Every small business owner shares similar challenges. You want to hire and retain great employees, safeguard your profits, and continue to grow. In the retail industry, though, business owners have other risks to consider. With shoplifting and retail crime on the rise, adopting a video surveillance system can help keep your profits and associates safe.

The Rise in Shoplifting and Retail Crime

According to a 2021 study on retail theft, we’ve been experiencing an increase in violence related to retail crime. The existence of organized retail crime (ORC) is nothing new. Yet the growing number of violent events is definitely concerning.

The latest retail trends state that retail associates were threatened with bodily harm in 86 percent of ORC incidents. From there, nearly 76 percent reported that an organized retail criminal physically assaulted an associate. Threats of using a weapon were just as frequent.

One important detail with these statistics is that retail crime is not only a large chain problem. Small businesses are also reporting an increase in shoplifting, with fifty-four percent of small business owners saying they experienced a jump in theft during 2021.

In order to combat these issues, more retailers should consider adopting a video surveillance solution. With the right security measures in place, we can help reduce both theft and crime across the board.

Protect Your Bottom Line with Video Evidence

Whether your retail location is a target for organized retail crime or not, the benefits of video surveillance can’t be ignored. The risk of shoplifting is constant in this industry. What's more, public misdemeanors can happen anywhere. Being able to provide local law enforcement with video evidence of these incidents is crucial for helping to keep our communities safe.

We really can’t underestimate the power of video evidence. If we already have documentation of an assault or theft, then the detectives or other public safety professionals may only need to secure a narrative statement before filing their report and bringing in the prosecutor.

There’s also the matter of being able to quality control your own retail layout. If you’re able to review video evidence against your retail shrinkage reports, then you’ll likely be in a better position to strategically reconfigure your displays to reduce your retail loss. Making the investment for better security and surveillance is just better for everyone.

Gearing Up for a Busy Shopping Season?

When the holidays are right around the corner, it’s normal for many retailers to start stocking higher-ticket items. The increase in foot traffic and boost in sales is definitely nice. Just make sure profits are where they’re supposed to be!

Going with an EAS tagging system can help reduce theft on all types of merchandise year-round. But to really double-down on your security measures, it’s great to install a video surveillance system too.

It’s easy to have things get overlooked when the store is crowded. Get ahead of the rush and have your retail video surveillance solution ready to go before the busy shopping season really gets underway. Our team at Enhanced Telecommunications and Data can help.

Please send us a message to schedule your on-site consultation. Then we can walk through your space and identify the potential shoplifting risks and how to correct them. Video surveillance is a relatively simple upgrade, and it can do wonders for your peace of mind.