Hello WAYNE!

22 Apr 10 14:11, you wrote to me:

 RC>> What I like for these tags potential is it could be used to
 RC>> thwart fraudulent returns of stolen merchandise and better
 RC>> enforce return policies.

 WC> Yup, never sold, call the law while making the excuse you need to get
 WC> your supervisors approval for the return.

Usually for most retailers, you couldnt make a case to involve the law
because you still need proof that the person was witnessed removing it from
the store.. In most cases a fraudulent return attempt of lets say stolen
merchandise, wont be attempted at the same location it was stolen from, but
sometimes the stupid ones will try, in 30 years of retail, I have seen
quite a bit.

If you ever notice on the receipts from most big box retailers, you will
see a barcode, this basically identifies the entire transaction and is used
during the return or exchange process, it verifies the item, qty, price
paid and of course method of payment, along with any applied discounts and
coupons.. Return fraud costs millions each year, this is why you are seeing
retailers clamp down on return policies, requiring receipts and
implementing exchange only or store credit only, along with restocking
fees..

What we have done, when we were double damn sure somebody was trying to
return for a refund, merchandise that was stolen, we keep it and deny the
refund... I also have done the same thing with credit cards when a forged
one was presented, if the person thinks they have a real grievance, they
can call the police, which so far, none of them have.. :-)

 RC>> The shoplifting sensors you all talk about, most retailers
 RC>> utilize source tagging, whereas the tag is applied at the factory
 RC>> or packager, in the early days we had to apply the tags
 RC>> ourselves, which not only was time intensive but we usually found
 RC>> the package destroyed and empty in the restrooms or shoved in
 RC>> behind displays.. Home Depot for instance has the maker of their
 RC>> Dewalt power tools, place a tag inside the tools handle. Some of
 RC>> Walmarts high end work boots, have the tag sewn inside the
 RC>> tongue. Shoplifter wants those, they have to destroy more than
 RC>> just the package or be brave enough to run like hell for the
 RC>> doors.

 WC> Wasn't aware of those placement points however generally all the more
 WC> inexpensive
 WC> stuff.
 WC> But then it matters not as I'm not a thief.

All of our stuff comes source tagged now, sometimes with sensors for both
checkpoint and sensormatic, most of our digital camera come with the tag
inserted loose in the cameras battery compartment, which is moot in our
case as we have the cameras securely locked up in a room and the custody of
the camera isnt turned over to the customer until its paid for.

Shoplifters are clever though, we had a desktop computer on display,
whereas someone shut it down, openned the cover and stole the processor
(Core i3) and all the RAM..

When I worked for AutoZone, we used to bulk stack car batteries across from
the front doors, from time to time, someone would wait until we were all
busy at the counter, grab one and bolt for the door.. We came up wit a
unique solution, we cable tied all of them together with them clear
electrician ties.. Sure enough someone tried to do the same thing again,
except as his body passed the display, with arm still on the battery he
wanted to steal, it stayed behind and he fell on his ass..

 WC> I just took one apart one day to find out how they worked and on first
 WC> sight understood how simple and elegant they were.

Was it the flat square ones or the slightly raised rectangular ones?
(Checkpoint and sensormatic respectively)

==
Ross
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