When it comes to store efforts to stop shoplifting has it ever crossed your mind that store associates can be biased? How frequently do we look at someone and assume they will NOT steal from the store? The kind of bias I am talking about is making a snap judgement about people who may have a physical disability or a child with them when they enter a store. We may look at the way they dress, wearing a suit or dress or we may see a couple carrying a baby and decide there is no way someone with an infant would ever shoplift. I came across a news article about a pair of shoplifters who had shoplifted hundreds of dollars in merchandise from a cosmetics store. Nothing is different about this case from any other shoplifting incident except in this case one of the women has only one leg and is pushed in her wheelchair by her partner. The women were in a store that specializes in cosmetics, fragrances and skincare products. Somehow they were able to steal hundreds of dollars in merchandise and leave. The report even says the pair and a man had stolen from the same store a couple of months prior to this. How do I know that biases can influence associate interactions with potential shoplifters? I know because I have allowed it in my own career.
It was not intentional but I recall a shoplifting incident in which a person in a wheelchair was rolling around a high theft area of my store. This person had a bag on the back of the chair and I intentionally talked myself out of watching this shopper. I was uncomfortable with the idea of watching someone bound to a wheelchair. Instead of watching this person as I would anyone else in a high theft department I began looking for other suspicious people. For some reason I eventually decided I was not watching the customer simply because they were in a wheelchair. I went back to my observation of this person and wouldn’t you know it they did start placing merchandise in the bag! I nearly failed to stop shoplifting because I chose to focus on the person and not the area they were in. When I did stop the suspect I also had the benefit of Sensormatic labels setting off the electronic article pedestals. The alarm gave me confirmation a theft took place when I was still in somewhat of a state of disbelief.
As I read through the article and watched the attached video clip I was interested to see that the store had electronic article surveillance pedestals at the doors. As the two exited I did not see any lights flashing from the towers or note any signals that alarms were sounding that would have indicated merchandise with Sensormatic labels or any security tags was being taken (krqe.com, “Shoplifting suspects grab hundreds of dollars in merchandise from Ulta”, Jackie Kent, Sep. 23, 2018). I can only take an educated guess based off of my own experiences but assuming the electronic article surveillance equipment is working there are three possibilities. The merchandise the suspects took was not tagged, the merchandise was removed from the packaging or the suspects were using booster bags to steal. Booster bags are foil lined bags that are intended to defeat some security systems. It is important to point out that acousto-magnetic Sensormatic labels are not affected by foil lined bags and are an outstanding deterrent to professional shoplifters. I do not know this retailer’s security procedures and what they do or don’t tag. I do know that many major retailers will not tag every item in the store focusing only on high shrink merchandise. To stop shoplifting a comprehensive tagging program must be in place and as many items as possible should be protected.
While store employees and yes, even Loss Prevention Associates may slip and make unintentional, biased judgements electronic article surveillance labels don’t judge. People may assume someone “looks” honest, or wouldn’t steal because of a perceived disability it happens. It could be the shopper reminds the associate of their grandfather and grandfathers would never steal. I even once briefly stopped watching a young lady who was pregnant because I was sure a pregnant woman wouldn’t take anything. After a few moments I watched again when she entered a high shrinkage clothing department. You guessed it, she was shoplifting. Put Sensormatic labels on all of your merchandise and shoplifters who choose to try to steal from your store will set off your security system regardless of age, height, disability or if they have a child with them.
Get more information on Sensormatic labels, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
I listened to a radio commercial recently for a job search site that touted their applicant management process. This company wanted the listeners to know that if they post jobs to this site that they can tailor questions that will help weed out applicants not suitable to the job. Well, I suppose this is a good thing. Who wants to hire someone that is simply throwing around their resume at any position they see in order to try to land a job…ANY job? If an employer wants to ensure they are getting qualified applicants it would make more sense to bundle more options in an applicant tracking system. Wouldn’t it be good to know that an applicant did not have a criminal history or maybe you want to avoid a user of illegal drugs being on your team? Bill Bregar, founder and CEO of Loss Prevention Systems Inc. recognized the importance of having more than just a cursory insight into who may work in your store. This is the reason that Loss Prevention Systems Inc. (LPSI) offers an applicant management system that can include drug screening and background investigations along with other options to employers.
According to merriam-webster.com, system is defined as, “a regularly interacting or independent group of items forming a unified whole.” This is exactly what LPSI’s applicant management system can do. It can allow employers to choose independent pieces in their hiring process to make a stronger, unified team of employees. Do you want qualifying questions that will screen out unqualified applicants? They can do that. Do you want to eliminate the safety risks and potential theft concerns associated with employees who use illegal substances? LPSI offers drug screening to identify applicants that could cost you money in accident claims or losses incurred through carelessness or worse, theft. Concern over hiring someone with a criminal background or even a poor driving record can be addressed with background investigations. LPSI can even tailor the background checks to include credit history, sex offender registries, employment, and education verifications. If you are finally tired of keeping track of paper applications this application management system allows for electronic tracking and filing of all the associated documentation. Even a candidate’s electronic authorization permitting a credit check can be accomplished in an electronic format.
Sometimes an employer may have a concern that electronic personnel files may not meet federal guidelines. This is an unfounded concern. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Fact Sheet #21, Record Keeping Requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), “Every covered employer must keep certain records for each non-exempt worker. The Act requires no particular form for the records” (emphasis added by writer). https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs21.pdf There are certain documents that employers are required to retain but how they are maintained is up to the employer. LPSI’s applicant management process is compliant with federal guidelines and employers keep files in one secure location. Because an applicant can choose to undergo drug screening or release information required for a background investigation these documents are not required to be retained by the employer but the release forms are kept in the electronic personnel file anyways.
Using a job search website to post your positions is a good way to get the word out that you are looking for candidates. They may even be helpful in building resumes for job seekers. When it comes to weeding out workers you wouldn’t want from a pool of applicants, placing your trust in a company that has experience in Loss Prevention and investigations is a better choice. Loss Prevention Systems Inc. has all of the tools available in its applicant management process to ensure your applicant pool is filled to the rim with well-qualified workers.
Get more information on an applicant management process, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Retail Theft Prevention-3 WC Blog 676
Stop Shoplifting – 4
Want To Stop Shoplifting? Then Don’t Take Half Measures In Your Security Strategy
When it comes to retail theft prevention there are some things that just drive this old L.P. guy bananas!
• Walking into a store, touring the entire floor and never being acknowledged
• Getting a sigh when I ask for assistance
• Dirty or Broken Public View monitors when I walk into a business
• Electronic Article Surveillance pedestals that are in obvious disrepair
• Merchandise in cardboard packages with lightweight plastic hang tabs on locking peghooks
• Employees who remove an item from a locking showcase and allow you to walk around the store with it
• Inconsistent merchandise tagging or use of anti-theft devices
• Fitting rooms with empty hangers, clothing tags and worn out clothes left in them
• Inconsistent merchandise tagging or use of anti-theft devices
I bring this up because my wife and I were shopping in a clothing store today and while she was looking at the purses I was looking at the security tags on the handbags. First, I didn’t recognize the tags or the symbols on them so I had NO idea what company they are using for anti-theft devices. Second, some bags were tagged and others were not. Being curious I thought that perhaps the store was tagging based on price point. It is a strategy I disagree with vehemently but I understand the thought process. In this instance price point was not the factor, purses could have tags and the same price point of another style was not protected. I shook my head and just followed my wife as she shopped. I have seen similar situations in the store I work at. We sell ink cartridges for printers and some are in protective plastic cases and others are not, even though the price points may be the same. It bugs me if you couldn’t tell.
What is it that influences one retailer to only take half measures in terms of retail theft prevention while another seems to go all out to stop shoplifting and theft? Having been involved in Loss Prevention for as long as I have been I know that cost can influence theft prevention strategies. The money spent on payroll to tag nearly every piece of merchandise a store carries can seem to be too expensive. Then there is the cost of electronic article surveillance tags and protective devices that are used. What is not always considered is that many devices such as the Sensormatic Flexible Safer are reusable over and over and over again. They are made of strong plastics that are intended to get extensive use. An expensive item such as an ink cartridge can be stored inside them so customers can look at the merchandise but cannot open the package. It takes a cashier with a Sensormatic detachment device to remove the merchandise and the Safer is stored until it is needed for the next load of freight that comes in. As far as the tagging and application of security devices it requires some time but if merchandise is protected as it gets on the floor and over time employees can get quick at the tasks. The other thing many store owners don’t consider is that as they stop shoplifting with a focused tagging program the shortage dollars go down and offset any addition money being spent on tagging efforts.
You may not be aware of this but I’m not the only one that goes into stores and makes judgements of how seriously that store’s management takes security. While it may sound like and oxymoron criminals can be very good at their craft. They evaluate your store the way I do and they look at the condition of equipment. They look at things like Sensormatic Flexible Safers and how they are used. If there are certain items not being tagged or protected in a Safer those are the pieces they will steal. Your retail theft prevention strategy will only stop shoplifting if an item is tagged or stored in a retail anti-theft device.
There are things that drive this old Loss Prevention Manager nuts and half measures in retail security strategies are on the top of my list. If you want to avoid being on my list or simply want help to improve your shortage reduction strategy talk to the folks at Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. Their boss, Bill Bregar is a former Retail Loss Prevention Director for national retail chains. He can give you tips to stop shoplifting and improve your profit line. His business is helping YOUR business make more money and that is what you want too.
Get more information on retail theft prevention, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
When it comes to retail theft prevention there are some things that just drive this old L.P. guy bananas!
• Walking into a store, touring the entire floor and never being acknowledged
• Getting a sigh when I ask for assistance
• Dirty or Broken Public View monitors when I walk into a business
• Electronic Article Surveillance pedestals that are in obvious disrepair
• Merchandise in cardboard packages with lightweight plastic hang tabs on locking peghooks
• Employees who remove an item from a locking showcase and allow you to walk around the store with it
• Inconsistent merchandise tagging or use of anti-theft devices
• Fitting rooms with empty hangers, clothing tags and worn out clothes left in them
• Inconsistent merchandise tagging or use of anti-theft devices
I bring this up because my wife and I were shopping in a clothing store today and while she was looking at the purses I was looking at the security tags on the handbags. First, I didn’t recognize the tags or the symbols on them so I had NO idea what company they are using for anti-theft devices. Second, some bags were tagged and others were not. Being curious I thought that perhaps the store was tagging based on price point. It is a strategy I disagree with vehemently but I understand the thought process. In this instance price point was not the factor, purses could have tags and the same price point of another style was not protected. I shook my head and just followed my wife as she shopped. I have seen similar situations in the store I work at. We sell ink cartridges for printers and some are in protective plastic cases and others are not, even though the price points may be the same. It bugs me if you couldn’t tell.
What is it that influences one retailer to only take half measures in terms of retail theft prevention while another seems to go all out to stop shoplifting and theft? Having been involved in Loss Prevention for as long as I have been I know that cost can influence theft prevention strategies. The money spent on payroll to tag nearly every piece of merchandise a store carries can seem to be too expensive. Then there is the cost of electronic article surveillance tags and protective devices that are used. What is not always considered is that many devices such as the Sensormatic Flexible Safer are reusable over and over and over again. They are made of strong plastics that are intended to get extensive use. An expensive item such as an ink cartridge can be stored inside them so customers can look at the merchandise but cannot open the package. It takes a cashier with a Sensormatic detachment device to remove the merchandise and the Safer is stored until it is needed for the next load of freight that comes in. As far as the tagging and application of security devices it requires some time but if merchandise is protected as it gets on the floor and over time employees can get quick at the tasks. The other thing many store owners don’t consider is that as they stop shoplifting with a focused tagging program the shortage dollars go down and offset any addition money being spent on tagging efforts.
You may not be aware of this but I’m not the only one that goes into stores and makes judgements of how seriously that store’s management takes security. While it may sound like and oxymoron criminals can be very good at their craft. They evaluate your store the way I do and they look at the condition of equipment. They look at things like Sensormatic Flexible Safers and how they are used. If there are certain items not being tagged or protected in a Safer those are the pieces they will steal. Your retail theft prevention strategy will only stop shoplifting if an item is tagged or stored in a retail anti-theft device.
There are things that drive this old Loss Prevention Manager nuts and half measures in retail security strategies are on the top of my list. If you want to avoid being on my list or simply want help to improve your shortage reduction strategy talk to the folks at Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. Their boss, Bill Bregar is a former Retail Loss Prevention Director for national retail chains. He can give you tips to stop shoplifting and improve your profit line. His business is helping YOUR business make more money and that is what you want too.
Get more information on retail theft prevention, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
