Finding a sure fire way to prevent shoplifting keeps storeowners and loss prevention agents busy looking for answers.  Each store and each location presents its own set of unique challenges when it comes to shoplifting, from location, to clientele, to merchandise mix.

All stores have two things in common, however: customers and employees.  The most basic element in reducing opportunity to the shoplifter is customer service.  Good customer service, that is paying attention to the customer individually, is one of the best ways to make a shoplifter think twice about stealing, especially if the staff is aware that any customer is a potential shoplifter.

Of course not every customer is a shoplifter, but potentially if given the right circumstances, any customer could be a shoplifter.  If everyone is continually reminded, during staff meetings, on the bulletin board, and in notes placed in paychecks that preventing shoplifting is a part of everyone’s responsibility.  This doesn’t go just for sales staff, but for support people as well.  Every employee should acknowledge each customer and make eye contact as often as possible.  This creates the impression in the potential shoplifter’s mind that he is known in that store.

If any staff member is instrumental in interrupting of a shoplifter, recovery of merchandise, or simply bringing a suspicious shopper to the attention of management, then that employee should be recognized for her contribution to the store’s profit.

When it comes to ways to prevent shoplifting, employees are definitely the key.  But it’s up to the store management to keep the employees consistently engaged in shoplifting awareness.

For a total store effort to prevent retail theft, in addition to the bells and whistles of electronic devices like CCTV and EAS, employees have to be trained on the correct way to use all the tools at their disposal.

Employee engagement is the most valuable tool to prevent shoplifting.

Want to know more ways to prevent shoplifting?  Call 770-426-0547 or click here.  Visit our Online Loss Prevention Store here.

It takes a comprehensive effort to prevent shoplifting in any retail environment, and retailers have tried every way under the sun it seems to get it done.

I stopped in a truck stop in Tennessee that took a novel approach: They had taken screen shots of known shoplifters from their CCTV system and posted the pictures of these folks at various places throughout the store with captions attached. The captions said things like, “This THIEF stole a can of Vienna sausage!” under one man’s picture, or “This lady SHOPLIFTED a $3.00 magazine!” under another picture.  These pictures were at the checkout stands and all over the store.  Clearly, this storeowner had enough of his merchandise being stolen and wasn’t afraid to get personal about it.

I’m not sure that this choice of methods to prevent shoplifting would work on Fifth Avenue in New York.

There are some ways, however, that all retailers can use to control shoplifting.  The first is staff awareness.  Every employee should be trained and retrained on the store’s policies regarding shoplifting.  There are certain signs to look for that indicate shoplifting is occurring in certain areas of the store and that a particular item happens to be a popular target of thieves.  Information such as this should be mentioned at new hire orientations and at periodic store, department, and staff meetings.  Everyone should know what to do if they think they have seen a shoplifter.

Another way that works well in almost any retail environment is the installation of a retail anti theft device, such as one of the models manufactured by Checkpoint Systems.  The antenna placed at the entrance/exit detects Checkpoint labels and Checkpoint tags that have not been removed from the item by the cashier.  An alarm sounds as the tags pass through, alerting staff to take action.  Checkpoint Systems has a great training program for employees.

Call LPSI at 770-426-0547 to find out more about Checkpoint Systems and ways to prevent shoplifting, or click here for more information.  Click here to visit our Online Loss Prevention Store.

Methods to prevent shoplifting,  – as well as vendor theft and internal theft – should be included in everyone’s job description in a retail environment.   There are some very basic things that each employee can do during the course of the workday that contribute greatly to preventing theft.

· Customer service is one of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent shoplifting.  Simply making customers aware that staff knows they are there by acknowledging them, making eye contact with them, and speaking to them, is often enough to deter any illegal behavior.  It’s about preventing shoplifting rather than catching the criminal.  A legitimate visitor is flattered to have your attention; a shoplifter is likely to go elsewhere.

· Vary the routine.  Do employees always take the same route from the stock area to the work area?  Think about walking in other more indirect ways from place to place, and check some of the more out-of–the-way areas for anything unusual, like stashed merchandise or discarded packaging.  Shoplifters prefer hidden, less visible areas to do their work, and stay away the more frequently traveled routes.

· Be aware of surroundings, even if involved completing a routine task.  Many times, workers tend to become so intent on an assignment that they fail to notice unusual activity or circumstances that might occur close by them.  This type of tunnel vision causes employees to miss important signs of theft activity.  Don’t overlook the obvious when attempting to prevent shoplifting.

· All staff should know their area and know their merchandise and be able to tell if something is out of place, misidentified, priced wrong, or missing.  The more familiar with the surroundings, the more likely to notice if something is out of place.

Education and awareness on the part of employees goes a long way in the effort to prevent shoplifting in Atlanta Georgia and elsewhere.

Learn more ways to prevent shoplifting by calling 770-426-0547 or click here to contact us at LPSI in Atlanta Georgia.

There are many different ways to prevent shoplifting these are just a few that I have found useful over the years. I might be a little twisted but I’m a firm believer that fear is a useful tactic when trying to deter a thief. Therefore I strongly suggest posting signs throughout your establishment, especially in high-risk departments and in or around fitting room, bathrooms, etc. These signs should convey your policy against shoplifting and your complete willingness to prosecute anyone caught participating in the act. Now, don’t go crazy. You still want to make your store a comfortable environment for your honest clientele.

 Avoid tall displays or large hanging signs that can block the view of sales associates or the line of sight of CCTV cameras. Avoid clutter. Clutter is a shoplifter’s best friend. Anything they can do to confuse you or disguise their activity works to their benefit. Therefore, they hate clean, open spaces. They make it easier for you to spot something that is missing or out of place and make it harder for them to make a clean getaway.

 The best way to prevent shoplifting is still the use of great customer service. Make sure your employees are constantly walking the sales floor and offering help to all customers. The legitimate customers will find their attentiveness helpful. The shoplifters will find them to be a nuisance – exactly what you want. Train your employees on a discreet way to communicate the presence of a shoplifter. I find that a coded page over the loud speakers for a “Mr. Randolph” or “Mrs. Coakley” works well. All associates instantly know that a shoplifter is present yet the thief has no idea that they now have several sets of eyes on them. Used properly these tips will undoubtedly help prevent shoplifting in your store.

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

If you should happen to be the lucky guy/ gal charged to prevent shoplifting within your organization the first thing you need to understand is that there are 2 different kinds of shoplifters. The first kind of shoplifter is the amateur; the teenagers, housewives, etc. who browse through your store and seize the opportunity to steal where and when it arises. The second kind of shoplifter is the professional. Often referred to as “boosters”, these people come into your store with the sole intention of shoplifting. They may utilize special clothing or techniques to accomplish this task.

In order to prevent shoplifting in amateurs you simply need to make the task more difficult. For these people stealing is a crime of opportunity. Eliminate the opportunity and you’ll eliminate a large portion of the crime. You do this by utilizing EAS or ink tags, posting fitting room attendants, putting up signs that read: “This store is monitored by CCTV” or “Shoplifters will be prosecuted”. Anything that reminds them that someone is watching and that you are aware of the threat of shoplifting will usually serve as a decent deterrent.

When it comes to the professionals you will need to be a little more aggressive in order to prevent shoplifting. They too will seek out the easy targets, however, they’re aware of the measures used by most stores and they adjust their patterns accordingly. Establish a presence on the sales floor and teach your associates what to look for (i.e. long coats, booster pants, etc.). Be sure to aggressively prosecute all cases to the fullest extent of the law. Professionals have a network and they communicate. If they believe they can talk their way out of jail, or police contact, there is no risk and they will come back again and again. It is vital that you maintain awareness of the 2 kinds of shoplifters in order to prevent shoplifting in your stores.

Visit the Retail Loss Prevention Store

For more information contact us at Prevent Shoplifting or call 1.770.426.0547

 In recent months I have been attempting to prevent shoplifting, or at least limit it, in a number of grocery store liquor departments. These stores are located in the rougher parts of town where your average shoplifter tends to be a bit more desperate and potentially more violent. The biggest issue has been the “grab and runs”. That’s where the thief decides not to bother with the pesky detail of concealing merchandise, they simply run in, grab what they want and run right back out. It’s kind of like shock and awe.

 As you can imagine, short of posting an armed guard at the door, it can be difficult to prevent shoplifting in this type of case. It had reached the point that we were losing anywhere from $80 – $200 a day from this type of criminal. Something had to be done. In the end we ended up staking out the store like it was a Hollywood movie: One agent in the store, one outside and one in the camera room. When the thief finally came in and grabbed the merchandise he was surrounded immediately. In an attempt to save himself he volunteered the information on the rest of his crew.

 Based on that information the police department searched the apartment they were using to stash their ill-gotten gains. In the end, this group of 3 men between the ages of 18 – 23 had in their possession over $8000 worth of alcohol that they had stolen from different places. They were essentially running a business, selling to friends and relatives who wanted to throw parties, small neighborhood bars, etc. They could afford to sell the liquor for cheaper than the going rate because they had no overhead. In some extreme cases it may be necessary to overwhelm the thief in order to prevent shoplifting.

isit the Retail Loss Prevention Store

For more information contact us at Prevent Shoplifting or call 1.770.426.0547

Trust no one. It sounds terrible, I know, but maintaining this mindset is the best way to prevent shoplifting in your store. The kindly old lady, the doe-eyed adolescent, that fellow in the wheelchair… no one. I once caught a woman who was, shall we say, weight challenged. Therefore a few unsightly rolls in her sweat suit wouldn’t draw any abnormal attention on a normal day. On this day, however, she got sloppy and a brand new girl’s t-shirt was protruding from her beltline. Once we stopped her we discovered 2 things: 1. she was nowhere near as big as we thought. 2. it’s possible to stuff $800 worth of merchandise in a 3X sweat suit.

To prevent shoplifting you must never be lax in your observation skills. About a week ago a woman in her 50’s came into one of the grocery stores I work for. She was nice and friendly to everyone, almost interrupting the staff from their daily routine with her long conversations. She selected a few things, went to the register and paid for them. She then walked back to the pharmacy where she held a conversation with the girl behind the counter for about 20 minutes, but never filled a prescription.

On her way out she grabbed an empty shopping cart that was in one of the aisles and took it down the pet food aisle. She filled that cart to the brim with dog food and made her way to the front of the store. She even waved good-bye to a woman working behind the floral counter before pushing that cart full of unpaid merchandise directly out the door. Oh, did heads hang low when I walked her back into the building. She never lost her cool though. She remained sweet and charming to me and even to the police officer that arrested her. Trust no one. It’s not exactly a hallmark sentiment, but it is the best way to prevent shoplifting.

For more information contact us: Prevent Shoplifting or call 1.770.426.0547

How hard is it to prevent shoplifting when most people don’t seem to consider it a serious problem.  Even the slang names that shoplifting goes by downplay its impact on retailers: jacked; robbed; grabbed; lifted; boosted; snitched; nicked; ripped; and snagged are all terms used by shoplifters to describe what they do.

The fact is that shoplifting a serious crime with an enormous impact on the economy.  According to the NASP, more than $13 Billion worth of goods are stolen each year from retailers. 

That equates to $35 Million per year. 

[“Information and statistics provided by the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention (NASP), a non-profit organization; www.shopliftingprevention.org.”]

Each and every customer who spends money with a retailer, whether it’s the local convenience store or the most exclusive boutique, makes up for the retailers’ shortfall by paying more for merchandise than he would if there were no retail theft.

Most shoplifters are just people like you and me.  The overwhelming majority of shoplifters would never steal from family or friends, or rob a bank, so studies have shown that the inclination to steal comes from social and personal pressures.

The first victim of the shoplifter is the storeowner, who has to take it on himself to prevent shoplifting from taking his business and livelihood.

Education, merchandising, and staff on the sales floor all help.

The most effective deterrent without keeping products locked away, is an EAS (electronic article surveillance system) such as on of the products provided by Checkpoint Security Systems.  A Checkpoint system standing at the exit to the store warns potential shoplifters that store management is serious about shoplifters.  It communicates to legitimate customers that the store values its shoppers by keeping prices as low as possible while still allowing access to all merchandise to touch or event to try on.

Prevent shoplifting by increasing the risk of detection and keep merchandise where it belongs, in the store or with a paying customer by using Checkpoint Security Systems anywhere shoplifting is a problem.

For information on ways to prevent shoplifting, call 770-426-0547 or click here for ideas.  Be sure and visit our Online Retail Loss Prevention Store.

 

What measures prevent shoplifting by juveniles and impulse shoplifters? 

When I managed a loss prevention department for a major retailer and dealt with shoplifters almost daily, I noticed that certain type of shoplifters that I called a “casual shoplifters”, almost always had certain characteristics in common.  Generally these shoplifters, who were middle class and up, didn’t come to the store to steal, but conceived the idea once inside.  When apprehended, they almost always had the means to purchase the merchandise, either cash or a credit card.  In the case of juveniles, they were often out shopping for a particular item, but decided it was to their advantage to steal the item and use the money (sometimes that their parents had given them for the item) for something else.

Adults would be shopping for a particular item as well, and would either decide that it was “too expensive” or to upgrade to a better brand of clothing.

At any rate, the opportunity would present itself because of inattention by the staff or a hidden area of the store, the merchandise would be concealed and walk out the door carrying its value and profit with it.

How much of this goes on?  The report card for retail loss prevention is found in the rate of inventory shrinkage for its particular responsibility, and all efforts to prevent shoplifting are reflected in that.  Casual shoplifting makes up a percentage of the loss, but fortunately is probably the easiest type of shoplifting to prevent.

Casual shoplifters are the most easily deterred by the sudden appearance of a salesperson (or anyone else for that matter), the presence of CCTV cameras, proximity of other shoppers, or the use of retail anti theft devices.

Simply put, an EAS system such as one of the models provided by Checkpoint Security Systems, detects merchandise that has not been paid for as it leaves the store.  The Checkpoint security tags that are placed on the merchandise allow the customer to handle, touch, and even try on the merchandise, but announces to the potential shoplifter that it is going to take considerable effort and risk to get out of the store undetected with his loot.

There is a device from Checkpoint Security Systems that is designed for almost any retail environment, merchandise, or situation.

Any retailer who is seriously considering ways to prevent shoplifting and improve profits should explore a retail theft device from Checkpoint Security Systems.

To discuss options available to prevent shoplifting, call 770-426-0547.  For further information, click here: Stop Shoplifting.  See our Online Loss Prevention store by clicking here.

There are only a few  ways to prevent shoplifting that not only work well but are also cost effective.  It is important to clearly understand the issue you are experiencing so that money isn’t spent “winging it” or based on a guessing game.

One of the most popular “winging it” solutions smaller retailers use is the installation of a camera system. This is believed to be a deterrent but in many cases this is not true.  There are three types of shoplifters: Impulsive, Amateur, and the Professional.  The impulsive shoplifter may be deterred by the installation of a CCTV/ camera system because they believe you may be watching them; however, amateur and professional shoplifters realize that you are not staring at a CCTV monitor 24 hours a day and they don’t care if they are recorded on video that will be viewed long after they are gone. A CCTV system is used by larger retailers for liability defense more than anything else in cases such as evidence in a slip and fall lawsuit. 

Some retailers may believe their burglar (or security) alarm is an  solution to prevent shoplifting.  This is  designed to protect the premises when the store is unoccupied and subject to burglary.  Shoplifting occurs during business hours and the burglar alarm is turned off.

Most major retailers use an EAS – Electronic Article Surveillance – system to prevent shoplifting.  Checkpoint Security Systems offers the most technologically advanced EAS system, using RF (radio frequency) detection vs. the older technology of AM (acousto-magnetic.)

These systems employ pedestal antennas at entry/exit points that will detect protected merchandise when approaching the unit.  This is an active system that alarms when the event is occurring. The cost is generally far less than a comprehensive CCTV system and the solution will deter theft at the rate of a proven 50% to 70% immediately.

Call 770-426-0547 or click here to help prevent shoplifting. Visit our Retail Loss Prevention Store here.