Some are outlined in this Aid. They include safeguards against employee dishonesty and ways to control shoplifting. In addition, key theft hazards are spelled out, and preventive measures are detailed. Retail theft loss estimates vary by the type of operation and the efficiency of management. They range, for example, from 1.3 percent of sales for a well-managed department store to about 7 percent for the loosely controlled operation.
Dishonest employees account for about two-thirds of the retail theft, according to one estimate.
You can blame another one-third on shoplifting. The encouraging thing is that, even though you cannot eliminate stealing entirely, you can take positive steps to keep it to a minimum. The key lies in the proper mix of the right controls. The best profit safeguard you can have in a store is the employee whose integrity is beyond question. The trouble is too many retailers take integrity for granted.