How to Secure Your Mall Kiosk After Hours

After a mall closes, RMUs and their merchandise can sit unsupervised for the entire night. While traditional retail locations may have the ability to lock their doors and secure their goods after hours, kiosks often lack walls, which can make grab-and-go thefts easier than in brick-and-mortar locations. In addition, most kiosks do not have a host of employees—there’s typically only one or two people working, which can make securing merchandise difficult during the closed hours of the night.

While some RMU operators may choose to remove all merchandise at the end of the day and then restock in the morning, there is a better way. A custom security cover can provide a physical barrier between the kiosk and whatever activity may occur around it after hours. Unlike stock tarps or loosely fitted covers that have no ability to lock, a custom solution is easily designed around the kiosk’s dimensions, configuration, and security needs.

In today’s article, we’ll be discussing how to secure your mall kiosk during the night. We’ll begin by describing some of the most prevalent of kiosk closing vulnerabilities before moving onto common security challenges. From there, we’ll discuss how custom lockable covers work for mall kiosks and move on to the best features and use cases of these covers. Finally, we’ll give you all the inside information about where to find custom lockable kiosk covers.

Mall Kiosk Closing Vulnerabilities

Unlike traditional storefronts, kiosks or RMUs do not have walls, doors, or secure back rooms that can be locked at the end of each day. Once employees have left for the night, the merchandise often remains exposed. And if your kiosk or RMU is in an open-air environment, such as an outdoor shopping center, the lack of physical walls can leave your merchandise open to tampering or even theft.

Securing these units is more complicated than just finding a standard-sized cover. Mall kiosks and RMUs come in a huge range of shapes and sizes and often contain shelving, counters, and displays that make it difficult to utilize a stock cover. A properly designed cover can provide the additional layer of protection that they need, creating a barrier between the kiosk and the environment around it during the most vulnerable times of day.

Common Security Challenges for Mall RMUs After Hours

There are few common security concerns for mall kiosks after the mall closes, such as:

• Theft and Unauthorized Access: Because kiosks and RMUs typically don’t feature walls, merchandise can be left open to theft and unauthorized access after hours. This leaves kiosk operators with two choices: cover their goods or remove them all at the end of the day and replace them in the morning.

• Tampering: Products, displays, and fixtures can be moved, damaged, or disturbed during the small hours of the night if there is nothing to protect them.

• Accidental Damage: Even if the mall is closed, that doesn’t mean that activity has stopped entirely. Cleaning crews and maintenance workers can create opportunities for accidental damage to the kiosk.

• Exposure to Surrounding Environment: Dust, dirt, and spills can still happen, even when the mall has closed its doors for the night.

How Custom Security Covers for Mall Kiosks Work

Custom security covers for kiosks and RMUs are quite simple to use. A cover creates a barrier around the retail unit when it’s not operating, and unlike a generic tarp or stock cover, it can be designed around the exact dimensions of the RMU or kiosk, meaning it will fit well and protect the unit more efficiently. Custom covers can also be designed around counters and displays, shelving, and product fixtures. No matter what the makeup or layout of your kiosk or RMU, a custom cover will offer a great fit while giving you the protection that you expect.

To add an extra layer of security, custom covers can be lockable with the addition of security cables and a padlock. While these locks are not foolproof, the goal isn’t to make the kiosk impossible to access—it’s to create a clear physical barrier and deterrent when employees are no longer present.

Best Features of Lockable Kiosk Cover

Because RMUs and mall kiosks are not all made alike, their covers shouldn’t be either. To ensure your cover provides the features you need, look for:

1. Custom Fit: A cover that is designed specifically to fit the dimensions of the RMU or kiosk will provide the best coverage.

2. Lockability: With a locking mechanism, the cover can be secured and safe even when no employees are present.

3. Durable Materials: Whether you need to protect the RMU or kiosk from the elements, tampering and theft, or just accidental spills and dust, material selection will vary based on the end use of the cover. In any case, the materials used in the cover should be durable enough to withstand daily use.

4. Easy Installation and Removal: If your cover is difficult to install and remove, workers likely will avoid using it. Look for a kiosk or RMU cover that can be put on easily and taken off in a few moments, rather than a complicated cover that takes 10-20 minutes to put on.

5. Branding: A cover should never look like an afterthought—with the addition of branding assets such as logos or brand colors, the cover can help maintain a polished appearance even when the kiosk is closed for the day.

Use Cases for Locking RMU Kiosk Covers

Mall kiosks and RMUs differ from one another in many ways, and not all of them will have the same security needs. A jewelry kiosk, for instance, may need to protect high-value goods overnight, while a food and beverage RMU will be more concerned with accidental spills and keeping the area clean overnight. The right cover will be designed around the specific products and configuration of each unit.

Jewelry and Other High-Value Merchandise

Of all the types of kiosks, jewelry kiosks are often the most susceptible to theft and tampering, which makes overnight protection of the utmost importance. A locking cover creates a shield between the merchandise and the mall, allowing owners to keep high-value products out of sight and adding an additional layer of security while the kiosk is closed.

Food and Beverage

Food and beverage kiosks have a completely different set of after-hours problems to deal with, such as keeping their serving areas and supplies clean of dust and debris when the mall is closed for the night. A custom cover can protect these areas from dirt during the overnight hours.

Specialty Retail Kiosks

Specialty kiosks may have unusual shapes, large displays, built-in shelving, and other features that make a stock cover impractical. Instead of trying to adapt a generic solution to the kiosk, a custom kiosk cover can be designed around the unit’s dimensions and configuration.

Where to Find Mall Kiosk Covers with Locks: Equip, Inc.

Purchasing custom kiosk and RMU covers shouldn’t be a complicated endeavor. When you choose the right manufacturer, you won’t have to deal with lengthy timelines or covers made of unsuitable materials. Look for a manufacturer that can:

• Manufacture to the exact dimensions of your kiosk or RMU (fully custom)

• Recommend the best materials for each project

• Utilize locking mechanisms to secure the cover

• Work around unusual shapes or configurations

• Make prototypes and design revisions when necessary

• Understands deeply the demands of a high-traffic commercial environment

Thankfully, you won’t have to look very far for a manufacturer that meets all the above specs and requirements—Equip, Inc. has supplied hundreds of malls across the country with kiosk and RMU covers since 1999. Rather than manufacturing stock covers that may only fit a handful of RMU and kiosk styles, everything that Equip makes is fully custom and made to fit the kiosks or RMUs they will protect.

Click here to receive a free quote for your kiosk or RMU cover.

Keep Your Kiosk Secure, Even After Closing

Each night when the mall closes, RMUs and kiosks can be vulnerable to theft and tampering, but a custom-fitted lockable kiosk or RMU cover can prevent the worst from occurring. Custom cover solutions are designed around the kiosk’s dimensions, configuration, and security needs, making them the perfect choice for kiosk operators looking to protect their merchandise.

FAQs

• Can you lock a mall kiosk cover?

  All of Equip’s kiosk and RMU covers come with a security cable that allows you to secure the kiosk with a lock. Not all mall kiosk covers are made alike, however—to provide the best protection against theft and tampering, ensure that the kiosk cover you order has the ability to lock.

• How do I protect a mall kiosk overnight?

  A custom kiosk or RMU cover is the best way to protect your mall kiosk during the overnight hours. While stock and generic solutions may prove to be a visual deterrent, a custom cover created to fit the dimensions of the kiosk and lock each night at close will provide a higher level of protection than a stock cover will.

• How do you secure an RMU after the mall closes?

  After the mall closes, a custom cover from Equip can be fitted over the kiosk, allowing you to protect it from those who may tamper with merchandise or even outright steal it.

• Can a custom cover be made for an oddly shaped kiosk?

  Yes, custom covers for kiosks can be made to the exact dimensions of the fixture itself. Not only does this make it simple and easy to install and remove, but it also provides the best level of protection for kiosk covers.

Protect Your Mall Kiosk or RMU With a Cover Today

Worried about kiosk theft or RMU tampering? Don’t forget to protect your investment with a lockable cover today.

📧 Email: info@equipinc.com 📞 Call: 719-599-0300

Request a quote today and keep your assets covered, protected, and ready for anything.