They’re sharp
Razors. Not all shoplifters.
Police caught a Pennsylvania shoplifter after he tried to steal several trays of Gillette razor blades from a Wal-Mart store. News reports say store employees were tipped off when they noticed blood on the floor.
Apparently, the shoplifter removed the blades from the packaging and cut himself in the process. The trail of blood led them to the man.
Easy to Steal
Retailers know it.
Razor blades are small. Easily concealed. Relatively expensive. Heavily promoted. Widely used. If a product is in demand and easily resold, it’s at risk.
So some retailers put them behind counters. But that has a strong negative impact on sales.
Per unit shrink was 59% lower in stores using Alpha Keepers, according the Loss Prevention Research Council.
You Can Do Something About Razor Theft
In tests conducted by the Loss Prevention Research Council, it was found that using Keepers reduced shrink by 59% (on a unit basis) compared to stores that did not. In their sixty store study, this related to a three-year positive financial return of over $33,000 per store.
Keepers are reusable polycarbonate security cases that are easily opened and closed at check out counter using a special hand-key. For stores that have Checkpoint or Sensormatic Electronic Article Surveillance Systems, Keepers have your choice of non-deactivatable coil built-in. However the study showed Keepers are effective even in stores without EAS.
What Did Customer Think?
- Overwhelmingly, customers preferred stores using Keepers to having the blade and razor products being locked in a display case or kept behind counters.
- The physical characteristics and appearance were given high marks. More than 80% rated Keepers physical appearance an “A.”
- In almost all cases, customers said the use of Keepers and public view monitors would make them “more likely” to buy blade or razor products.
- In no case, did customers say these shrink management techniques would make them “less likely” to buy.
What Did Employees Think?
Read Hayes, Director of the Loss Prevention Research Council, told an interviewer that employees were “happy with them, finding them practical and easy to use.”
- A majority felt they were effective in reducing theft of blades and razor products
- Indicated it was “easy” to place the blade and razor products in the Keepers
- Indicated is was “very easy” to place the Keepers in the display
Lose Less and Sell More
American Theft Prevention Products offers a line of Keeper products specifically sized for blades and razors. Give us a call if you’d like more information on Alpha Keepers for razors, blades and health & beauty products.
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You can do something about shoplifting! American Theft Prevention Products has tools, including Alpha Keepers, to help retailers combat shoplifting. Visit www.AmericanTheftPrevention.com or call 866-416-0999 or 847-972-6540.
Tags: Alpha Security Products, Checkpoint Keepers, effectiveness, Keepers, razor blade theft, Sensormatic Keepers, shoplifters, supermarkets
February 8, 2011 at 8:04 am |
[...] American Theft Prevention has an amusing story about a suspect who cut himself while stealing multiple trays of Gillette razor refills. Loss Prevention employees were able to track the thief down by simply following the trail of blood he left behind. Gillette refills are a major target for Organized Retail Theft because of their small size to value ratio. Get yourself a tray of these and you are looking at a couple hundred dollars. [...]