Oct 2018
Preventing Shoplifting in a Retail Store
Vigilance is the Key to Protecting a Store’s Assets
As a retail business owner, your biggest investment is the inventory. A business cannot afford the needless loss of merchandise to thieves. Proprietors must be proactive in their approach to loss prevention and their plan for how to prevent theft in a retail store.
Small businesses are particularly vulnerable to theft. Many criminals understand that large, chain stores have a lot of resources dedicated to store theft prevention. They know that many smaller stores do not have the same options. This can make prevention much more difficult. Below are a few retail store theft prevention strategies that may prove effective in protecting your inventory and business.
Education is the First Step in Preventing Theft
As with most things, education is crucial to retail store theft prevention. Research indicates that there are times of the day and week in which theft is more likely. Additionally, there is information that indicates that messy stores are more likely to be the victims of shoplifters.
Knowledge such as this can be the key to how to reduce shoplifting. A savvy retailer can make special arrangements during the most likely times of the day and week to better guard against theft. Keeping a clean, organized store can also make it more difficult to shoplift.
Many of the answers to the question “how to prevent theft in a retail store?” are fairly intuitive. However, it is useful to review a few of them in the interest of formulating an overall plan for how to reduce theft in retail and, ultimately, how to prevent shoplifting in retail.
Store Design
The layout of a store can subtly promote or discourage theft. Long aisles can make it difficult for employees to get a good view of the entire store. Short aisles make it more difficult for thieves to hide their actions.
Positioning the cash register is another way to discourage theft. The employee can greet each customer as they come in, which discourages theft. It also gives the employee the chance to see everyone enter and leave.
Signage
Highly visible signage can be how to reduce shoplifting. Simple signs will let potential shoplifters know that the store is actively trying to catch thieves. This is another deterrent to criminal activity.
Security Systems
By installing a video surveillance system, you can keep watch on every corner of your store, even when you aren’t around. Many security camera systems enable you to watch for shoplifters right from your phone or other smart devices, allowing you to check in on your business no matter where you are.
They also serve as a deterrent to theft, since people who see these cameras know they are being watched, and could possibly be identified later on if they were to shoplift.
Contact Silent Guardian for Your Security Needs
Store theft prevention should be a primary concern for all business owners, especially small business owners. They should constantly be developing strategies for how to reduce theft in retail. Educating yourself is the first step in tackling a shoplifting problem. Once you identify a store’s weaknesses you can come up with strategies for how to prevent shoplifting in retail. Vigilance goes a long way in the prevention of inventory loss to theft. Contact Silent Guardian Security to help you protect your store against unwanted shoplifters.