Huge portions of retail shrinkage are caused by gaps in retail security!
To promote your business’s security we have compiled a list, detailing some points you should be made aware of in order to beef up your retail security.
Return Policies:
Returns can often be difficult, you have to adhere to company, and government policies it also builds trust with customers so that if any problems arise they know they can come back to your shop with any problems. However, you also need to keep an eye out for people clearly abusing the system looking for a one off solution such as buying an item of clothing to wear out and then returning it claiming it’s not good, though not a direct impact on retail security is certainly can cause you to lose out on revenue.
A commonly adopted approach is to make the customer display a proof of purchase. Not only will this confirm to you what the product is that they’re returning (and how much they paid for it) but also prevents someone from stealing something from you, or another’s shop and attempting to return it to make some quick cash.
If you suspect there are repeat offenders targeting your store, attempting to get away with anything above you can request id. This will allow you to build up a background on the customers. If they are genuinely returning an items as it’s faulty then its unlikely each customers profile would flag up more than once or twice a year.
Naturally you should ensure that your returns policy adheres to your individual needs and attends to hygiene standards (such as many clothing stores not offering a refund on underwear). It should also be displaying in an area that’s easily visible to all customers as well as on all receipts to potentially cut down on people ‘trying their arm’ and further improve their retail security.
Employees:
Sometimes it can be the unethical or disgruntled employees of a business itself doing the stealing, posing a threat to retail security from the inside. A primary approach to combating this is from the onset: hire people you feel you can trust. This can be done through background checks, interview questions and contacting previous employers.
To target potential disgruntled staff encourage a happy workplace and environment that caters to friendliness. An employee that is content with where they work will be less likely to take a jab back at their employer. On top of all this a regular audit can deduce any further suspicious behavior.
Shoplifting
Shoplifters come in different shapes and sizes but they usually stick to the same principles and can be caught out with a little training:
Most shoplifters will avoid eye contact whilst simultaneously looking to or making themselves aware of where staff and other customers are. Another tell tale sign is that they may wear unusual clothing, i.e. large coats or jackets in the summer. One should also be aware of groups entering and leaving individually or perhaps members or individuals leaving and re-entering the shop over a period of time without ever actually making a purchase.
Once staff make it clear to those entering and leaving with a greeting or farewell, it may prove as enough of a deterrent to potential shoplifters that the staff are keeping an eye out on everyone.
Following all of these steps will greatly improve your retail security awareness, couple with with Opus’ own retail solutions you can be assured that theft, fraud and misconduct will be managed and tackled in the real and cyber world.
About Opus Retail Solutions
Opus Retail Solutions specialise in providing Retail, Wholesale, & Integrated e-Commerce Solutions through its Software suite Opus Retail Manager. The entire EPOS operation is managed from Opus’s Headquarters in Belfast, Northern Ireland, along with regional development and support offices in the UK. Opus has been developing software for over 30 years and was one of the first Windows based EPOS systems in 1997. Opus Retail Manager is hardware independent and we offer hardware depending on client requirements, policy or budget.
The key to Opus’s success lies with its ongoing investment in Research and Development and Training to keep our Software products and services and staff world class. Services range from specifying client requirements to providing custom modifications, system implementation, training with a special emphasis on after-sales support so our customers can get the most from their system. The Company invests c £100k pa in R&D to ensure it’s software remains world-class.
The entire Opus operation is managed from Opus’s Headquarters in Belfast, Northern Ireland, along with regional development and support offices in the UK and Russia. Opus has partners all over the world and currently ships the software in five languages. Please contact us if you would like to discuss a partnership.
Although our Retail Manager Software and services procedures have evolved over the years from DOS through Windows enabling us to stay ahead of the curve, our core objective is still to provide innovative, best in breed, easy to use and robust EPoS solutions, no matter what the industry, the size or the individual need.
