Retailers Get Creative to Fight Theft While Not Hurting Sales
Walgreens CEO says stopping shoplifting is like a 'hand-to-hand combat battle'

Walgreens' CEO said the company is taking "creative" steps to address shoplifting and shrink. While anti-theft measures can be effective, they can also hurt a store's sales, CEO Tim Wentworth said.

The Illinois-based pharmacy chain has long been one of the more vocal companies raising concerns about shoplifting in its stores — and its CEO said that the challenges continue. In prior quarterly earnings calls, Walgreens executives mentioned "higher shrink" — or missing inventory — as a drag on profitability.

While the term didn't garner a mention in prepared remarks for Walgreens' fiscal first-quarter earnings call on Friday, CEO Tim Wentworth said in a call with analysts that the work to minimize shoplifting "is a hand-to-hand combat battle still, unfortunately."

The CEO also said the company's asset protection team is taking "creative" steps to address the issue in an effort to better avoid negative customer experiences. "When you lock things up, for example, you don't sell as many of them," he said. "We've kind of proven that pretty conclusively."

Other companies are exploring additional ways to combat retail theft. Walmart, for example, is testing technology with employees that allows them to use an app to unlock items protected behind anti-shoplifting displays. The retail giant is also piloting body cameras for front-line store workers at some Texas locations. T.J. Maxx has implemented body cameras for some employees as well.

Meanwhile, Walgreens is in the midst of a multi-year turnaround effort to revive its retail business. American drugstores in general are in a tough spot as customers increasingly turn to options that have lower prices, better choices, and more convenience.

With Walgreens continuing to close underperforming stores and reinvest in successful locations, Wentworth said the company is testing out new systems to improve the in-store customer experience, like a digital check-in for prescription pick-up. businessinsider.com
 

Stores Band Together to Stop Repeat Offenders
Retail theft: Some stores are taking extra steps to get back merchandise
On the office wall at Tupelo Ace Hardware is a "wall of shame" of sorts, photos and descriptions of known shoplifters shared amongst retailers in Tupelo.

Ace store co-owner and general manager George Booth III says a cooperative effort with retail behemoth Walmart has allowed area retailers to spot potential thieves looking for a quick score. The company is member of a retail group on Facebook where they share information on shoplifters.

"What we do is share security camera footage of people who are taking things. And there are people from that page who walked into my store, and I told them to get out," he said.

Walmart often has the name and phone numbers of the people featured on the Facebook page, enabling retailers – if they choose to do so – to pursue charges. In Mississippi, thefts over $1,000 are a felony, so it's not worthwhile to file if it's less than that. And thieves know that. But that doesn't stop Booth and others from trying to deter thefts, because they add up.

In the nearly four years since the store opened, Booth has learned quite a lot when it comes to the extent that people will try to steal merchandise. Unlike some retailers who have a strict hands-off policy when it comes to confronting shoplifters, Booth takes the opposite approach. yahoo.com


Ohio's New ORC Law Makes More Headlines
New State Law Targets ‘Organized Retail Theft’, Creates New Charge
The state’s retailers face a new kind of theft threat, and now there’s a new law in place to combat it. Organized retail theft typically involves groups of people stealing large quantities of merchandise from several stores, then quickly reselling the items.

The new law targets those theft rings with stiffer penalties, and a new task force within the AG’s office.

The Fight Organized Retail Crime and Empower Law Enforcement Act also creates the felony offense “organized retail theft”, and penalties can escalate based on the value of goods stolen.

The Ohio Council of Retail Merchants estimates that organized retail theft costs Ohio businesses two- to three-billion dollars annually. The governor signed the new bill into law on Wednesday. whbc.com


Chicago Police issue alert about crash-and-grab burglars on Northwest, Southwest sides

Maryland: Crime down in Prince George's, but more work to be done, chief says
 

LA Wildfires Underscore How Important Disaster Preparedness Is
Wildfires in Los Angeles: Key Considerations for Employers Navigating Disaster Response and Compliance
Wildfires continue to rage across the Los Angeles area, causing death, massive destruction of property, and forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes. President Biden has approved a “Major Disaster Declaration” for California because of the wildfires. This disaster also impacts employers’ obligations under California law, including California’s workplace safety and health statute, California wage and hour law, Cal-WARN, and the Los Angeles Fair Work Week ordinance.

Wildfires, pushed by high winds and drought conditions, have swept through areas around Los Angeles, destroying homes and businesses. As firefighters work to control the blazes, tens of thousands of residents are under evacuation orders and schools are closed. Thousands across Southern California have lost power, and many more are at risk of experiencing preemptive power outages taken as a precaution to prevent additional fires.

The wildfires—as with similar natural disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods—have created further challenges for employers, forcing them to adapt their operations and put their emergency preparedness plans to the test. For others, the disaster is a devastating reminder of the importance of preparedness—and its limits—as natural disasters can arise quickly and without warning.

Here are some key considerations for employers impacted by these latest wildfires.

Emergency Preparedness

Emergency plans and communication protocols. Employers with employees or workplaces impacted by the wildfires may want to consider their emergency response plans and communication protocols and consult emergency contact lists. Communication with employees is critical to maintaining employee safety, keeping track of employees amid evacuations, and informing employees of potential hazards affecting the workplace or impacting transportation.

Business disruptions. Affected employers may want to determine which business functions are critical and implement plans to maintain these operations during the wildfires.

Flexible work arrangements. With evacuation orders and travel advisories, many employers may have to close physical workplaces and/or employees will need to find other work arrangements. Employers may want to consider temporary remote work arrangements, adjusting schedules to accommodate for transportation or safety issues, or temporarily suspending operations if necessary to ensure safety. ogletree.com

   RELATED: Why Los Angeles was unprepared for fire


3.3% of All Target Stores are Within the Area Impacted by LA Wildfires
Some Retail Stocks Could Take Hits From the Los Angeles Wildfires
Target (TGT) is among the retailers with the most exposure to the deadly wildfires that have raged this week in the Los Angeles area, JPMorgan analysts said Friday.1

Sixty-six Target locations, or 3.3% of its total stores, are within the impacted region, which includes parts of the Los Angeles, Pasadena, Glendale and other areas, according to JPMorgan. Luxury furniture retailer RH (RH), has four stores in the region, or 5% of its total; AutoZone (AZ0) has 85 locations in the area, or 1.3% of its total.

Generally, JPMorgan said, “natural disasters result in an immediate headwind to sales,” adding that home improvement retailers often eventually experience tailwinds as an area rebuilds. Home Depot (HD) has 25 stores in the area, 1.2% of its total, and Lowe's (LOW) has 9 locations, or 0.9%.

Other retailers with a significant store presence in the wildfire area include Costco (COST) (14 stores, 2.3%), Williams-Sonoma (WSM) (12 stores, 2.3%), Best Buy (BBY) (20 stores, 2.1%), and O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY) (53 stores, 0.9%), JPMorgan said.

The wildfires have killed at least 10 people, according to the Los Angeles County authorities, and caused as much as $150 billion in damages, per AccuWeather. investopedia.com


T-Mobile Impacted by the Fires
T-Mobile Stands Prepared as Wildfires Impact Southern California
T-Mobile's network has held strong. We have restored roughly half of the sites that were impacted by commercial power loss. As conditions safely allow, our teams are evaluating impacted sites in Altadena, Duarte, Calabasas, Malibu, Fillmore and Agoura Hills, and continuing to deploy and refuel portable generators to sites until commercial power is restored.

Today T-Mobile and Starlink opened up T-Mobile Starlink Direct-to-Cellular service over impacted areas of Southern California to deliver wireless emergency alerts and SMS and enable 911 texting. While SpaceX's direct-to-cell constellation has not been fully deployed, we are once again temporarily making this early test version available for those who need it most.

T-Mobile continues to engage with federal, state and local officials and emergency management agencies across California to help ensure critical connectivity, including deploying connectivity solutions like Wi-Fi routers at incident command posts at Zuma Beach in Malibu and Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena. morningstar.com


Retail Avoids Another Supply Chain Blow
Tentative labor deal struck to avoid strike at East Coast, Gulf Coast ports
A potential strike that would have shut down ports along the East and Gulf coasts and dealt a serious blow to the retail supply chain has been averted.

A tentative new labor deal has been reached between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX). The six-year contract expired on Sept. 30 last year and, following a three-day strike, was extended until Jan. 15.

In a joint statement, the two parties said the agreement protects union jobs and allows ports on the East and Gulf coasts to modernize with new technology, "making them safer and more efficient, and creating the capacity they need to keep our supply chains strong.”  chainstoreage.com


Small-format, off-price stores added to first round of Macy’s closures

Wayfair to exit Germany, affecting 730 jobs
 

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