Ways to Prevent Shoplifting
GREET each customer as they enter the store with a big, welcoming smile, a nod, and a Good Morning (or Afternoon or Evening, Sir or Ma'am.. Not only do the individuals know that you are aware of their presence, but by becoming a friendly one, you make it less agreeable for them to steal from you.
OFFER TO HELP them if they seem to be having trouble in locating what they want. They know you are aware of them as individuals. Regular customers will appreciate the attention, too..
MAKE IT CLEAR thtat you are happy to answer any question they have. Burnishing your image as a friendly, helpful, intelligent individual, the shoplifter is going to leave. The shopper is going to feel important.
KEEP AN EYE on everyone in the store - not obviously, but constantly. People who watch you back are probably a problem.
PLACE MIRRORS to eliminate any hidden corners or unseeable nooks. Make it hard to hide. And be careful not to pay attention only to noisy groups of kids, particularly when one of them has separated from the crowd.
KEEP THE HEIGHT OF THE MERCHANDISE where it does not obscure your vision of events. And remember, girls are as likely as boys to steal from you.
ALWAYS GIVE AN ARMED ROBBER anything he wants. Nothing is worth your life. Do NOT use the gun behind the counter unless you own the store.
Keep your store bright and clean and welcoming. It is difficult to rob a store that is full of people, and most folks will not steal from a friendly, warm operator.
Published by Cathy Herron
Love the West, the desert and the Pacific Ocean, chocolate, music, great produce, large noisy men, large loud dogs, large red horses View profile
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- The Crime & Fear of Shoplifting
- Preventing Shoplifting
- End the Vicious Shoplifting Cycle
- French Retailing: A Comparable Look at Retailing in France as Opposed to the US
- Retail Loss Prevention Tips
- How to Prevent Organized Retail Theft
- How to Protect Your Identity on the Internet
- Greet every customer
- Watch them anyway
- Give robbers what they want
3 Comments
Post a CommentI totally agree. I live in the inner city and no one steals from the local corner stores because when they catch shoplifters, they make their lives miserable. I once saw the owner of a Mexican grocery beating up (I assume) a shoplifter against the hood of a parked car... And the owners of a downtown clothing store don't prosecute shoplifters on the condition that the thief is photographed and hands over one of their shoes - if they don't, the cops get called. There's a gallery of shoes/photos behind the counter. It seems pretty effective.
"hood" in which you work. If your reputation precedes you, then half the battle is won. As for the other 50%, you have to think of them as the example. As you become more familiar with your customer base, you also become more famiar with those who are less than honest. It is those who are caught that you have to make an example of.
Let me end by commenting that: The jest of this article can be seen as helpful in neighborhoods that rate within the upper echelons of society; but, for those who work in neighborhoods of less affluence, the prevention of shoplifting cannot be as simple as stated in this article.
These are great tips for those who work in a white suburbia type neighborhood; but, for those of us who run stores in the lower depths of society, the rules seem to differ slightly. First, you have to realize that those with the propensity to shoplift are going to take adavantage of any fleeting moment that could increase their chances of non-detection. It doesn't matter how much you recognize their presence, they are going to take a mile as soon as the inch is given.
My philosophy on catching shoplifters in the lower stratifications of society is to first let the customer know who runs the store. The regular paying customers constantly get the respect they deserve; all the while, the customers of suspect get a quick lesson as to who runs the store. A watchful eye and a tendency to confront usual suspects causes a domino effect within a neighborhood. This effect "trickles down" (if I may take a quote from the conservative economic theory of the 1980's) into the catacombs within the