Holidays are undoubtedly the busiest times for retail. With increased store traffic and sales come increased security risks. These risks include incidents resulting from a lack of crowd control, higher incidents of theft and shoplifting, higher cases of conflicts in-store and more cases of vandalism.
Working with a trusted security company to fortify your retail store for the holidays can help you see a significant decrease in these risks. Hiring more security guards, enhancing your surveillance systems and training employees are effective security measures your store can implement. Securing retail stores during busy holiday times can help prevent significant financial losses and potential legal repercussions. Additionally, securing stores helps elevate customers’ holiday shopping experience, which can lead to increased revenue.
Understanding Holiday Security Risks
Retail crimes like theft are far more likely to take place during the holidays. A 2022 survey by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce shows that the economy was affected significantly in several areas nationwide as a result of organized retail crime:
- $125.7 billion in economic losses
- $39.2 billion is lost wages
- $14.9 billion in lost tax revenue
- 685,374 jobs lost
Holiday shopping brings larger crowds and a more pressing drive to get the latest tech and gadgets, making it a prime time for theft. Retail crimes mainly include shoplifting and fraud, but store retail has several areas of concern when it comes to store security:
Shoplifting
Retail crime, particularly theft, has increased in recent years. Data from the Retail Industry Leaders Association shows that retail crime has resulted in losses of $69 billion annually. This uptick in retail crime has far-reaching consequences — store owners lose revenue, and on a large scale, this results in a loss of jobs and even store closures.
Shoplifting is one of the leading causes of retail crimes, and a report from the Council of Criminal Justice shows that shoplifting is on the rise in many areas. The Retail Council of Canada (RCC) reported that shoplifting has increased across all categories, including clothes, footwear and food.
Shoplifting increases during the holidays for several reasons:
- Increased foot traffic: Shoplifters often take advantage of the fact that department stores are significantly more crowded during the holiday shopping season. Shoplifting attempts are far less noticeable.
- Busy staff: Retail staff are busier than ever during holidays. Their attention is fixed on serving customers and making sales, which allows for more opportunities for shoplifters.
- Increased accessibility: Retail displays are excellent for driving sales, but if they are not secured, shoplifters can easily take display items.
Shoplifting is a serious issue, but store owners can follow these holiday retail security tips to reduce incidents of theft:
- Use customer service as a theft deterrent: Greeting customers and being helpful and attentive on the floor creates a positive shopping experience. It may also deter customers from shoplifting since they know staff and security have noticed them.
- Have enough trained staff: Shoplifters may take advantage of holiday times, knowing that staff are distracted and busy with numerous other customers. Having sufficient trained and vigilant staff reduces opportunities for shoplifting.
- Create an organized floor layout: Optimizing store layout so inventory is more organized and tidy is an excellent way to help prevent shoplifting. A good layout makes your aisles and inventory more visible to staff and more visible on security cameras. Strategically placing checkouts close to exits creates another barrier for shoplifters to overcome. If possible, separate entrances and exits are an effective security measure.
- Have surveillance cameras: Visible surveillance cameras are an easy way to deter potential shoplifters.
- Have excellent inventory tools: Closely monitoring inventory is an effective way to gain valuable insights that can reduce shoplifting. Inventory management tools can help store owners notice loss trends and take proactive measures like tagging high-risk items.
- Hiring security guards: One of the most effective strategies for preventing theft during the holiday season is hiring security guards for access points and in-store patrols.
Crowd Control Concerns
During the holidays, stores are often flooded with last-minute shoppers who are hurried and competing for deals. Tensions can rise, leading to aggressive arguments, accidents and more shoplifting attempts. One of the most effective crowd control strategies for busy department stores is having security guards patrol the store. They are skilled in managing crowds and can respond to incidents immediately.
Additional tips for managing crowds safely during holiday shopping include:
- Limiting the number of customers allowed in the store at a time.
- Having a visible security presence.
- Optimizing store layout to avoid bottlenecks.
Employee Theft
Employee theft is a very real threat to retail owners, especially during the holidays. Unfortunately, dishonest employees know the ins and outs of the store’s systems, which often allows them to take goods undetected.
One potential reason why employee theft goes up during holidays is store owners hiring more seasonal or temporary employees. The demand for extra staff often means that the recruitment process is more fast-paced and lenient. Additionally, no trust is established before needing to rely on workers during these busy times.
Strict retail security measures for the holidays can help reduce employee theft. Store owners can have stricter recruiting processes, train employees on theft policies and procedures, install strategically placed surveillance cameras and implement proper bookkeeping and inventory management strategies.
Conflicts and Threats From Customers
Customers can find holiday shopping extremely stressful. This can lead to increased conflicts and threats among customers and between shoppers and retail staff. While most of these conflicts are harmless, some can become aggressive and escalate into dangerous situations. Protecting staff and customers is a top priority, and hiring extra security guards is the most effective way to do this during the holidays.
Fraud
Everyone is more susceptible to cases of fraud during the holiday season — retail store owners and customers alike. Dishonest shoppers may commit credit card fraud knowing that it may not be easily noticeable when so many transactions take place. Credit card fraud is a significant problem for e-commerce and in-stores. For in-store fraud attempts, owners can train staff to recognize suspicious behavior from customers like:
- Referencing the signature on the card when asked to sign or signatures not matching upon checking.
- Trying to distract staff when making the payment or signing.
- Coming back to the store various times to make small, random purchases.
- Suspicious behaviors like having a cart full of odd, random objects and acting aggressive or nervous.
How to Increase Retail Security During the Holidays
Security measures have become more strategic, industry-specific and technologically advanced. Retail store owners have several options for increasing security in physical stores, including the following:
Implementing Access Control Systems for Retail Stores
Access control measures help store owners enhance security and protect stockrooms, inventory and offices with sensitive data. Access control systems can include:
- Keypads: Only authorized personnel would have key codes to access sensitive areas.
- Card systems: Card systems may include RFID cards to gain access to special areas. They also allow management to track who has access to different areas and when.
- Biometrics: Biometrics is one of the most secure ways to protect highly sensitive areas. In this case, employees must provide fingerprints or facial scans to access special areas. Educating your staff, getting their consent and protecting sensitive data is vital if you choose to use biometrics for security or clocking in.
- Physical barriers: Guarding access points and installing physical barriers like turnstiles or locks is an excellent way to add security to off-limits areas.
Enhanced Surveillance Systems
Technology in retail security, like CCTV cameras and remote monitoring, is vital for securing stores. Surveillance technology in retail makes the following benefits possible:
- Preventing and reducing theft
- Protecting against break-ins and vandalism
- Gaining remote access for managers to monitor feeds
- Providing evidence for potential legal or insurance claims
- Providing evidence for incidents of harassment, altercations or accidents
- Enhancing customers’ sense of safety
- Identifying high-risk and vulnerable areas around the store
One important tip that can make all the difference to your efforts is to have a security company install your surveillance systems. They will discuss integrated security solutions for stores and conduct security assessments to determine the optimal camera placement. It is also vital to comply with laws regarding surveillance and privacy and notify staff and customers.
The Importance of Security Guards in Busy Retail Environments
Hiring security guards is an effective way for store owners to enhance safety during the busy holiday season. Guards understand best practices for enhancing retail security during holidays, and they are beneficial in the following areas:
- Theft prevention: Preventing theft during holidays is a top priority for security companies, and having security guards stationed around the store is one of the best ways to deter shoplifters.
- Conflict reduction: A security guard’s presence can help reduce conflicts and create a safer holiday retail environment for staff and customers.
- Quick response times: Though surveillance and other security measures are highly effective security measures, they offer no immediate response or course of action if there is an emergency. Having security guards means that a trained professional instantly when it matters most.
A security guard job is highly involved and can include the following responsibilities while working in retail stores:
- Guarding the shop floor: Security guards actively patrol a store’s floor throughout their shift. Patrolling makes security guards more visible, which is a proactive measure for deterring theft and showing customers they are present if needed. While patrolling, the guards monitor for suspicious activity and are ready to respond to incidents.
- Monitoring CCTV cameras: Guards do not only monitor CCTV cameras for outright thefts and other incidents. They can also use CCTV cameras to monitor customer behavior and suspicious activity, allowing them to prevent criminal attempts before they happen.
- Monitoring customer behavior: Trained security guards can recognize and monitor suspicious behavior while patrolling the floor.
- Guarding access points: Store owners may have some security guards patrol the store floor while others remain stationed at various access points. Stationing security guards at entrances and exits is an effective way of monitoring the people and goods that enter and leave the store.
- Managing crowds: One of the best ways to manage crowds is to have security guards in-store. While strategies like access points and signage can help manage the flow of foot traffic, they aren’t effective if crowds and staff are experiencing issues that require immediate intervention.
- Responding to incidents: If a theft or other criminal incident should occur in your store, a trained security guard is your best defense. A trained guard will understand risk management in retail and may be able to intervene and de-escalate the issue, secure the area and contain the incident, manage the crowd and alert authorities.
Employee Training and Awareness
Your staff’s safety tops all other priorities. Employee training on theft prevention and important security processes can help your team be better equipped to deal with criminal situations.
Workshops can include how to implement loss prevention strategies in stores and provide training and awareness in the following areas:
- How to recognize suspicious behavior
- Various theft prevention techniques and loss prevention strategies for retailers
- Incident response planning in retail, including how to report unusual activity
- How to manage aggressive customers and conflicts
- Inventory management skills that include how to conduct regular audits and identify discrepancies in stock-taking
- Basic crowd control techniques
- Stress management during the holiday season
Emergency Preparedness in Retail Environments
No retailer wants thefts, accidents, conflicts and medical emergencies to take place in their store, but the reality is that these incidents do occur. The likelihood of any of these scenarios happening increases during the holidays simply because there are more shoppers.
Emergency preparedness plans are vital for responding to incidents swiftly and effectively. Your retail store’s emergency plans may include several of these components:
- Conducting safety drills with employees that include evacuation plans, protocols for shelter-in-place scenarios and ways to communicate during emergencies
- Assigning each staff member a specific role in an emergency
- Workshopping how to inform customers of emergencies and protect them until the incident is clear
- Having an established line of communication with local authorities
- Having a first aid kit, fire extinguisher and emergency supplies
- Training staff in first aid and fire safety
Increase Retail Security This Holiday With The Guard Alliance
Implementing essential retail security measures for the holiday season, having the right tools and trusting the right professionals ensures a safe shopping environment for customers and staff.
The Guard Alliance is a minority-owned security company consisting of teams of expertly trained armed security guards, unarmed guards and fire watch guards. We offer security guard services for retail that are tailored to your needs. Our team will conduct a risk assessment for your store and implement an effective security guard strategy.
Explore our security guard services, or contact us today to request a quote.
