Consider these as deviance from acceptable norms in the society of retailing, say the researchers, and so adapt to the society of retailing selected tactics which have worked to curb misdemeanor criminal behavior in our overall society
Here’s my version of their recommendations:
- Broadly announce that you punish thievery. Then do it. The most compelling evidence is criminal prosecution and then posting store announcements of successful convictions. Because this is not optimal overall for most retailers, it can be useful to post announcements of other retail theft convictions, maintain obvious surveillance of shoppers you suspect of thievery, and conduct thorough interrogation of shoppers who abuse liberal return policies.
- Humanize the retailer. Spend even a little time talking with shoppers, post photos of store staff on the store website or in-store with brief stories about them, and publicize news about developments in your business.
- Thank your shoppers for customer citizenship behavior, in which shoppers assist others who happen to be shopping in the store at the same time, give suggestions to the store owner in the presence of other shoppers for improvements, and enforce store standards, such as tipping off staff about a shoplifter. Peer pressure can encourage deviant behavior, and it also can discourage it.
- Explain the reasons for store policies in terms of people-to-people relationships. To support this, keep the policies easy to understand and prepare all store staff to succinctly answer questions about the policies. A major motivation for deviant behavior is a feeling that the perpetrator is being treated unfairly or arbitrarily.
For your success: Retailer’s Edge: Boost Profits Using Shopper Psychology
Click below for more:
Augment Loss Prevention with Psychology
Ward Off Wardrobing
Scold Misbehaving Shoppers Publicly
Build Up Bawl Outs When Telling Complainers
Naturalize Citizens to Serve Your Store
Run a Store, Not a Public Library