How to Protect Your Grocery Store from Shoplifters
Shoplifters are a nuisance for any retail business. They take away merchandise without paying for them. Whether you own a large shopping store or a small-scale grocery store, these shoplifters may endanger your business. In 2016-17, 369,440 cases of shoplifting were reported in the UK alone, resulting in a loss of around £32 billion. Therefore, retailers should prevent shoplifting to protect their business.
When it comes to shoplifting prevention, businesses don’t necessarily need to spend thousands of dollars. With the help of the following tips, you can keep shoplifters at bay:
Look for Suspicious Behaviour
Train your staff so that they can identify suspicious behaviour of customers. If any customer looks a little dishevelled, avoids making eye contact, looks for surveillance cameras, wanders the store aimlessly or stays near the space where there are no surveillance cameras, chances are they may be looking for an opportunity to steal an item. Train your employees to monitor such customers as a precaution.
Keep an Eye on the Store
Encourage your staff to take rounds of the store as much as they can. Instead of sitting idle, they should move around and assist customers in shopping. This way, not only will the quality of customer service improve, your employees will also be able to keep an eye on the sections where no security systems are installed.
Keep Products Organized
In a well-organized store, it’s easier to notice when any product gets stolen. If there’s a lot of empty space on shelves, though not many customers visited the store then it indicates that something has gone wrong. On the other hand, if merchandise is disorganized, you may not be able to notice any lost items.
Put Up Warning Signs
Don’t forget to put up some warning signs to deter shoplifters. Signs such as “Shoplifters will be prosecuted” and “Smile! You are on camera” are likely to keep them away. Such signs indicate that employees are attentive and can catch shoplifters. This will demoralize shoplifters and prevent them from taking away any object without paying for it.
Improve Checkout Process
Assign an employee or two at the exit door so that they can check the bags of customers before they leave the store. Many shoplifters hide items in their bags or pockets while doing shopping. Looking through their shopping bags will allow employees to know if they’ve stolen anything.
Install Security Systems
If you own a large and successful shopping store, you may be able to purchase modern security systems. Opt for security systems and emergency alarms to keep an eye on customers and take immediate actions if any of them tries to get away with any object without paying for it. However, if you can’t afford to install an expensive system, you can opt for dummy cameras to pretend you have more security than you actually do.
Conclusion
Protecting business from shoplifters should be the top concern of retailers. They can steal expensive items and lower your profits. By preventing shoplifting, you can keep your business safe and provide a secure environment to your customers.