Retail Policies About Shoplifting

http://www.upiu.com/articles/retail-stores%E2%80%99-policies-benefit-shoplifters

Summary

Basically, this article talks about how store policies seem to favor shoplifters over protecting the goods from being stolen. It then goes into detail about why shoplifters usually aren't prosecuted even if store employees know that a customer is shoplifting. Apparently, the damage that a shoplifter can do to employees and property is enough to dissuade store managers and employees from accusing someone from shoplifting. Next, the article goes into detail on how stores and malls can help to combat shoplifting. One example is letting the shoplifter know that the employees are watching them by greeting as they enter the store and empowering security to subdue shoplifters instead of waiting for the police to arrive.

Connections

The statements from the people quoted in the article and the text book on combating shoplifting generally agree that one of the best ways to combat shoplifting is by greeting all customers including shoplifters, this shows the shoplifter that they aren't being ignored and that the store employees are watching. The article also says that shoplifters often look more at the store employees that the actual product that they are looking at which is also said in the textbook. My last connection is that of refunds. Both the textbook and my article talk a bit about how shoplifters often try to get refunds on goods that were stolen. The article elaborates and says that one of the problems is that stores don't always need a receipt for items such as clothes and offer in-store credit.

Reflection

Personally, I think that shoplifters are a problem since there's a stereotype that a lot of shoplifters are teenagers. If people get the idea that all teenagers are going to steal something in their stores, then it contributes to a negative stereotype of my age group and will ultimately result in lowered customer service and higher prices for customers that do pay. Stores just don't take shoplifting losses lying down, if stores lose a significant amount of items through shoplifting, then they have to find someway to make back the losses from shoplifting and that includes higher prices or a policy where people have to leave their bags at the door. Personally, if someone told me to put my bag at the door, I would just leave unless I needed the item really badly.