Each day you open your doors, you’re faced with a myriad of choices and decisions that need to be made. What items need to be re-ordered, what sizes need to be discontinued, what do you need more of, what’s driving sales and what’s pulling them down. The last thing you need to be worried about is shoplifters walking out with your merchandise. The sad reality here is that’s it’s a fact of life in a retail environment. A sound operation is not only customer-centric, but to be profitable you have to factor in ways to stop shoplifting.
Imagine that you’re a shoplifter for a minute. Your 8-5 is to go out every day and steal as much as possible without getting caught. You have choices, just as any normal shopper. You can go to that big box retail store that has a robust CCTV system, a really good Checkpoint security system and in store Loss Prevention agents, or you can go to the smaller store down the road that may not have those strategies deployed. Shoplifters are like water; they follow the path of least resistance. Chances are, if you’re not securing your merchandise, your store will be very inviting to thieves. So how do you stop shoplifting without breaking the bank?
There are a few basics that retailers of all sizes and shapes should follow. First, whether you’re 10,000 square feet, or 200,000, a few cameras and a public view monitor and the front door is the best deterrent. While a camera system will not stop shoplifting outright, it will be a major deterrent. It will also allow you to go back and review any past criminal activity that may have taken place when you were not around, such as employee theft, or even after-hour burglaries.
Now, often overlooked by smaller retailers (and in my opinion, much more important that CCTV) is a Checkpoint security system. Having a strong EAS program in your store can reduce shoplifting almost overnight. By securing high theft/high risk items with an EAS device, a shoplifter is not as likely to try to steal the item. Again, think path of least resistance. Why would they take the chance of being caught going out the door?
The majority of small retail stores think that installing a Checkpoint security system is a multi-thousand dollar investment, but in reality, it’s not. There’s a wide range of solutions out there that can fit any store design and accommodate just about any budget. So the next time you find those empty packages, or ripped barcodes in your store, think of Checkpoint security systems and how they can help you stop shoplifting in your store!
Need information on Checkpoint Security Systems? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
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