retail theft prevention

Checkpoint Security System; The High Cost Of Spending Nothing

February 14, 2017 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

It never ceases to amaze me when I walk through my local mall and I see a store with absolutely nothing for Retail theft prevention. There isn’t a locking peg hook, apparel soft tag, no Checkpoint security system or anything that could even remotely Stop Shoplifting. Now I’m not talking about the anchor stores and big boxes selling $6 t shirts I’m seeing this in the mid and smaller retailers, the boutique style stores with $135 pairs of jeans and $300 purses that are laying naked on the shelf.

I’ve had occasion to ask store managers and owners if they had no protection because they didn’t see much theft. You probably won’t be surprised to hear that I have never had one say this. What I do hear is that investing in Retail theft prevention like the Checkpoint security system is too expensive to be worth it. Too expensive? Really? I wasn’t a math major in college but I’m pretty sure at $135 per pair of jeans it doesn’t take more than a few booster hits to really wreck your profits and drive shrink through the roof.

I point this out and I’m usually countered by people saying that those systems don’t stop shoplifting 100% anyway so why bother? This answer always amazes me. I’ve been doing security work for over a decade and I can tell you that barbed wire and machine guns aren’t enough to Stop shoplifting 100% and neither is locks, chains and glass cases but you don’t see jewelry stores laying merchandise on nice neat shelves instead of inside locked cabinets.

Devices like the Checkpoint security system provide a strong visual signal that you want to protect your merchandise. Both professional thieves and the fence sitting general public will have to choose to challenge that system if they want to steal from you and in many cases they will avoid that risk. Successful Retail theft prevention is all about maximizing the value of the dollars spent on security by increase profits and reducing shrink.

The investment you make to Stop shoplifting may not always look like it is making you money, especially when you look at the line item expense on your P&L but come year end the systems more than pay for themselves. I’ve seen $3000 booster hits prevented by something as simple as a door alarm and an attentive associate. That was one attempt, by one booster. Doesn’t take many of those types of preventions for that investment in retail theft prevention to pay for itself.

There is more value that your investment into a Checkpoint security system that you can’t see. The people who never try to steal because they know your protected are an invisible, but gigantic part of the puzzle. We can’t say for sure how large this number is but if the industry average for loss to theft is 11%, and that is with a Retail theft prevention system in place to Stop shoplifting, it isn’t a large stretch to imagine what that loss looks like to an unprotected store.

Last, but certainly not least is that equipping your store with a Checkpoint security system may be an expense but it is paid one time. Theft can occur every day, of every week, of every month, of every year. The system you install can last you for years and once it has paid for itself in shrink reductions that investment starts making you money, week after week, season after season. If you’re not protecting your inventory you are losing money on your inventory and it’s only a matter of time before your results show the High cost of doing nothing.

Need information on Checkpoint Systems Electronic Article Surveillance? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: checkpoint security system, checkpoint systems, retail theft prevention, stop shoplifting

Checkpoint Systems Has All Of Your Retail Theft Prevention Needs Covered

January 10, 2017 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

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Checkpoint Systems Has All Of Your Retail Theft Prevention Needs Covered

As we all know, you can’t completely prevent shoplifting, but we can hopefully reduce it. Shoplifting has been occurring since the 16th Century and only continues to grow more prevalent throughout time. There are plenty of reasons why people shoplift; some enjoy the thrill of the act, others are professionals that steal for profit, and some steal out of convenience or a sense of entitlement. Many shoplifters don’t see it as a serious crime, or fear the consequences if they get caught, which only adds to the problem. Some even justify their actions based on the high cost/profit margin associated with the types of items they steal. Some people blame the economy because they work for a living, but still can’t afford the things they want or need. The higher rates of shoplifting are not limited to a small type or class of people. On the contrary we see people of various ages, sex, race, and even socioeconomic status committing these crimes. So if we can’t stop shoplifting, all we can do is reduce our risk and mitigate our loss, through the use of retail theft prevention devices and systems. Checkpoint Systems can supply your company with all the products you need to reduce theft and increase profits.

If you are in Law Enforcement or Loss Prevention, you have probably seen some crazy and funny things throughout your career. In my 15 years in Law Enforcement, I have seen every variation of shoplifter, at some point, and have had some very interesting encounters. We know we can’t stop shoplifting because there are too many means and methods used to steal merchandise. That is why retail theft prevention is so important. We have loss prevention employees so we can try and prevent the blatant attempts to steal items on the retail floor. This helps to identify the old lady who intentionally removes and ingests one multi-vitamin a day because she refuses to pay full price for something her doctor says is important to her health and wellbeing. But we all know that loss prevention associates can’t be everywhere at once and can’t stop shoplifting singlehandedly. That is why we add security tags or labels to our merchandise so that we can be notified when Mr. Shoplifter decides to add a sweater to his wardrobe before trying to leave the store. Don’t be surprised to learn that he actually added the sweater over his existing clothing, so the hard tag was visible to anyone who paid him any attention. One of my favorite calls involved a teenage girl suspected of taking an inexpensive necklace. A plain clothes employee detained the girl after he believed she had concealed the item somewhere on her person. When I arrived, the employee informed me that the female refused to talk to him, and had not turned over the merchandise. It was soon discovered that she had concealed the necklace in her mouth; therefore talking was not an ideal option for her. Not sure how she saw that one playing out? Retail theft prevention is an inevitable way of life for any retailer who wants to protect their property and their pocket book, which is why Checkpoint Systems are essential to support your loss prevention program.

Although we can’t stop shoplifting entirely, there are plenty of ways you can reduce your risk. As a member of the loss prevention and law enforcement community I have seen it all, but retail theft prevention is not impossible. Checkpoint Systems can provide you and your employer with all the loss prevention products you need to fight off shoplifters. While we joke about some of our personal shoplifting experiences, we also know that shoplifting is a growing problem in our industry, that can’t be ignored.

Need information on Checkpoint Systems? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.

As we all know, you can’t completely prevent shoplifting, but we can hopefully reduce it. Shoplifting has been occurring since the 16th Century and only continues to grow more prevalent throughout time. here are plenty of reasons why people shoplift; some enjoy the thrill of the act, others are professionals that steal for profit, and some steal out of convenience or a sense of entitlement. Many shoplifters don’t see it as a serious crime, or fear the consequences if they get caught, which only adds to the problem. Some even justify their actions based on the high cost/profit margin associated with the types of items they steal. Some people blame the economy because they work for a living, but still can’t afford the things they want or need. The higher rates of shoplifting are not limited to a small type or class of people. On the contrary we see people of various ages, sex, race, and even socioeconomic status committing these crimes. So if we can’t stop shoplifting, all we can do is reduce our risk and mitigate our loss, through the use of retail theft prevention devices and systems. Checkpoint Systems can supply your company with all the products you need to reduce theft and increase profits.

Need information on Checkpoint Systems? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: checkpoint systems, retail theft prevention, stop shoplifting

Unexpected Advantages Of A Checkpoint Security System – Detect Missed Bottom Of Basket Merchandise Before It Leaves The Store

December 7, 2016 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

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Unexpected Advantages Of A Checkpoint Security System – Detect Missed Bottom Of Basket Merchandise Before It Leaves The Store

When you think of Checkpoint systems, what comes to mind first? Anti-shoplifting equipment? Retail theft prevention? You would be correct in your choices, but there are other benefits of having a Checkpoint security system that might not come immediately to mind. A large portion of merchandise shortage does result from criminal activity and it is important to stop shoplifting and employee theft. However, it is important to know that shortage can be caused by operational issues. Think of a time when you had a shopping cart full of merchandise, you checked out and pushed your cart to the parking lot. After you put your bags in the trunk you realize there was an item on the bottom of the buggy, perhaps a bag of dog food, or even a small item such as a pen or cosmetic item that was not scanned. Most of us would be honest and take the merchandise back to the store and pay for it, or leave it with the customer service counter and decide it isn’t worth the time to go back through the checkout. This isn’t always the case. There are people that overlook items and once outside decide to take it and blame the cashier for not catching it. Other people see it left in a shopping cart in the parking lot and just walk off with the merchandise. Regardless of how the merchandise was missed it was still not paid for and amounts to shrinkage. A Checkpoint security system can prevent operational losses and stop shoplifting at the same time.

Checkpoint systems use radio frequency waves transmitted from Checkpoint tags and received by Checkpoint electronic article surveillance antennas to create a protective screen for stores. As merchandise is paid for at a point of sale, hard tags are removed from merchandise using a Checkpoint detachment tool and the tags are ready for reuse. Deactivation units at the point of sale deactivate Checkpoint labels so they are unable to cause antenna alarms. Protected merchandise that does not pass through a point of sale causes an antenna alarm to activate. Staff members respond to those alarms and conduct receipt checks to locate the merchandise that has not been paid for and can offer to ring it up or return it to the store if the customer chooses not to purchase it. Either way, merchandise is recovered or sold thereby accounting for it and preventing a loss.

Just how big a deal are non-crime associated losses to stores? According to the 2014-2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer Report, administrative and non-crime related losses accounted for 13% of shrinkage in North America, translating to approximately 4.78 BILLION dollars (pg. 53)! The report does not break down these losses any further, and we know that some of this loss is paperwork and accounting related. On the other hand we also know that some of this loss is due to unpaid merchandise unintentionally being removed from the store. If all merchandise in a store was protected with Checkpoint tags or Checkpoint labels, that merchandise would be detected by a Checkpoint security system antenna before it could get out of the door.

The primary reason to invest in Checkpoint systems should be to stop shoplifting. Checkpoint tags and Checkpoint labels deter thieves when they see merchandise is protected. They cause EAS antenna alarms when people attempt to steal merchandise and result in recovered merchandise from items abandoned by thieves or through receipt checks. Whether it is intentional or not, it is important to remember that any merchandise recovered adds to the profit line. THAT is the benefit of investing in a Checkpoint security system!

Get more information on a Checkpoint security system. Contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: Anti-Shoplifting, Checkpoint labels, checkpoint security system, checkpoint systems, Checkpoint tags, retail theft prevention, stop shoplifting

Red Tape In Retail Theft Prevention

March 11, 2016 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

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Red Tape In Retail Theft Prevention

From small business to big box, all retailers have to have policies and guidelines to keep their operations going in the right direction. Cash control, hiring and training, and loss prevention measures, among other key business factors, should be consistent and fully understood by all members of your staff. I am a firm believer that employees should never quote policy in a customer service situation, but the company’s policies should be known and applied. These rules can sometimes be very stringent and restricting when it comes to how the staff can stop shoplifting issues. I work for a retail pharmacy, and our staff must meet several components before making a stop.

1. Only a member of management can make the stop.

2. The manager must see the person conceal merchandise.

3. They must be able to articulate exactly what the person has. (for example: I need to speak to you about the bottle of ibuprofen in your pocket.)

4. They must not lose sight of the suspect. If sight is lost at any point, the person cannot be stopped.

5. The person must be past the point of purchase. (for example: Between the registers and the Checkpoint Systems pedestals.)

6. Employees may not exit the building to follow or question a suspected shoplifter. No physical contact with the suspect is allowed.

I could say I have followed these rules every time I have made a stop. But that would put me in jeopardy of being struck by lightning, so I won’t.

Rules are made for good reasons. They are made to keep us, our customers, and our company safe. The thing is that sometimes you just can’t stick with them. Let’s say you are sitting in the office and you notice a suspicious character. They are darting around, filling a bag with expensive merchandise, like high end blue jeans. Or they have just emptied a couple of pegs of phone chargers or other electronics. Do you really want to wait on them to make a run for it? The Checkpoint Systems will alarm and go berserk, but it will be too late. No, I am not saying to go accuse them of plotting to steal. Don’t ever do that. But there is nothing stopping you from approaching them and offering some excellent customer service. Let them know you know what’s going on. Tell them their basket or bag looks awful heavy and tell them you will put it behind the checkout counter for them to pay for when they are ready. Same thing goes if they just have a handful of those electronics.

Take a look at the new trend of thieves coming in pairs. One gathers the merchandise while the other remains in the background. The staff is not even aware of the second person being part of this. The first one doesn’t pay any mind to cameras, or even attempt to hide what they are doing. They sometimes take the stuff to a restroom, where the accomplice is waiting. They don’t even bother trying to remove any Checkpoint Labels or other anti-shoplifting hardware. The gatherer comes out of the restroom with the bag, while it’s actually the accomplice that has the concealed items with them. Staff stops the first guy while the second guy gets away. They may even choose to make this exchange right near the front door, anticipating the alarm sounding, so during the distraction the store staff again naturally detains the wrong person. My solution to this may sound bad, but it makes more sense to stop this in its tracks. Otherwise, productivity halts, reports have to be written, and court dates will loom if you are able to make a successful recovery during one of these scams. The most likely scenario is second guy gets away, and you were too covered up dealing with the first guy to get any description or details about the one that got out anyway.

Of course, you have to make sure it all jives with your immediate supervisor, but I say stop the first guy while it is in progress. Before they even try to get past your Checkpoint Systems, take it all away from the one gathering, and put it behind the counter. Show them who’s in charge.

For more information on Checkpoint Systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

1. Only a member of management can make the stop.

2. The manager must see the person conceal merchandise.

3. They must be able to articulate exactly what the person has. (for example: I need to speak to you about the bottle of ibuprofen in your pocket.)

4. They must not lose sight of the suspect. If sight is lost at any point, the person cannot be stopped.

5. The person must be past the point of purchase. (for example: Between the registers and the Checkpoint Systems pedestals.)

6. Employees may not exit the building to follow or question a suspected shoplifter. No physical contact with the suspect is allowed.

I could say I have followed these rules every time I have made a stop. But that would put me in jeopardy of being struck by lightning, so I won’t.

For more information on Checkpoint Systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

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

There’s Plenty To Lose Without Checkpoint Systems

February 12, 2016 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

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There’s Plenty To Lose Without Checkpoint Systems

I work for a small retail pharmacy. We are located in an inner city setting within close proximity to several highways so we battle petty theft as well as the professional boosters. It’s a perfect storm. I try to shop local small businesses when I need something, whether it be for my home or even for my store. I am always on the lookout for new ways to stop shoplifting and I tend to pay close attention to what my neighbors are doing. The first thing I look for is the presence of Checkpoint Systems. If they do have a system in place, I look around to see what types of items or categories they have incorporated Checkpoint tags. It’s a good idea to know what is being targeted in other stores because you never know what you may get hit for next, especially if you carry similar items.

I had to go to a local dollar store last week because I needed supplies for my store that we don’t sell. For one, someone had stolen the toilet paper roller from the restroom. Yes, someone really stole that from our public restroom, presumably because they needed one. I hope it wasn’t just to be a jerk. Anyway, I went to this store and I made my usual observations. First of all, Checkpoint Systems were clearly in place and being utilized. And by being utilized, I actually mean they were working it to death. It was like I was in a Checkpoint Systems wonderland. This store staff tags EVERYTHING. I was in the back of the store checking around the housewares and I was simply amazed. Shower curtains, window curtains, sheet sets, and even table cloths all had Checkpoint Tags attached. They put them on the packs of socks, baby blankets, and even on bug spray bombs. These employees had tags on all the bags of beef jerky! Obviously, retail theft prevention is a priority for the manager or owner of this location. I could see cameras on the ceiling that looked like the whole place was covered with surveillance. It was, in my mind, a loss prevention department’s dream. When I walked up to the guy running the front I had to ask about the extreme measures they were taking to stop shoplifting. I told him about our restroom bandit and my reason for being there. He said they had to tag all their stuff because of all the theft that occurred there before. He then smirked at me and said they still steal the soap from our bathrooms. Oh well, you can’t win them all.

Now I have to admit, I don’t think I have the time or energy to start mega-tagging like this store does. And honestly, I don’t have that kind of need for it either. However, as a store manager, I do what I need to do and so do they. There’s another store close by that I shop and they don’t have a clue. Merchandise walks out of that store on a daily basis, and if they know it, they don’t make any changes to their business model. Checkpoint Systems will give you a return on your investment. When you use serious asset protection tools, you keep your bottom line in the black. Shrink can be reduced and thefts can be deterred as long as you know what you are losing and you do something about it.

For more information on Checkpoint Systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: checkpoint systems, Checkpoint tags, retail theft prevention, stop shoplifting

Checkpoint Systems Will Stop You from Appearing on the Shoplifter’s “Favorites”

January 13, 2016 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

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Checkpoint Systems Will Stop You from Appearing on the Shoplifter’s “Favorites”

“No one’s looking; go ahead and do it.” Little did they know that one of the 400 + cameras in the store was watching them intently as they struggled to remove the Alpha spider-wrap by Checkpoint systems that was protecting the game system from leaving the store without going through checkout. They moved from one system to another, hoping the result would be different and they would defeat the Checkpoint tag present in that spider-wrap that would ultimately give them away when they tried to leave. They at least knew they had to get the wrap off the merchandise if they were going to steal the merchandise, finally resorting to tearing into the box to remove the merchandise.

Of course the state where the store was located had anti-shoplifting laws that made it a crime to try to remove retail theft prevention devices. We stopped the individuals while they were still in the store and took them to detention. When asked why they spent so much time working on the spider-wraps their only answer was, “We knew we had to get the *@#! thing off before we could get away or it would activate the alarm at the door.” They were absolutely correct as the systems deployed in the store included electronic article surveillance (EAS) antennae at each exit from the store. Chalk another one up to Alpha anti-shoplifting spider-wraps and the Checkpoint systems for an assist in taking these two shoplifters into custody and preventing an expensive loss to the company in the three game systems they were trying to steal.

The store had a policy of placing Alpha spider-wraps and other anti-shoplifting devices on any merchandise valued at $50 or more and smaller than a large laptop computer. This policy was strictly enforced and audited and has prevented an uncountable number of shoplifters from taking some very high-dollar merchandise. It also allowed the high-dollar merchandise to be displayed on the retail floor where customers can interact with the merchandise with minimal risk of theft.

Besides Alpha spider-wraps, other retail theft prevention solutions are deployed throughout the store, including cableloks to secure display merchandise along with other display solutions for cell phones and tablets, allowing them to still be displayed and interacted with by the customer. Alpha keepers are also deployed on games and CDs to make them visible while ensuring the game is alarmed if someone tries to remove it from the store. In addition, it is a Checkpoint labels were put on the game itself prior to placing it in the Alpha keeper. This gives you layered protection. The key to success is a strong policy that is audited. Have your sales staff or managers check samples of merchandise to ensure that their anti-shoplifting devices are placed on the merchandise appropriately and verify that you cashiers are removing those devices or deactivating the Checkpoint systems EAS tags so you do not unduly alarm your customers.

Once your policies and audits are in place, you just have to enforce them and make sure that your staff knows that it is an important part of your job and that retail theft prevention is on everyone’s position description. Combine the solution provided by Checkpoint systems with your usual good customer service. This will make the potential shoplifter look at much softer targets in town and bypass doing business with you—a kind of business you can do without!

Yes, the store I was describing is a “big-box” store with a large CCTV system and security staff; however, it doesn’t matter. Checkpoint systems anti-shoplifting solutions can work just as well in the small sole proprietorship as they can in the large franchised store. They are an affordable solution that when deployed properly with policy and auditing to back it up will help reduce your shrink and take you off the shoplifter’s –even the organized retail criminal’s—“favorites’ list.

For more information on Checkpoint Systems contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

No one’s looking; go ahead and do it.” Little did they know that one of the 400 + cameras in the store was watching them intently as they struggled to remove the Alpha spider-wrap by Checkpoint systems that was protecting the game system from leaving the store without going through checkout. They moved from one system to another, hoping the result would be different and they would defeat the Checkpoint tag present in that spider-wrap that would ultimately give them away when they tried to leave. They at least knew they had to get the wrap off the merchandise if they were going to steal the merchandise, finally resorting to tearing into the box to remove the merchandise.

For more information on Checkpoint Systems contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

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

CHECKPOINT SECURITY SYSTEM: A VISUAL AND ACTIVE DETERRENT TO SEND THIEVES RUNNING

December 14, 2015 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

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CHECKPOINT SECURITY SYSTEM: A VISUAL AND ACTIVE DETERRENT TO SEND THIEVES RUNNING

There aren’t too many variables when it comes to the overall goal of loss prevention professionals. It’s quite simple to stop loss and reduce shrink. The only way this can get done is with a sound loss prevention plan and one that includes the proper tools to achieve the goal. Retail theft prevention measures are most effective when used in conjunction with all available resources. One such resource is having a first line of defense with a Checkpoint security system.

I recall one time where I was working in a retail store where the management had a lax program in place. It was so bad that after we would apprehend them, thieves would actually make jokes about the measures that were in place. Telling us “Man this place is a joke”. Or, “I lift here more than the gym!” I’ve heard it all. What I also heard was that if management didn’t bother to install some sort of EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance) system soon, that we would never stop shoplifting in that store. The lack of accountability at the door was one of the things that thieves counted on at the store. They knew that if they could conceal it, they could get it out the door.

See an important part of retail theft prevention is being able to thwart the loss that you don’t always see or even know about. There is no way to tell just how much product is leaving your store really but with the use of EAS measures like a Checkpoint security system, you’ll at the very least know about attempted occurrences. The five finger crooks that brazenly lift your store blind will no longer have a free ticket to just waltz right out the front door with your product. It’s this degree of accountability at the very least that makes all of the difference. See, by installing an EAS system in your store, you add an element of utter inconvenience and deterrence to your plan to stop shoplifting.

EAS systems work by using RF (Radio Frequency) technology within your store. Some systems also include the use of AM (Acoustic Magnetic) technology. The differences between the two technologies are in the way the system interacts with your products. In both cases, select items are tagged with small asset tags, labels or stickers that are unobtrusively placed somewhere on the products themselves. Once the tags come within a prescribed proximity of the EAS pedestals installed at the store exits, the system will alarm alerting store staff.

This form of technology is widely available to you as a retailer and comes with various options and installation configurations. It is important to understand that the use of EAS systems can provide a much needed visual deterrent to ‘would-be’ shoplifters above and beyond totally embarrassing the ones that fail to estimate the full functionality of them. The casual shoplifter may not know how they work to their disadvantage however; they do know that they are there. You can hardly miss the pedestals at the front of the stores and almost all of us have witnessed them being triggered before whether accidentally or intently. Since most people recognize the EAS pedestals as an anti-shoplifting resource, when they see them in your store, they know you aren’t playing around. They know your serious and plan to stop shoplifting in your store.

The presence of the EAS pedestals alone may even be enough to make casual shoplifters think twice about stealing from your store actually. Hypothetically, even if the system was inactive (powered off) the simple visual presence of them alone would still have a strong visual impact on all that notices them. The bottom line though is that if you install these retail theft prevention items in your store, it is absolutely going to stop shoplifting in your store to some extent. In the long term, the system will more than pay for itself monetarily when you consider the shrink you are preventing. Thieves will be less cocky about how easy it is to steal from your store and casual shoplifters will be stopped in their tracks.

For more information about the Checkpoint security system please contact us at 1-770-426-0547.

For more information about the Checkpoint security system contact us or call 1-770-426-0547.

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: Anti-Shoplifting, checkpoint security system, retail theft prevention, stop shoplifting

Five Strategies to Stop Shoplifting in Your Business

July 15, 2015 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

You walk around the endcap and the “customer” standing in front of your DVD display stands up quickly. “What was he doing?” you ask yourself. It looked like he might be trying to put that movie down his pants. You can’t be everywhere. Just how are you supposed to stop shoplifting? It is costing you a fortune by all accounts and retail theft prevention is becoming even more discussed as organized retail crime comes to the forefront with law enforcement and retailers. Retail theft prevention is every retailer’s business and there are five anti-shoplifting strategies one can employ: (1) awareness; (2) merchandising; (3) customer service excellence; (4) zero tolerance; and (5) technological countermeasures.

Awareness is the least expensive solution that the retailer has available to them to stop shoplifting. People …your staff … are the key to retail theft prevention. Ensuring that your staff understand pricing, store policies and are trained in what to look for in potential shoplifting behavior as well as what to do and what NOT TO DO when they see a shoplifter is important in anti-shoplifting strategy. It is important that staff be reminded they are not to be heroes and never are to risk their safety or the safety of your customers for your merchandise.

Merchandising – everything in its place – is important as well in making it difficult for that shoplifter to make off with your merchandise. Is your high dollar merchandise too close to the exits? Are your small, easily concealable trinkets located away from main isles and stacked together on displays so a would-be shoplifter can grab a handful and conceal them? Are your displays so high that your staff can not see over them or around them? Are you exits so open without displays moving traffic away from the exits that a shoplifter or a group of shoplifter can push a shopping cart load of merchandise right out the door into a waiting van or car? If you answered “yes” to any or all of these questions, you need to take a look at your merchandising plan and consider anti-shoplifting merchandising strategies.

Customer service excellence pays you dividends in many ways other than ensuring you a happy returning customer. It also plays a strong role in retail theft prevention. No shoplifter likes to be noticed and when your staff is asking that shoplifter over and over, “Can I help you?” or “Let me show you our newest line of products that can save you money” they are making that potential shoplifter very nervous indeed – so nervous that he or she is likely to give up their mission and leave your store. If your store has an excellence reputation for having staff on the floor and demonstrating excellent customer service, they undoubtedly have a strong reputation to the shoplifter of being the place to avoid.

Zero tolerance is a key to that reputation. Your store must have a reputation that if one shoplifts there and gets caught they are going to jail and be prosecuted. This is a conscious policy decision that needs to be discussed with your management team and agreed up in order to ensure there is no deviation from this zero tolerance for shoplifting and you will stop shoplifting. Shoplifters are like water: they flow to the area of least resistance.

Technological countermeasures is the fifth strategy and is the one that is likely to have you do some return-on-investment analysis. It is often worth the investment, however, if one really wants to stop shoplifting in his or her store. Checkpoint Systems, for example, has numerous solutions available at different price points to place labels on merchandise that can be detected by Checkpoint Systems’ devices located at your exits should a shoplifter try to leave with the merchandise without paying. There are other vendors besides Checkpoint systems that provide such devices as well. Closed-circuit television is often a strategy one thinks about as a potential strategy. This much be clearly thought out, however, because if one should not monitor the systems live or have them monitored, they are only good at detecting who stole your merchandise and when.

When multiple strategies are used together, including awareness, merchandising, excellent customer service, zero tolerance, and technological countermeasures; it is then when you have strong retail theft prevention in place that can actually stop shoplifting in your store. You actually don’t have to worry about being everywhere at once to prevent that person from walking out of your store with the DVD. Your strategies will do it for you!

For more information about shoplifting, contact us: 1.770.426.0547 or Antishoplifting.net

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: Anti-Shoplifting, checkpoint systems, retail theft prevention, stop shoplifting

Don’t Be Creepy – The Art of Physical Surveillance and Retail Theft Prevention

May 15, 2015 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

In the fight to stop shoplifting in retail stores, there are several retail theft prevention methods you can employ to accomplish the task. Of course, you will want to have a good security alarm system in your store to ensure that your business is protected after hours from burglars. You will also need to get a good EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance) system for your entrance and exit doors, like a top of the line Checkpoint systems setup that works with different kinds of security tags and labels. Last but not least, if you have the budget, it would be a good idea to hire someone that handles investigations on shoplifters and employees.

If you are able to have a loss prevention or asset protection team member working in your store that looks for shoplifters, make sure they have the proper training so they don’t wind up scaring away your loyal customers. After all, the goal is to stop shoplifting, not stop customers from purchasing your merchandise. I have worked in the retail loss prevention field for several years, and know that if you aren’t mindful of your surroundings while you are watching someone in the store, you can turn out looking like a creep yourself.

I remember several occasions that my coworkers and I have been mistaken for shady characters ourselves. For example, I remember watching a person from across the store when another customer just happened to walk in the line of sight between myself and the shoplifter. The customer thought I was watching her, and she became so nervous that she asked for a manager at the front of the store, and said that there was a strange man watching her. The manager said that he would call “security” to safely escort her to her car. To her surprise, I showed up and introduced myself. After realizing the situation, the customer laughed and obviously no longer needed the escort to her vehicle. Although I was well trained myself, things like this do tend to happen on occasion.

Once you have watched shoplifters a few times, you start to get a feel for what works and what doesn’t work. You need to know the setup of the store and know where you can get a good vantage point when you are watching someone wherever they happen to be in the store. You can also use your environment and the merchandise to blend in without being seen. For instance, you can use peg holes in the shelving to look through, or adjust merchandise so that it hides your head and body as you are watching someone. When a shoplifter is looking around to see if someone is watching them, they tend to look at eye level, so if you stay lower when you are looking at them from behind merchandise, they will be less likely to see you. I’m not saying that you have to crawl around on the ground, but just try to stay below eye level. With a combination of good retail theft prevention equipment and a team that is looking out for shoplifters in your store, you are sure to make a positive impact on your bottom line.

For more information contact us: (retail theft prevention) or call 1.770.426.0547

In the fight to stop shoplifting in retail stores, there are several retail theft prevention methods you can employ to accomplish the task. Of course, you will want to have a good security alarm system in your store to ensure that your business is protected after hours from burglars. You will also need to get a good EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance) system for your entrance and exit doors, like a top of the line Checkpoint Systems setup that works with different kinds of security tags and labels. Last but not least, if you have the budget, it would be a good idea to hire someone that handles investigations on shoplifters and employees.

For more information contact us at Antishoplifting.net or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: checkpoint systems, retail theft prevention, stop shoplifting

This Is A Test- Checkpoint Systems

February 2, 2015 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

When is the last time you ran a test on your Checkpoint Systems alarm? If the answer is – never- then you might want to reconsider having a test done. At the very least, an alarm test should be conducted once every six months, or biannually.

While Checkpoint Systems alarms are very reliable, conducting a test ensures that all of the physical components are working properly. That means the motion sensors are alarming when they should and all of the door sensors register when they are opened.

The alarm test is actually pretty simple to conduct and should not take more than about twenty to thirty minutes, depending on the size of your store and the amount of access points to test.

Step one is to call the alarm monitoring company and tell them you are going to conduct a test of your Checkpoint Systems. They will place the system on test for you. This is extremely important to do first. If your system is not on test mode, the alarms that you trigger will notify the police. You may be charged a false alarm fee if the police have to respond.

Next walk through your store. Make sure you walk past all motion sensors and open all doors that have an alarm. When you are done, call the alarm company back to have your system taken off of test mode. You should have a detailed list of all points that triggered. Any point that did not alarm that should have needs to have maintenance done immediately.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Anti-Shoplifting devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system from Checkpoint Systems to stop shoplifting in your store.

For more information on Anti-Shoplifting, Checkpoint Labels, a Checkpoint Security System, Checkpoint Security Tags, Checkpoint Systems, or Checkpoint Tags and how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us at Retail theft prevention to Stop Shoplifting in your store or call 1.770.426.0547

The alarm test is actually pretty simple to conduct and should not take more than about twenty to thirty minutes, depending on the size of your store and the amount of access points to test.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Anti-Shoplifting devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system from Checkpoint Systems to stop shoplifting in your store.

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: Anti-Shoplifting, Checkpoint labels, checkpoint security system, Checkpoint security tags, checkpoint systems, Checkpoint tags, retail theft prevention, stop shoplifting