Minimise theft

1. Minimise theft Why is it important to me?

2. The hidden costs of shop stealing • Higher costs of items so consumers pay more • Added burden on police and courts • Inconvenience of security measures in stores • The added concern about crime and public safety • Communities as a whole suffer when a business fails

3. Why is loss prevention so important? • A 2 to 3 percent loss of sales due to shop stealing can amount to a 25% loss in profit • It is estimated that shop theft in Australia amounts to $1.5 billion a year

4. Why is shop stealing on the increase? • Economic and social reasons such as unemployment may contribute to shop stealing • The increase of self-service and low-service retail encourages theft • It is psychologically easier to steal from a retail shop than from a person. Shop stealing is often seen as a victimless crime • Merchandising for impulse buying encourages theft

5. ‘Shoplifting’ to ‘shop stealing’ – a change of name. WHY?? • There is generally a high level of tolerance by the general community towards stealing, and retailers as an industry are trying to raise the awareness of the severity of the crime and its impact on society • The word ‘stealing’ is a stronger word, associated with a crime, whereas ‘shoplifting’ reinforces the public perception of a misdemeanour

6. So why should I care? • If 2–5% of the stock is stolen from stores each year, imagine what this would mean if you could add that same amount to your salary Let’s see……….. • $500 per week equals $10 to $25 per week extra, or $520 to $1300 per year

7. What can I do? • Provide good customer service. It is harder to steal if the customer service is good • Be aware of what is happening • Practise good housekeeping • Be conscientious and do your job properly at all times