To prevent shoplifting in a retail environment requires a game plan.

Almost everyone agrees that shoplifting is a major problem for retailers, annually costing an estimated $24 to $40 Billion in the US.  It is safe to assume shoplifting affects every retailer in the country to some degree.  In the worst cases, the harm inflicted by thieves is enough to close a business down, especially in tough economic times when businesses have to cut expenses to the bone just to survive.

The means and methods used to prevent shoplifting are varied: customer service training, awareness training, CCTV surveillance, and electronic article surveillance are measures many retailers have incorporated into their business plan.  Still others incorporate store planning, merchandise layout, checkout locations, and merchandise exposure into their strategy.

Shoplifting prevention should be a part of every business owner’s strategy to increase profits by reducing losses.

The retailer’s expertise lies in displaying and selling merchandise.  Retail loss prevention has become a specialty within the industry that contributes a significant effort toward profitability by reducing inventory shrinkage, a major profit killer.  Advice from a competent and experienced retail loss prevention agent can make a huge impact on inventory loss from the receiving door to checkout, everywhere retail loss occurs.  A loss prevention agent will make an invaluable partner in developing a game plan to prevent shoplifting and internal theft and in recommending what investments to make in improving the numbers relevant to inventory shrinkage.

For a free consultation with an experienced loss prevention agent to help identify problem areas, call 1-770-426-0547 in Atlanta Georgia and elsewhere, or click here:  Loss Prevention Investigator.

 

 

 As I’m sure you’ve discovered by now there is no fool-proof way to prevent shoplifting. Your goal is simply to make your more desirable merchandise difficult to get to or come away with undetected. This will usually have the desired effect of deterring the average shoplifter and sending them elsewhere to do their shady business. However, in certain situations you may come across shoplifters of another kind. The drug addicted and mentally challenged pose a different set of problems for the loss prevention investigator. They normally don’t realize what they’re doing or can’t control their impulsive natures. So, how do you combat this?

 The other day I walked into one of our sites and saw that a co-worker had already apprehended a middle aged woman that I have come to know very well. This was her 9th time being arrested for shoplifting at one of our locations. The woman is obviously mentally challenged and driven by impulses she can’t control. Now unless you’ve got the heart of a Hitler you can’t help but feel sorry for her and the cards she’s apparently been dealt. At the same time you can’t just let her walk out with your merchandise either. In order to prevent shoplifting in a case like this you have to be continually vigilant.

 “She’ll be back.” Those were the words the responding officer left us with when he walked out with the woman in handcuffs, and he’s right. There’s no question that as soon as they let her back out into society she’ll be back in this or another store where she’ll begin the process all over again. Until the justice system catches up to our needs the loss prevention investigator must keep their eyes peeled for individuals like this and continue to “soldier on” if you will. Like I said earlier, there is no fool-proof way to prevent shoplifting but your understanding of the situation and dedication to the job can make the process much easier.

For more information contact us at Prevent Shoplifting or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

Prevent Shoplifting – Save More $$ Than You Really Know – Atlanta Georgia

When shoplifting and ways to prevent shoplifting are discussed, the two victims who are generally mentioned are the storeowner and the customers, who ends up paying more for the items they purchase in the store.  These are obvious, but in reality there are more victims.

The storeowner, or the company that owns the store is certainly worth mention because he is the one who actually paid real money for the merchandise that was stolen.  Not only does he lose the profit that he would have gained had he sold the item, he is also out the money that he paid for it which is a greater amount than the profit.

In order to recover the cost of the stolen item, and hopefully the profit, the storeowner has to raise the prices on his remaining goods so that when they are sold, he can recover his loss.

The storeowner decides to take measures to prevent shoplifting, he may employ security and loss prevention, he may purchase CCTV cameras, or use electronic article surveillance (EAS) such as those solutions provided by Checkpoint Systems.  He may buy special display hardware that prevents the merchandise from being removed from the premises.   All these measures cost the retailer money, which he must recover through increased pricing or reduction in some other expenses.

One of the places any employer may go to cut expenses is to the payroll budget or the employee benefits package.  So yet another group that might be harmed is the employees at the store that is losing merchandise to shoplifters.  Jobs may be lost and benefits may be cut.  This is frequently the case when businesses are not profitable for whatever reason.

If all efforts to prevent shoplifting fail but the shoplifter is caught, that should put an end to the losses, right?

What happens when a shoplifter is caught?  A police officer (paid by tax money), transports the shoplifter in a police car (tax money) to a jail (tax money) to await trial in a court (tax money) presided over by a judge (tax money), etc.  You see where this leads.  Everyone who pays taxes also pays to support shoplifter prevention through financing the criminal justice system.

Not to have pity on the shoplifter, but he gets a criminal record, a fine, maybe jail time, restitution, and being labeled a thief by everyone who knows.

The storeowner has every right to prevent shoplifting.  It saves us all in the end.

Want more information on how to stop shoplifting at your business?  Call 770-426-0547 in Atlanta Georgia or click here:  Prevent Shoplifting.  Visit our Online Loss Prevention Store.