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Three Keys to Effective Retail Security

 Effective retail security does not require complex plans and highly advanced technologies. A simple strategy that that involves three basic elements is usually enough to get the job done. Let’s take a look:

Hiring the right people, training everyone else

Start by getting people who have experience in loss prevention in the retail industry. Retailers like yourself, in most cases, are not really experts when it comes to retail security, so you need someone who knows exactly what to keep an eye out for, how to respond to perceived threats and how to react when an incident does actually happen.

But what about your staff? Well, this is where the “training everyone else” part comes in. Everything you learn from your security team must be passed on to every member of your staff. Keep in mind that guards can only cover so much ground. You’ll need all the help you can get in keeping your store safe. From the management team all the way to the interns (if you have any), everyone should know at least the basics of retail security.

Making theft difficult

When it comes to theft prevention, simply making committing the act more challenging goes a long, long way. Most would-be shoplifters would just move on to an easier target instead of running the risk of getting caught. And for anyone else who’s still bold enough to try, there are still other security measures to worry about.

So, how exactly do you make theft more difficult? Well, for starters, get a good electronic article surveillance (EAS) system. By simply attaching electronic tags on all your products and then installing sensors on all entry and exit points, you automatically make it much more challenging for people to bring unpaid merchandise out.

Recording everything

Of course, no solution works 100% of the time. More seasoned shoplifters would probably figure out a way to beat your store’s security. But this is where a good CCTV system comes in. By making sure that you record everyone who comes in and goes out of your store – and what they do while inside – you significantly increase your chances of catching shoplifters even after the theft has already been committed.

At the end of the day, experienced and well-trained people, a deterrent and a good video recording system are all you really need to beef up your store’s security.

Top Three Security Challenges of Running a Clothing Store

Clothing stores seem to be among the top targets of shoplifters. Let’s take a look at the most common reasons behind this and how you can address them below:

Dressing rooms

Whenever a customer goes in one to try some clothes on, you automatically lose any visual contact with them. This essentially gives them a free hand to do anything they want with your merchandise.

Now, the situation shouldn’t be that bad if you were able to keep track of all the items they brought in. Unfortunately, if you weren’t, then there’s really no way you’d know whether there are any missing items once the customer comes out.

Easily concealable merchandise

Small products and even bigger ones that can be made smaller by folding (like clothes) can easily be tucked into a small bag or hidden under loose clothing. This makes it very easy for shoplifters to take unpaid merchandise out of stores with poor security.

Too many distractions

If you’ve had your clothing store for a while, then you probably know just how busy it could be. With people asking your staff for different color and size options all day and then going in and out of your dressing rooms to try stuff out, there’s just too much going on to physically keep track of everything. This presents shoplifters with a whole lot of openings to strike.

The fix

Invest in a good electronic article surveillance (EAS) system so your products are protected even when no one is looking. All it requires you to do is attach some form of security tag, sticker or label onto all the items in your inventory and then put up sensors on all entry and exit points of your store – and you don’t even have to do it yourself. Some providers can actually do it at the manufacturing level.

The end result is that if anyone ever tries to bring an unpaid item out, the security tags will cause the sensors to trigger an alarm, alerting your team to the theft. The same thing happens when someone tries to remove the tags by force.

At the end of the day, while it’s always good to have attentive and well-trained staff, it’s still best to have some form of unmanned security measures in place as a back up to further beef up your store’s security.

Three Ways to Security Tethers Can Help Improve Your Bottom Line

They may seem like simple cables designed to lock your merchandise in place, but they actually do so much more. Let’s take a look at how such an unassuming security device can help you significantly boost your profits:

Protect your merchandise from theft

This is why they’re called security tethers in the first place. They help keep your products safe from shoplifters. They’re typically used with high-value merchandise like smart phones, cameras, tablets and even laptops.

All you really have to do is attach one end of the cable, coil or whatever kind of material your chosen tether type uses to an alarm-equipped base and the other end to the product and you’re good to go. If anyone ever tries to remove either end, the alarm would go off, immediately alerting your staff and security team to the ongoing theft attempt.

Let customers experience your products

Instead of simply showcasing your merchandise in a locked display case, security tethers allow you to put them out in the open for customers to play with – which ultimately increases your chances of making a sale.

There’s a science behind it. According to sales experts, there are three basic types of customers: visual, auditory and tactile. Displaying your products using security tethers instead of display cases allows you to satisfy all three. The visual people could simply view them from a distance while the auditory and tactile ones can pick them up and interact with them.

Get more customers to come in

In most cases, when people see other people lining up for something, they end up wanting to check it out too. By letting people play with your products, you make them stay longer in your store. When people outside see it, there’s a big chance that they’ll come in as well. Soon, you’ll have generated a big enough crowd inside to create the illusion that you’re selling some super in-demand items that people are going crazy for, which ultimately brings even more people in – and we all know that in the retail game, more foot traffic equals more chances to make a sale.

Security tethers, indeed, offer so much more than just theft prevention. By allowing your customers to actually experience your products, they effectively provide you with more opportunities to make a sale and ultimately boost your stores revenue.

Five Basic Types of Retail Security Tags

You probably already know that electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems typically involve the use of electronic and/or magnetic security tags. But did you know that there is more than one kind available? Let’s take a look at five of the most common ones below:

Plastic tags

This is probably the most identifiable kind of security tag. They may come in different shapes and sizes but they’re all made with hard molded plastic. They go well with pretty much anything that’s big enough to accommodate them.

Some plastic tags contain ink that gets released if anyone ever tries to tamper with or remove them by force, staining and making products like clothing practically unusable to shoplifters.

Security strips and inserts

Made with thin strips of paper that don’t look that much different from regular inserts, they are one of the stealthiest security measures you can implement. They work great in a bookstore or library setting because both books and bookshelves are not really designed to handle bulky plastic tags.

The fact that these strips are so inconspicuous also allows them to keep the visual appeal of any product that they are inserted in pretty much intact.

Source tags

These look like the traditional cloth tags and labels that get sewn into clothing. The only difference is that they are fitted with some kind of barely noticeable security strip.

These tags, as the name implies, get attached right at the manufacturing facility so you no longer have to worry about doing any in-store tagging whenever new stocks are delivered to your store.

Hang tags

Needless to say, this category involves any kind of tag that hangs from a product. They’re typically used with clothing and contain information such as the brand name and cost of the item.

Stickers and labels

Stickers and labels are just that: anything that you stick onto your products. And just like security strips, they’re pretty inconspicuous as well so you could also use them on a book or any other similar item. One could easily mistake them for an ordinary price tag or sticker label.

Of course, even though these tags come in a variety of configurations, all of them are designed to still do the same thing: to prevent losses due to theft.

Three Things You Need To Know About Magnetic Security Tags

Magnetic security tags are a popular theft-prevention solution among retailers because they’re not only highly effective, they also don’t cost too much to implement. But before you jump on the tagging bandwagon, be sure to do some research first so you can pick the best option for your store.

Don’t worry, though, because we’re here to help you get started. Below are the top three things you should know about magnetic security tags:

They come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes

In fact, the security tag variant, i.e., the one made with hard molded plastic, is just one of the many kinds at your disposal. There are also more lightweight and less-intrusive alternatives like stickers, labels and hang tags, so no matter what kind of retail store you’re running, you’ll surely find a solution that would go perfectly with your merchandise.

Some come with special features

Ink tags, as the name suggests, uses ink to further boost the effectiveness of traditional magnetic security tags. They are designed in such a way that if ever anyone tries to tamper with or forcefully remove them, the ink inside would be released, staining the both the product and the shoplifter’s hands and clothes.

This option works particularly well with clothing or any other similar item that easily becomes virtually unusable when stained with ink.

You can have them attached right at the source

If you don’t have the time and/or manpower to install the security tags yourself, you can just have your supplier and manufacturer take care of it for you. Doing so provides the following benefits:

• Eliminate the labor costs associated with attaching the tags yourself
• Ensure tagging compliance
• Boost security throughout the entire supply chain
• Focus resources on providing exceptional customer service

You can use them to collect data

With the right software, you can also use your tags and sensors to collect data like daily foot traffic, best-selling items, incidents of theft and even fraudulent returns. You can then use everything you’ve collected to come up with better marketing strategies, improve your inventory management and ultimately beef up your store’s security.

At the end of the day, not all tags are created equal – and knowing exactly what your merchandise needs will allow you to get the most out of this popular anti-theft solution.

Three Benefits of EAS Security Stickers

When it comes to retail security, bigger is not necessarily better. In some cases, a smaller, more unassuming solution may very well spell the difference between keeping your merchandise safe and suffering losses due to theft.

Now, when it comes to small theft-prevention solutions, there are very few things that can top EAS security stickers in terms of size-to-functionality ratio. Let’s take a look at some of the most useful things that they allow you to do:

Catch shoplifters off-guard

If a shoplifter doesn’t know what kind of security measures they are up against, then they won’t be able to prepare any counter-measures. CCTV cameras, physical locks, chains and even human guards are all too conspicuous. With a little planning, an experienced shoplifter would be able to devise a strategy to get past all of them undetected.

In contrast, an EAS security sticker pretty much looks like a regular tag or label, so, in most cases, a would-be shoplifter wouldn’t even know that they’re there until they try to take an unpaid product out of your store and the alarms start to sound.

Keep the look of your merchandise intact

Bulky theft-prevention devices like mechanical recoilers and even display cases can mess with the visual appeal of some products. Small security stickers are also your best bet in this case because they allow you to give your customers a virtually unobstructed view.

Provide customers a hassle-free shopping experience

There are customers who are happy to just look, but for those who prefer to touch and physically inspect an item that they are thinking of buying, a bulky anti-theft device could easily become a source of annoyance. An EAS security sticker is a great alternative in this case as well. It not only allows your customers to fully experience your products, it also keeps your products effectively protected from theft.

In the retail security game, size does matter. However, that doesn’t mean that you always have to go for the biggest, most complex solution. The key, in fact, lies in finding right tool for the job – which can sometimes be as small and simple as a sticker.