AmiSight 2/12: Costco Uses Simple, Efficient Tactic to Combat Shoplifting
- Ami Kassar
- 14 minutes ago
- 1 min read
Shoplifting plagues all retail stores, especially the big-box stores that are more difficult to patrol due to their sheer massive size.
For example, Walmart loses roughly $3 billion each year to theft, according to GrabOn. Meanwhile, in September 2023, Target announced nine store closures across New York City, Seattle, San Francisco/Oakland, and Portland, Oregon, due to high levels of theft.
The Street reports that these giants have implemented such measures as beefing up security, locking up merchandise that’s more prone to theft and installing cameras with AI monitoring at self-checkout lanes – often to the dismay of customers.
Costco, which has much less of a problem with theft, has a simpler way to deter potential shoplifters – placing employees at the entrance and exits of the stores. While Costco members have long complained about having to show receipts before exiting the store, it has proven to be a key part of the company’s loss prevention strategy.
