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Protection against shoplifters at super and hyper markets using the Electronic Article Surveillance -1-

1. General overview of antishoplifting

1.1. SUPER and HYPER MARKETS have very vast floor space. The varied and abundance of readily available merchandise is very vulnerable to customer theft. The heavy customer traffic is favourable to shoplifters. The prevention anc detection of shoplifting is extremely difficult under these circumstances. The customers (especially Asians) are highly sensitive when wrongly accused of shopliffng. The protection of super and hyper market needs careful and deliberate planning.

2. Postionning the anti-shoplifting antennas

The anti-shoplifting antennas are either positioned at the exits or at the checkout counters. The inevitable question, is which is the most effective way of anti-theft protection without intimidating the customers.

3. Anti-theft antennas positioned at the exits

3.1. When the anti-theft antennas are positioned at the exit, the detaching of eas tags and deactivation are conducted at the checkout counters. The advantage of this method is that very few anti-theft systems are required, thus the investment cost on the anti-shoplifting systems are very much lower. However, this method has many disadvantages when compared to positioning the anti-shoplifting antennas at the checkout counter.

3.2. The disadvantages are as follows :

3.2.1-The fewer security systems positioned at the exits have a much lesser deterring effect compared to positioning individual anti-shoplifting system protecting each checkout counter. The primary aim of every retail outlet is to deter shoplifting in preference to apprehending shoplifters.

3.2.2-The customer traffic converge at the exits after checkout, the traffic is very heavy at this point. When the alarm is triggered, identifying the person that triggers it, is extremely difficult and could cause unnecessary embarrassment and hassle to honest and innocent customers if wrongly identified.

3.2.3 To locate and deactivate the eas sticker tags is time consuming and is not in favour to customers service and convenience. Having to serve the customers in haste, the cashier sometimes do not deactivate the eas tags properly, even though the eas tags and deactivators used are of the best quality. When the eas security tags are not deactivated properly, the alarms will be triggered, even by honest customers.

As an example :

10,000 protected items sold per day
1% (is not deactivated properly) x 10,000 items = 100 false alarm

100 times - 10 operating hours = average 10 false alarm per hour.

3.2.4 If false alarms are rampant, eventually the security guards will not react to the alarm for fear of the wrath of honest customers. This scenario will favour the shoplifters and eventually the situation of "Free For All" may exist.

3.2.5 When eas sticker tags are tagged at random position on the items, the eas tags will be difficult to locate especially so on bulky items by the cashier. In addition some of the eas sticker tags may not be effective if not properly pasted.

3.2.6 Systematic tagging position will compromise their location and will be easily removed by shoplifters. This method of anti-shoplifting protection may give the cashiers and security personnel a false sense of security.

3.2.7 The anti-theft system position at the exits can be easily taken advantage of by the intelligent shoplifters. When the shoplifters are passing through the anti-shoplifting antennas, they will leave the goods stolen in their trolley openly. If these items are detected, they can easily blame the cashier for not punching the items in. They cannot be accused of shoplifting as the items are not hidden, it is openly displayed in the trolley. This method of stealing can be referred to as "THE OPEN THEFT, NO RISK CONCEPT"

4. Anti-shoplifting antennas at each checkout counter

4.1. This method is the most commonly used. Sometimes it is referred to as the "BY PASS METHOD" The customers hand over all the goods at the checkout counter. The customer and his empty trolley walk through the anti-theft antennas and is screened. He will receive his goods at the other end of the counter after payment.

4.2. The evident disadvantage of this method, is the initial investment cost on more anti-shoplifting systems being purchased, However, the by pass method needs no deactivators, thus offsetting part of the cost spent on more anti-theft systems. In addition, the effectiveness on deterring and detecting possible shoplifting makes it economically more viable than positioning the system at the exits in the long run.

4.3. There are many advantages of the anti-shoplifting systems position at each checkout counters (The BYPASS METHOD). The presence of anti-theft antennas at each checkout will be a very strong deterrent to shoplifters

4.4. No deactivation is required, thus the eas sticker tags can be at random and hidden position. The shoplifters are never sure of whether the items are being tagged or not, further savings can be increased by not tagging all the items at the same time. This is additional savings on labour and eas tag cost. This will allow the flexibility, sohould for any reason deactivations are required, they can be easily installed and incorporated in the anti-shoplifting system.

4.5. The service at the checkout counter without having to locate and deactivate the tags is much more swift and efficient for customer service.

4.6. Should the alarm trigger, the serving cashiers can easily resolve the situation with the customer with minimum embarrassment. In actual fact, this situation can be easily handled and presented as part and parcel of customer services.

4.7. The anti-shoplifting antennas maybe placed at the entrance of the hyper market. This is to located items with eas tags that maybe brought in from another shop. Some hyper markets prefer that items and shopping carrier bags from another shop be deposited at a safe counter before the customers are allowed entry into their hyper market.

5. Conclusion of out anti-shoplifting study

In any retail outlet, happy customers are the prime factor towards its success. When customers are intimidated and wrongly accused of shoplifting, the consequences may be as follows :

5.1 We will have many unhappy customers who may never return again. These angry customers will create a scene and commotion and other customers may be apprehensive to return for fear of suffering the same fate.

5.2 These customers may report their grievances to the local press, a bad press report will severely damage the good image of that particular super or hyper market.

5.3 A very unhappy and wrongly accused customer may take up a legal suit against the hyper market.

5.4. A properly planned and protected super and hyper market needs not face the wrath of customers. The anti-theft system position at the counters can be presented as part and parcel of an efficient and polite customer service system. In Europe, more than 95% of super and hyper markets position their anti-theft antennas at the checkout counter using THE BYPASS METHOD.

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