Theft can be a significant cost
for small business owners.
At one retailer I worked with,
an entire order of a popular offering
was shoplifted
before a single unit was sold.
What are some tips
to reduce shoplifting?
Harvey Meyer,
in the November/December 2015
The Costco Connection,
shares
“Keep aisles clear,
shelves tidy and
displays low to enhance visibility.
Provide adequate lighting throughout
and install an “annunciator”
that sounds off when customers enter.
And place checkout registers
near exits
to facilitate customer monitoring.”
“Lock small valuable items
in cabinets or secure places,
and place pricey merchandise
away from store exits.
Alternate the direction of hangers on racks,
some of which should be bolted down,
to make it harder to grab and run.
And while it can be expensive,
consider affixing an electronic tag
to products.”
There are ways to do all of this
while not damaging the experience
for legitimate shoppers.
For example:
The salespeople could treat
the shoppers interested in the locked up items
as ‘premium shoppers.’
Those items aren’t for just anyone.
Make efforts to reduce
the cost of theft.