Ideas for theft-resistant display for leather dog collars?

[lightingale]

While visiting a local exotic animal farm for fun, I discovered they send their hides out to tan and had them on display right at the farm. It's a tourist destination with a gift shop sporting the work of other local artists using the animal products, and we struck a deal whereby I can craft dog collars with their hides to sell right in their shop. The leather is expensive to tan, so the product price reflects that.

Since dog collars are a small item, the owner was concerned about how to display them in a way that is resistant to theft. I've only ever sold online so this is something I've never had to think about.

Ideas we've had so far:

- a display with a thin board at the back whereby the D ring of the collars can fit through a slot, with a nut and bolt holding it in place from the back

- a post with holes drilled for dowels that the collars can be displayed on, and attaching a snap on a ring to the D ring that would make it too fiddly and time consuming to remove while the shopkeeper's back is turned.

 

Any suggestions?

Edited July 14, 2017 by lightingale

[alpha2]

Thin stainless cable through the D rings. Or a really BIG dog...

Edited July 14, 2017 by alpha2

[fredk]

A log, bout 4 inches diameter, covered in nice cloth, like felt or suede. Supported at each end. Buckle collars round it. Have to undo the buckles to get them off. An extra security could be chain link joints; [the ones that are a link shape with a bit that screws from one bar to the other to close it] put thru the buckle parts. Have to undo that, then the buckle to get it off the log, or use a plastic cable tie thru the buckle; just cut and thrw away, easier for sales person maybe

Edited July 14, 2017 by fredk

[Matt S]

Will there be display samples separate/distinct from the stock? If so nail it down to the display stand or board. Customer points at the one they want and the shop assistant grabs their one from under the counter.

How is stock currently displayed in the shop? If the manager is worth their salt they will care a great deal about merchandising, and theft deterrence will have to be balanced with this.

[lightingale]

1 hour ago, alpha2 said:

Thin stainless cable through the D rings. Or a really BIG dog...

Lol they do have a big dog, but he's friendly. I can't imagine any other dog would work in/around a store! A cable might work, just trying to come up with something a little more elegant looking. 

1 hour ago, fredk said:

A log, bout 4 inches diameter, covered in nice cloth, like felt or suede. Supported at each end. Buckle collars round it. Have to undo the buckles to get them off. An extra security could be chain link joints; [the ones that are a link shape with a bit that screws from one bar to the other to close it] put thru the buckle parts. Have to undo that, then the buckle to get it off the log, or use a plastic cable tie thru the buckle; just cut and thrw away, easier for sales person maybe

This is kind of the direction we're going. I hadn't thought of chain link joints, but that's something we'll play with. From what I'm told, more fiddly = less likely to be stolen, which would be easier on the shopkeep than having to search for a key of some sort.

 

25 minutes ago, Matt S said:

Will there be display samples separate/distinct from the stock? If so nail it down to the display stand or board. Customer points at the one they want and the shop assistant grabs their one from under the counter.

How is stock currently displayed in the shop? If the manager is worth their salt they will care a great deal about merchandising, and theft deterrence will have to be balanced with this.

Unfortunately no, these would be OOAK (one of a kind) pieces, with an effort to provide the same design in a variety of sizes. The nature of the exotic leather makes it almost impossible to offer a consistent look across a variety of designs and replenish sold out stock that looks the same. For custom items this will work, and I'm working on a display of tooled veg tan collars for this purpose.

[cjartist]

This was my first thought.  The long shackle comes out completely and is adjustable.

 

[plinkercases]

This......

[Chipperi]

Stand behind your display with a 1911 on your hip

[rodneywt1180b]

I'd recommend putting them behind glass.  Yes, the shop keeper will need a key but it will keep the touchy-feely types from handling them unless they're serious about buying them too.