt at bottle security would involve a big clunky piece that would inhibit any useful way of storing or marketing the bottles. I was thankfully wrong and with my initial research on Alpha Security being very promising I chose to delve deeper into the EASy bottle lock system.

At this point in time my friend was feeling the first pangs of inventory loss. Since he had almost no liquor bottle security tools he fast became the neighborhood’s easy theft target. His version of a bottle lock was to take all of his expensive bottles and lock them up in the storage room. This hurt him due to having limited representation of that product on the sales floor as well as needing additional personnel to pull the product from the stockroom when a customer did desire the product. Another form of liquor bottle security he employed was putting handwritten signs around the store which stated “If you steal you go to jail”.  Besides the fact they were handwritten they did not give the good customers a “warm fuzzy” feeling about shopping in his store.  My friend was really struggling trying to invent his own version of bottle locks when it finally dawned on him to call me to discuss a strategy to lower his shrink.

Knowing my friend and his stubbornness is why I let him finally get to the point of realizing he needed my help, otherwise anything I said would have fallen on deaf ears. Don’t we all know someone like that??  I quickly brought him up to speed about the EASy bottle system which was developed by Alpha Security. I showed him a picture of the bottle lock that I thought would best suit his business. He could not believe that this lean and sleek lock had an embedded alarm as well as the fact that if someone attempted to defeat the bottle lock it would render the product inconsumable. He immediately jumped at the idea and purchased the EASy Bottle system. I helped him set the system up as well as ensured that the staff was fully trained on how to install, audit, deactivate and remove the bottle locks. I also spent extra time training my friend and his staff on how to properly react when any alarms sounded.

Now my friends business is booming due to proper product representation, good marketing and fully secured product. I am just wondering when he will decide to cut me a check for helping him out!! Anyway I was glad to help out a friend in need.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase EASy Bottle bottle locks by Alpha Security.

 For more information on Alpha Security , Bottle Lock , Bottle locks , Bottle Security , liquor bottle security or EASy Bottle contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Is your bottle security program Super Bowl approved?

The days are closing in on a major party holiday.  The Super Bowl brings millions together for party and tailgating fun.  Obviously one of the main party ingredients (for a good party anyway) is the alcohol.  But what happens when funds are a little tight and $100’s for booze isn’t available?  Unfortunately, for many the answer is not cheaper beer.  It means theft.  I suggest using bottle security to protect your profits for those who aim to intercept your products.

One great bottle security option is to use bottle locks from Alpha Security.  There are several bottle locks that Alpha Security offers to aid your theft defense.  The most popular solution is the “EASy Bottle” bottle lock.  The “EASy Bottle” bottle lock is a cap that keeps the contents safe and works with your existing EAS system (both RF and AM systems) to sound the alarm if the product is being stolen.  Another type of bottle lock option is the Steel Grip.  For some champagnes and other large spout liquor bottles the bottle cap options won’t fit.  The Steel Grip is an EAS tag that is wrapped around the neck of the bottle and is tamper resistant.  This still gives good protection as it too will sound the alarm in the event of the theft.

Don’t rely on luck and a hail marry to score profits this year.  Hit the field with a game plan aimed at all phases of the game.  Using bottle locks (for your offense plan) allows open displaying of products which provides the customer the best access to buy their products and increase sales.  Bolster that defense with bottle security and protect those hard earned points.  You know what they say, “Defense Wins Championships”.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase EASy Bottle bottle locks by Alpha Security.

For more information on Alpha Security , Bottle locks , Bottle Security, Bottle Lock, liquor bottle security or EASy Bottle contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

But Officer, I Didn’t Steal it, I Just Drank Some of It.

I was surfing around the Internet the other day, when I saw a news report about a man who had gone into a liquor store and started to drink one of the bottles of tequila. Apparently much mayhem ensued afterwards as the employee tried to get him to stop and leave the store. Wow. I sure felt sorry for that employee!

Liquor bottle security isn’t always about someone coming in and trying to shoplift a bottle. After I read the article, I started digging around. Lax bottle security allows people to try to consume the alcohol on the premises, like in this story. There are also reported incidents of people trying to open bottles and pour the contents into other containers. They may not take the entire bottle, but what retailer can convince the next customer to buy an open, half empty bottle! What a discouraging loss.

In these cases, liquor bottle security should have been in place. The use of bottle locks, like the EASy bottle by Alpha Security, would have prevented the loss from occurring. With out having access to the bottles’ contents, these types of offenders would have more than likely left the store without incident.

I am sure the employee of that particular liquor store would very much have appreciated it. With so many other things to contend with, why make one more hassle for a hard working employee.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase EASy Bottle bottle locks by Alpha Security.

For more information on Alpha Security , Bottle Lock , Bottle locks , Bottle Security , liquor bottle security or EASy Bottle contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Bottle security made EASy with Alpha.

Stores who sell alcohol know that theft is a real problem.  Good liquor and wines can be quite expensive and are commonly stolen by persons who either cannot afford or simply don’t want to pay the high prices.  Alpha Security is a leader in bottle security with several bottle locks aimed at protecting these products.

For liquor bottle security I recommend “EASy bottle” bottle locks.  The “EASy bottle” bottle lock is a cap that clamps over the spout of the liquor bottle.  This liquor bottle security device prevents the contents from being accessed and it also works with your existing AM and RF EAS systems to sound the door alarm if the shoplifter tries to conceal and walk out with unpaid for product. “EASy bottle” bottle locks fit most standard sized alcohol bottles and are a great asset.

For bottle security for those items where the “EASy bottle” bottle lock does not fit (such as large mouth liquor bottles or wines and champagnes) you can use the Steel Grip bottle security lock from Alpha Security.  This bottle lock goes around the neck of the bottle and has an EAS sensor that will trigger the door alarm if the merchandise tries to “walk out” without being purchased.

The great thing about these bottle security products from Alpha Security is that they promote open displaying.  Many stores use cases to lock their high dollar product up.  This hurts sales as customers want to read the description labels and don’t want to wait on someone to come unlock a case.  Many customers want to grab their products, take them to the cashier and leave.  That extra hassle of waiting negatively impacts sales.  With these bottle locks in place you can once again openly display your product, but still have peace of mind that it is safe and sound.

 Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase EASy Bottle bottle locks by Alpha Security.

For more information on EASy Bottle, Bottle Lock, Bottle locks , Bottle Security , liquor bottle security or Alpha Security contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Loss Prevention Solutions for Grocery Retailers: Alpha Security

Grocery retailers are becoming more and more aware of the impact of shrink.  Shoplifters often target high dollar items for the purpose of resale.  In the grocery sector liquor is one of the more sought after items for theft.  Knowing this has caused many retailers to use Liquor bottle security.  Bottle locks have quickly become the go to Liquor bottle security solution for many national, regional and local grocery retailers.

The impact of bottle lock technology can be immediately seen in a grocer’s shortage numbers.  By employing bottle locks, a business can create an environment that deters shoplifting.  Bottle lock technology works in a fashion that secures the stores merchandise, but is not intrusive to the customer.  Alpha security provides a product called EASy bottle.  The EASy bottle is a product that is great for grocery retailers and for service industry businesses.  The EASy bottle allows the owner to limit access to the contents of liquor and wine bottles.  The EASy bottle is attached to the cork or bottle opening to secure the product from being opened.  The bottle lock is released with a key that is specific in design for the lock.   This bottle lock is currently being used for liquor bottle security in grocery, restaurants and bars.

Bottle locks can also be useful in liquor bottle security for internal theft.   By controlling product with bottle locks, you can limit your employees’ access to liquor.  Internal theft is an unfortunate element of any business.  By using Alpha Security’s EASy bottle, employees will be less able to remove product from the store.  This will work best if the bottle locks are secured and only accessible to your management staff.  Bottle security should be a focus for any management team, business, corporation, or grocery.  Bottle security can help secure your product and limit access by unwanted thieves.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase EASy Bottle bottle locks by Alpha Security.

For more information on Alpha Security , Bottle Lock , Bottle locks , Bottle Security , liquor bottle security or EASy Bottle contact us or call 1.770.426.0547