ARTICLE: Giant bans customers from carrying large bags in DC stores amid mass shoplifting

[veteran+]

Sometimes simple is the best solution.

Way back in time no one was allowed to bring in any receptacle that could accommodate store products (at least in the stores I worked in or shopped.

If it was a huge purse type thing they were followed around the store. But no one was allowed to "shop" and place items in their "bags".

Retailers made everything complicated and are paying the price (once you give something it's hard to take it back).

I agree with all of this. That is how it should work.

But at the same time for some reason I do feel like if the above policy is imposed, the retailer needs to make accommodations for customers with these large bags. Basically agree to "shop" for them. Watching the bag or making it stay at the entrance is a problem unless it goes into a locker because the customer can try to accuse you of taking something out of their bag (I have been accused of this before somehow a bag was left with me that supposedly had $500 cash in it; camera was reviewed to show I took the bag when the customer handed it to me and put it on the floor under the counter (luckily the camera could see that area) and then the bag wasn't touched until the customer came to pick it up and a different employee handed it back over the counter). In talking to a different shift we were informed that this customer had tried this same exact thing with the other shift- and the end result of this was no more bags stored behind the counter and either kick the customer out with a large bag, demand they put the bag on the BOTTOM RACK of a cart (and have loss prevention watching them the entire time) and inform them that they cannot touch the bag while shopping. Don't want to use a cart? Then leave.

The other thing is some of these stores need to quit stocking certain drug/HBA items. Giant size OTC medicines that cost $20+ ... quit selling them. Facial products like Olay etc. that they try to sell for $40+ ... quit selling them. More of these things get shoplifted than sold in grocery stores. The overly high pricing is partially caused by this issue of more theft than actual sales too.

Let's also remember if we follow the story of Giant in DC they have also done that thing where they cut a lot of name brand items out of one store as I recall (not sure if it was more than one store or even the same stores involved in this policy being discussed in this thread). So it seems like Giant is, really, trying whatever they possibly can to figure out what works... the fact that they keep having to try new ideas seems to imply things are not working.

The retailers should have a "locker" set up in the front end area or even right outside the entrance-exit area.

[storewanderer]

The retailers should have a "locker" set up in the front end area or even right outside the entrance-exit area.

Wal Mart had lockers in a couple stores in Reno. I don't think they are in use anymore. Or maybe they do not offer them in the evening when I go into these stores. I'm not sure what happened. Also some of the lockers were too small for the large backpacks/duffel bags. These are the stores that recently took out or are in the process of taking out 100% of self checkout due to extremely high shrink rates and have a ton ton ton of items locked up in the store (including most of men's clothing, Tide, and drug/HBA). At the exit doors they have an army of 3 "greeters" who you walk past to get out (they actually are following the corporate policy to only ask for a receipt for unbagged items, so most people can just walk right past them).

They were running this locker program for the past 5+ years but the other changes like the excessive lock ups, self checkout removal, and army of greeters at the exit are changes within the past year... so it seems like the locker program didn't help their theft issue. I am 99% sure one of these stores has an internal theft ring going on and has for many years, that they seem to either not be able to contain or don't care to contain. The other store is just a bad location and never should have been opened in the first place.

So I feel like the lockers are a good idea but in these two examples I see it doesn't seem to have helped two stores with a major theft problem. But it SHOULD help.