The winter holidays are the high point of the year for many retail outfits. As shoppers flood stores intent on finding the perfect gifts for family members and friends, retailers can boost sales for the year and prepare for the slump that inevitably follows in the wake of the new year.
Of course, when stores packed with patrons and employees are busy ringing up sales, it’s no surprise that criminals look for a weak spot and take advantage. Retailers need to remain vigilant to combat the increase in instances of theft that often accompany the busy holiday rush.
How can you stop would-be thieves from looting your wares and cutting into your profits? The right security system can go a long way toward making your holidays happy. Here are a few reasons why security gates and EAS systems are a must for wary retailers.
Stop After-Hours Break-Ins
Burglars are hardly brain surgeons. Often they’re simply on the prowl for crimes of opportunity, and a storefront display laden with valuable wares might as well have a target on it. This is where security gates come into play.
Security gates present an added obstacle to entry that could deter criminals seeking an easy score. If their plan is a simple smash-and-grab, a security gate might be enough to send them in search of easier prey, like storefronts down the block that leave their glass display windows unprotected. The crisscrossed metal bars of security gates are a great way to protect your holiday displays and merchandise.
Catch Thieves In-Store
What about when you roll back security gates and let the consumer public in? How can you put a stop to sticky-fingered thieves stuffing your products into their pockets and walking right out the front door during the melee of holiday shopping?
This is where an electronic article surveillance (EAS) system is useful. The system is comprised of two thin towers that flank your doors; one is a transmitter and the other a receiver. Customers must pass between them when entering or exiting your store.
The towers work in tandem with EAS Security Tags and EAS Security Labels attached to your products. These tags are designed to set off alarms in the towers when they pass between them, alerting your staff to an attempted theft in progress. Security EAS systems may rely on magnetic, acousto-magnetic, radio frequency, or microwave transmissions to sense when theft occurs. It’s important to make certain that tags match your EAS system.
Employees can remove or deactivate tags at the time of purchase so that paying customers may exit the store with their purchases without setting off alarms. These systems make it possible for even stores overwhelmed by holiday shoppers to reduce instances of theft and maximize profits during this busy shopping season. If you want to make the most of the holidays at your retail location, having proper security systems in place can make a world of difference.
If you are a customer or a soon to be customer of Specialty Store Services and would like more information on Security Systems for your store, shop our website, Specialty Store Services, for all your retail store needs. If you have a question that you would like answered immediately, you can Live Chat, or phone us at 800-999-0771.