Fred Meyer attempts to curb shrink "a new way"

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Fred Meyer attempts to curb shrink "a new way"

Post by SamSpade »

Fred Meyer has added these carts to 7 stores.

Carts must be in the checkstand / self check out for 30 seconds. If you don't go through a checkout, the cart will lock at the doors without paying.

I guess this is another Kroger investment in technology. Every media report makes it seem like "shrink" has become a major issue in their stores.
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Re: Fred Meyer attempts to curb shrink "a new way"

Post by storewanderer »

And what about the people who run out with items or use a basket?

I guess stopping cart fulls of stolen goods is a way to curve large volume thefts...?

Interesting concept... it does seem like Fred Meyer division of Kroger has become a real target for shoplifters. I do not think this is an issue with Kroger at large.
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Re: Fred Meyer attempts to curb shrink "a new way"

Post by Super S »

storewanderer wrote: April 3rd, 2018, 6:58 pm And what about the people who run out with items or use a basket?

I guess stopping cart fulls of stolen goods is a way to curve large volume thefts...?

Interesting concept... it does seem like Fred Meyer division of Kroger has become a real target for shoplifters. I do not think this is an issue with Kroger at large.
Can't speak for Fred Meyer, but Walmart places inventory control tags in their hand baskets.

A lot of stores have carts that will lock if taken out of the parking lot. WinCo comes to mind. This seems like a variation of that concept.

I think some Fred Meyer stores have more problems than others though. Particularly Gateway where they even have limited access to the apparel department with a glass wall and only a few entry points.
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Re: Fred Meyer attempts to curb shrink "a new way"

Post by eric1972sea »

People load up carts and head for the doors without paying all the time. They often hit during busy times or at 24 hr locations during late times when staff may be doing dual duty cashiering and stocking so they’re easily distracted. This will help thwart these types of thefts.
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Re: Fred Meyer attempts to curb shrink "a new way"

Post by Brian Lutz »

I know that a nearby QFC store in Everett Riverside, a neighborhood notorious for high numbers of drug addicts and high crime, has taken a number of measures against shrink. In addition to reducing store hours to close overnight, they now have uniformed loss prevention officers patrol the store at all times, and have closed one of the stores two front entrances. As far as I can tell, none of the other Kroger stores in the area have done anything like this. Presumably the store still does enough business to justify such visible security measures.
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Re: Fred Meyer attempts to curb shrink "a new way"

Post by storewanderer »

I have yet to see any of these odd security things at Smiths. Maybe if I were to go to some of the former F4L locations they operate in Las Vegas, I could see some of these things.

It is funny they seem to be having shrink problems yet are pushing programs like "scan bag and go" which are clearly massive shrink risk programs, and make it harder to detect who has paid and who is running out with stuff unpaid. Kind of seems like one hand doesn't know what the other hand is doing.

Hopefully they will meet in the middle somewhere.
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Re: Fred Meyer attempts to curb shrink "a new way"

Post by Brian Lutz »

In another followup on this, I visited the Broadway QFC in Everett again this evening, and saw that they now have large prominent signs by the store entrance reading "We ask that all customers use a hand basket or shopping cart":



Not sure exactly what this accomplishes, but I would assume it's another anti-shrink measure of some sort. Another odd thing I saw was that there were "Monthly parking available" signs at the entrances to the parking lot, which isn't a particularly large one.
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Re: Fred Meyer attempts to curb shrink "a new way"

Post by storewanderer »

Brian Lutz wrote: May 17th, 2019, 7:56 am In another followup on this, I visited the Broadway QFC in Everett again this evening, and saw that they now have large prominent signs by the store entrance reading "We ask that all customers use a hand basket or shopping cart":



Not sure exactly what this accomplishes, but I would assume it's another anti-shrink measure of some sort. Another odd thing I saw was that there were "Monthly parking available" signs at the entrances to the parking lot, which isn't a particularly large one.
They don't want people filling reusable bags up as they are walking through the store. The issue is that people use reusable bags and then do not empty the bags all the way when paying so some items go un paid for. They cannot easily see inside reusable bags.

At Ralphs there have been similar signs for years but the signs are more direct at saying do not fill reusable bags while shopping.

Frankly if I was using reusable bags I would just fill the bags as I was shopping in lieu of a hand basket. If you already have a shopping cart then yes there is not much point in filling the reusables while shopping, better to just throw them in the cart empty. Why should I deal with an unnecessary hand basket when I can just let the reusable bag double as a hand basket?
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Re: Fred Meyer attempts to curb shrink "a new way"

Post by babs »

Noticed at the Gateway store in Portland, they moved HBA all in to one caged off section of the store. And you have to buy them all there as you leave the caged off area. Never seen that before at a Fred Meyer. The store was packed with shoppers so it doesn't seem to have impacted sales but man that does send a message that the store has a massive theft problem.
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Re: Fred Meyer attempts to curb shrink "a new way"

Post by storewanderer »

babs wrote: May 21st, 2019, 11:56 am Noticed at the Gateway store in Portland, they moved HBA all in to one caged off section of the store. And you have to buy them all there as you leave the caged off area. Never seen that before at a Fred Meyer. The store was packed with shoppers so it doesn't seem to have impacted sales but man that does send a message that the store has a massive theft problem.
All HBA as in cosmetics, razors, and such? Or does this also include things like toothpaste, hydrogen peroxide, shampoo, etc.?

Wal Mart has these caged areas for cosmetics with a dedicated register in some stores and I just wonder about the concept.

And then when you buy your HBA at the special cash register and they give you that nice big Portland mandated paper bag, it is easy to take that bag and stuff it with more merchandise before you hit the exit. Maybe they can borrow some compliant paper bags from the pharmacy and staple them shut with the purchases made at the special register. This is the type of situation where purchases made at the satellite register need to go into a clear plastic bag so it is clear what is in that bag is what was paid for. But I guess you can't do that in Portland. Maybe they can invent a clear paper bag.
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