How Extensive Is Your Shoplifting Problem? Do You Even Know? A Sensormatic System Is Only One Part Of The Solution!

December 11, 2018 by Leave a Comment

 

How Extensive Is Your Shoplifting Problem? Do You Even Know? A Sensormatic System Is Only One Part Of The Solution!
If you do not stop shoplifting it will chip away a little at a time. But usually adds up to big losses. Even with a Sensormatic system you are still vulnerable. If you are taking regular inventories which every Retailer regardless of size should be doing, then it will not sneak up on you as fast. Even doing a cycle count on selected suspect merchandise items will provide some insight into your losses. However, many times you see your losses in empty packages found on the sales floor or restrooms. But your losses are most likely much higher than what you think they are or hope they are. To stop shoplifting you cannot ignore the problem, it WILL get worse. In my 35+ years of dealing with shoplifters, I have never seen the issue go away on its own. 
The good news is that shoplifting is a very solvable problem. Like any other business problem you simply need to understand the real solutions. Signs, camera systems and the like do not stop shoplifting. It is difficult to get legitimate shoppers to look at signs let alone shoplifters. A camera system does not even concern a shoplifter. They know that you are not watching live and once they are gone it does not matter. If they think you may be watching, they simply take the merchandise to an area that you do not have covered with a camera. Some will test your camera system by taking an item and moving it somewhere that would make you think that they have stolen it. They then walk out without the item and see if they are stopped.  
Another problem in dealing with shoplifters is that you and your staff may be uncomfortable with approaching or even stopping them. It is very common to have doubts or even fears. What can I do? What does the law allow? Will I get in trouble under criminal or civil law? What happens if I am wrong? How do I approach a suspected shoplifter? What do I do if they run off? All of these are great questions. Many times I see Retailers get so concerned about these unknowns that they simply shy away from the problem. There is no need to do that. And again the shoplifting problem will not get better only worse.
Solutions:
There are only two reasonable, cost effective solutions to stop shoplifting. The first is an Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) system such as Sensormatic. And just as importantly, training. I have been in the field of loss prevention since I left being a Police Officer. I have apprehended many shoplifters when I was a Store Investigator. And I have designed the shoplifting program for several major Retailers as their Director of Loss Prevention. Of course, there was all the other experience I gained along that journey. With that said I am here to tell you that these two solutions are the only solutions to shoplifting and they must be done together. Training you and your staff how to deter or approach a shoplifter is worthless and not cost effective without a Sensormatic system. The same goes for the Sensormatic system. It is worthless unless you have the deterrence and approach skills.  
The great news is that my company, Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. (LPSI) can help you with both solutions. We train you up and follow your progress, answer your questions. You are getting your own professional LP Director when you purchase your Sensormatic system from Loss Prevention Systems. We teach live via webinars how to deter and approach shoplifters. The technique will delight your good customers but shoplifters will hate it and go elsewhere. The Sensormatic system will back your staff up when they are too busy with other customers. Shoplifters look for those opportunities to hit you!
Do you want to stop shoplifting? Contact us or call 1-770-426-0547 today and fix your shoplifting problem once and for all!!!

If you do not stop shoplifting it will chip away a little at a time. But usually adds up to big losses. Even with a Sensormatic system you are still vulnerable. If you are taking regular inventories which every Retailer regardless of size should be doing, then it will not sneak up on you as fast. Even doing a cycle count on selected suspect merchandise items will provide some insight into your losses. However, many times you see your losses in empty packages found on the sales floor or restrooms. But your losses are most likely much higher than what you think they are or hope they are. To stop shoplifting you cannot ignore the problem, it WILL get worse. In my 35+ years of dealing with shoplifters, I have never seen the issue go away on its own. 

 

The good news is that shoplifting is a very solvable problem. Like any other business problem you simply need to understand the real solutions. Signs, camera systems and the like do not stop shoplifting. It is difficult to get legitimate shoppers to look at signs let alone shoplifters. A camera system does not even concern a shoplifter. They know that you are not watching live and once they are gone it does not matter. If they think you may be watching, they simply take the merchandise to an area that you do not have covered with a camera. Some will test your camera system by taking an item and moving it somewhere that would make you think that they have stolen it. They then walk out without the item and see if they are stopped.  

 

Another problem in dealing with shoplifters is that you and your staff may be uncomfortable with approaching or even stopping them. It is very common to have doubts or even fears. What can I do? What does the law allow? Will I get in trouble under criminal or civil law? What happens if I am wrong? How do I approach a suspected shoplifter? What do I do if they run off? All of these are great questions. Many times I see Retailers get so concerned about these unknowns that they simply shy away from the problem. There is no need to do that. And again the shoplifting problem will not get better only worse.

 

Solutions:

There are only two reasonable, cost effective solutions to stop shoplifting. The first is an Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) system such as Sensormatic. And just as importantly, training. I have been in the field of loss prevention since I left being a Police Officer. I have apprehended many shoplifters when I was a Store Investigator. And I have designed the shoplifting program for several major Retailers as their Director of Loss Prevention. Of course, there was all the other experience I gained along that journey. With that said I am here to tell you that these two solutions are the only solutions to shoplifting and they must be done together. Training you and your staff how to deter or approach a shoplifter is worthless and not cost effective without a Sensormatic system. The same goes for the Sensormatic system. It is worthless unless you have the deterrence and approach skills.  

 

The great news is that my company, Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. (LPSI) can help you with both solutions. We train you up and follow your progress, answer your questions. You are getting your own professional LP Director when you purchase your Sensormatic system from Loss Prevention Systems. We teach live via webinars how to deter and approach shoplifters. The technique will delight your good customers but shoplifters will hate it and go elsewhere. The Sensormatic system will back your staff up when they are too busy with other customers. Shoplifters look for those opportunities to hit you!

 

Do you want to stop shoplifting? Contact us or call 1-770-426-0547 today and fix your shoplifting problem once and for all!!!

 

 

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With:

Bargain Retail Theft Prevention Systems Aren’t Always Such A Bargain.

November 13, 2018 by Leave a Comment



Sensormatic Systems -5                                                                                             WC Blog 682
Retail Theft Prevention-3


Bargain Retail Theft Prevention Systems Aren’t Always Such A Bargain

     Where do you go to get a great deal on Sensormatic systems? You can search ebay and there appear to be some very attractive prices on electronic article surveillance towers, parts and even tags. What retailer would not want to look for a bargain basement price in order to set up a retail anti-theft protection system in their store? Think about it, you can save money on the equipment AND save money in shortage reduction, a win-win solution right? Good prices do not always equal good value and good service. Maybe you buy the equipment but who installs it for you? Is it set up to meet the manufacturer’s specifications? Will you get the same if any support service if the equipment fails? Sometimes it is best to buy some things new and purchase them from an authorized dealer.

     The reason I am so emphatic about where a business may get their equipment is because I am serious about retail theft prevention and I know how it can make or break a store. A Loss Prevention System can stop shoplifting which ultimately saves that business money. As someone with over 17 years of Loss Prevention experience under his belt, I have seen stock shortage go down when anti-theft equipment such as Sensormatic systems are in use. Additionally that number continues to drop as more merchandise is tagged. What I would NOT do is try to purchase a system from an unreliable source. You want to get your equipment from a reputable business and that business is Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. a Tyco Retail Solutions Authorized Partner. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. founder Bill Bregar has been a Director of Loss Prevention for major retail businesses. He knows as well as I do the positive impact a retail theft prevention system can have for small and medium stores. Because of this his company recommends the installation of Sensormatic systems as part of a broader theft prevention program.

     The next question for a small retailer is the question of affordability. You KNOW you can afford that internet seller’s price. What you aren’t so sure about is whether you can afford a brand new system. I understand the concern. It is hard enough to keep a retail business profitable and it is important to watch where each nickel and dime is spent. Making payments on a new retail theft prevention system can seem to be out of your reach. Under most circumstances, I would tend to be in agreement with you. Unless you are purchasing stocks, bonds or real estate most things are going to lose value over time. When it comes to loss prevention you need to look at how it is going to benefit you. The reduction in theft is going to save money for your store. That savings can be enough to pay for the new system and over time begin to add money to your profit line. While a refurbished or used system may work for a short period what will you do when it breaks down? You may have a limited warranty but then you are going to deal with the “limitations” that always seem to be the “problem” you encounter. Then find the technician to do the repairs and how long will it take them to get to your store? The expenses continuously add up. With a new system from Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. you get the backing of the manufacturer with a one-year warranty on all standard Sensormatic systems. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. also provides after the sale support AND free on-line, live shoplifter prevention training! Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. is also going to have your new system installed by a Sensormatic trained technician who will also give you training on your system.  No cut-rate supplier is going to give you all of that.

     In many cases a used or refurbished item may be a worthwhile investment. When it comes to the safety, security and profitability of your business only new Sensormatic systems make sense. Purchasing that system from a reputable company with over 30 years of experience in the field of Retail Loss Prevention is a smart move I would stake MY reputation on.

Retail theft prevention is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
     

Where do you go to get a great deal on Sensormatic systems? You can search ebay and there appear to be some very attractive prices on electronic article surveillance towers, parts and even tags. What retailer would not want to look for a bargain basement price in order to set up a retail anti-theft protection system in their store? Think about it, you can save money on the equipment AND save money in shortage reduction, a win-win solution right? Good prices do not always equal good value and good service. Maybe you buy the equipment but who installs it for you? Is it set up to meet the manufacturer’s specifications? Will you get the same if any support service if the equipment fails? Sometimes it is best to buy some things new and purchase them from an authorized dealer.
     

The reason I am so emphatic about where a business may get their equipment is because I am serious about retail theft prevention and I know how it can make or break a store. A Loss Prevention System can stop shoplifting which ultimately saves that business money. As someone with over 17 years of Loss Prevention experience under his belt, I have seen stock shortage go down when anti-theft equipment such as Sensormatic systems are in use. Additionally that number continues to drop as more merchandise is tagged. What I would NOT do is try to purchase a system from an unreliable source. You want to get your equipment from a reputable business and that business is Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. a Tyco Retail Solutions Authorized Partner. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. founder Bill Bregar has been a Director of Loss Prevention for major retail businesses. He knows as well as I do the positive impact a retail theft prevention system can have for small and medium stores. Because of this his company recommends the installation of Sensormatic systems as part of a broader theft prevention program.
     

The next question for a small retailer is the question of affordability. You KNOW you can afford that internet seller’s price. What you aren’t so sure about is whether you can afford a brand new system. I understand the concern. It is hard enough to keep a retail business profitable and it is important to watch where each nickel and dime is spent. Making payments on a new retail theft prevention system can seem to be out of your reach. Under most circumstances, I would tend to be in agreement with you. Unless you are purchasing stocks, bonds or real estate most things are going to lose value over time. When it comes to loss prevention you need to look at how it is going to benefit you. The reduction in theft is going to save money for your store. That savings can be enough to pay for the new system and over time begin to add money to your profit line. While a refurbished or used system may work for a short period what will you do when it breaks down? You may have a limited warranty but then you are going to deal with the “limitations” that always seem to be the “problem” you encounter. Then find the technician to do the repairs and how long will it take them to get to your store? The expenses continuously add up. With a new system from Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. you get the backing of the manufacturer with a one-year warranty on all standard Sensormatic systems. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. also provides after the sale support AND free on-line, live shoplifter prevention training! Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. is also going to have your new system installed by a Sensormatic trained technician who will also give you training on your system.  No cut-rate supplier is going to give you all of that.
     

In many cases a used or refurbished item may be a worthwhile investment. When it comes to the safety, security and profitability of your business only new Sensormatic systems make sense. Purchasing that system from a reputable company with over 30 years of experience in the field of Retail Loss Prevention is a smart move I would stake MY reputation on.

 

Retail theft prevention is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.     

 

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: ,

Sidewalk Sales Short-Circuit Sensormatic Security Systems

October 10, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Maybe I’m too old school but I really wonder what store managers are thinking when they have a perfectly good Sensormatic security system and they put merchandise outside the store to display. I see this done in malls and strip malls and it annoys me greatly. I know it is because of my years as a Loss Prevention Manager but I do recognize that theft can result from these displays. In many cases the merchandise is marked down and the business is trying to unload their old merchandise before bringing in the new product lines. I saw something the other day and it was an ice machine used to store bagged ice for sale. The gas station probably does not have adequate space inside for this container but I observed what I thought was a theft of a bag of ice and it bothered me. A car pulled up to the building and the passenger got out. I did turn briefly but the next thing I knew she was putting a big bag of ice in the car while looking in my direction. I didn’t report it because I could not be sure she hadn’t quickly slipped into the store to pay but her actions said she hadn’t. It reminded me of all of those stores that put on sidewalk sales. If no one is outside monitoring the tables and racks or if the merchandise is spread out over a distance how do stores stop shoplifting from taking place?

The purpose of the Sensormatic security system is to deter theft and prevent criminals from spiriting products out of a store. When stores have tagged merchandise with anti-shoplifting devices such as hard tags and electronic article surveillance labels those items are going to trip the alarm pedestals as the thief nears the doors. Because the Sensormatic line of devices are sturdy and reliable they are nearly impossible to defeat. Shoplifters are not in the habit of spending a lot of time trying to remove security tags. They are concerned with concealing merchandise and getting out with as little interaction with employees as possible. Pedestal alarms draw unwanted attention that bad guys want to avoid. When store managers make the decision to take merchandise outside the protection of towers at the doors they are inviting theft. There is nothing left to impede shoplifters from simply picking up and walking off with anything displayed outside.

This is the simple kind of training a good Sensormatic Dealer should provide. Loss Prevention Systems does train your staff after we install a system.

I am not saying that the bags of ice should have been tagged even if they were in the building. Some items may not be worth the effort to tag when we think about how bags are tossed into an ice cooler. It did serve to demonstrate that people will steal just about anything if an opportunity presents itself. In fact one of the factors we talk about in Loss Prevention in terms of how to stop shoplifting and employee theft is to eliminate opportunity. If stores are putting merchandise on the salesfloor without protection or if they are placing merchandise outside of the protective barrier of an electronic article surveillance tower they are providing opportunities for criminals. Bill Bregar, founder of Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. knows that opportunity is a requirement for shoplifters to get away with their crime. That is why his company recommends a Sensormatic security system to clients in order to remove opportunity and substantially impede a crook’s ability to steal.

If store owners find a need to move seasonal merchandise or older merchandise to make room for new product lines do it within the confines of the building and security protection. Merchandise should already be protected with security tags so the challenge is to get it in view of customers. I have seen larger businesses that seem reluctant to put clearance merchandise front and center in a store. They relegate them to rear endcaps or the back of a store. I believe if you really want to move merchandise, mark it down at least 25%, place it in a prominent location when customers walk in and have ample signage. Don’t play games, if you really want to make space then do it with enthusiasm. Don’t provide the opportunity crooks look for by having a “sidewalk sale”.

Let your electronic article system stop shoplifting as it is intended to do and tag as much merchandise as possible. Sell your clearance merchandise with vigor just do it so it makes sense. Don’t short circuit your Sensormatic security system by circumventing it, trust Sensormatic to help drive sales while removing theft opportunity.

 

Get more information on Sensormatic security systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.

 

 

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: ,

The Auto Peg Tag Is The Ingredient You Need To Stop Battery Theft

September 11, 2018 by Leave a Comment

With the recent focus in the news on the opioid crisis you may not realize that it is still important for retailers to stop shoplifting of one particular item, lithium batteries. Used in the manufacture of methamphetamine these batteries are a highly sought after ingredient and therefore a target of criminals. Aside from the cost alone, which makes them easy to resell on the internet or through those mom and pop shops that deal in stolen merchandise, they are an essential ingredient in making methamphetamine. According to the website narcononarrowhead.org, there are two methods to making methamphetamine and one of those methods requires the use of lithium extracted from lithium batteries. Hopefully retail owners will be good stewards and choose to protect against theft for the good of the communities they serve. If for no other reason they should want to prevent theft for the impact it has on the bottom line of the stores. By employing a theft prevention strategy that includes the retail anti-theft device can deter attempts to shoplift. They can also detect those situations when shoplifters choose to attempt to leave with tagged goods.

 

 The question left hanging out there may be can a retail anti-theft device such as an Auto Peg Tag actually stop shoplifting? It can but it is not going to do it on its own. It will require a concerted effort on the part of those who tag merchandise and the people trained on responding to a electronic article surveillance (EAS) tower alarm. If only part of a category of merchandise is tagged then dishonest patrons are going to steal untagged goods, in this case lithium batteries. As a Loss Prevention Manager I was tasked from time to time with auditing other stores in our district and this was an issue. I would find for example medicines that were supposed to have EAS labels on them and when I would dig into the products on the back of the shelf I would locate unprotected items. I believe in the concept of Shortage Action Plans that include protecting high shrink merchandise with retail anti-theft devices but the tagging MUST be consistent.

 

 I do want to briefly tell those readers who may not be familiar with the Auto Peg Tag what it is and how it can deter the theft of Lithium batteries (and other pegged products). This tag is a pinless, one-piece design tag that is clamped over the peghole of merchandise packaging. They come designed for single and double peghole packages for maximum protection. The design allows has little, if any impact on the amount of product that can be placed on a peghook. They do not interfere with the packaging information or appearance key elements that aid in shopper choices. They come to you built to work with electronic article surveillance towers. They even have a security warning and a lock symbol on them to warn ne’er-do-wells that the merchandise is protected and to leave it alone.

 

With all of that said I found I was still curious as to how methamphetamine makers are still able to make their drugs since pseudoephedrine products have been moved behind pharmacy counters. I thought this was going to quell that epidemic and therefore lithium battery theft would be in decline. I did some research and found that “cooks” are still able to get their hands on cold medicine containing pseudoephedrine through some creative methods. They do find ways to circumvent laws intended to restrict how much a person can buy in a month. It is not my intent to go into those details. Suffice it to say there is ample evidence that in spite of restrictions on the primary ingredient the bad guys are getting their hands on it. Lithium batteries will continue to be a target for criminals unless you stop shoplifting by tagging them.

 

Retailers, keep control of your battery inventory. They are easy for bad guys to re-sell on the internet or out of a flea market, warehouse or mom and pop shop. For the illegal drug manufacturers they are easy pickings unless protected with the Auto Peg Tag. Remember that there are customers who prefer lithium batteries to alkaline batteries so you don’t want to lose that shopper. Don’t lock up your batteries; protect them from theft while making profitable sales.

 

Need information on Auto Peg Tag? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.    

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With:

Improve Retail Theft Prevention Through Recognition

August 9, 2018 by Leave a Comment

 

Retail Theft Prevention- 5                                                                                                           WC Blog 500
Stop Shoplifting-3
Improve Retail Theft Prevention Through Recognition
     I LOVE celebrations for victories in stores, be it for a successful retail theft prevention program, a great customer service initiative or some other achievement I truly believe in celebrating accomplishments. I am sold on the power of recognizing individual achievements and group achievements and celebrating them with the entire store. In this article I want to talk about how you can make your store successful and a big part of that is recognition of your store team individually and as a group. As a former Loss Prevention Manager with nearly 27 years of retail experience and as a shift supervisor in a college library I can share with you observations I have gleaned over the years through my experiences.
     I will talk at length about celebrations but I do want to stop for a moment and touch on retail theft prevention and what it entails. Retail theft prevention is the ability of a retailer to recognize that theft is going to occur in their store, understand there are steps they can take to stop it and in doing so it will make the business more prosperous. It is the use of anti-shoplifting devices such as Checkpoint security pedestals at the doors and tags on all merchandise. It is also the training of employees on their responsibilities in regard to proper tagging methods, alarm responses, providing exceptional customer service and teamwork that will stop shoplifting and drive sales. The implementation of all of these factors is what is required for a retail owner or manager to stop shoplifting and keep merchandise in the store for customers and that is what helps drive up sales.
     It may seem a bit unusual to be talking about celebrations and retail theft prevention but they do tie together and help to build a strong shortage culture in the store. Additionally recognition is a powerful tool to developing teamwork amongst employees. An example of this can be seen in the store I work in now. For quite some time there has been a program for giving out recognition cards that are used in a monthly drawing. For the most part they were given out by managers to employees for different reasons. Over a period of time there was a slow progression of cards being given out by employees to each other. Recently, employees had the cards removed from a box they were kept in and placed on a door for everyone to see. The participation is pretty amazing to see. Most cards are given out for one employee assisting another on a task or in a work center. If you don’t quite see the power in this consider that for each card someone gives out to a fellow worker it reduces the giver’s chance for winning the monthly drawing. That’s quite a statement about the power of recognition. How does this relate to retail theft prevention? If employee recognition includes recognizing people for going above and beyond expectations in assisting customers it will influence more associates to offer help on the sales floor. That level of service will deter thieves from trying to steal in your store.
     When I was a Loss Prevention Manager I made sure I recognized employees who caught hidden merchandise at the checkout stands or those who reported suspicious patrons to me. I also made sure that employees who reported a tip to me about another employee they suspected was stealing had their information submitted to our store hotline number. In this way a couple of employees were rewarded by the company for cases they initiated and were closed by me based on their information. I couldn’t celebrate the individuals due to confidentiality but I could share the win with the store team in general terms. I found that employees were more willing to report suspicious behaviors to me. This included internal and external theft identification.
     Recognition is more impactful that you may have realized. Congratulating an employee for closing a large sale, signing someone up for a store reward program, making a recovery from an electronic article surveillance alarm receipt check are all a way to recognize performance. When an associate can stop shoplifting through customer service and notification of management of suspicious people the entire store benefits. Heartfelt, genuine recognition will lead to continued performance that helps to drive up sales and reduce shortage. If you don’t do it already look for ways to recognize and praise your team. You will see a payoff in shortage reduction, profit growth and increased morale.
Need information on retail theft prevention? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
     

I LOVE celebrations for victories in stores, be it for a successful retail theft prevention program, a great customer service initiative or some other achievement I truly believe in celebrating accomplishments. I am sold on the power of recognizing individual achievements and group achievements and celebrating them with the entire store. In this article I want to talk about how you can make your store successful and a big part of that is recognition of your store team individually and as a group. As a former Loss Prevention Manager with nearly 27 years of retail experience and as a shift supervisor in a college library I can share with you observations I have gleaned over the years through my experiences.

I will talk at length about celebrations but I do want to stop for a moment and touch on retail theft prevention and what it entails. Retail theft prevention is the ability of a retailer to recognize that theft is going to occur in their store, understand there are steps they can take to stop it and in doing so it will make the business more prosperous. It is the use of anti-shoplifting devices such as electronic article surveillance (EAS) security pedestals at the doors and tags on all merchandise. It is also the training of employees on their responsibilities in regard to proper tagging methods, alarm responses, providing exceptional customer service and teamwork that will stop shoplifting and drive sales. The implementation of all of these factors is what is required for a retail owner or manager to stop shoplifting and keep merchandise in the store for customers and that is what helps drive up sales.

It may seem a bit unusual to be talking about celebrations and retail theft prevention but they do tie together and help to build a strong shortage culture in the store. Additionally recognition is a powerful tool to developing teamwork amongst employees. An example of this can be seen in the store I work in now. For quite some time there has been a program for giving out recognition cards that are used in a monthly drawing. For the most part they were given out by managers to employees for different reasons. Over a period of time there was a slow progression of cards being given out by employees to each other. Recently, employees had the cards removed from a box they were kept in and placed on a door for everyone to see. The participation is pretty amazing to see. Most cards are given out for one employee assisting another on a task or in a work center. If you don’t quite see the power in this consider that for each card someone gives out to a fellow worker it reduces the giver’s chance for winning the monthly drawing. That’s quite a statement about the power of recognition. How does this relate to retail theft prevention? If employee recognition includes recognizing people for going above and beyond expectations in assisting customers it will influence more associates to offer help on the sales floor. That level of service will deter thieves from trying to steal in your store.

When I was a Loss Prevention Manager I made sure I recognized employees who caught hidden merchandise at the checkout stands or those who reported suspicious patrons to me. I also made sure that employees who reported a tip to me about another employee they suspected was stealing had their information submitted to our store hotline number. In this way a couple of employees were rewarded by the company for cases they initiated and were closed by me based on their information. I couldn’t celebrate the individuals due to confidentiality but I could share the win with the store team in general terms. I found that employees were more willing to report suspicious behaviors to me. This included internal and external theft identification.

Recognition is more impactful that you may have realized. Congratulating an employee for closing a large sale, signing someone up for a store reward program, making a recovery from an electronic article surveillance alarm receipt check are all a way to recognize performance. When an associate can stop shoplifting through customer service and notification of management of suspicious people the entire store benefits. Heartfelt, genuine recognition will lead to continued performance that helps to drive up sales and reduce shortage. If you don’t do it already look for ways to recognize and praise your team. You will see a payoff in shortage reduction, profit growth and increased morale.

 

Need information on retail theft prevention? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.

     

 

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: , ,

Use Checkpoint Tags To Improve Instocks

July 10, 2018 by Leave a Comment
Checkpoint Tags- 5                                                                                                      WC Blog 454
Stop Shoplifting-3


A Decline In Sales May Be More Than A Decline In Customers; Stores May Need To Use Checkpoint Tags To Improve Instocks

     My youngest son is currently a business major in his senior year of college. The other day we were discussing a paper he had recently turned in on the topic of “Needs Assessment”. I asked about what the term meant in the context of the class. He told me the basis of a Needs Assessment as they had talked about it was, in a sense, determining what the real root causes of a problem are and solutions to fix it. I am probably simplifying it a bit but an example he gave was of a make believe company that needed some accountants. Since that was not the focus of the business the company went out and hired recent college graduates who had graduated at the top of their classes but in areas of study other than accounting. The idea of hiring non-accountants was that these students were smart and would be able to learn the accounting job that needed done. In this scenario the business begins to experience financial problems but management begins to look at surface issues such as not enough time was spent training these new accountants. They didn’t dig into the underlying issues and assess what the needs of the business truly were. The problem as analyzed by my son was that it was the hiring of the non-accountants to fill a specific role, one which required a specialized skill set. The workers were bright, but not equipped for this particular job. I would argue that many times we in retail can be like this. We have a slide in our sales and rather than do a true needs assessment, we make assumptions and try to make our pre-conceived notions fit the problem. What if a slip in sales isn’t due to a lack of customers? What if sliding sales are due to a failure to stop shoplifting? More customers may not be the real issue the need for more Checkpoint Tags may be part of the real problem.

     What are Checkpoint Tags you may be asking? They are tools designed to prevent thieves from emptying store shelves of merchandise. The tags utilize electronic article surveillance technology that combines a radio wave signal emitted from a tag to be picked up by a receiving tower usually located near the entry/exit doors of a store. If a piece of merchandise with a tag attached to it is carried within the reception range of the tower, alarms are set off alerting associates that an item is being carried out that has not been paid for yet. Even concealed merchandise can be detected when Checkpoint tags are in place. Today the tags have become so popular among major retailers that most shoplifters are familiar with them and steer away from trying to shoplift items with a tag attached. 

     How then can a tag that will stop shoplifting be the answer to a store that is experiencing a slip in sales? Here are a few things for your consideration:
• If shoplifters are removing merchandise from shelves and fixtures those items are no longer available for purchase. That directly impacts sales.
• Stolen merchandise is not accounted for through a point of sale. For many stores this means a system of checking counts and making adjustments is necessary for replenishment to occur. Does your store have some system in place to ensure replenishment takes place?
• Many large retailers use acronyms to help cashiers remember things to look for that impact shortage. One is B.O.B. or Bottom of Buggy. If cashier miss all of the items in a cart it can certainly lead to shortage. Checkpoint Tags on merchandise will cause an alarm from towers, resulting in a receipt check and recovery of merchandise or the purchase of the item(s).
Stores that use retail theft prevention devices stop shoplifting from taking place and impact operational shortage as well. When the tags are used, merchandise stays in the store where it is available for the paying customers. As one who has shopped in stores with bare shelves I get very frustrated at not finding what I want and have left empty handed on more than one occasion.

     If your store is experiencing a decline in sales take the time to conduct a true Needs Assessment. Consider all of the factors that may be impacting your business. Look at everything from new businesses in the area to changes in your policies or even empty shelves that may indicate a need to start using Checkpoint Tags. Dig into what needs done to drive sales.
Get more information on Checkpoint Tags contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.

My youngest son is currently a business major in his senior year of college. The other day we were discussing a paper he had recently turned in on the topic of “Needs Assessment”. I asked about what the term meant in the context of the class. He told me the basis of a Needs Assessment as they had talked about it was, in a sense, determining what the real root causes of a problem are and solutions to fix it. I am probably simplifying it a bit but an example he gave was of a make believe company that needed some accountants. Since that was not the focus of the business the company went out and hired recent college graduates who had graduated at the top of their classes but in areas of study other than accounting. The idea of hiring non-accountants was that these students were smart and would be able to learn the accounting job that needed done. In this scenario the business begins to experience financial problems but management begins to look at surface issues such as not enough time was spent training these new accountants. They didn’t dig into the underlying issues and assess what the needs of the business truly were. The problem as analyzed by my son was that it was the hiring of the non-accountants to fill a specific role, one which required a specialized skill set. The workers were bright, but not equipped for this particular job. I would argue that many times we in retail can be like this. We have a slide in our sales and rather than do a true needs assessment, we make assumptions and try to make our pre-conceived notions fit the problem. What if a slip in sales isn’t due to a lack of customers? What if sliding sales are due to a failure to stop shoplifting? More customers may not be the real issue the need for more hard tags may be part of the real problem.
     

What are hard tags you may be asking? They are tools designed to prevent thieves from emptying store shelves of merchandise. The tags utilize electronic article surveillance technology that combines a radio wave signal emitted from a tag to be picked up by a receiving tower usually located near the entry/exit doors of a store. If a piece of merchandise with a tag attached to it is carried within the reception range of the tower, alarms are set off alerting associates that an item is being carried out that has not been paid for yet. Even concealed merchandise can be detected when hard tags are in place. Today the tags have become so popular among major retailers that most shoplifters are familiar with them and steer away from trying to shoplift items with a tag attached. 
     

How then can a tag that will stop shoplifting be the answer to a store that is experiencing a slip in sales? Here are a few things for your consideration:

     • If shoplifters are removing merchandise from shelves and fixtures those items are no longer available for purchase. That directly impacts sales.

     • Stolen merchandise is not accounted for through a point of sale. For many stores this means a system of checking counts and making adjustments is necessary for replenishment to occur. Does your store have some system in place to ensure replenishment takes place?

     • Many large retailers use acronyms to help cashiers remember things to look for that impact shortage. One is B.O.B. or Bottom of Buggy. If cashier miss all of the items in a cart it can certainly lead to shortage. hard tags on merchandise will cause an alarm from towers, resulting in a receipt check and recovery of merchandise or the purchase of the item(s).

Stores that use retail theft prevention devices stop shoplifting from taking place and impact operational shortage as well. When the tags are used, merchandise stays in the store where it is available for the paying customers. As one who has shopped in stores with bare shelves I get very frustrated at not finding what I want and have left empty handed on more than one occasion.
     

If your store is experiencing a decline in sales take the time to conduct a true Needs Assessment. Consider all of the factors that may be impacting your business. Look at everything from new businesses in the area to changes in your policies or even empty shelves that may indicate a need to start using hard tags. Dig into what needs done to drive sales.

 

Get more information on hard tags contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: , ,

How Reliable is Your Electronic Article Surveillance Supplier And The Equipment They Are Selling?

June 13, 2018 by Leave a Comment
Electronic article surveillance systems – 5                                                                                 WC Blog 540
Checkpoint Security Tags-4


How Reliable is Your Electronic Article Surveillance Supplier And The Equipment They Are Selling?


     Exaggerated claims and broken promises take place in all types of businesses and they also exist among suppliers of electronic article surveillance systems. It can be irritating when a sales representative over-promises on a product or service. I recall a car purchase I made once and I was told everything was in order and handed the keys to the vehicle. I had the car for one day and on the second day received a call at my job from the salesman who had sold the car to me. He claimed that they needed me to come to the dealership because there was an issue with my down payment. The representative said that they needed me to put more money down. I was livid. I expressed my anger, told them I had signed their paperwork and contracts and they had allowed me to drive off the lot. Now they were breaking their own agreement.  I intentionally spoke in a loud voice for all to hear. The representative asked me to wait while he spoke to his manager. The representative returned and said there was no problem after all and thank you for coming down. I started to walk out, noticed there were other customers in the showroom and made a point to ask in a loud voice, “So everything is good? I don’t have to put any more money down? I can leave and you won’t be calling me back from work again, right?” The customers looked at me and the salesman as he looked sheepish and steered me out the door telling me that all was well with the transaction. Some people will do whatever they can to make a sale but when it comes to dishonest electronic article surveillance sellers the impact can have bigger consequences. Knock-off and second-rate retail anti-theft devices and accompanying systems can hurt the profits of a business. They may not hold up to the promise that the seller makes to stop shoplifting in your store from taking place.

     Checkpoint security tags deliver on the promise to stop shoplifting and reduce shortage. They are so reliable that Loss Prevention Systems Inc. CEO, Bill Bregar trusts Checkpoint products for the clients his company services. Small and medium sized retailers need a security consulting firm to identify risks to the business and how to prevent theft. Usually some form of anti-theft prevention needs to be put in place and Checkpoint security tags and electronic article surveillance towers are the recommended hardware solutions. The tags are designed to deter shoplifters and dishonest employees when they see them on merchandise but they also work together to create an electronic barrier to criminals. The tags send out a signal that is received by a tower (usually located near store entry and exit doors) and when products with tags on them are carried close to the doorway the tower sounds an alarm.  At the sound of an alarm store associates respond and conduct receipt checks and get the merchandise back OR the offender decides to pay for the merchandise they “forgot” they had. Either way Checkpoint security tags are dependable. As someone who has over 27 years in retail experience and 17 of those years in Loss Prevention, I have used Checkpoint systems and can attest to the reliability of the equipment.

     So how does a car sale fiasco relate to anti-theft protection equipment? There are dishonest electronic article surveillance dealers on the internet and it is easy to find them. They will promise you speedy delivery, quick installation and devices that will prevent theft. Don’t be duped by double talking devils who may have little or no retail experience and perhaps ZERO Loss Prevention experience. Talk to the folks at Loss Prevention Systems Inc. They have the background to help you identify what you really need to reduce shortage and Checkpoint security tags and towers that are proven to work. Don’t overlook support help either. Once an internet seller does install your anti-theft equipment are they going to be reliable and provide you with the service and support you will need after they have packed up their tools and left? Loss Prevention Systems Inc. ensures the clients they serve have the resources they need for service and by the way, Checkpoint Evolve electronics come with a 5 year warranty! THAT is impressive for any electronics products.

     Don’t take a chance with a fly-by night internet company trying to sell you a bill of goods. Loss Prevention Systems Inc. has been around since 1983 which is a testament to the services they provide. Check out their website and learn about the services and electronic article surveillance equipment they can provide to make your business more profitable.
Checkpoint security tags are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.



 

Exaggerated claims and broken promises take place in all types of businesses and they also exist among suppliers of electronic article surveillance systems. It can be irritating when a sales representative over-promises on a product or service. I recall a car purchase I made once and I was told everything was in order and handed the keys to the vehicle. I had the car for one day and on the second day received a call at my job from the salesman who had sold the car to me. He claimed that they needed me to come to the dealership because there was an issue with my down payment. The representative said that they needed me to put more money down. I was livid. I expressed my anger, told them I had signed their paperwork and contracts and they had allowed me to drive off the lot. Now they were breaking their own agreement.  I intentionally spoke in a loud voice for all to hear. The representative asked me to wait while he spoke to his manager. The representative returned and said there was no problem after all and thank you for coming down. I started to walk out, noticed there were other customers in the showroom and made a point to ask in a loud voice, “So everything is good? I don’t have to put any more money down? I can leave and you won’t be calling me back from work again, right?” The customers looked at me and the salesman as he looked sheepish and steered me out the door telling me that all was well with the transaction. Some people will do whatever they can to make a sale but when it comes to dishonest electronic article surveillance sellers the impact can have bigger consequences. Knock-off and second-rate retail anti-theft devices and accompanying systems can hurt the profits of a business. They may not hold up to the promise that the seller makes to stop shoplifting in your store from taking place.
     

Checkpoint security tags deliver on the promise to stop shoplifting and reduce shortage. They are so reliable that Loss Prevention Systems Inc. CEO, Bill Bregar trusts Checkpoint products for the clients his company services. Small and medium sized retailers need a security consulting firm to identify risks to the business and how to prevent theft. Usually some form of anti-theft prevention needs to be put in place and Checkpoint security tags and electronic article surveillance towers are the recommended hardware solutions. The tags are designed to deter shoplifters and dishonest employees when they see them on merchandise but they also work together to create an electronic barrier to criminals. The tags send out a signal that is received by a tower (usually located near store entry and exit doors) and when products with tags on them are carried close to the doorway the tower sounds an alarm.  At the sound of an alarm store associates respond and conduct receipt checks and get the merchandise back OR the offender decides to pay for the merchandise they “forgot” they had. Either way Checkpoint security tags are dependable. As someone who has over 27 years in retail experience and 17 of those years in Loss Prevention, I have used Checkpoint systems and can attest to the reliability of the equipment.
     

So how does a car sale fiasco relate to anti-theft protection equipment? There are dishonest electronic article surveillance dealers on the internet and it is easy to find them. They will promise you speedy delivery, quick installation and devices that will prevent theft. Don’t be duped by double talking devils who may have little or no retail experience and perhaps ZERO Loss Prevention experience. Talk to the folks at Loss Prevention Systems Inc. They have the background to help you identify what you really need to reduce shortage and Checkpoint security tags and towers that are proven to work. Don’t overlook support help either. Once an internet seller does install your anti-theft equipment are they going to be reliable and provide you with the service and support you will need after they have packed up their tools and left? Loss Prevention Systems Inc. ensures the clients they serve have the resources they need for service and by the way, Checkpoint Evolve electronics come with a 5 year warranty! THAT is impressive for any electronics products.
     

Don’t take a chance with a fly-by night internet company trying to sell you a bill of goods. Loss Prevention Systems Inc. has been around since 1983 which is a testament to the services they provide. Check out their website and learn about the services and electronic article surveillance equipment they can provide to make your business more profitable.

 

Checkpoint security tags are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.

 

 

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: , ,

CHECKPOINT HARD TAGS ARE THE BEST REPLACEMENT FOR YOUR OUTDATED MERCHANDISE PROTECTION!

May 9, 2018 by Leave a Comment

More than ever, shoplifting is massive threat to all retailers. When times are tough, shoplifting increases tremendously. Sorry times in the economy can easily attract first-time pilferers. As a Loss Prevention Expert, I deter hundreds of dollars each day from walking out of the door.  A majority of retailers do not realize how massive the problem is, until the amount of loss has spiraled out of control! Loss prevention tactics are consistently updated to cover the growing shrink issues in the retail environment. Shrinkage must be reduced by utilizing anti-shoplifting security tags, as associate awareness is just not enough anymore. What are you doing to ensure your merchandise is not stolen daily?! Does it really deter theft?! Checkpoint Hard Tags are my go-to method, to stop shoplifting.         

 

 When you are able to maximize your merchandise protection needs with Checkpoint Hard Tags, theft will be greatly reduced. I have witnessed several situations proving this method. When I am hired as a Loss Prevention Manager for a new location, I always observe incidents on CCTV that no one realized was happening! When I started racking up high dollar cases each week, my store management team was shocked by the amount of theft that was occurring without them knowing. A lot of retailers base their “known theft” reports off of tags being found. Then when inventory results are calculated at the end of the year, they see several departments they were not aware of had shrink issues. This method is not realistic, and there is so much more to configure to be accurate.  Professional thieves will leave the price tags on the item, knowing that they do not alarm. Sometimes it just takes a specialist in Loss Prevention, to be able to shed light to these type of shrink issues. For retailers, Checkpoint Hard Tags will stop shoplifting by ensuring the highest level of inventory control and protection. I was previously employed at a local retailer, which did not believe in placing Checkpoint Hard Tags on any of their high dollar merchandise. A majority of their products, was at a price point over $59.00, per item. To me, that is too high of a price point to trust without any type of protection. “Hoping” it will not be shoplifted is not enough. This particular store had an increase in shrink, based on their 3 year trend. They were not changing any of their processes and kept doing the same exact routine for merchandise protection. The store never considered updating any of their security devices, until seeing all the investigations that I completed. I pulled the store’s shrink numbers by department and found that their top 5 shrink consisted of a majority of clothing items that had no protection whatsoever. After the team learned that Checkpoint Hard tags are inexpensive, they knew they would have to give it a try. At this point, what did they have to lose?! They already lost 120k with their current program! After placing all the devices on and completing counts daily, I was able to track the theft trends for the store to see if a difference was made. We noticed a huge decline for those areas week by week, and were able to completely turn the store shrink around the following year. Even though I am not employed anymore at that location, I still go there to shop. It is amazing to see they still are utilizing this as a best practice program, and have not missed a beat! 

 

 When retail stores start increasing in shrink, you lose profit and pushing the company to make harsh decisions. This can includ cutting positions and changing budgets. It feels good to know that I changed a retailer around, by such a simple task! Do not lose more money, as a result of ineffective or outdated loss prevention security tags. Do not continue the same path, by not updating your protection. We have to make a change in order to decrease shrinkage in our stores and stop shoplifting. 

 

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

 

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: ,

Survey Says…Use Clothing Security Tags

April 12, 2018 by Leave a Comment

 

Clothing security-5                                                                                                           WC Blog 491
Checkpoint Tags-5
Survey Says…Use Clothing Security Tags
     Clothing security should be a major concern for retailers this year if the information from the National Retail Federation is correct. According to the 2017 National Retail Security Survey, “In apparel, both the rates of shoplifting (41.0%) and employee theft (35.5%) were higher than the overall average.” Additionally the report states that “in apparel 15 of 26 respondents (to the survey, this author’s note) said shrink had grown. Only eight of 26 reported a slight decrease.” (pg.8). The study goes on to say that, “The apparel sector was slightly below the overall average at 1.36%, but showed a slight increase over 2016’s 1.2% for that sector.” Retailers cannot afford to see a rise in shortage over the prior year no matter how slight that increase may be. Checkpoint tags and other retail ant-theft devices have got to be high on a manager’s priority list.
     Are you wondering what Checkpoint tags are and how they relate to clothing security and shortage prevention? Checkpoint tags are hard tags built out of extremely durable hard plastic materials with electronic article surveillance (EAS) technology integrated into them. The tags consist of two parts, one has a metal pin at one end and the other is a clip that snaps onto it once the pin is pushed through a garment. Once pinned together it is nearly impossible to remove a hard tag without the proper detachment tool available only to stores. Forcing a Checkpoint tag off of an item causes damage to the merchandise that renders it unserviceable. The EAS part of the tag works with Checkpoint pedestals and if tagged products get too close to a pedestal an alarm activation occurs. The pedestals have flashing lights and 95-decibel audible alarms that is heard throughout a store. If an alarm sounds employees respond and conduct package and receipt checks that usually result in uncovering unpaid merchandise. The patron is afforded an opportunity to buy the item(s) or return it. I didn’t mention the deterrence value of the tags since most experienced shoplifters know what the tags look like and how they work. This type of shoplifter actively seeks to avoid products that are protected because they don’t want to risk being caught if they can help it.
     Since stores are seeing an increase in clothing theft it makes no sense to me that clothing security spending would actually be on a decline but according to the same report; (page 9) the authors state that, “In apparel only four of 22 respondents have a higher budget in 2017 compared with the previous year. Nine of 22 expect flat budgets while two expect significant decreases.” It was not clear if Loss Prevention spending included only Loss Prevention staff or all of Loss Prevention expenditures which may or may not include clothing security tags and other anti-theft measures. What is clear to me is that with an increase in theft additional expenditures on more Checkpoint tags would be the best use of money. It should go without saying that keeping budgets flat or even spending less will only result in another increase in shortage in 2018.
     You may be asking if you could tag only high dollar clothes because you are concerned about the cost of constantly purchasing new tags. That does not need to be a concern. Clothing security tags like the ones I am referring to are reusable. They are made durable enough to withstand hundreds of uses and reuses. This means you can tag everything without worrying about how you will have to ration out your tags or restrict their use to only high dollar products. In order to get shortage under control and begin to reduce it stores should tag everything. Thieves will begin to migrate to stores that are not using electronic article surveillance technology to protect products.
     The picture the 2017 National Retail Security Survey is somewhat bleak for clothing retailers based on the numbers being reported. This doesn’t have to be your story in 2018. You can reduce your clothing shortage and increase profits by using Checkpoint tags on all of your garments. 
For more information about clothing security contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 
     
     

Clothing security should be a major concern for retailers this year if the information from the National Retail Federation is correct. According to the 2017 National Retail Security Survey, “In apparel, both the rates of shoplifting (41.0%) and employee theft (35.5%) were higher than the overall average.” Additionally the report states that “in apparel 15 of 26 respondents (to the survey, this author’s note) said shrink had grown. Only eight of 26 reported a slight decrease.” (pg.8). The study goes on to say that, “The apparel sector was slightly below the overall average at 1.36%, but showed a slight increase over 2016’s 1.2% for that sector.” Retailers cannot afford to see a rise in shortage over the prior year no matter how slight that increase may be. Checkpoint tags and other retail ant-theft devices have got to be high on a manager’s priority list.

Are you wondering what Checkpoint tags are and how they relate to clothing security and shortage prevention? Checkpoint tags are hard tags built out of extremely durable hard plastic materials with electronic article surveillance (EAS) technology integrated into them. The tags consist of two parts, one has a metal pin at one end and the other is a clip that snaps onto it once the pin is pushed through a garment. Once pinned together it is nearly impossible to remove a hard tag without the proper detachment tool available only to stores. Forcing a Checkpoint tag off of an item causes damage to the merchandise that renders it unserviceable. The EAS part of the tag works with Checkpoint pedestals and if tagged products get too close to a pedestal an alarm activation occurs. The pedestals have flashing lights and 95-decibel audible alarms that is heard throughout a store. If an alarm sounds employees respond and conduct package and receipt checks that usually result in uncovering unpaid merchandise. The patron is afforded an opportunity to buy the item(s) or return it. I didn’t mention the deterrence value of the tags since most experienced shoplifters know what the tags look like and how they work. This type of shoplifter actively seeks to avoid products that are protected because they don’t want to risk being caught if they can help it.

Since stores are seeing an increase in clothing theft it makes no sense to me that clothing security spending would actually be on a decline but according to the same report; (page 9) the authors state that, “In apparel only four of 22 respondents have a higher budget in 2017 compared with the previous year. Nine of 22 expect flat budgets while two expect significant decreases.” It was not clear if Loss Prevention spending included only Loss Prevention staff or all of Loss Prevention expenditures which may or may not include clothing security tags and other anti-theft measures. What is clear to me is that with an increase in theft additional expenditures on more Checkpoint tags would be the best use of money. It should go without saying that keeping budgets flat or even spending less will only result in another increase in shortage in 2018.

You may be asking if you could tag only high dollar clothes because you are concerned about the cost of constantly purchasing new tags. That does not need to be a concern. Clothing security tags like the ones I am referring to are reusable. They are made durable enough to withstand hundreds of uses and reuses. This means you can tag everything without worrying about how you will have to ration out your tags or restrict their use to only high dollar products. In order to get shortage under control and begin to reduce it stores should tag everything. Thieves will begin to migrate to stores that are not using electronic article surveillance technology to protect products.

The picture the 2017 National Retail Security Survey is somewhat bleak for clothing retailers based on the numbers being reported. This doesn’t have to be your story in 2018. You can reduce your clothing shortage and increase profits by using Checkpoint tags on all of your garments. 

 

For more information about clothing security contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 
     

     

 

 

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With:

Coincidental Encounters That May Not Have Taken Place If Clothing Security Tags Were Used

March 9, 2018 by Leave a Comment
Checkpoint Tags –4                                                                                                                              wc blog 448
Clothing Security Tags-3
Coincidental Encounters That May Not Have Taken Place If Clothing Security Tags Were Used
     When you work in Retail Loss Prevention as long as I have, you collect a few funny stories to tell from your experiences. One of the funnier moments I had was as a Loss Prevention Officer for a department store chain. I was actually off-duty and was with my wife shopping at one of our neighboring stores a few miles down the road from my assigned location. We were in the mall but popped into this branch where my good friend and fellow Loss prevention Officer was working. As my wife and I were browsing in clothing I saw this young couple looking around suspiciously and looking at clothing tags rather than the merchandise. The woman was standing behind a clothing fixture and I saw a tell-tale jerk of the young woman’s shoulder which indicated to me she was pulling off hang tags. At the time our company was using few clothing security tags to protect merchandise though we did have some high priced coats and dresses with Checkpoint Tags on them. This couple was not in that area. When I saw the arm movements and the shady looks I called my friend who was in the camera room and he began observation.
     I need to briefly interrupt my story so I can bring some of our readers up to speed on what Checkpoint Tags are since not everyone may be familiar with them. Checkpoint Tags are hard plastic devices that are pinned to clothing. They serve to deter theft and prevent shoplifting when applied to merchandise and in this case clothing specifically. The clothing security tags are designed to be attached in a visible location so criminals know that if they try to steal the item(s) an alarm in an electronic article surveillance (EAS) tower is going to be activated. The tags also stop shoplifters because the security tags do activate alarms in an EAS tower and that gets a response from store personnel who then conduct receipt checks. Whether concealed in a bag or hidden under clothing an EAS tag will still set off a tower alarm when someone tries to smuggle stolen goods past it. Employees responding to an alarm can conduct receipt checks and root out the cause for the alarm without causing a scene when they do it properly.
     So getting back to my adventure, my friend began watching the couple on closed circuit television. The woman took a number of pieces of clothing into the fitting room while her partner waited outside on the salesfloor. My partner could not confirm how many pieces were taken in so we worked together to get the couple to dump any merchandise they were going to try to steal. I walked over to the fixture where the woman had been standing and started picking up manufacturer tags from the floor. The guy watched me and when his friend came out I sent an associate in to look for empty hangers. The couple looked nervous and when the employee brought out empty hangers she handed them to me. The woman scurried back in the fitting room and quickly came back out. The salesfloor employee went back in and came out with an armful of merchandise that had not been there previously.
     I spoke with my friend for a few minutes and my wife and I left the store and moved to another department store further down the mall. To my surprise there was the same couple and they were doing the same thing. I approached an employee of that store and started to tell him about the couple and the guy saw me and we made eye contact. He said something to the woman and they left the store. Another deterred theft! The story doesn’t end there however. After shopping for a while my wife and I were finally done in the mall and started on our way home but had a grocery store stop to make. Guess who we bumped into? Yup, that same couple. The male made eye contact with me, his mouth dropped open and he whispered to the woman and they left. It made my day.
     Since then the company I worked for has increased the use of clothing security tags on merchandise. In my career I have used Checkpoint Tags on numerous items and can testify to their effectiveness in preventing theft. While we were fortunate to stop those cases of shoplifting it makes me wonder whether I even would be able to tell that story today had we used tags more aggressively back then. Probably not but the world may never know.
Get more information on Checkpoint Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.

When you work in Retail Loss Prevention as long as I have, you collect a few funny stories to tell from your experiences. One of the funnier moments I had was as a Loss Prevention Officer for a department store chain. I was actually off-duty and was with my wife shopping at one of our neighboring stores a few miles down the road from my assigned location. We were in the mall but popped into this branch where my good friend and fellow Loss prevention Officer was working. As my wife and I were browsing in clothing I saw this young couple looking around suspiciously and looking at clothing tags rather than the merchandise. The woman was standing behind a clothing fixture and I saw a tell-tale jerk of the young woman’s shoulder which indicated to me she was pulling off hang tags. At the time our company was using few clothing security tags to protect merchandise though we did have some high priced coats and dresses with Checkpoint Tags on them. This couple was not in that area. When I saw the arm movements and the shady looks I called my friend who was in the camera room and he began observation.
   

 I need to briefly interrupt my story so I can bring some of our readers up to speed on what Checkpoint Tags are since not everyone may be familiar with them. Checkpoint Tags are hard plastic devices that are pinned to clothing. They serve to deter theft and prevent shoplifting when applied to merchandise and in this case clothing specifically. The clothing security tags are designed to be attached in a visible location so criminals know that if they try to steal the item(s) an alarm in an electronic article surveillance (EAS) tower is going to be activated. The tags also stop shoplifters because the security tags do activate alarms in an EAS tower and that gets a response from store personnel who then conduct receipt checks. Whether concealed in a bag or hidden under clothing an EAS tag will still set off a tower alarm when someone tries to smuggle stolen goods past it. Employees responding to an alarm can conduct receipt checks and root out the cause for the alarm without causing a scene when they do it properly.
     

So getting back to my adventure, my friend began watching the couple on closed circuit television. The woman took a number of pieces of clothing into the fitting room while her partner waited outside on the salesfloor. My partner could not confirm how many pieces were taken in so we worked together to get the couple to dump any merchandise they were going to try to steal. I walked over to the fixture where the woman had been standing and started picking up manufacturer tags from the floor. The guy watched me and when his friend came out I sent an associate in to look for empty hangers. The couple looked nervous and when the employee brought out empty hangers she handed them to me. The woman scurried back in the fitting room and quickly came back out. The salesfloor employee went back in and came out with an armful of merchandise that had not been there previously.
     

I spoke with my friend for a few minutes and my wife and I left the store and moved to another department store further down the mall. To my surprise there was the same couple and they were doing the same thing. I approached an employee of that store and started to tell him about the couple and the guy saw me and we made eye contact. He said something to the woman and they left the store. Another deterred theft! The story doesn’t end there however. After shopping for a while my wife and I were finally done in the mall and started on our way home but had a grocery store stop to make. Guess who we bumped into? Yup, that same couple. The male made eye contact with me, his mouth dropped open and he whispered to the woman and they left. It made my day.
     

Since then the company I worked for has increased the use of clothing security tags on merchandise. In my career I have used Checkpoint Tags on numerous items and can testify to their effectiveness in preventing theft. While we were fortunate to stop those cases of shoplifting it makes me wonder whether I even would be able to tell that story today had we used tags more aggressively back then. Probably not but the world may never know.

 

Get more information on Checkpoint Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.

 

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