In short
A shop alarm for a small shop comes down to five things: door sensors front and back, a motion sensor in the shop floor and stockroom, a sensor with a camera that sends photos when the alarm goes off, a silent panic button under the counter and a glass break sensor by the shop window. The GSMvalve Plus package (11 devices) costs 547 € + VAT to buy or 19 €/month + VAT to rent, with installation at 121 € + VAT. Every staff member gets their own code and the invoice goes to the company.
- Silent panic button under the counter, alert to the owner’s phone
- Glass break sensor by the shop window, range up to 8 m
- Each staff member has their own code, and the app shows who did what and when
The owner of a small shop is usually in charge of security too. At night the shop is empty, during the day there’s cash in the till and stock on the shelves, and the owner can’t be everywhere at once. In 2025, Estonia recorded 12 563 thefts, the highest figure in ten years (Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs, crime statistics). Below we explain what a small shop needs from an alarm system, where each sensor goes and what it costs.
1. What does a small shop really need from an alarm system?
| Device | Where in the shop | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Door sensor | front and back door | alarm when the door opens |
| Motion sensor | shop floor and stockroom | spots movement when the shop is armed; covers about 30 m² |
| Motion sensor with camera | till or entrance | series of photos to your phone when the alarm goes off, even in the dark |
| Glass break sensor | by the shop window | alarm when glass breaks, range up to 8 m |
| Panic button | under the counter | silent alarm to the owner’s phone |
| Outdoor siren with flashing light | on the front of the building | 110 dB, a signal to passers-by too |
| Keypad | by the staff door | each staff member has their own code or tag |
The Plus package covers most of this: hub, keypad, 2 door sensors, 2 motion sensors, a sensor with a camera, a smoke detector, a combined smoke, carbon monoxide and temperature sensor, and an indoor and outdoor siren. For a shop, you add a panic button under the counter and a glass break sensor by the shop window. Everything is wireless: the sensors are screwed to the wall, the hub plugs into a socket and installation is one visit, usually a couple of hours. You don’t have to close the shop for it.
2. Why put a panic button under the counter?
When things get tense at the till, there’s no time to look for a phone. The panic button under the counter is silent: no siren goes off in the shop, but the owner and other added users get an alert on their phones straight away, with the button’s name and the time. The shop assistant doesn’t have to say anything or grab a phone. One press on a button within reach is enough.
So who responds? The owner, a colleague or a patrol, if you have added one through a partner. GSMvalve is not a security company and doesn’t send anyone out itself. A patrol is a separate service and its price depends on the area.
3. How do you protect the shop window and the back door?
The shop window is the weakest point of a small shop. A door sensor can’t tell when the glass is smashed, and a motion sensor only reacts once someone is already inside. A glass break sensor recognises breaking glass from up to 8 m away and raises the alarm at once, before anyone has reached the shelves.
The back door is the second weak point, because nobody watches it during the day. The assistant is on the shop floor, the stockroom is empty and deliveries come in at the back. The technician puts the back door sensor in its own zone. That way the back door can stay armed during the day too, while the shop is open and the rest of the system is disarmed. If someone opens the back door, you get an alert on your phone.
Tip. If the shop has two windows far apart, get two glass break sensors. One sensor covers up to 8 m, and in a corner shop the window on the other wall is often out of its range.
4. Does a shop alarm need video cameras?
No. GSMvalve doesn’t install separate cameras or record continuous video. The motion sensor with camera takes pictures only when the alarm goes off: if the shop is armed and someone moves, you get a series of photos on your phone, even in the dark. So you see straight away whether it’s an intruder or a staff member who forgot to disarm in the morning. There’s no continuous video, so there are no hours of recordings to watch through either.
5. How do staff codes and the log work?
Each staff member has their own code or tag for the keypad. The app shows who armed and disarmed the shop and at what time, plus every alarm: which sensor and when. If the alarm wasn’t set one evening, you see exactly whose shift it was. When someone leaves, their code is deleted at once and the old code stops working.
- Arm and disarm: on the keypad with a code or tag, with a 4-button key fob or from your phone
- The alarm goes to all added users: owner, manager, colleague
- The hub has a battery and a SIM card, so the alarm gets through even during a power or internet cut
6. How much does a shop alarm cost?
| Prices + VAT | Start | Plus | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devices | 6 | 11 | 18 |
| Buy | 310 € | 547 € | 673 € |
| Rent | 14 €/month | 19 €/month | 25 €/month |
| Installation | 121 € | 121 € | 161 € |
When you buy, there’s a monthly fee of 7,40 € + VAT (app, mobile connection, customer support), and buying extra devices doesn’t raise it. The first year of the Plus package costs 756,80 € + VAT if you buy and 349 € + VAT if you rent. Buying pays for itself in about 47 months, so from the fourth year buying is cheaper. Rent includes the devices, app, connection and customer support. The minimum rental period is 3 months, and you give 3 months’ notice to end it. The invoice goes to the company.
Our recommendation
Shop floor and stockroom: the Plus package, with a panic button under the counter and a glass break sensor by the shop window. A small one-room kiosk: Start. Several rooms or a larger space: Premium (18 devices). You get the exact kit and price if you leave your number: we call within 1 working day.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a shop alarm cost?
For a business, the GSMvalve Plus package (11 devices) costs 547 € + VAT to buy, plus a monthly fee of 7,40 € + VAT, or 19 €/month + VAT to rent. Installation is 121 € + VAT. The smaller Start package costs 310 € + VAT or 14 €/month + VAT.
Can the alarm system be invoiced to my company?
Yes. GSMvalve business prices are shown without VAT and the invoice goes to the company, whether you buy, rent or pay the monthly fee.
Does the shop alarm go to a security company?
No. The alarm goes to the phones of the owner and other added users. GSMvalve is not a security company and doesn’t send anyone out. You can add a patrol through a partner, and its price depends on the area.
What happens to a staff member’s code when they leave?
A former employee’s code is deleted at once and can no longer disarm the system. Each staff member has their own code, and the app shows who armed or disarmed the shop and when.
Read also: business prices and terms · glass break sensor · Plus package
Written by the GSMvalve team
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