8 Ways to Deter Organized Retail Crime

A Free eBook With Eight Effective Methods for Loss Prevention

For retailers, shoplifting and organized retail crime (ORC) can make a big dent in your business’s bottom line and peace of mind. In 2019, the average retailer lost over $700,000 per $1 billion in sales according to the National Retail Federation. While shoplifting has always been a problem for retailers, ORC can potentially do significantly more damage to your business with targeted theft of high-value merchandise on a larger scale than individuals shoplifting.

Keeping your customers, employees, and products safe is a top priority for retailers combating organized retail crime, but it can be difficult to address security weaknesses while maintaining the functionality and welcoming environment of your locations. Luckily, there are methods you can use to deter and prevent organized groups and individuals from stealing. Our free ebook covers eight ways to deter organized theft, including tips from three major areas of retail loss prevention.

Key Security

Having strong key security is a crucial first step in deterring organized retail crime. If your retail locations aren’t secured with high-quality locks and keys, you’re creating opportunities for organized thieves to find entry and easy exit from your stores without attracting much attention. Effective key security includes maintaining accurate records of who has access to your stores, limiting access to only authorized individuals by utilizing restricted keys, and ensuring that you can respond quickly in the event of a keyed access security breach.

Surveillance and Tracking

Electronic article surveillance and video surveillance are two tried-and-true ways to deter and prevent the theft of expensive merchandise. With newer technologies, even jammers and booster bags won’t interfere with electronic article surveillance techniques, and video surveillance and video analytics can help deter crime and also provide invaluable high-definition evidence in the event of a theft.

In-Store Efforts

There are efforts you can take within your store to make it harder for thieves to get in, get their hands on high-risk products, and get away. These methods include being strategic about product placement, working closely with local law enforcement and your competitors, and improving or fine-tuning your customer service.

While interpersonal prevention can be harder to implement than physical or digital efforts, your customer service and local relationships can play a big part in your loss prevention success. Customer service, for example, is a key component of how retail gangs or shoplifting individuals determine if they can get away with their crime. A store with frequent customer service interactions and attentive staff leads to less opportunities for thieves to get away undetected.

Free eBook on How to Protect Your Retail Locations

Keeping your retail locations safe from theft can feel like an endless challenge, but with a comprehensive strategy for deterring and preventing theft, you can keep your business, customers, and employees safe. Each method mentioned above plays a role in keeping your business secure, and we cover the components of each in our ebook. Download the free ebook to get started building your organized retail crime prevention strategy by filling out the form to the right.