Brought to you by Farsight:
For local retailers, Christmas is the busiest time of year with consumers all looking for the perfect present for their friends and family. Unfortunately, it isn’t only law-abiding shoppers on the prowl this season, with the added pressure of the holidays increasing the risk of retail theft.
While it’s a nuisance for large chains, retail theft can make for a critical hit to local businesses with every last penny having to be accounted for. The reality is that mortgage repayments, children’s clothes, and food on the table are reliant on positive cash flow with every written-off item resulting in a noticeable financial hit for the business and its owners.
That is why it’s imperative that your shop is properly secured this Christmas time against opportunistic thieves. Here are three essentials to safeguard your shop.
Don’t Leave High-Value Stock out on Display Overnight
At night, when the store is closed and no staff are on-site, it’s the prime opportunity for thieves to spring into action, especially if there is stock of high value left out on display.
Opportunists are willing to take the chance of forcing an entry if they can clearly see a prize in the window, especially if they can make a relatively simple get away with it in tow. This is why jewelers, with incredibly high-value stock, clear products out of the windows and keep them securely locked away.
While you want your best stock on display during the day to attract customers, the only thing it attracts at night is the wrong kind of attention. Move high-value items out of sight, preferably locked away in a secure room and brought back out shortly before opening hours.
CCTV Monitoring
CCTV is an absolute must for any retailer today with thieves mastering the art of sleight-of-hand. Recorded video footage also makes for a terrific deterrent for thieves who don’t want to be caught on camera, catching them red-handed in the act. Such footage can be provided as evidence should there be a necessity.
To provide extra protection, remote CCTV monitoring services are available for businesses that can be activated either around the clock or outside of business hours. What this service provides is a live video stream to a remote security team that, should there be any activity, can alert either the business owner or local authorities. As already noted, businesses are most at risk when no one is on-site outside of working hours, so this added level of security can prove to be invaluable to local business owners.
As well as safeguarding against theft, the presence of CCTV in your shop will also deter violence against you and your employees. In 2018, around one in 30 retail employees had been assaulted, working out at an average of 288 every day, according to a report by the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW).
Tagging and Alarm Systems
Visual deterrents are the most effective because they immediately plant a seed of doubt into a potential thief. Security tags and alarm systems are widely used by many retailers because they are highly effective – you can’t help but notice them from the moment you walk into a shop.
Should the presence of a tagging and alarm system not prove to be enough of a deterrent, the alarm system will raise awareness by alerting other shoppers, as well as local authorities, and draw attention to the person in question. The embarrassment alone will put many opportunists off from targeting your shop.
While Christmas sees a spike in thefts, these security systems will safeguard your shop all year round – providing an invaluable service for local retailers.
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