The sad truth is that at some point in time a retail business will inevitably experience theft. More than $13 billion worth of goods are stolen every year from retailers, according to the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention, which equates to about $35 million a day. Shoplifters are everywhere, and safety measures within a store can do wonders for preserving your profits. Depending on the type of business, the risk of theft could vary depending on product type. For example, jewelry or technology stores may face a higher risk of shoplifting because their inventory is more expensive.

The detection, apprehension and prevention of shoplifting is an important responsibility for many retail personnel. With the retail environment rapidly evolving due to e-commerce and globalization of the economy, the focus on shoplifting has increased with many retailers. Implementing a security solution tailored to meet your business’ needs, can significantly benefit loss prevention. Loss prevention reduces the amount of theft and shrinkage within a business by vigilant surveillance and quickness to act. By having a loss prevention security system in place, your business not only feels safer, but more secure about how the store is running.

Prevention

Having a security system in place can be used as a warning to any potential threats that your store may face. It becomes obvious that with the security system in place, your retail store is taking loss prevention seriously, and that there will be severe consequences if any sort of robbery takes place. This security system can include cameras, security guards and alarms. In most high-end jewelry stores, the business has all three of these security systems (and sometimes more measures). It is never a bad idea to take precautions when dealing with expensive merchandise. Anything in any retail store is a potential item for someone to steal, and it is better to have a security system in place and be safe, not sorry. Any future incidents can be prevented with security because if a potential thief sees cameras or signs warning that they are being filmed, they’ll be less likely to attempt to shoplift.

Peace of Mind

Worrying about theft or a possible break-in at your store can cause stress and anxiety. This takes away from time with customers as well as necessary time spent to run your business. The presence of a security system deters theft, which allows business owners to have peace of mind knowing that the likelihood of shoplifting is low. When employees in a business feel safe, they can fully dedicate their attention to other aspects of the business, not having to worry about retaining their inventory. No one should ever feel unsafe or at risk when coming to work, and having the knowledge that there is security in your building can ease your mind and allow you to relax and go about your business.

Legal Matters

Should an unfortunate incident occur in the store, having a video record of it can aid law enforcement. Video evidence provides a visual record of the incident and can help identify perpetrators. If a thief is identified, the police have a much higher chance of being able to track them down, and you have a possibility of prosecuting them and possibly recovering the stolen items. Some security systems are connected to the police station as well, so when an intruder enters your store and attempts to steal something, your alarm will go off as they leave, thus triggering the police department. By having the police arrive to your store immediately, they can get a head start on catching the thief.

Updating Software

Software can be anything from your point of sale system to your credit card swiper. These things are overlooked at times because retail stores only focus on the most obvious security systems, such as cameras. But, although cameras and security guards are very important to make your retail store secure, you should not forget about the software you use in the store. Windows point of sale environments for example are notoriously easy to hack and are not secure. As a retail store owner, you need to be aware of the latest software and stay up to date with your computer systems to be sure your information is in a secure place. Your credit card swiper needs to be updated as well.

Using an encrypted swiper means that no card data is ever touched, stored or shared by your point of sale device. When you swipe a card, the information on that card is immediately encrypted into a secure code. The code is then what’s sent to process a payment, rather than card details which can easily be copied. By following these procedures you can ensure that not only is your merchandise safe, but your customers information is safe as well.

At Twin City Security, we offer services such as loss prevention in retail stores. We are here to provide highly trained security specialists for every industry, by adapting to all security concerns that may arise, and by protecting the assets of our clients. Our purpose and mission is to provide our clients with quality and professional security service. We have vast experience providing security services and access control to nearly every type of industrial facility.