Proper merchandising can cut store losses

alf ArcHY PHRASES such as "ImY pulse Buying." "Manager's Specials" and "One Day Sales" are all familiar terms of the trade. However, do we want to "move" merchandise or sell it?

It may well be that those carefullY planned, eye-catching displays are nothing more than a convenient source of highly pilferable items asking to be "moved." Attractive and accessible merchandise, a high traffic count and a relatively low number of employees make your store a tempting target for shoplifters and dishonest employees

The National Retril Merchants Association says department stores doing over

By Roger Myers Corp. Security/Safety Director Dixieline Lumber San Diego, Ca.

I million in sales have a shrinkage rate (internal and external theft, plus faulty record-keeping) of approximately 2.46% Some estimates place the annual shoplifting losses at $25 billion, or approximately 2.8% to3.0% of retall sales, excluding restaurants and gas stations.

The reduction of these astronomical losses and the prevention oftheft has to be addressed at all levels of store operations. One of the primary considerations is in the merchandising facet of store layout and display. The purpose ofdisplay and layout is to create maximum customer desire. Unfortunately, this objective often makes merchandise easily accessible and attractive to shoplifters. Display personnel and sales department executives should consciously keep the vulnerability to shoplifters in mind when designing displays.

When planning the physical interior design of a store, some primary areas to be considered include locating restrooms outside the selling area where they can be tightly checked and controlled; placing second floor or mezzanine level offices in such a manner as to allosr views of the sales floor through one-way mirror glass; raising the cashiers' stations or servlce counters up above the store's floor level to give better visual accessibility to the store; keeping all display shelves, gondolas, stacks ofmerchandise and directional signs lorver than six feet or above the eight foot height area.

Merchandisers should be trained to always consider the ease with which items can be secreted. Many vendors will offer to set up their own displays for you to save you man-hours and money. Keep in mind that these vendors are self-serving and want their products where they are most

Story at a Glance

Eye-catching merchandising also attracts shoplifters vul' nerability to Pilfering must be a prime display consideration proper interior Planning, use of secure display cases, alarms, dummy samples, electronic tags, bulky Packaging can cut losses.

visual and accessible, not necessarily where they are the most protected and least vulnerable.

When planning the locations for displays, a general rule of thumb is to keep large bulky items in areas with less sales personnel coverage and smaller more easily stolen items close to sales counters or in areas ofhigh sales force coverage. Highly rulnerable expensive items should

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Anewtottfree Tetephone Number For Your Convenience And Savings

While you con still reoch us ot (2'13) 921-4334 we hove odded q new loll free number:

We speciolize in serving you with timbers ond other Douglos Fir items

Pleose coll us of either ,1-(800) 223-HUFF or 4-(2t3)e24-4334 g.s*ls.,. i,iis-qi-r}&

Thc North HollyrvorxJ. Ca., yard of the Mullin Lwnber Co. has been sold to Thc krrv Companias, Tarzana. Ca.. which purchased the assels only. no nrerger was involved...the yard will operate as Terry Lumber, one of 13 retail and 3 wholcsale flnus owned by the parent co.

We stem Lutnbe r Co. , Tucson, Az. ' is moving north of town to a former Wickes unit; Joe EsPich is mgr. ' Lunber Crt-r'willbe in a new shoPping ccntcr hcinc dcveloPctl in bamarillo. Ca. ...Ict'n' Lumbcr Ct'has completed remodeling its El Sercno, Ca., unit, adding new lutnbcr storage buildings...

Hund\ttnttt, with a ncw distribution center in Kearny Mesa (San Diego), Ca., plans to oPen fcur mtlre retail stores in the San Diego area this year; renrocleling of 21 units in thc 53 store chain has been completed...

Suppl.rCo w ill opcn un 87.000 sq. ft. hclme improvement store in Hillsboro, 0r., in August: it plans four or fivc lnore stores in metro Portl;frd, Or., in the next five years...

A 4.0U) s,4. l\. Lurnberulcrt'.s htllltc irnprovcttterlt eenter & nursery is planned fbr a shopping center under construction in Silverdale ( Bremerton), Wa.: a Nov. I oPening is anticipated...

Ncu o nu I Luntbe r, Fountain Valley, Ca.. has reported its first annual loss in zl4 years. ..Pat 'N Pak Srorcs, Kent. Wa., reported increased sales but lower earnings for its recently completed tiscal year...

Irnperittl Strtres has oPened a 24ff]i ]_sq. ft.. $l millionhomecenter as a replacemcnt lbr a downtown storc de stroyed in a $1.6 million fire last ktrlatth Cory. wlll sPend $35 million rebuilding its 60 Year old Lewiston, Id.. sawmill ..Craiglttttn AtrJirtson has purchased Inland Lutttber Co., Colton, Ca., (sec P. 35 for story ) .Stimson Tratling Co. has openecl in Portland, Or.. as a sales unit of Sti rrs on Lunilter Co. , Forest Grove , Or.

February. Impe riol l/ul I ev Lurnber Co. Brawley, Ca.. celcbrated the completi<ln of an expansion rvith grand opening ceremonies. .Sackcl/ & Petet:s. Whittier. Ca.. will celebrate its -36th anniversary in July...

A preliminary decision fiom the Intcrnationul Tritdc Cotttmission tltl a petition filed by the U.S. Coalitir:rn firr Fair Lumber Itnports seeking c'oltrtten'trilin,q dutics ttrt Canadian lumbe r is due Julv 3 with t'inal decision Oct. 20...a tarit'f of 27 % or an estinratcd $54 per tnbf on sotiwood imported from Canada is requested...

Retl t'etlur shakes and shingles producers have been grantcd temn()rrrv pr()lcetion lhrnt Cartadiatt imp,rrt.-*ith a -15 % tarift'to hc phased oul ovcr the ncxt fivc ycars. stal ing at 35% tdr 30 months, droPPing ta20% fbr two years and thcn to 8% for 6 Ill()nth\...

In-Sink-Erctor has oPened a West Coast distribution center in Chino, Ca. -.Autrn Building Contpanents ' frc. , has opened a 12.000 sq. ft' sales. service and stocking facility in Denver. Co.

Wt'hh ManuJuL'tttritt,q lrt'. has added a 10,000 sq. ft. storage building and plans for anothcr 60.000 sq. lt. inf g./storage ttnil ... ...Califorrtiu Luntber and Millw,ork is a new Locrmis, Ca., firnt. Jinr HaYes and Jim Ellswonh owncrs...

The Merchant Magazine

T7tngl'altlt Wbod Products Co., Eugene, Or.. has been sold to Eugerte Wrxxl Pnxlut:l.r Co. by owners Hatvey ipcck. Vcrn Kilpatrick and Sharkey Kbnirncr. ..Hu.lJ'l-nmbel Co. , Santa Fe Springs. Ca.. is adding a 44x140 umbrella building and re roofing a 40x100 building...

A flre of undetennincd origin destrrryed 3 dry kilns at South Ba)'Forest Pixlut'ts, Orange. Ca., MaY 25, temoorarilv drsrupting ()pcrations tbr a shr'rrr periorl:'S,,ith br.n'also has 4 kilns at its Union City, Ca., facility...

Kttlurrtrt Frtrt'.st Prtttluc'ts,ltr'. is a new remanufhcturing firm in Kalama, Wa.. Jerry Keef'e. pres. ' 'Ernpire Farest Prutdur:ts is new in SPokane. Wa., incorporating the siding and punel cliv. ot'WSI, [nc.;Jarnic Ettrtner in chargc of sales and purchasing...

C()ntitt(ttlal Dottr Irtt'. has been opcned in Rocklin, Ca., bY Clrcsqteake hrlustries, Inc'. (see page 34 fbr story). ..TS Industries, Inc' Huntington Beach, Ca., has oPened an insulation mfg. plant in Dallas, Ti.

Cascade West Ltunber Stzles, Medlord, Or., is a ncw wholesale lurnber co. formed by t.cw MacDonald, Golrlen State Mouldirrg, Rocklin, Ca.; Phil Shugart. Medfbrd Moulding Co. ' Medfbrd.0r.l and Doug SeeleY' tbrmerly with Sttrrc'rrst Forest Indttsrries, White City, Or. ...

The Lumbtr Assot'iutittn "f Southern Culifumiahas moved to new offices at the Puente Hills Business Center, 17890 Castleton St., suite 240; City of Industry, Ca. 91748: the new telephone number is (818)9 65 -4344.

Housing sttrts tor APril (latest l'igs. ) rose 4 .l% t<"t an annual'rate of 2.009,000 units. .both single family and multis also increas ed 4.1% ' building permits edged uP 2.7 7o '

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