Nope!

If you are a store owner, big or small business, there is a likely chance you’ve dealt with shoplifters and probably still are.  There are hundreds of videos on YouTube that shows shoplifters and their stupid, brazen acts.  

How do you spot a shoplifter?

Shoplifters range from the most obvious to the least suspecting people.

Here are some red flags to look for:

• When 2 or more come in together and one is trying to distract you with fruitless questions while the other is in a blind spot of the store
• When there is frequent eye contact with the customer or their assistant and not wanting help or service
• Wearing a hat with sunglasses
• Wearing clothes that are too big on them
• Women holding a purse (usually large) with one strap on the forearm and the other strap gripped (to keep the purse open)
• Walks in with a better or worse attitude than your average customer
• Parks their vehicle (nothing fancy) far away when there are much better parking spaces available closer to the entrance of the store
• Their coat zipper was down whey they walked in to the store but was zipped up before they leave
• etc, etc, etc…

If there is a shoplifter spotted in your store, what should you do?

• First, make absolutely sure that you’ve witnessed the crime.  This means that you’ll have to know exactly what the shoplifter grabbed and where they’ve placed it (inside their coat, in the handbag, under the dress…).
• Make sure they are being recorded or snap shot for later, because 99% of the time the shoplifter always denies wrong doing.
• Confront the shoplifter in a professional manner and ask them to return the item(s) but don’t argue or talk further if he or she resists.
• If they leave the store, don’t chase or follow.  Just try to get a description of the vehicle and license plate number that they leave in.
• Call the local police and explain the situation with details of the subject and pictures or video.  Sometimes the police may know who it is because the shoplifter has been caught before in another store.
• Make a log of the incident with a printed picture of the suspect and keep it for records.  Some shoplifters return after a period of time if they get away with it the first time.

 * You do not have to wait until the shoplifter leaves the store to confront them.

Bottom line…

Don’t stress too much on shoplifters.  Most are grabbing things that are usually small and not too expensive.  If you stress too much on shoplifters, you’ll just stay pissed off and shorten you life.  Not worth it.  They’re not going to break your business anyways.

August 23, 2010