It’s a big weekend for retail, with Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales set to increase foot traffic considerably in coming days.
This swell of shoppers also means an increase in shoplifting and theft.
Here are some tips (courtesy of the Australian Federal Police) to reduce theft:
- Acknowledge all of your customers and if possible keep customers in view at all times
- Adequately light all selling areas
- Always face your customers, especially when using the telephone
- Always put merchandise away promptly
- Always ensure keys are carried on the person or in a secure area and are not left on a counter or desk
- Arrange store layouts for ease of supervising customers and stock
- Count the day’s takings in the privacy of an office and behind a locked door
- Empty the cash drawer regularly to ensure the minimum amount of cash is present at any time
- Ensure that price tickets are fixed securely to merchandise
- Have a rapid and unobtrusive system to alert supervisors if there is any suspicious activity
- Implement procedures to count the number of items being taken in and out of change rooms
- Keep cash drawer closed at all times and do not leave it unattended
- Move attractive and expensive merchandise away from exits or shop corners, etc. Place them in the middle of the merchandise area, raised areas or near the point of sale
- Place the cash drawer in a position that cannot be reached by customers
- Serve children as quickly as possible
- Spend the maximum amount of time on the shop floor assisting customers, as opposed to being behind the counter
- Never leave the shop front unattended
- Try and ensure more than one staff member is working at a time
- Use one way entrance and one way exit flow systems in self service units
- Watch merchandise near the edges of the tables or counters
- Watch out for customers who don’t appear to be interested in purchasing items
- Watch out for diversions and overcrowding in general areas
- Ensure that all employees are familiar with stock on display.
If you feel the addition of a security guard or security concierge could be of benefit to your business, contact us at Excell Security – we are here to assist with your queries and to find the right solution for you.
