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The D&D Daily Mobile Edition
LP, AP & IT Security's #1 News Source

5/4/20 D-Ddaily.net
 

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How Loss Prevention can make the pivot from Cost Center to Profit Center in the new economy

 

By Rhod Thomas, Chief Customer Officer at Auror, the Retail Crime Intelligence Platform

The difference between the post-global financial crisis (GFC) economy and the post-Covid-19 economy will be significant. For retailers and their Loss Prevention (LP) functions to survive and more importantly win in the new economy, a change in approach is needed.

Squeezing profit margins from both ends

With a likely recession around the corner, retailers’ revenues will be put under pressure. This combined with rising unemployment and projected increases in criminality (based on previous recessions) will put pressure on profit margins from both ends (revenue and cost). This will inevitably lead to organizations looking to reduce costs wherever possible. However, some smart investments in technology will help reduce shrink-related losses and increase profitability. For this to happen successfully, loss prevention pyramid leaders need to switch their LP function from being viewed as a cost center to a profit center within their respective organizations. Let’s examine the difference:

To become a profit center, LP functions need to become more accountable for the loss numbers across the organization and have KPIs linked to reducing loss. By doing so, LP investments focused on driving profitability will have a very high ROI compared to the equivalent sales and marketing investments.

Read the full article here which covers the following topics:

  ● Proving out the value of investments through a trial / pilot
  ● Developing an ROI model with internal and solution partners
  ● Building relationships with key decision makers
  ● Taking control of the change before it takes control of you

Our thoughts are with those who are impacted by COVID-19 already. We wish a speedy recovery to those that are ill, and to the retail economy in general. We also want to express gratitude to the AP/LP professionals on the front line who are working hard to keep everyone safe, calm, and reassured during these times.

For the full article please click here

 


 


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GLPS 'Where Are They Now?' Series

Find Your Old Friend & Colleagues
Where Have They Gone?
Take a Look Down Memory Lane
1st Correct Answer Becomes Eligible to Win a Pizza Party!
 

Can you name the folks in these teams?

  
Team Pictures Submitted in May & November 2015

Here's some hints:

Pic #9 (left): The artist on the far left may have ridden off into the sunset with another "family," but he continues to be an industry leader... rite up until now.      

Pic #10 (right): You can bet you'll get a work-out when you hang out with this bunch, no matter what time of day it happens to be!


Rules: 1st person to name all team members in a picture gets entered into the drawing. Once we reach 10 correct answers, we'll pick one winner for a GLPS team pizza party with drinks - delivered to your door by Domino's. All parties must be for retail LP or AP teams. Submit your answers here.

Visit Memory Lane - see previous pics
 


Show Your LP/AP Team Pride!

Send in your team's 'Group LP Selfie'



 

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Security tech's role in mitigating the spread of coronavirus
Many security vendors are looking into how they can leverage their existing solutions or are seeking out complementary technologies to help business address risks related to COVID-19 exposure.

Developed at the request of Chicago’s McCormick Place convention center, Genetec recently debuted its new “Contagion/Contaminant Proximity Report” feature for users of its Synergis access control system. The reporting function correlates physical proximity of an infected individual with other employees and badged visitors based on the use of the access control system.

“With Synergis, any organization can produce a detailed report that shows exposure metrics for employees and visitors utilizing existing access control data,” Thibaut Louvet, Product Group Director, Access Control at Genetec, explains. “It considers that if two people went through the same door in a short period of time, chances are high that they had some level of interaction. This forensic analysis can be extremely beneficial to organizations seeking to use the technology they already have to better protect employees, visitors, and the broader community.” securityinfowatch.com

RLPSA Posts New Resources for Restaurants at BackToOpen.com

RLPSA's BackToOpen.com is a resource site providing tools for restaurants to open safely including state regulations, technology and safety products, as well as content including:

New resources include:
● Legal aspects: 10 Steps to Secure Your Organization Post COVID-19
● Helpful scripts associates can use when encountering COVID-19 issues
● Restaurants Managing Crisis Whitepaper
 



Coronavirus Tracker:
May 4

US: Over 1.2M Cases - 69K Dead - 179K Recovered
Worldwide: Over 3.6M Cases - 250K Dead - 1.1M Recovered

U.S. Law Enforcement Deaths | NYPD Deaths: 37
Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 82+

 



Reopening America
Various Stages of Re-Openings Happening in 31 States


Some states are starting to reopen and lift lockdowns,
even as the battle against the coronavirus rages on.


Click here to see a full rundown of what all 50 states are doing.



Study: Reopening states will cause 233,000 more people to die from coronavirus

As America reopens, most US states fall short of basic coronavirus testing standards

NY to partner with six states to stock up for possible second coronavirus wave


Openings

Malls are reopening, with masks, social distancing and hand sanitizer-spritzing doormen
More than a dozen states began emerging from their coronavirus lockdowns, leaving business owners, workers and consumers to decide what normal means now.

More than half of America’s governors have relaxed restrictions put in place to stem the spread of the coronavirus. But the reopenings are largely piecemeal and vary in scope. In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp (R) last week opened nearly all businesses, including tattoo parlors and hair salons. Colorado began allowing in-person shopping on Friday, with strict social distancing protocols in place. Ohio edged into reopening, allowing elective surgeries to resume.

The landscape is even more muddled within states, with many large cities extending stay-at-home orders even as they are lifted in more rural areas. Officials in Nashville, Denver, St. Louis and other cities have told residents to stay home even as their states have moved to reopen. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has insisted the entire state follow his plans to reopen, even though mayors in cities such as Austin and Dallas have balked.

Public health experts, meanwhile, have warned that premature openings could lead to a resurgence of the virus, which has killed more than 64,000 Americans.

There’s no question that at the end of this we’ll have to reopen as a society, but right now it’s happening scattershot without any consistency,” said Mark Cohen, director of retail studies at Columbia Business School. “Nobody has a playbook.”

“It’s a lot harder for retailers to say, ‘We don’t want to pay rent,’ if the malls are open,” Saunders said. “That’s the calculation.” washingtonpost.com

Malls re-open this week in Tampa and Atlanta
Florida and Georgia will see several malls re-opening this month.

Retailers, malls reopen in Texas as state lifts some restrictions
Texas reopened its economy on May 1, and some malls and stores in the state are following suit and reopening stores.

Simon Property opened 21 Texas Malls Friday.


Macy’s Opens 68 stores Today

Best Buy, Macy’s, J.C. Penney and Neiman Marcus are only opening some stores.

J.C. Penney opened two stores in Texas on Friday, at Fairview, north of Dallas, and in San Antonio. It has 10 Texas stores open for curbside service and several more in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri and Virginia. dallasmorningnews.com  chainstorage.com
 



Exclusive D&D Daily

Publicly Reported Retail Crime Data


April 2020 vs. April 2019:
COVID-19’s Impact on Retail Crime


Most Noteworthy
Retail Violent Fatalities Up 37%
Retail Burglaries Up 132%

April 2020 Violent Retail Fatalities: Key Findings

Top 5 Locations:
- C-Stores (12)
- Restaurants (3)
- Liquor (3)
- Dollar Stores (2)
- Big Box (2)

Top Five States:
- Texas (4)
- California (4)
- Missouri (3)
- Ohio (2)
- Florida (2)

2020 April ORC Cases: Key Findings Show:

- "Human survival" Products Shift in Theft: Electronics, Tools, Guns, Cigarettes & Baby Products most targeted items

- Burglaries accounted for 38% of cases.

2019 April ORC Cases: Key Findings Show:
 
- Clothing, Electronics, Tools/ Hardware, Perfume/Cosmetics, Jewelry most targeted items

- Burglaries accounted for 9% of cases


April 1st Deadliest Day of Month with 5 Deaths - click to see incidents

See the most notable ORC cases of April 2020 in the ORC column below
 



April is Over - One for the History Books

Where are we now & Where is it going?
 

Retail Casualties Begin - 26 More Looming?
1st Big Retail COVID-19 Casualty
J Crew Files Bankruptcy

It was struggling before the coronavirus pandemic, but J. Crew is unlikely to be the last retailer to fall.

It is the first major retailer to fall during the coronavirus pandemic, though other big industry names including Neiman Marcus and J.C. Penney are also struggling with the toll of mass shutdowns. nytimes.com

Editor's Note: Will Penney's and Neiman be next or will we have a surprise this week? Yes, this week we'll hear of a more such casualties in our opinion.

With Simon opening 49 Malls, just the beginning of their 200 properties, and strip-centers starting to open the retail 'C' teams will be facing tough questions and answers in the month of May.

As this month will be even more historic then April was, as it relates to the retail casualty list. Banks, VC's, hedge funds, and outside financial lenders will be tightening their portfolios and cutting dead weight at a speed we've never seen before. With the number 1 circle on the target being Mall-based specialty retailers. As it may end up resembling a DMZ Zone. Where it has been bombed so much that virtually no one even goes there.

If consumers were scared for their safety before the pandemic, they'll certainly be scared now, as a number of very recent studies reported here in the Daily have shown.


COVID-19 Tsunami:
These 27 retailers could file for bankruptcy

It's Not a Question - Is a Wave Coming
It's a Question of When Will It Hit & How Big's the Tsunami


An unprecedented crisis has created a whole new set of challenges for struggling retailers, likely setting the stage for a large wave of consolidation.

In this environment, retailers that were already struggling with heavy debt, tight liquidity and/or negative profits face a potential financial crisis. Others that might have had downward trending numbers but some room to breathe could be forced to the edge faster than nearly anyone thought possible.

Observers expect bankruptcies in retail to rise; it’s just a question of how much, when the wave(s) will hit and what will become of the companies that file.

L Brands, Children’s Place and Caleres, which owns Famous Footwear, had the largest drops in their FRISK scores since March 1. retaildive.com

Retailers with an elevated risk of bankruptcy - Companies with a FRISK Score of 1 or 2


 



Walmart Hires 200,000 Associates and Pays $180 Million in Early Associate Bonuses
Recognizing the hard work ahead of our associates as COVID-19 spreads and to help provide more cash in hand for them sooner, we shared plans to accelerate the payout for our quarterly incentive, which store, club and supply chain associates received today. With this we paid nearly $180 million in cash bonuses to hourly associates, with more to come next month on our originally scheduled quarterly bonus payout date. This is in addition to the special cash bonus for all U.S. hourly associates earlier this month, which was $300 for full-time hourly and $150 for part-time hourly, a total of more than $365 million paid to our associates.

In addition, we’ve fulfilled our commitment to hire 200,000 associates in our stores, clubs, distribution centers and fulfillment centers, since March 19. walmart.com

Security Guard Shot & Killed Over Face Mask
Flint, MI.: 3 charged with murder of Family Dollar security guard

over face mask dispute
Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said Sharmel Teague and her daughter went in the Family Dollar at 877 E. Fifth St. in Flint around 2 p.m. Friday. While inside, security guard Calvin Munerlyn confronted Teague's daughter about not wearing a face mask.

All three suspects are facing a charge of first-degree premeditated murder. Larry Teague and Bishop also are facing several weapons charges, along with violations of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's order to wear face coverings in enclosed public spaces.

Surveillance video showed them inside the store and Teague leaving in a red GMC Envoy, entering the nearby River Village Apartments complex. Minutes later, Teague made a phone call to Larry Teague.

About 20 minutes after Sharmel and her daughter left the store, Leyton said Larry Teague and Bishop drove the same GMC Envoy to the store. Leyton said surveillance video shows Larry Teague and Bishop enter the store and start an argument with Munerlyn. Witnesses reported hearing the suspects ask Munerlyn who disrespected his wife.

During the altercation, Leyton said Bishop pulled out a handgun and shot 43-year-old Munerlyn in the head. He was rushed to Hurley Medical Center, where he died later Friday. abc12.com

NYC Theft's Increasing - Financial Problems & No Fear of Getting a Ticket
NYC Private Interview & Interrogation Services Spikes amid Mandated Shutdowns

According to Sondae Esposito, Vice President of USPA International Security, calls for internal theft investigations have nearly doubled in recent months. She attributes the uptick in internal theft to a combination of misguided bail reform laws and desperation. “Our internal theft interviewers are getting admissions from our clients’ employees that they are worried about their family’s financial future as well as not afraid of an appearance ticket if they are caught.”

Just last month, nearly 20% of the NYPD’s uniform officers were out sick at the same time. On April 1, there were 6,000 NYPD officer out sick, causing mandated overtime, with mounting calls for aided cases in the 5 boroughs. Law enforcement is dealing with the COVID-19 crisis and doing their best to combat crime in NY, but their hands are tied when it comes to a court system which frees the arrestee, immediately after he is charged.

According to Esposito, “With a strained police force, an economic downturn and a criminal justice system easy on petty crime (bail reform), we are seeing the use of loss prevention personnel as well as internal theft investigations increase in the city. knnit.com

Crowd Control in New York
New Rochelle, NY: Costco calls cops to help control chaotic crowds
Cops were called to a Costco Wholesale warehouse in New Rochelle Saturday when a crowd of impatient shoppers got out of control. Hundreds of shoppers who lined up outside the Costco wanted the doors open so they could begin shopping at 8 a.m. — but it took workers an extra half hour to open. Furious shoppers began chanting and erupted into “total chaos,” as one shopper described it.

“I thought I was going to get trampled by shoppers, and it seemed like they were giving food away the way the customers acted, until cops and workers brought it under control,” said a resident named Jose.

Workers used wooden pallets to create lines and order — letting only a certain number of the restless shoppers in at a time, as required by orders from Gov. Andrew Cuomo. nypost.com

More Hero Pay For Essential Workers
Call It Hero Pay or Hazard Pay, Essential Workers Want More of It


Some companies are ending coronavirus crisis bonus pay

Businesses are starting to reassess the bonus pay for hourly employees who have been going into work through the coronavirus pandemic.

Employers paying coronavirus-related bonuses remain relatively few. One in four companies that require employees on-site are offering hazard pay, according to an April survey by WorldatWork. Retail workers were more likely to get extra pay, with 46% of grocers and other essential retailers offering hazard wages, compared with 29% of health-related employers.

Democrats in the U.S. Congress, along with Republican Sen. Mitt Romney, are pushing for money for essential workers, potentially in the form of a “heroes fund” for hospital and grocery workers as part of the next coronavirus relief package, or hourly bonuses paid jointly by the federal government and employers.

The New York City Council introduced a Covid-19 relief package in April that would require companies with more than 100 workers, including grocery stores, to pay nonsalaried staff an extra $30 for shifts of up to four hours, $60 for shifts up to eight hours and $75 for shifts longer than eight hours.

“Providing additional wage increases will jeopardize our ability to preserve current jobs and impact our ability to bring back furloughed employees,” the CEO of HMSHost said last week. wsj.com

Temporarily waiving background checks?
Employment-Screening Options During the COVID-19 Pandemic

"COVID-19 has caused courts and other public-records repositories and drug-testing laboratories to either close or be difficult to access," said Pamela Devata, an employment attorney and partner in the Chicago office of Seyfarth Shaw. "Criminal and civil records reviews and previous employment and education verifications are not as readily available due to closures and remote working. Some applicants may also be reluctant to visit drug-testing labs, and labs may have suspended in-person services."

Court Records: Not all courts are closed, and some are reporting that they are currently open for fulfilling public-record search requests, according to state courthouse websites, so an employment screen's success or failure depends on the county in question.

Work and Education Verifications: Work history and education credential verifications are likely a challenge right now as well.

Drug Tests: Most labs are still conducting drug tests as part of employment screens but may not be available for in-person visits, and some candidates may express reluctance to visit a lab due to fears of exposure to COVID-19.

Stop Screening? Organizations seeking to hire during the pandemic have a few courses of action they can take if their normal hiring process includes pre-employment background checks and drug tests. Martinez explained that another concern with temporarily waiving background checks is the risk of undercutting their future validity.

Expect Delays - Organizations can also maintain the status quo and continue to run the same checks as usual, knowing there will be delays. "Many employers choose to hire candidates based on the information available to them now and are reserving the right to conduct additional background checks post-hire, once courts, schools and other sources become available."

Drug-Testing Alternatives - Employers not regulated by the DOT have more options for testing, Current said. "Consider oral-fluid testing, where employees can swab their own mouth and the observer can remain at a safe distance. Oral-fluid collection is also being done via video using Skype, FaceTime or Zoom with a trained observer before the test is sealed and shipped to a lab." shrm.org

The Ripple Effect & Inventory Piling Up
Off-price stores like TJ Maxx and Ross are shut down
And it's making things worse for desperate clothing retailers

With massive inventory stuck in most retailers and the off-pricers NOT taking unsold inventory some will have to make difficult decisions over next couple of months. Especially with 'Back-To-School' right around the corner.

Typically an avenue for apparel retailers to offload unsold product it isn't there this season. And remember TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Ross, and Burlington are not selling anything online. Which keeps them from damaging brands when consumers see the same merchandise deeply discounted at off-pricers.

Analysts have predicted a massive boom for off-price retailers in the coming months as people become more budget-conscious. businessinsider.com

Flying after COVID-19 will never be the same
Here’s what airplane seats could look like


Transparent guard that wraps around the sides and back of each seat

The idea of packing into a small, enclosed space with a crowd of people never had much appeal to me. Now, it has less appeal than ever.

The Italian company Avio Interiors released two new seat concepts that are designed to reduce the spread of germs in these notoriously tight spaces. fastcompany.com


Virtual Security Showcase Features Latest Technology Insights
from Leading Security Providers

Security industry professionals seeking the annual trend and product news updates they’ve always learned at trade shows now have a new option. From May 12-14, fifteen leaders in the security industry will present their latest insights and solutions at a new online event. Called Virtual Security Showcase, the event is being presented free of charge. Attendees will benefit from the open flow of information on the latest solutions for professional security and business intelligence applications. virtualsecurityshowcase.com

DHS Report: China Hid Virus's Severity To Hoard Supplies

American Airlines and Delta Now Require all Passengers to Wear Face Masks

Worcester, MA: Walmart store sees 81 employees test positive for coronavirus


Quarterly Results
Publix Q1 comp's up 14.4%, net sales up 10.3%


Last week's #1 article --

Nation's Biggest Mall Operator - 204 Locations Opening Next Week!
Simon plans mall re-openings with traffic limits, shorter hours & safety protocols
Simon Property Group plans to begin the "phased reopening" of its mall properties soon, contingent on state and regional closure orders and criteria issued by the federal government.

Simon plans to open five malls in Arkansas, Oklahoma and South Carolina on May 1, with more malls to follow in the first weeks of May, per the memo.  Opening May 4th in 10 states.

As it opens malls, Simon is rolling out COVID-19 safety protocols, including limited hours, occupancy limits, spacing configurations to promote social distancing, employee screening for symptoms, employee training and face mask requirements for workers, among several other steps.

As it reopens properties, Simon is limiting foot traffic to 1 person per 50 square feet for properties as a whole. To enforce that, the mall operator will restrict how many entrances are open and create queues to enter.  cnbc.com retaildive.com


All the News - One Place - One Source - One Time

Thanks to our sponsors/partners - Take the time to thank them as well please. If it wasn't for them The Daily wouldn't be here every day for you.
  

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COVID-19 Impact on Data & Analytics
Why Everyone's Data and Analytics Strategy Just Blew Up


The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting data and analytics strategies in profound ways.

Experts explain what your company should be doing right now.

Companies should be adjusting their data and analytics strategies to better align with market realities as they unfold.

Regardless of whether businesses have been shut down or they're operating above or below their normal capacity, every company's data and analytics strategy has been impacted because the underlying data has changed. Customer behavior has changed, supply chain behavior has changed, company operations have changed. If your data and analytics strategy isn't keeping up with what's happening, then you have important work to do, quickly.

Predictive analytics took a hit: "Data scientists like to talk about the concept of data drift, and typically that happens over time," said Brandon Purcell, principal analyst at Forrester. "That process just accelerated and now companies have to start collecting new data and creating new models based on the data from the point when folks started sheltering in place."

It's important to track how customer behavior is changing because it will continue to shift, perhaps radically, depending on several factors such as when the executive orders expire and whether those customers still have jobs or not.

Instead of relying on predictive models, Purcell said it's important to do descriptive analyses of customer journeys and the volume of customers going on different journeys. Pay close attention to whether a journey is functioning properly and if not, fix it quickly. Continue reading here

Culture - Protecting Whistleblowers - Providing PPE
Amazon Web Services Loses TOP VP & Distinguished Engineer

Over Amazon Firing Whistleblowers

VP Engineer Fighting Over Demanding PPE For Warehouse Workers

Tim Bray, a VP and distinguished engineer at Amazon Web Services (AWS), has quit his $1m-plus a year role at the cloud giant: "I quit in dismay at Amazon firing whistleblowers who were making noise about warehouse employees frightened of COVID-19," he wrote on his personal blog.

Bray has previously praised the culture at AWS, saying in a 2017 blogpost: "I don't really need the money, but I haven't quit."

Amazon was in the headlines in January for allegedly threatening to fire climate activists working at the company. Then in April, amid the coronavirus outbreak in the US, the Washington Post, which is owned by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, reported that Amazon had fired several employees who were in the group Amazon Employees for Climate Justice (AECJ) and who had called for safer working conditions and more protections while working at its warehouses.

He says the "point I snapped" was when Amazon in mid-April fired two AECJ leaders, Emily Cunningham and Maren Costa, immediately after they'd helped internally promote a petition demanding coronavirus protections for warehouse workers.

"Remaining an Amazon VP would have meant, in effect, signing off on actions I despised. So I resigned." zdnet.com

5 risk management mistakes CISOs still make

Many organizations still struggling to get security risk management right.

Corporate leaders now rank cybersecurity as a top-level priority, seeing it as a strategic risk that must be managed. Yet surveys of executives and board members suggest that they’re still falling short on that task.

The 2019 Global Cyber Risk Perception Survey from Marsh and Microsoft found that 79% of respondents put cyber risk as a top five concern for their organization, with 22% saying it is their top concern. Yet only 11% report a high degree of confidence in their organization’s cyber resiliency and 61% of respondents said their organizations would prioritize business operations and initiatives over cybersecurity.

As security risk management is still maturing and many executives struggle with effectively managing security risk. Given that, they say they see many organizations make mistakes in this area. Here are five common mistakes they see enterprise officials make:

1) A lack of security and business alignment A lack of alignment between security operations and business strategy remains one of the most common mistakes in risk management, according to multiple CISOs and executive consultants.

Most [CISOs] don’t measure what the business actually cares about. They’re measuring technical exposures and not the impacts to the business. They still get too caught up in the tools and counting vulnerabilities, but those aren’t measures of the business cyber risk. CISOs need to attach risk to the things that the business cares about,” says Ryan LaSalle, managing director and North American lead for Accenture Security.  Continue reading here

Assessing the business risks of ACH payments
More companies are turning to automated clearing house (ACH) payments. With $43 trillion moving across the network each year, ACH payments, or electronic, bank-to-bank transactions, are a viable option for businesses looking to move money without the hefty price tag.

While the rate of fraud for ACH payments is relatively low, there is always a risk of bad actors whenever money is moving. When it comes to securing your money transfers, here is everything you need to know about assessing the risks involved in ACH payments.

Understanding types of fraud | Acknowledging the need for a fraud monitoring plan | The power of two-factor authentication | helpnetsecurity.com


 
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Filmed in January 2016 at the Daily's 'Live in NYC at the NRF Big Show 2016' event

Profitect, now Zebra Prescriptive Analytics, is the leading global provider of prescriptive analytics for the retail and consumer packaged goods (CPG) industries, allowing retailers to easily understand and act on their data. Their solution looks at all aspects of the retail supply chain to identify opportunities for sales and margin improvement, such as: training, vendor and cashier compliance, fraud, inventory accuracy, and customer behavior. In this LPNN interview, Guy Yehiav, General Manager & Vice President for Zebra Analytics, tells us how their solution goes beyond traditional exception-based reporting. Later, Mike Limauro, Senior Director of Asset Protection for Whole Foods Market, tells us how it can help LP departments transform into a profit hub for their organization.

Note: Zebra Technologies acquired Profitect in May 2019.

 



Stay tuned as we continue to count down LPNN's All-Time Top 10 LP Leader
and Top 10 Solution Provider videos. See who's made the list so far here.


 

 

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Counterfeiting is a billion-dollar problem. COVID-19 has made it far worse

Opportunistic counterfeiters are taking advantage of the crisis to sell fake or nonexistent masks and other goods—along with fake cures for the coronavirus.

Since the coronavirus crisis intensified, shoppers have had little choice but to turn to e-commerce, even for basic essentials. In a recent study conducted by Red Points, the online brand-protection company that I lead, we found 60.4% of consumers said they have increased online shopping versus shopping in-store, and 60% of Americans are purchasing more household cleaning products online.

This makes consumers vulnerable to the rising number of counterfeit goods online. The number of counterfeit goods on the internet has grown exponentially since the advent of e-commerce and social media, flying quietly under consumers’ radar. Now, counterfeiters’ “attack surfaces” have expanded beyond e-commerce marketplaces to social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Even the most tech-savvy consumers are sometimes tricked by these advertisements, which can often result in lost revenue for retailers and a hit to their image.

Since the pandemic worsened in March and April, we’ve seen the number of counterfeit detections increase 38% across apparel, toys, home goods, accessories, and sporting goods. However, this does not mean that counterfeiters are stopping there. The FTC recently warned consumers to be wary of scammers selling face masks and toilet paper; dozens of people have reported to the agency that goods they bought online simply never showed up.

Counterfeiters don’t have scruples and are opportunistically selling goods such as hand sanitizer and face masks that could gravely impact the health and well-being of ordinary people and first responders. In addition, counterfeiters won’t wait for the economy to rebound to take advantage of other e-commerce categories that are thriving, such as games, leisurewear, and pharmaceuticals. forbes.com

Amazon’s pandemic labor practices being probed by New York
Amazon Inc.’s safety measures and labor practices during the coronavirus pandemic are being investigated by New York’s top law enforcement officer after the company fired the leader of a Staten Island warehouse walkout.

New York Attorney General Letitia James told Amazon in an April 22 letter that the state is looking into whether the company violated federal employment law or ran afoul of state whistle-blower protections by dismissing the worker, Chris Smalls, her spokesperson confirmed on Monday.

James’s preliminary finding is that Amazon may have fired Smalls to silence him and that the working conditions at the facility may have violated provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the spokesperson said. The letter was obtained and reported first by National Public Radio.

The attorney general’s office declined to comment further. Last month, James called Smalls’s firing “immoral and inhumane.” Her deputy labor bureau chief tweeted the NPR report Monday night.

Amazon said it’s taken “extreme measures” to keep its employees safe, including increasing time off and pay. digitalcommerce360.com

Coronavirus drives online grocery sales to $5.3 billion in April, smashing the record set in March

45% of B2B sellers expect ecommerce sales in Q4 to be flat or decline

U.S. Trade Rep Eyes Online Platforms' Role In Global Counterfeits


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D&D Daily Survey:
How will COVID-19 impact Loss Prevention & Organized Retail Crime at your stores as the nation prepares to reopen?


The industry values your input! The D&D Daily wants to hear your thoughts as retail prepares to reopen following mass closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Given the past seven weeks, we've all had a chance to think about what is going to happen as we reopen the doors, but are we prepared for the impact the pandemic will have on Loss Prevention and Organized Retail Crime?

What does ORC look like in the coming months? How are your stores preparing?

Click here to take a two-minute survey and share your thoughts!
 



Macon, GA: CVS shoplifter leads deputies on chase in U-Haul, charged with two felonies
An employee at the CVS Pharmacy on Forest Hill Road waved down Bibb County deputies on May 2 around 8 a.m. to report a robbery that had just taken place. The employee told deputies that a white man stole merchandise and took off in a U-Haul truck headed down Forest Hill Road. Deputies located the truck and attempted to stop the truck when the driver sped off. A brief pursuit ended when the driver lost control of the truck and ran into a utility pole. The man exited the truck and attempted to run from authorities, but was quickly captured. Deputies recovered the stolen merchandise, and about $900 worth of cosmetics were returned to the CVS pharmacy. wgxa.tv

Winter Park, CO: Bikes worth $45,000 stolen from Fraser two businesses
Entering his 20th year in business at Totally Wired Cyclery, owner Doug Horton described discovering his entire inventory of bikes had been stolen Friday morning as “absolutely heartbreaking.” Bikes from two Fraser businesses were found stolen Friday in incidents that authorities believe could be related. The Fraser Winter Park Police Department responded first to Murdoch’s Ranch & Home Supply around 10 a.m. Two mini bikes kept chained to a bench in front of the store were taken overnight. After clearing the scene, police received a call about another burglary a couple doors down at Totally Wired Cyclery. His entire 2020 inventory was gone. Horton said the lost bikes were worth about $45,000 total, including three Yeti SB130s, two Yeti SB140s and a custom build carbon Yeti ARC. skyhinews.com

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Shootings & Deaths


Pine Bluff, AR: Homicide at Staples, woman arrested in connection to shooting
Officers responded to a call about a shooting where they found a man who had been shot. Pine Bluff police arrived at Staples in reference to the shooting. Officers found 43-year-old Stanley Jones with gunshot wounds, he was unresponsive according to police. Jones was pronounced dead on the scene. 28-year-old Kendra Howard has been booked into the jail for 1st Degree Murder according to Pine Bluff police. fox16.com

Stockton, CA: Man faces murder charges after fatal Hit & Run outside Grocery store
Rodney Hu’s family members say he was the man killed outside of Food Source Saturday afternoon. Stockton Police Officer Joe Silva said the 45-year-old victim was out grocery shopping with his wife when he got into some sort of argument with the suspect, Dontae Wilburn. “The suspect, who was in a vehicle, intentionally drove over the victim and then left the parking lot,” explained Silva. Investigators say Wilburn ran into him with a car in retaliation. Hu died at the hospital. Silva says officers later found the suspect speeding in the same car. “The suspect ended up crashing. The suspect then tried to run away from our officers and while he was being taken into custody, he did resist arrest and had to be tased.” Wilburn was booked into jail on suspicion of homicide. fox40.com

Victorville, CA: Man shot and killed in the parking lot of Farmer Boys Restaurant
 



Robberies, Incidents & Thefts

Tulsa, OK: 2 men arrested after one tries to run over the other in Walmart parking lot
Tulsa police say they arrested two men at a local Walmart after one tried to run over the other. It happened at the store near Admiral and Memorial Friday afternoon. Police say Angle Watashe tried to run over Rocky Breck. They say Breck jumped out of the way and Watashe rammed two cars, injuring a family in one of them. Watashe was arrested for assault with a dangerous weapon and a DUI. Breck was arrested for an outstanding burglary warrant in Creek County. ktul.com

Live Oak, TX: Second suspect in Attempted Murder and Armed Robbery of Pawn Shop arrested

Chico, CA: Man attempts to steal alcohol from Safeway, punches security guard trying to stop him

UK: West Yorkshire, England: Champagne shoplifter broke Tesco Security guard's arm during $1,200 theft spree

 


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