As a business owner, you know firsthand the threat shoplifters pose against your business. Retailers lost a staggering $44 billion in 2014 due to shoplifting.¹

Why is so much money lost to shoplifters? Shoplifting is an easy way for people to steal from you. They have open access to large amounts of inventory, and you and your employees can only watch so many people at once, while also doing your jobs.

And while there are some common traits that can help you identify a shoplifter (for example – they are watching staff more than they are looking at merchandise, they stay in obscure areas of the store and they avoid eye contact), not all shoplifters are easy to spot.

You can, however, do a lot to protect your business from loss due to shoplifters. Here are some tips:

1. Install a video surveillance system. Security cameras go a long way towards not only discouraging shoplifting, but if you use high quality cameras, the video footage can help law enforcement to identify and catch the shoplifter.

2. Install convex mirrors in your store. These mirrors will aid you and your employees in seeing corners and aisles more easily.

3. Hire a greeter. Having someone to greet visitors as they come in can reduce shoplifting. Walmart discovered that shoplifting was reduced by as much as 35% when they had greeters.² This same person can be tasked to speak to customers on their way out of your store as well. Some stores are now having the customer present their receipt to the greeter. This dual contact with an employee can be a powerful deterrent against shoplifting.

4. Station attendants at dressing rooms. If your business has dressing rooms, hire attendants to monitor the number of garments that customers take into and out of the dressing rooms.

^{1 http://losspreventionmedia.com/insider/shoplifting-organized-retail-crime/shedding-light-on-retail-theft-statistics/
2 http://smart-retailer.com/growyourbiz/retailmanagement/reduce-your-chance-of-theft/}