Prevent Shoplifting

Preventing shoplifting vs. Stopping a shoplifter

April 2, 2012 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

When most people think about store security they think that their job is to catch shoplifters. But in reality a better way to safeguard retail store merchandise is to Prevent shoplifting. Retail anti theft devices are one way to prevent shoplifting, but there are other methods that can be addressed to help in this matter.

Obviously store security will apprehend suspect shoplifter when they are caught in the act of shoplifting. But as a business owner you also want to have a way to deter shoplifters from even attempting to shoplift. Retail anti theft devices come in various forms to deter theft such a placing RF security tags, RF security labels on clothing and other hi value items or keeping hi value items under lock and key.

But one of the most valuable anti theft weapon that a business has is the staff. Training your staff properly on methods to prevent shoplifting is one of the best ways when combining it with retail anti theft devices can deter theft. Most shoplifters do not want to enter a store that has observant and a staff very skilled in customer service. If a shoplifter sees that the staff is very observant in the department and approaches them seeking to help them. They aren’t able to remove the retail anti theft devices from the merchandise. So the shoplifter would rather leave empty handed than take a chance of being apprehended.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store for retail anti theft devices that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

For more information on how you can use retail anti theft devices to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Prevent Shoplifting, Retail Anti Theft Devices

They don’t help if you don’t use them right

March 30, 2012 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

The other day I was out shopping with my wife at one of her favorite retail clothing stores. It is one of those places that offers bargains and sale prices on big name items in the fashion community and has on hand everything from shoes, perfumes, clothes, handbags, and even cookware. As I was staring off into oblivion (as I am unable to maintain interest in a store that offers nothing to those of us with a Y chromosome) I noticed something that actually roused me from my self-induced stupor.

It was as we were walking through the part of the store where they kept the handbags. The bags are on racks and hang by their straps to save space and provide ease of access and, upon inspection I noticed the majority of them had 2 Alarm tags affixed to them. In and of itself, the application of 2 Alarm tags, or ANY retail anti theft device on designer handbags was nothing special. Rather, it was HOW the 2 Alarm tags had been affixed that caught my eye.

On almost every bag I came across, the 2 Alarm tags had been placed on the most ineffectual part of the bag possible. Rather than thread a heavy ring or loop of any of the bags, the tags had been secured AROUND the straps themselves. These meant that anyone wishing to remove them would only need to unlatch one side of the adjustable strap and simply slide the tag right off the purse.

I doubt it had been intentional but it was so blatant I had to tell the store management about the oversight. There’s no point having retail anti theft devices if they aren’t going to be used effectively.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store for retail anti theft devices in conjunction with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

For more information on how you can use retail anti theft devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: 2 Alarm, Prevent Shoplifting, Retail Anti Theft Devices

Alpha’s Cable Lok Will Secure Your Handbags

March 26, 2012 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

While employed at a department store, we began experiencing an increase in grab and run incidents involving handbags. One or more shoplifters would enter the store, pile purses on their arms, and quickly flee the store and enter an awaiting vehicle. For Loss Prevention, our ability to prevent shoplifting of this merchandise proved arduous; unless we were fortunate enough to be watching the door or happened to initiate observation of the subject before selection, an honest stop wasn’t feasible.

My company had eliminated using cable lock boxes and tethering merchandise to racks a few years earlier because they inhibited customers’ ability to try on and examine the merchandise and thus reduced sales. Additionally, they certainly didn’t make for an attractive display of designer handbags. Since eliminating those tools, they hadn’t found a replacement retail anti-theft device to protect purses and smaller leather goods.

With the augmentation of grab and run incidents, my employer turned to Checkpoint System’s Alpha division to find a solution to prevent shoplifting in our Handbags department and they recommended the Cable Lok, available in either a 2-Alarm or 3-Alarm format. Both solutions sound when tampered with and activate an EAS signal, but the 2-Alarm lacks the feature of self-alarming if removed from the store.

The retail anti-theft device that my company chose for this type of merchandise was the 3-Alarm Cable Lok, which we could easily secure around the handle of the purse and it wouldn’t get in the way when honest customers wanted to see what it looked like over their shoulder. Not only did they eliminate our grab and run incidents, we received excellent feedback from our customers. Whether the 2-Alarm or 3-Alarm suits your needs, the Alpha Cable Lok will help you reduce loss in your store too!

Visit the Loss Prevention Store for retail anti theft devices in conjunction with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

For more information on how you can use retail anti theft devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Prevent Shoplifting, Retail Anti Theft Devices

Retail Anti-Theft Devices: Technology For A Real Problem

March 23, 2012 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

Shoplifting or theft is as old as the marketplace. For many years retailers worked with limited technology to address the issue, but today is a new day. The loss prevention industry has long sought for new technology to provide an edge against shoplifting. Recently, the focus has been on retail anti-theft devices as a means to prevent shoplifting. Currently, there are many retail anti-theft devices on the markets, some examples are: 2 Alarm, 3 Alarm, Jewel Lok, Nano Gate, Shark Tag, and Spider Wrap.

Each of these tools has their place in the retail environment. The 2 Alarm and the 3 Alarm security tags is a flexible article security tag. It can be used for many different applications such as: Clothing security, merchandise security and most of all to prevent shoplifting. The 2 Alarm and 3 Alarm tags use RF or EAS technology to notify the store’s personnel in the event that merchandise is taken from the store. These tags work best with merchandise that can be pinned. The Jewel Lok is a small security tag. The Jewel Lok is designed to work to secure your high priced jewelry. The Jewel Lok works on the same principal as the 2 Alarm and 3 Alarm, but in a smaller package. These devices are designed to prevent shoplifting

The shark tag and Spider Wrap are newer products to hit the marketplace. The Shark tag is used to prevent loses that can occur from return fraud. The Shark Tag is a non EAS/RF retail anti theft device. It is attached to merchandise and easily removed by cutting. This allows the retailer to see if the merchandise has been worn. While not designed to prevent shoplifting, the retailer can then deny the return of unsellable merchandise. Spider Wrap is used for securing merchandise packaged within boxes. The Spider Wrap retail anti-theft device is a great tool for “tagging” these difficult to control items.

All of the above mentioned retail anti-theft devices could be partnered with the Nano Gate. The Nano Gate is a device that is placed on the exit/entrance of an area that needs to be secure and not have your product in the area. I’ve worked in the loss prevention industry for a number of years and it’s my belief that it is important to invest in retail anti theft devices for the health of any business.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store for retail anti theft devices that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

For more information on how you can use retail anti theft devices to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: 2 Alarm, 3 Alarm, Jewel Lok, Nano Gate, Prevent Shoplifting, Retail Anti Theft Devices, Shark Tag, Spider Wrap

Nano Gates are no use without tags!

March 19, 2012 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

The other day I was in a store in a different part of the district that had not reported any tagging audits in over four months. It just so happened that at that same point in history that store’s Loss Prevention department had been dissolved due to budget cuts, leaving all Loss Prevention duties in the hands of the store manager and his assistant managers. Unfortunately they weren’t all that knowledgeable, or bright, when it came to enforcing and adhering to LP practices.

I was there with a team of other LP associates to perform a sweep of the property and find everything that was being done incorrectly so that it could be corrected and to simultaneously instruct store management as to how to perform their required duties. While there were a few major issues, such as no employee bag checks or failure to review CCTV footage, the biggest issue was found in the realm of what I was assigned to look for.

There wasn’t a single retail anti theft device in place, anywhere. Not a one 2 Alarm or 3 Alarm tag was in place. Not even a Spider Wrap haphazardly attached to a bulk item.

We were stunned.

This was a store that had a fully functional Nano Gate system at all of the entrances, but that was of course useless without any retail anti theft devices to set it off. When asked how they expected the Nano Gates to function, the store manager thought that all products arrived in store with security devices hidden inside them.

At this point you may apply palm to face in frustration.

As for the store supply of retail anti theft devices; we found ALL OF THEM tucked away in a stock room in boxes that clearly indicated what they were.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store for retail anti theft devices that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

For more information on how you can use retail anti theft devices to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: 2 Alarm, 3 Alarm, Nano Gate, Prevent Shoplifting, Retail Anti Theft Devices, Spider Wrap

The Benefits of 3 Alarm Technology to Prevent Shoplifting and Liability

March 16, 2012 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

There is a large amount of shoplifting in retail stores today. In fact, shoplifting is a multi-billion dollar a year industry. It affects not only your store’s profits, but the economy as a whole. In addition, there is a lot of liability in making shoplifting apprehensions. Not only can injury be a result, but so can slander, unlawful imprisonment, etc. as well. Many companies have gone away from making apprehensions altogether as the liability is just too high. This is not a real solution as it then makes them a target for increased activity and possible Organized Retail Crime. So how do you prevent shoplifting and keep liability in check?

The answer is by using 3 Alarm technology from Alpha Security. Retail anti theft devices are a staple in the Loss Prevention industry because they work. Items like EAS tags pose a danger to shoplifters as it draws attention to them which can lead to their arrest. This is an important tool in the fight to prevent shoplifting. To take this one step further Alpha Security created 3 Alarm technology. These retail anti theft devices have an alarm built in. So not only does the door alarm sound, but if tampered with or stolen the item alarms itself.

This “alarm” part of the 3 Alarm technology is where the reduced liability comes into play. Many times the EAS alarm sounds and we don’t know why. It is tricky to engage the person who set off the alarm without making accusations that will come back to bite us. It is much easier and safer to question the alarm sounding from their pants. While a customer can blame a new wallet or their cell phone for setting off the door alarm, there really is no way to explain the alarm from within their personal possession. This gives store associates a much less liable way to ask for their product back.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store for retail anti theft devices that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

For more information on how you can use retail anti theft devices to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: 3 Alarm, Prevent Shoplifting, Retail Anti Theft Devices

The Innovative Solution

March 14, 2012 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

A very large part of having the successful ability to prevent shoplifting is the ability to be innovative. Sometimes innovation comes in the form of bribery. For example: Pizza Party to the lowest shrink loss department!

Sometimes innovation comes in the form of excessive communication- Tell me again why your LP newsletter is taped to the lunch tables and inside the bathroom stalls?

Sometimes innovation comes in the form of retail anti theft devices like the Nano Gate. The Nano Gate is a replacement for the EAS towers located at the entrance doors. No longer big and bulky, this tower is streamlined to accommodate a new scope of uses.

The Nano Gate is great for boutiques and small specialty stores as it keeps with a more customer friendly or high-end image. Because of it’s more compact size, it can be used not just at the points of egress, but also in mini areas or pads.

Need a watchdog on your handbag wall? There it is! How about some infrequently used corners or back stock areas? Perfect there too. Do you have an employee entrance? What a great deterrent from employee theft!

Retail anti theft devices can seem to be the same thing over and over. Innovative solutions can brake out of those molds. Knowing when and how to utilize these innovations will make all the difference in the world when it comes to your bottom line profits. Don’t be the same, innovate!

Visit the Loss Prevention Store for retail anti theft devices that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

For more information on how you can use retail anti theft devices to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Nano Gate, Prevent Shoplifting, Retail Anti Theft Devices

Retail Anti-Theft Devices: Technology For A Real Problem

March 12, 2012 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

Visit the Loss Prevention Store for retail anti theft devices that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

For more information on how you can use retail anti theft devices to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: 2 Alarm, 3 Alarm, Jewel Lok, Nano Gate, Prevent Shoplifting, Retail Anti Theft Devices, Shark Tag, Spider Wrap

Jewel Lok is a must for spring season.

March 9, 2012 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

We are at that time of year that I usually find an increase in jewelry shopping at my store. All the new spring dresses and outfits require the matching accessories. In addition, the warm weather change is more inviting to jewelry as short sleeves and open cut tops are better for showing off bracelets, necklaces, etc. With that said, it is also a hard time to control the inventory. We all know that quality accessories are expensive. Many consumers want the product, but don’t want to pay the price. I have found the Jewel Lok by Alpha to be a great help in my efforts to prevent shoplifting.

Alpha security makes a revolutionary line of retail anti theft devices. Alpha offers many different retail anti theft devices that are made for specific products. Finally a company that does not employee a one size fits all approach to prevent shoplifting. The Jewel Lok comes in several different options. You can get Jewel Lok devices that will fit on stud earrings, loop earrings and other loose jewelry (such as bracelets, necklaces, watches, etc.). There are two main benefits to these retail anti theft devices. The first is that these locks physically attach to the product and cannot be easily removed like a soft EAS label. There is much more security here. The second benefit is they still provide open showing. We lose a lot of sales when we lock product inside cases. Many customers don’t like waiting on an employee just to see a product. You can still openly display these products, but rest easy knowing they are protected.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store for retail anti theft devices that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

For more information on how you can use retail anti theft devices to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Jewel Lok, Prevent Shoplifting, Retail Anti Theft Devices

Reactionary Protection

March 7, 2012 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

We don’t always know what items are going to be the next hot theft item or what merchandise we are going to need to focus on to prevent shoplifting next. Sometimes it takes a few losses to realize how desirable something has become to a shoplifter. The best that we can do before theft becomes noticeable is to protect our most expensive merchandise with a Spider Wrap, Jewel Lok, Shark Tag, or one of the many other retail anti theft devices that are available on the market.

When deciding what to spider wrap after assessing price points, my typical strategy is to focus on things that are easy to steal and easy to sell. Any high dollar item with packaging that has a handle shoots straight to the top of my spider wrap priority list. High dollar small or easy to conceal items are typically first on my spider wrap list as well. Sometimes browsing local resale shops or online resale websites can help to identify what merchandise is being targeted.

When determining what merchandise to shark tag, I will typically tag merchandise seasonally or as I am noticing trends in used merchandise returns on specific types of merchandise. The most common time that we utilize a shark tag is during school dance seasons such as prom or homecoming. Affixing a shark tag to all high dollar dresses helps to prevent people from purchasing and using the item for their big event and then returning afterward. We will also use a shark tag on our leather coats to prevent seasonal wearers who purchase an expensive coat at the beginning of the season and return it once the cold season is over.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store for retail anti theft devices that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

For more information on how you can use retail anti theft devices to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Jewel Lok, Prevent Shoplifting, Retail Anti Theft Devices, Shark Tag, Spider Wrap