Preventing Theft In Your Store: Four Technologies You Should Know About

Managing your own retail store can be a very lucrative and rewarding business choice, but it isn’t without its stressors. Especially in the beginning, you’ll be spinning a lot of plates at once throughout your day-to-day, and a big threat you’re likely worried about is the possibility of theft. 

Thousands of dollars are lost every year to retail theft, and it can often feel like a problem without a clear solution. 

That said, technology is improving all the time, and there’s plenty that can be done to place the odds in your favor. In this article, you’ll learn about the best way to prevent this ever-present problem. 

1. Video Management Systems

CCTV (closed-circuit television) used to be the gold standard for preventing theft. Not only were the cameras invaluable in identifying potential criminals, but they were also a major deterrent. They weren’t without their shortcomings, however: the video footage was generally of low resolution, and storing it was a bit of a nightmare. 

With modern video management solutions, most of these problems are a thing of the past. The shop floor can now be monitored from multiple angles, in real time, and at a higher resolution, and there’s often even the option for advanced analytics and facial recognition in some cases. 

2. Loss Prevention Software

Many stores are now implementing loss prevention software into their inventory management workflow. These packages allow the business to track sales, returns, and stock shrinkage accurately, illuminating regular thefts.

This enables you to identify theft almost immediately so that the culprit can be apprehended promptly, negating the risk of a reoffense. 

3. Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) Tags

Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) tags are small pieces of plastic that are attached rigidly to an in-store item. They’re taken off at the counter using a special tool, but should the item pass through the front door having not been purchased, it’ll trigger the alarm to sound. 

It’s a relatively basic method when compared to some of the other tools on this list, but it’s often the case that the simplest solution is also the most effective. 

4. Access Control Systems

Access control systems are particularly useful if you have a large store with many entry and exit points and various other internal doors. 

You’d have the store outfitted with special gates that only allowed entry once a member of staff with a specific key card stood before it. For especially large businesses, you can go a step further by implementing different levels of access for different areas. This way, a large workforce is segmented into a few separate groups, with each only having access to their immediate area of interest within the building. 

Wrapping Up

You should now feel a little more confident about how to prevent theft in your store. It’s key to remember that no single one of these systems will protect against every potential theft; it’s usually best to implement a variety of different methods and find a happy medium between them. Good luck!