Theft can have a crippling effect on small retailers and independent businesses, with stock shrinkage being a huge cost to many.
As an independent retailer, it isn’t always possible to invest large amounts of money in shop security, but that doesn’t mean that nothing can be done to protect yourself. There are a number of options out there for small shops waiting to up their security and here are a few steps you can take to help increase your shop security without breaking the bank.
One of the easiest ways to keep your shop safe from shoplifters is to keep your store organised and products in order. It is essential to be able to identify when something has gone missing from your shop, and a clear empty space on a shelf should be an easy tell-tale sign.
If your store is unorganised and messy, it can be difficult to notice when something is no longer there. Keep all your products faced by pulling them to the front of the shelf, creating a solid product wall; this will make it really easy to see if something disappears unexpectedly.
Knowing the shoplifting game and common traits of a thief is a great way of being able to identify those with bad intentions quickly. While there is no specific profile for a shoplifter, there are some specific behaviours to keep an eye out for.
Most thieves will operate in groups of two or more, with one person focusing on distracting sales staff while the other attempt to get their hands on some stock. Most shoplifters will quickly try to get products out of sight by putting them in clothing, bags or even pushchairs; they will also spend more time watching the store staff than actually shopping.
Even if you do everything in your power to prevent shoplifters from targeting your store, you will always get some stock loss, and it is never possible to keep your shop 100% secure. Give yourself peace of mind that when something does go wrong, you are fully protected against forced entry/exit from the building by taking out shop insurance. Shop insurance should cover your building, your stock and your customers, and is vital to have as a backup in case your shop security methods don’t work as planned.
There are a few simple yet effective tools you can fit in your retail store to help protect your business without breaking the bank. Fit a bell over the store door to alert you when a new customer enters and get yourself a basic security mirror to eliminate any blind spots in the shop.
These tools also work as great preventative methods as most shoplifters will be deterred from stealing if they see you have mirrors watching their every move.