Zebra Study Shows the Consequences of In-Store Crime
Loss prevention efforts pose issues for shoppers, associates

Retailers' efforts to combat in-store theft and crime may have unintended consequences.

According to the Zebra 17th Annual Global Shopper Study (which also surveyed retail associates and decision-makers), 78% of surveyed consumers say it’s annoying when products are locked up or secured within cases. Also, 77% are concerned retailers may raise prices to cover the cost of increasing theft and crime. And 71% are concerned the stores at which they shop are experiencing high levels of theft and crime.

In other findings, 70% say it’s hard to find an associate while shopping in stores. And one in five consumer respondents who left a store without getting what they needed say it’s because a retail associate wasn’t available to help, an increase during the past two years.

Fewer consumer respondents overall are satisfied with their shopping experiences this year than last year. In 2024, 81% are satisfied with the in-store experience and 79% with online shopping, while in 2023 85% were satisfied with both the in-store and online experiences.

And while the majority (78%) of consumers say self-checkout options improve their shopping experience, 68% say self-checkout lanes are lacking. Some report they have left a store without making a purchase because there were no self-checkout or contactless payment options. 

Retail decision-maker findings

Close to eight-in-10 (78%) retail decision-maker respondents say they are under high pressure to minimize theft and loss, and are now investing in technology tools to assist. They currently view artificial intelligence technologies as the most helpful with loss prevention, closely followed by cameras, sensors and RFID.

While only 38% of retailer decision-maker respondents currently use AI-based prescriptive analytics for loss prevention, 50% say they plan to use it in the next one-to-three years for this purpose.

More than four-in-10 say they also plan to use computer vision (46%), self-checkout cameras and sensors (45%), and RFID tags and readers (42%) within the next three years, specifically for loss prevention.
chainstoreage.com


Fighting Theft Without Turning Off Shoppers
Walmart Might Let Customers Unlock Those Annoying Anti-Theft Cases
Walmart may soon give you access to unlock cases and cabinets containing items that have been heavily targeted by thieves. Walmart is one of several retail chains in recent years that has taken a hard look at how it combats theft. While some stores hired extra security, Walmart instead started locking items inside cases.

While the process may deter theft, it doesn't exactly come without pain for the customer who just wants to grab their stuff, pay for it and leave the store without spending time waiting for an employee to show up with a key.

A recent report from Bloomberg reveals Walmart is currently testing new technology in some stores that will allow customers to unlock anti-theft cases using their smart phone.

For now, the trial run is being done with employees using smart phones to unlock cases. According to reports, the function will be rolled out to Walmart+ loyalty members if all goes well with the initial test. thegame730am.com


Holiday Shopping Season = More Crime?
Lynnwood police increase patrols to curb holiday season retail theft
The holiday season can usher in an influx of shoplifters so Lynnwood police are getting ready now for the problems they say are sure to follow. Retail theft is such an issue that Lynnwood police run emphasis operations throughout the year but these coming weeks could be critical.

Customers get a warm welcome at The Party Store at 196th St SW in Lynnwood, but owner Amir Motaghedi said plenty of troublemakers walk through the door as well.

“We always have the shoplifting,” Motaghedi said. “My employees, they call me and say, ‘There are a few people in the store who are trying to steal something.’"

“If our employees are not standing in that area, they are coming with the bags and are looting everything that they can from the store," he said. Lynnwood police are very aware of the problem citywide and are ramping up retail theft emphasis operations. komonews.com


Cleveland Police chief frustrated over juvenile repeat offenders

Pittsburgh, PA: Bloomfield residents express concerns over crime to police
 

The Rise of Facial Recognition at Security Checkpoints
The Fastest Airport Security Line You Don’t Know About

Veteran fliers sing the praises of Touchless ID lanes that use facial recognition

A new program allows travelers to use their faces for identity verification at the security checkpoint—no driver’s license required. Situated at nine airports across the country, it’s often faster than other lines, and often the shortest.

Travelers flying Delta and United can already use the facial-recognition technology at eligible airports, while those flying American and Alaska should expect to see the option in the coming months, Transportation Security Administration officials say.

While some people express reservations about widespread use of biometrics, travelers on web forums across the internet joke that TSA PreCheck Touchless ID is the veteran flier’s best-kept secret.

“The first rule about Touchless PreCheck is you don’t talk about Touchless PreCheck,” one traveler wrote on Reddit.

Touchless ID allows eligible travelers to get past the security officer in an average of six to eight seconds, compared with 18 to 20 seconds for standard PreCheck screenings, TSA says. The program has read six million faces in its few years of operation.

It’s the latest step in the agency’s plan to modernize security screening and make it more efficient for travelers as the number of people passing through airports grows. Facial recognition is also starting to surface everywhere from baggage drop to the boarding area.

...The program requires travelers to opt in. TSA PreCheck is already optional. Using the facial-recognition line also requires explicit permission from travelers, says Anne Walbridge, traveler populations branch manager for TSA.

...Delta began using the technology in 2021, before any other U.S. airline. Delta and United travelers at New York’s LaGuardia, Los Angeles International and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport can use the lines. Some fliers can also use the checkpoints at Chicago’s O’Hare, Newark, Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Detroit and New York’s John F. Kennedy.

...Many travelers say that because the verification compares their face to an existing photo, which the government already has, they don’t sweat the privacy aspects of the biometric process.

“My general feeling about it always has been that if Uncle Sam wants a picture of me, he can find it pretty easily,” says Joel Hart, a 42-year-old college admissions officer from Los Angeles. wsj.com
 

FTC Sinks Merger
Tapestry and Capri terminate merger agreement

After losing a lawsuit against the FTC, both companies agreed to cancel the deal, calling the legal process “uncertain and unlikely to be resolved.”

Tapestry and Capri Holdings have terminated their merger agreement, the companies said in separate press releases Thursday. Tapestry said terminating the agreement is in the best interest of both companies, “as the outcome of the legal process is uncertain and unlikely to be resolved” by the February deadline.

Last month, both companies appealed a federal court decision that blocked the deal, after the Federal Trade Commission sued Tapestry for anticompetitive behavior in April.

When Tapestry, the owner of Coach, Kate Spade and Stuart Weitzman, announced its intention to acquire Capri, which owns Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo and Versace, analysts said the $8.5 billion deal would have made Tapestry one of the largest luxury conglomerates in the United States, behind LVMH.

But the FTC took issue with Tapestry’s previous acquisition history — it bought Stuart Weitzman in 2015 and Kate Spade in 2017 — and accused the company of having a “goal to become a serial acquirer.” The FTC also said the deal would give Tapestry a dominant share of the accessible luxury handbag market, a term coined by Tapestry “to describe quality leather and craftsmanship handbags at an affordable price.” retaildive.com


Inflation Is Lower But Will Still Hit Holiday Sales
Holiday sales growth expected to stay below 10-year average

Retailers are likely to lean on discounts to drive sales as consumers continue feeling the pressure of inflation, according to an S&P Global Ratings report.

U.S. holiday sales growth is likely to slow to about 3%, down from 4.7% a year ago, S&P Global Ratings said in a Tuesday report. That’s below the 10-year average of 5.3%, the credit rating agency said.

Retailers that rely heavily on discretionary consumer spending face a higher likelihood of a credit rating downgrade within the next 24 months, S&P said. Apparel, accessories and speciality retailers have seen the largest increase in negative ratings in the last 12 months.

S&P said its outlook is based on declining yet persistent inflation that continues to pressure household budgets. The report also cited a late Thanksgiving holiday, which cuts five shopping days from the calendar this year, as an additional contributing factor that may weigh on sales. retaildive.com


More Amazon Fresh Stores Coming
Amazon Fresh expansion continues as chain opens long-awaited stores

The company confirmed the opening of eight stores across five states and will continue to selectively add locations based on consumer response.

Amazon confirmed the opening of eight new Amazon Fresh stores on both the East and West coasts over the past several weeks. The company signed several of these locations’ leases years prior but is only now utilizing the spaces, according to local news reports about the locations. Amazon will continue to selectively open Amazon Fresh stores “as we see results we like,” company spokesperson Griffin Buch said in an emailed statement. retaildive.com
 

What Will OSHA Look Like Under New Administration?

Report: Full-service restaurant wages up 74% since 2017