If there’s one thing that almost all retail store owners dread and are wary of, it’s thieves and shoplifters. Organized retail crime continues to be on the rise and poses a major security threat to retailers. Research has shown that retail theft can result in a collective loss of up to $50 billion each year. It results in a loss of merchandise, may hinder business operations, and can also cause property damage. All in all, retail theft severely affects a business’s profits and growth, and can undo its progress.
Whether you have a clothing store, run a departmental store, or have a small hardware store, the risk of theft is always present. This is precisely why you need to implement smart practices at your retail store to prevent instances of theft.
So, what measures can you take to ensure that chances of theft and shoplifting at your store are minimized? We’ve got a few suggestions for you.
Here’s what you need to do to reduce the opportunities of retail theft.
Keep Your Store Organized
The first thing you need to do is organize your retail store. Keeping things organized will help you identify any missing items and will allow you to stay updated with your inventory.
Ideally, it would help if you keep your merchandise such that collectively the products placed on each shelf create a visible wall of those items. This will make any missing products more noticeable as you’ll be able to see any gaps in the “wall” should anyone sweep the shelf.
In addition to this, keep track of where you’re placing different items inside the store. Keep products that are more likely to get stolen in a secure spot where they’re easily visible. If you make any changes to your product placement, make sure you inform your employees so that they’re in the know.
Train Your Staff
Speaking of your employees, it’s also imperative that you conduct staff training on how to identify and prevent theft at your retail store can go a long way. For instance, one way to dissuade potential thieves is by having your staff greet everyone who enters. Shoplifters typically avoid contact with anyone else and try to be as discreet as possible. If a shopper is unusually unresponsive and makes an effort to avoid staff members, your employees may be alerted about their behavior.
We know it can get annoying to have salespersons tailing you as you browse through a store, but this effectively prevents shoplifting. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should have your staff follow every customer. However, they should always be within reach and offer assistance to shoppers.
Don’t forget to brief new employees about your theft prevention policies!
Optimize Your Store’s Layout
We’ve already discussed product placement, but there are more ways for optimizing your retail store than just that. The interior design and layout of your store can also help you prevent shoplifting and theft. The idea is to minimize the possibilities of shoplifting by incorporating design elements that would make it difficult for thieves to steal.
A few things you can implement are:
- Placing your checkout near the exit point on the left-hand side
- Eradicating blind spots by installing mirrors
- Installing adequate lighting throughout the store
- Keeping expensive items in more secure spots or in locked cabinets
Install a Video Surveillance System
Don’t forget to include a video surveillance system in your store design! Having adequate video surveillance can significantly reduce the chances of theft at your retail store and save you from losing merchandise worth hundreds of dollars. It also allows you to monitor whatever’s happening inside or even directly outside your store at all times, even when you’re not physically present on the site.
Not only do CCTV cameras discourage thieves from shoplifting, but they also help you track suspicious individuals lurking inside your store.
Put Up Signs
It may sound like a simple thing to do, but putting up anti-theft signs at your retail store can go a long way. They serve as visual cues that mention that you will take strict legal action against shoplifters and thieves. You can even put up signage with lines such as “smile, you’re on camera” to discourage shoplifters without sounding rude to your customers.
Make sure you place these signs at multiple locations within your store. The point isn’t to offend regular customers and legitimate buyers but to intimidate thieves. Here are a few ways you can maximize your signage use to ward off thieves and shoplifters:
- Place signs near your main entry and exit points so that it’s the first and the last thing shoppers see when entering or leaving your store
- Place them high on the walls or hang them from the ceiling for greater visibility
- Add symbols such as that of a video camera or a pair of eyes to invoke a more significant response
Employ a Security Agency
Nothing beats having security professionals keeping an eye on your retail store. Hire a reliable and reputable security agency to prevent the chances of theft at your store. An experienced security agency will employ the best security strategies and tools to ensure that your employees and legitimate customers are provided with a safe and secure environment. They’ll also know precisely how to deal with shoplifters or intruders.
In addition to this, security professionals will:
- Keep an eye out for suspicious activity
- Monitor your surveillance cameras
- Act swiftly in case of a security threat or disturbance
- Encourage shoplifters and thieves to stay away
Refuge Services Group provides commercial and hotel security guard services in Florida. Managed by security professionals, our team has a collective experience of over 25 years. We hire the most skilled and knowledgeable security guards to provide businesses with custom security guarding solutions in Florida.
Get in touch with our team today for retail security services FL for your store! You can call us at (407) 985-1000 or drop us an email at [email protected].
