Boutiques and small businesses can be put under by losses suffered due to theft. Unfortunately, small businesses are also the ones that can’t afford fancy theft prevention systems. To help offset the risk of losing valuable merchandise, small businesses can implement these economic strategies and protect their assets.
There are a few ways to help your business control theft. Your staff is your first line of defense. A simple training session could help you turn your existing employees into loss prevention machines. Tell them to think about what a customer needs to be able to shoplift. They need to feel anonymous, inconspicuous, they want some privacy, and they definitely don’t want to be bothered by sales associates. Simply greeting them and then a minute or two later asking them if they need help will make them feel uncomfortable enough not to shoplift.
A majority of shoplifting happens in the dressing room. Keeping fitting room door locked will force potential shoplifters to have to talk to an employee. Have employees offer to hang garments on the fitting room door. Have them count and limit the number of items that can go into the dressing room. Have them ask customers if they can find them a different size while they’re trying on.
Besides employees, there are other ways to deter shoplifters while they’re in the dressing room. Hang signs that say shoplifters will be prosecuted. Hang mirrors all the way around. Use bright lighting. Shoplifters love dark corners, dressing rooms, and privacy. The less of this you provide, the better.
Use the same concepts in your store. If you can’t afford the real thing, try to invest in dummy alarm systems that make people think you have a sensor at the door. Put tags on the clothes that have to be removed at the register. You can install mirrors and domes from the ceiling so that people feel like they can be seen. You can even use dummy cameras in the corners of your store.
Set up your store in a way that deters theft. If you have a corner that can’t be seen from the register, use bright lighting and mirrors to make shoplifters uncomfortable. Even mannequins give people the feeling that they are being watched.
Position your garment racks so that they don’t encourage shoplifting. Shoplifters say that they target stores with crowded garment racks that are positioned close together or where they’re view is blocked from the register. They can easily maneuver garments off of the hangers and down into a shopping bag or up their sleeve by working inside the garment rack, away from the view of cameras or employees. Choose garment racks that display clothing on the outside. Space them out so that you can see between them. Keep your employees asking customers if they need help, and use things like ceiling mirrors to deter theft.
About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.