If you own a kiosk in a mall, airport, or other retail environments, security is always a concern. The nature of kiosks necessitates that they are in high-traffic areas. This means hundreds or even thousands of people passing by every day. There are strategies for protecting your merchandise while you are there, but what about when you are away from your kiosk? One effective solution is a lockable kiosk cover from Equip, Inc.
Retail Shrinkage represents a $100 billion loss for retailers worldwide. 37% of that loss comes from shoplifting. Theft will make an impact on your profit if you aren’t proactive in protecting your inventory.
The Solution – A Lockable Kiosk Cover
When you or an employee are at your kiosk, one of the best methods to prevent theft is enthusiastic, attentive customer service. Often called “burning the shoplifter” by loss prevention specialists, this method involves making inquiries about the customer’s item choices, whether they are ready to check out, and if they are looking for anything else. This deters potential shoplifters but has an important added benefit. If your suspicions are misplaced, or if you are mistaken about the customers intentions, all you’ve done is offer friendly customer service, rather than making accusations.
When your kiosk is closed, the best prevention method is hiding your merchandise from view. Most kiosk thefts are crimes of opportunity – 73% of shoplifters do not plan their thefts in advance. Taking away the temptation will go a long way in protecting your merchandise in your kiosk. Out of sight, out of mind!
The Fabric
For indoor covers, Equip uses a robust 210 denier nylon fabric to make our lockable kiosk covers. This fabric will keep your wares out of view, unlike clear plastic security cases. If a customer cannot see your merchandise, they are much less likely to risk stealing something they don’t know if they want.
As an added bonus, the fabric we use for our lockable kiosk covers is fire retardant and water resistant. Our fabric meets CPAI-84 and NFPA-701 fire codes. These features are designed to protect both your kiosk and merchandise as well as keep you in compliance with state laws. Contact us for detailed information and fabric spec sheets. We also offer outdoor fabric options for our lockable kiosk covers. Because we have a range of fabric options, our customer service reps are standing by to help you pick the best fabric for your needs.
The Zipper
We use commercial grade zippers for all our lockable kiosk covers. Our industrial-quality zippers are designed to stand up to heavy usage. They are also great for outdoor use – commercial grade zippers resist damage from UV rays and water corrosion.
We add a cable loop to each lockable zipper. This allows you to secure the zipper to the kiosk’s security cables with a padlock to keep potential thieves out.
The Security Cable
Our custom lockable kiosk covers come with a security cable around the bottom seam. If your kiosk or RMU requires it, we can also include a cable around the top seam. Our cables are heavy-duty and PVC coated. We cut the cable to the exact dimensions of your kiosk or RMU to include the legs or toe-kick. We then add secure loops to each cable end to allow you to padlock the cable together at the base of the zipper. This enables you to secure the cover and prevent it from being lifted by a passerby while the cover is locked. This crucial security measure drastically diminishes the ability of a would-be shoplifter from easily accessing your merchandise.
Attachment Options
Grommets – We can inset grommets into the lockable kiosk cover at the hanging points. You would then use carabiners, which we can provide, to secure the grommets.
Cable – Another method, which our production team prefers for its durability and professional-looking finish, is to use security cable. We sew the cable into the top seam of the cover, leaving the cable exposed at the hanging points. Unlike our competition, we finish the seams off with professional binding. This reinforces the hanging points and helps maintain the integrity of your security cover, giving it a longer life and added protection.
The security cable and an added loop of binding will then loop onto eyelet screws attached by the kiosk manufacturer or owner. The extra loop of binding will take some of the pressure off the hanging points, extending the life of the cover even more.
The Bag
Our locking kiosk and RMU covers are designed with a sewn-in storage bag. When you remove the cover to open your business, you can easily pack the cover into the built-in storage bag so that it is out of your way and neatly contained within your kiosk cabinet.
Logo
Don’t want passers-by to see your merchandise, but still interested in letting them know who you are? We can add screen-printed logos to any cover so you can advertise your business even while it is closed. This can contribute to brand recognition and invite would-be customers to visit your business at a later time.
Design
At Equip, Inc. we can customize the design of your kiosk cover from line drawings provided by the manufacturer, or if line drawings are not available, pictures and measurements provided by you. Our production team makes easy-to-understand visual instructions to help you provide accurate measurements whenever needed. The dimensions provided help to ensure that the fit of your custom cover provides your business with the upmost protection.
Lockable Kiosk Covers Protect your Kiosk
Another benefit of using a lockable security cover to protect your kiosk-based business is that it will make anyone attempting to steal your merchandise look significantly more suspicious and significantly increase the likelihood of a perpetrator being caught. A person who can see the merchandise in front of them may look like they are just browsing, but if they are attempting to lift or open a securely locked cover, anyone who sees them, including mall security cameras, will immediately know they are up to no good.
Unfortunately, there are no kiosk or RMU security measures that can guarantee to stop 100% of shoplifting attempts. If a determined shoplifter decides to take a knife to your cover, there is really nothing that can be done. The good news is, the cost of the cover is generally covered by insurance as a verifiable theft or loss.
Contact us Today
A fitted, lockable kiosk cover is an attractive, professional-looking way to protect your merchandise when your kiosk is unattended. It is easy to use and convenient, and our support and production team will make the ordering process a breeze!
Think a lockable kiosk cover is right for you? Contact Equip today for a free quote!
Do you have any other tips and tricks for kiosk and RMU security? We’d love to hear from you. Comment below or email us at info@equipinc.com.