Retail Store Security Devices: Ideal For The Mother’s Day Rush

According to statistics presented by industry insiders, March 2017 saw a 6% weekly rise in the amount of footfall experienced by shopping centres. Although the warmer spring weather may have something to do with getting more people out to shop, it's likely to be the growth in the events leading up to Mother's Day that was mostly responsible for the rise in figures.

In this blog, we're going to look more into Mother's Day – and why retailers need to be prepared for the busy rush by using retail store security devices to protect their stock.

The Growth of Mother's Day – And The Need For Retail Store Security Devices

Mothering Sunday (not to be confused with the international Mother's Day – which is celebrated at different dates throughout the year), has been traditionally celebrated in the UK since around the 16^th Century. The date of Mothering Sunday (which, somewhat confusingly, is also recognised by many as 'Mother's Day') falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent, exactly three weeks prior to Easter Sunday. Now a day to honour mothers, it is said to have its roots in a church service that saw people from all walks of life return to their 'mother church' (the place in which they were baptised). Those who did this were said to have an 'a-mothering'.

In more recent history, Mothering Sunday became a day when domestic servants were given the day off to visit their mother church, usually with their own mothers and other members of the family. It's believed for many of these servants, it was the only day of the year in which the whole family could get together – their schedules would otherwise conflict and/or their employers were not obliged to grant them free days.

Although a faint line can be drawn between the original Mothering Sunday being a day to celebrate mothers (as people would accompany theirs to the church), it's more likely that since the original custom became less practiced, the day has been mixed up with Mother's Day to create a festival to celebrate one's mother. As such, cards and gifts are regularly associated with what we now know as 'Mothers Day' – people buying them to bestow their apperception and love on their mothers, as they visit and spend time with them.

As time has worn on, Mother's Day now represents a bountiful opportunity for retailers to increase their profit margins – the demand has been growing year-on-year. It's not too much of a stretch to say that during such times, questions about security may be asked of the store – questions that can be answered with retail store security devices.

How Can I Better Protect My Store?

If you're a retailer looking to take advantage of the events leading up to Mother's Day, then it represents just one of many potentially busy days for your store this year. As such, here are some tips on how to protect your store all-year-round, making it difficult for anyone to make away with your stock:

• Fitting Room Attendance. This age-old shoplifting trick is still pretty common for those retailers who do not employ retail store security devices, such as EAS tags. The trick works by the shoplifter either placing their bounty in a bag or on their person and simply walking out with it. As CCTV cameras aren't permitted by law to monitor fitting rooms, the ability for staff to ensure that nothing is being stolen is somewhat hamstrung. However, with a device such as an EAS tag being extremely difficult to remove, it's unlikely that any potential shoplifter will attempt to steal the product. Even if they do, the tracking ability of the EAS system will be able to give the store plentiful opportunity to stop them in their tracks.

• Greet your customers. A common tactic employed by many retailers to put pressure on potential shoplifters, is to have a member of staff whose role is to simply stand close to the entrance of the store to greet customers. This does not only allow for a positive, friendly impression to be realised by your genuine customers, it is also a great way to provide a deterrent to those with designs on doing harm to the store. Potential shoplifters are likely to be put on the wrong foot and believe that their every move is being watched; whilst this isn't a foolproof method to stop shoplifting, it may more often than not, will prove successful in separating genuine customers from those who are not.

• Being mindful of 'suspicious' behaviour'. On a similar theme, many stores give a member of staff a role where they are a 'floating presence' within the store; walking around and asking people if they need any assistance. This is a great way to balance the need to offer good customer service with placing any potential shoplifters on that back foot. Knowing that they are essentially 'being watched' it's likely that they'll feel the pressure and walk away empty handed. In many cases, a determined shoplifter will go through with the attempted theft regardless, which is why it's always handy to have…

• Retail store security devices such as modern HD CCTV and security tags. With cameras installed throughout the store (along with posters around communicating to everyone that they're on camera) you'll be providing a further deterrent, as well as possessing the ability to track and record any untoward behaviour. EAS security tags offer a great way to protect particularly expensive or popular stock items; with an EAS security system installed close to the exit of the store, it can track whenever a tagged product is taken through its field of monitoring. With modern systems being able to better track these tags from longer distances, you'll have ample opportunity to stop anyone who may be leaving the store with such a product.

Retail store security devices From Tagmax

If you are retailer that is looking to take advantage of the potentially busy nature of shopping events, such as Mother's Day, this year – then looking after your in-store security is a must. With retail store security devices, such as CCTV and EAS tags, you can not only better prevent your vital stock from being stolen but you can also set a great atmosphere, manage your stock levels – even monitor footfall rates.

Need to learn more? Please browse our other great blogs, or why not get in touch with one of our retail security experts directly? Being vastly experienced CCTV and EAS security system installers, we are able to offer you advice and assistance on implementing the ideal security plan for your store. Give us a call today on 0800 044 3160 or you can send us an e-mail at sales@tagmax.co.uk.