Archived HBA LOCKUP CASES

[Hardlinesmaster]

Spider wraps should go around all sides of a box therefore making them very, very difficult to open them.

Use the plastic clips or yellow clips for peg items too.

 

[jventura09]

We have shavers and electric toothbrushes/waterpiks locked up in cases. The beauty TM carries a set of keys. (Beauty is right in front of HBA)

 

[Endlessbackstock]

The only thing that was locked up at my store were some whitestrips, until about a month ago when LP removed them for some odd reason. Surprise surprise, the on hands for these now say 4, 6, 12, etc. while the shelf is totally bare.

 

[KirbyKirbs]

I have a question, does the guest have to go straight to the register when you unlock, let's say flea and tick product? Our pet section is no where near the registers.

 

[JAShands]

At my store if it’s locked up the TM who unlocks it takes it to Guest Services if the guest has more shopping to do. If they’re done (and not in Electronics) the TM still takes the item up front for the guest and gives it to the cashier. If I’m unlocking something for someone and they only have a couple of other items I’ll take them to a far checklane and just ring them up myself. At that point it’s just easier and they leave happy.

 

[Endlessbackstock]

Theives typically don’t want to be outed, so the number of shoplifters asking to unlock cases and then stealing it would probably be miniscule. The Walmart and a local grocer within 2 miles from my Target have lockup cases in HBA, and it seems to workout fine. Paying two employees $13/hr. to be key carriers/ openers wouldn’t be a waste in my opinion. If you look at the typical HBA loss in a day due to theft, I estimate would average at least ~$500 or so. Two employees 12 hours would only incur a cost of $300, while bringing back that loss, netting +$700

 

[BoxCutter]

The only thing that was locked up at my store were some whitestrips, until about a month ago when LP removed them for some odd reason. Surprise surprise, the on hands for these now say 4, 6, 12, etc. while the shelf is totally bare.

You have some serious AP problems at your store if they don't understand and implement the most basic of product security.

 

[Endlessbackstock]

You have some serious AP problems at your store if they don't understand and implement the most basic of product security.

They do all the things you are suggesting, it’s just not enough.

 

[Mikuhl]

Can we have glass cases for video games like Walmart. The target video game cases are so big and ugly and don't open half the time without bending the already fragile keys.

 

[Endlessbackstock]

You have some serious AP problems at your store if they don't understand and implement the most basic of product security.

People are stealing items that aren’t required to be in security pegs or in lock boxes/spider wrap.

 

[Endlessbackstock]

I suppose it depends on different states as well. A lot of states are lenient with theft, leaving Target LP to basically say “oh well” to what is described as unavoidable shrink due to theft. But if the lockup cases work for Walmart but wouldn’t for Target, it must be because of payroll, and if that’s the case, Target is in serious trouble in the future I would imagine.

 

[BoxCutter]

The only thing that was locked up at my store were some whitestrips, until about a month ago when LP removed them for some odd reason.

They do all the things you are suggesting, it’s just not enough.

🤔

 

[Shani]

At our store, it has to be at least $50 for them to care about theft. They don't seem to care about small items being stolen, at least not enough to do anything effective about it. We have a huge problem with that in the baby department. Guests keep opening pouches of food to give to their kids in the store but they don't take them to the registers to pay for them. Our SFS regular sees them in the trash bins around the store all the time. When our baby TM asked AP if there was something they could do or say to guests to dissuade them, AP said no because they don't want to offend the guest. Well if they're stealing, maybe we should offend them so they'll stop coming here.

I've taken note of a couple of products that were consistently getting swiped and spider wrapped them. One example was a particular Olay face cream. A guest came looking for it and the system said we had 3 on hand but I couldn't find them anywhere. I told her such, and she commented that it was probably stolen and said how at Walmart they started putting it in a case. An employee there even told the guest that it was the item most stolen in that department so they had to lock it up.

Make sure those Plan B pills are put in cases too. And be prepared for the guests that ask you to unlock them on the floor. It's pretty obvious they were going to steal them when they put them back after you tell them they don't get unlocked until you bring them to a register.

 

[Endlessbackstock]

I never liked when customers returned items that were obviously not from Target, or without receipt, and in return wanted cash or gift card. They still refer to these people as “guests” when they are thieves. And you are right, they don’t want to offend them. Maybe they should be offended and told they are a thief in front of everyone. Most small time criminals won’t file frivolous lawsuits anyway, especially when they are lying.

 

[Endlessbackstock]

At our store, it has to be at least $50 for them to care about theft. They don't seem to care about small items being stolen, at least not enough to do anything effective about it. We have a huge problem with that in the baby department. Guests keep opening pouches of food to give to their kids in the store but they don't take them to the registers to pay for them. Our SFS regular sees them in the trash bins around the store all the time. When our baby TM asked AP if there was something they could do or say to guests to dissuade them, AP said no because they don't want to offend the guest. Well if they're stealing, maybe we should offend them so they'll stop coming here.

Make sure those Plan B pills are put in cases too.

I used to see 4 or 5 boxes of that in backstock at certain times because employees are just tired of it getting stolen, or don’t want to deal with putting plastic cases on those little boxes when they are trying to push 300 units of HBA in 4 hours.

 

[Fluttervale]

So the alternative is to let everyone steal items <$300, which is only a misdemeanor if you are caught and prosecuted? This is another reason what brick and mortar stores won’t survive long.

Also another point, how long does it take from an employees work to apply individual cases or spider wrap to items? If things were behind locked cases you could eliminate all that. Sure it would take product restructuring, and aisle changes, but in the long run, one or two people manning a case with keys is only &25-$30/hr, which is a lot less than you can lose in theft with just one shoplifter. Hell, whitestrips are $30, Plan B is $40, 200 ct. Advil is $13, and those are just a few examples.

Yeah, but you only have them stolen every four days (one day to steal, one to audit, one to ship, one to stock). So you would be spending several thousand in payroll to save a few hundred in product. Better to stick them in keepers.

 

[Shani]

I used to see 4 or 5 boxes of that in backstock at certain times because employees are just tired of it getting stolen, or don’t want to deal with putting plastic cases on those little boxes when they are trying to push 300 units of HBA in 4 hours.

I might have seen that as lazy before modernization happened, but I understand it now. They might be better off in the back anyway until someone has time to case them or a guest asks for them... better than the TM leaving them on the shelf unlocked, at least. But then everyone would have to make sure that if they got one for a guest from the back that they didn't just hand it to them like that. Either put a case on it before handing it over or treat it like an electronics item and leave it at the service desk for them.