Recognize shoplifter’s behavior
There are no common features to identify retail shoplifters. We are used to judging by appearance but it is all about our personal experience, and some certain stereotypes inspired by society. Paying more attention to behavior though might be of better use. Buyers acting nervously, taking too many items to the dressing room and spending much time watching sales workers should be under close attention. Shoplifters also often work in pairs: while one distracts the sales clerk, another steals goods.
Keep your merchandise 'faced’
It is not difficult to steal an item from a messy shelf. Moreover, overcrowding shelves do not allow viewing across them and create blind spots. Then shoplifters have a place to hide an item, remove a tag or exchange labels. It is recommended to keep your store well organized. It is easy to recognize a vanished item when the shelf is empty. Sales staff get a kind of a visual cue to see that something has gone wrong. Order in the shop is needed to have inventory control as well. Retailers should remember about proper design of the store, multiple shelves are always more convenient for a customer and less convenient for a thief.
Customer service to prevent shoplifting
Proactive customer service helps to avoid retail shoplifting. It is very hard for a customer to steal anything if a sales clerk is actively engaged with him. He follows at customer’s heels with his smiles, and offers, and recommendations. Customer service must be the best weapon of shoplifting prevention! They can approach a suspicious person and propose their assistance. Even this will be enough to make a shoplifter feel watched.
Place signs
Another of the tips to prevent shoplifting is to use visual cues. You might not have enough money for high quality security camera, but you do have it for buying signs. It is advised to place a sign at the front door or close to it. Experienced shoplifters are likely to check for surveillance cameras and it is necessary to place them up high, too. One interesting feature about signs. Use signs featuring eyes. The research has proven that this detail helps to gain compliance with the customer.
Good store management
Shoplifters are not only those who enter the front door. A great percentage of stolen items belongs to working staff. Shop owners should understand the problem and be very precise employing new personnel. Even diligent staff has to do a lot to prevent shoplifting. They need to use store layout in the proper way, make adequate inventory controls and follow common security rules. What’s more, each employee should have an instruction and know what to do in case of detaining a shoplifter.
