Preventing Shoplifting

To successfully lower shoplifting, stores have several options. They range from free and simple, to slightly expensive but effective and somewhat complicated or time-consuming. Employee training, store organization, signs, and a few other things are discussed here, and all stores should consider adopting these tips to lower costs associated with shoplifting.

A University of Florida study on shoplifting helped create different ways of identifying possible shoplifters, giving them a comprehensive profile. The study showed that men actually steal slightly more than women, contrary to popular belief. It was also determined that shoplifters are often adults, whereas teens are usually thought to be more suspicious, and that race isn't a significant detail in the shoplifter's profile. These facts are important and should be given to all employees, to help prevent discrimination as well as encourage workers to pay attention to all potential lifters- essentially every customer.

Another University of Florida study, by Caroline Cardone, mentions the importance of store organization. Cluttered stores with tall shelves and crowded aisles are particularly vulnerable. The time and effort put into reorganization may be significant, but the money saved would make the extra time worth it, both in making a more attractive store and preventing inventory loss. Store organization is also important when it comes to high risk merchandise. Medicines and small, high price items are the most shop-lifted, according to studies conducted by The Food Marketing Institute. Placing these high risk items behind a cashier booth or in a locked case would help prevent shoplifting because customers would have to ask an employee to get it for them.

A number of studies (including McNees et al.) have shown the effectiveness of signs in stores. A good sign is specific, easily visible, uncompromising, and official-looking. Hand-written may not have the same effect as a typed or even framed sign, giving the impression that the store in question really means business. Typed, unframed signs can be made and copied very easily and cheaply. Bright colors or stickers will bring attention to signs, as well as give them a friendlier look. Signs could warn that all merchandise is marked with small magnetic strips (regardless of whether they are or aren't) or some other specific security device. A large banner sign upon entry that says "Don't shoplift- We will catch you and prosecute" could be very effective because shoplifting is often not prosecuted, and people fear the law. If they know before they start looking around that this store will take them to court, people will be far less likely to steal. Many signs with a variety of messages placed in different places at eye level will be most effective.

Like the magnetic strips aforementioned, technological devices in stores can be very effective. Alarms at the exits inform employees with a beeping sound that someone has a marked item. Cameras are also a good option, especially those covered in tinted globes, making it impossible to tell the direction the camera is pointing. These globes can be placed all over the store, and one cannot tell if there is in reality a camera behind the globe. Decoy devices such as globes without cameras or un-functioning door alarms are quite effective, and only face danger if a number of people discover that they are fake. To help solve this problem, only the highest officials in the store should know that the pieces of electronics do not work. This is an option for store with small budgets- functioning cameras and alarms have proven to be successful in saving stores money over time. The Retail Marketing Association says "Security measures feared most by adult shoplifters are 51% cameras; 21% guards; 15% electronic security tags; and 13% alert employees." This makes cameras, even fake ones, a great option for any store.

The Association also gives the statistic that 96% of juveniles who took a shoplifter rehabilitation program felt the education they received from it would keep them from ever shoplifting again. Education is the best way to prevent shoplifting. This is a step that stores themselves can take by sending employees out to give speeches or workshops in local schools. This employee should be very educated about the subject, and charge the school no cost for the presentation.

Back inside the stores, it's clear that employees are key. It is common sense that the employees should be the most important portion of an anti-shoplifting plan. All employees should know how to help keep shoplifting to a minimum, and educating them of such should be an important part of the training process. There is a great deal of information about shoplifting that is not common knowledge. Increasing awareness of this information may help employees prevent theft. Addressing this, Shari Waters wrote an article called Shoplifting Prevention 101. In the article, she gives a list of preventative efforts that can be made and gives examples of how to spot and confront shoplifters. Shari writes "If you see someone take an item, alert another employee and then approach the person. Ask "Can I help you?" or "Can I ring that up for you?"" Some stores have a policy that prohibits employees from straight-out confronting customers about shoplifting, and this is a way around it. Shari offers a number of other simple tips for employees, and a print-out of the tips should be visible in a break office or other common area for employees to see. Every member of the store's team should be a part of the prevention of stealing. Shoplifting laws are different everywhere, and Shari's article also makes the point that those laws should also be well known by employees. Spreading information is free, and a simple way to help prevent shoplifting. Informed employees who know how serious their store is about stealing may also be less likely to steal themselves as well.

Employees are also important because understaffed stores are at great risk to shoplifting. The Center for Problem-Oriented Policing (COPS) offers even more solutions that all stores could easily adopt. "Stores should hire sufficient numbers of staff to properly oversee goods and customers, especially at high-risk periods for shoplifting. Stores must train staff to be attentive to customers and alert for thieves. They also need to train staff in procedures for dealing with shoplifting incidents." This is brilliant and simple advice that any store could work with. They also suggest in-store detectives, but make the point that most shoplifters lift out of sight of anyone, even those they think are non-employees. An in-store detective would have to be very well trained to be greatly effective, which would take time and money, but it would be somewhat effective. A greeter serves the same purpose of giving customers a "We'll be watching you" kind of feeling. Training for them would be simple, it could even be a current employee. The money spent on the extra man-hours would inevitably be much less than the amount saved by stopping shoplifting. More employees in the store means more attentive eyes, and that is always a good thing in preventing product loss in retail stores.