Top 10 Must-have Anti-theft Devices for Retail Stores
The shoplifting problem
It is one of the biggest issues retailers have to deal with on a daily basis. No matter the type of merchandise you sell, there are people who will try to steal from you if you give them the opportunity to do so – which is what not investing in good security measures does.
But how do you know what kind of anti-theft devices to get? Well, before we can answer that, we’ll have to start by going over the most common techniques shoplifters use so we know what we are up against:
- Distraction – moving in large groups, being boisterous, trying to overwhelm your staff with questions and requests, doing anything to attract attention
- Concealment – hiding stolen merchandise in bags or under loose clothing
- Packaging switch – putting more expensive items inside the packaging of cheaper items and then paying only for the latter
- Price tag switch – replacing an item’s actual price tag with that of a cheaper one
- Return fraud – exchanging a stolen item for a legitimate one
- “Honest” mistake – paying for just a couple of items and then “forgetting” to pay for everything else
- Speed – simply picking some items up and then exiting the store as fast as possible
Now, at first glance, it would appear as if most of these methods could be countered by simply hiring a good security team and training your staff to be as vigilant as possible at all times. In reality, however, the situation can get so much more complicated. For one, no matter how well prepared your staff is, there’s no way that they’ll be 100% immune to trickery or distractions, especially at the hands of seasoned shoplifters. In addition, it’s almost physically impossible to keep watch over everything every single second of every single day, especially if you have a huge store that’s always filled with rushing customers. And, if you’re selling clothes, then you also have to worry about dressing rooms, which, by design, are blind spots.
Long story short, your security team and sales staff could use all the help they can get when it comes to securing your store from shoplifters, and this is where anti-theft devices come in. Let’s take a look at 10 of the most popular ones at your disposal:
CCTV cameras
They not only act as a deterrent, they also allow you to keep video records of the day-to-day happenings inside your store. This means that if ever a theft does occur and you were unable to catch the culprit in the act, you’ll still have something to go back to, which you can use as evidence if the need arises.
This doesn’t mean that you and your staff can rest easy, however. It’s still a good idea to always remain vigilant so you can further minimize the risk of theft inside your store.
A Good EAS system
EAS stands for electronic article surveillance. It uses a variety of tools like security tags, stickers, labels and cables that are paired with sensors that sound an alarm whenever a stolen item is taken out of the store or a tag is tampered with or forcefully removed.
There are four basic types of EAS systems: electro-magnetic, acousto-magnetic, RFID and microwave. Out of the four, RFID is one of the most commonly used types in retail stores. They work by having each RFID tag possess a specific resonance peak, which RFID sensors monitor constantly for any anomalies.
There are also ink-loaded tags that go perfectly with clothing and other similar products. If a shoplifter ever tries to break them open, the ink inside would leak all over the item making them virtually unusable.
Display cases
Of course, not all security devices are electronic. A simple display case, for example, can go a long, long way in terms of theft-prevention. The only downside of this solution is that it doesn’t work with all types of merchandise, especially those that a customer needs to hold and physically explore to appreciate, like mobile phones and tablets. Nonetheless, it still remains as a good security measure, especially if you’re operating on a relatively tight budget.
Physical locks
Obviously, a display case can only secure your merchandise if you can lock it up. But this is not the only place you’ll find locks in a retail store. They’re also used in security cables, shelves, dressing rooms and even cash registers.
Locks may seem like a pretty basic solution, but they sure get the job done.
Buzzers
Have you ever been to a store that constantly played a doorbell type sound whenever a customer entered and left? That’s actually another kind of anti-theft device that you can use in yours. You see, the sound does not only call your staff’s and security team’s attention to anyone who passes through your store’s doors, it also lets would-be shoplifters know that you are paying attention to them – and if you were a thief, drawing attention to yourself is that last thing you want to do.
A good inventory management software
If you’re not clear as to what items are in your store (and stockroom), then how will you know when something goes missing? This is where inventory management software comes in. It allows you to easily account for each and every product that you have so you can check for any discrepancies at any time.
Anti-shoplifting signage
Sometimes, all it takes is a little warning to keep thieves at bay. A simple “shoplifters will be prosecuted” sign works wonders in this case. By letting would-be shoplifters know of the potential legal consequences of their plan, you effectively force them to think twice about actually going through with it.
Of course, more seasoned thieves would simply ignore these things, but that doesn’t change the fact that this simple solution does help reduce the number of thefts in your store.
Mirrors
Speaking of simple solutions, there are very few that can beat mirrors in terms of simplicity-to-effectiveness ratio. Again, shoplifters don’t want attention, and mirrors, just like CCTV cameras, make them feel like they’re constantly being watched.
Another benefit of installing mirrors in your store is that they give your staff and security team improved visibility, especially of areas that would otherwise be hidden from view. This way, your team won’t have to work as hard to monitor the store for any suspicious activity.
Package counters
Again, one common trick shoplifters use is to bring a big bag into a store and then simply throw unpaid merchandise into it. You can easily prevent it by requiring all your customers to surrender such items before going in to shop.
The best thing about this solution is that you can angle it in such a way that it appears as if you’re promoting shopper convenience – which is actually one of its benefits – instead of protecting your wares from thieves.
On a related note, instruct your cashiers to also check items with packaging that appears to have been tampered with, because as we’ve seen in the beginning of this article, instead of using a bag, some shoplifters hide expensive stolen merchandise inside the packaging of cheaper items. Long story short, taking their bags away does not necessarily mean that they won’t be able to steal from you.
Properly positioned payment counters
Lastly, by positioning your payment counters close to your store’s entry and exit points, you effectively put your staff in a better position to monitor everyone that comes in and goes out. It also gives shoplifters a more difficult time bringing unpaid items out because they are forced to pass by your staff to get to the exit.
So, should you use all of them?
If you have the money and all of these solutions work with the type of merchandise that you sell, then it would be a good idea to invest in as many of them as you can. Keep in mind that the more security measures you put in place, the harder it becomes for would-be shoplifters to commit a theft. Unfortunately, in most cases, retailers are forced to work within limited budgets, and, in reality, not all of these security devices work with all types of products.
How, then, do you know which one to choose? Well, it all boils down to striking a balance between what your store needs and how much money you have to spend. Of course, unless you’re a master of retail security, you would need to hire an expert to study your store and come up with a recommendation based on their findings. It’s the best way to ensure that you’ll get maximum value for your investment.
At the end of the day, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to keeping your store safe from shoplifters, and practically any solution you choose would cost you some money. But considering just how much more money you stand to lose by leaving your store vulnerable to thieves, having good security measures in place is definitely a worthwhile investment.