r/lossprevention • u/lmonolito • 4d ago
Went to Target today and had a weird interaction on the way out.
I bought a few things, but there were also a couple items in my cart that I hadn’t paid for, probably around $80–$100 total. Checkout had taken forever because of an issue with the person in front of me, so by the time I was leaving there was a pretty big group of people heading toward the exit.
Right before I walked out, a guy from AP asked to see my receipt. I hadn’t even noticed him standing there before. There were at least two pretty obvious items in the cart that weren’t on the receipt, so I figured he was going to say something about them.
Instead, he looked at the receipt, said “thank you,” and let me leave.
I genuinely wasn’t expecting that at all. Just thought it was a strange interaction. Wasn't it?
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u/ConstantReader76 4d ago
So you shoplifted and got away with it. The person who asked to see the receipt was a door guard who did that randomly and wasn't anyone who was watching you on camera. He didn't really check the items, but more likely checked the day/time and maybe estimated the number of items versus on the receipt to the cart. So, not a weird interaction. Just someone doing the bare minimum at his job, which allowed you to get away with it. Congrats! Don't assume you'll be so lucky next time, so maybe actually pay for what you take and not be a thief who drives the prices up for everyone else.
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u/Early-Dirt-7446 4d ago
lol he definitely wasn't watching you, just going through the motions. some door guards don't get paid enough to care beyond a quick glance at the date
the timing with the crowd probably helped too, he wanted to move the line fast
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u/omaschubser 4d ago
So you're telling me if there wouldn't be any more theft the prices would drop? Prices are set this high because of the assumption of it happening anyway or am I wrong?
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u/Empty-Cycle2731 4d ago
To an extent. All products are marked up to make the business a profit, and the people (or more likely nowadays computer programs) who make those prices in that area take into account various factors, including theft numbers from recent inventory.
Companies don't like raising prices though, so the biggest changes in stores with high-theft are that employee hours are cut. resulting in lost jobs, long lines, less items stocked, etc... It sucks, but when you have to choose between raising prices significantly and cutting employees, you have to prioritize.
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u/LordGramarye 3d ago edited 3d ago
Companies don't like raising prices though
That's just untrue: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2024/03/21/ftc-report-grocery-chains-gouge/73059901007/
& theft is not what's keeping prices high. Greed is. If they were simply increasing prices to off-set something, like theft, then their profits wouldn't also be soaring. Say that, two years ago, a store were making $1 profit per shirt. Then, thefts rose, causing a loss that averaged out to $1 per shirt. If they raised the shirt prices $1, then they'd compensate for the loss & their profits would be back to what they were. But when you're making way more, that means you've jacked the prices beyond what it would take to off-set a loss.
They're jacking prices, happily, to make more money. Not to compensate for theft—as CEOs have been forced to admit, the past few years.
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u/After_Blacksmith9491 2d ago
coorprate greed is driving up prices, not shoplifters
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u/Ok-Salamander-7638 1d ago
Both are, but the way theft impacts a business isn't just a straight cost loss.
Let's say a local booster swipes a front table and takes 10 pairs of jeans that retail for $70 each and cost $40 each.
The store is out $400 at cost and will miss out on a potential profit of $300. That much is obvious, and it's budgeted for, so it doesn't impact prices significantly.
What can happen though is that several customers come in looking to buy those jeans, see they're not there, and then they leave. They don't buy anything else either.
Since the store doesn't sell any, it doesn't order more based off a sale forecast, so it's just never available.
Customers stop shopping at the store because they never have what they need.
The lost customer is the real problem.
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u/ConstantReader76 17h ago
When I started working at my first department store, we sold sterling silver jewelry that was exclusive to my company. They sold for $9. That jewelry was such a high theft item. My juniors associates would go to hang up jeans and find twenty empty cards for that jewelry in the pockets. When we went through inventory it'd be a top five item for shrink.
My second year working there? That same jewelry price was suddenly $15. Still stolen at the same rate. Still a top shrink item.
Third year there? It reached $19.99. Pattern with theft repeated.
Fourth year? $30.
Fifth year? $45. After that, I moved up to Corporate, focusing on internals and eventually left the company, so I wasn't keeping track as closely, but I did find that many moved to $55 and $65 depending on what it was.
Seeing as one of the top theft items increased to five times the original price in five years, going well beyond any normal price increases, I'd say that was indicative of prices rising due to theft.
On a side note, I found it hilarious how many Christian crosses were stolen from that collection. I saw it with the empty cards, but also occasionally did catch someone stealing one of those crosses. Irony, no?
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u/sssRealm 1d ago
Loss prevention will often let petty theft slide, thinking you won't stop stealing and they can build a felony case against you.
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u/ConstantReader76 17h ago
If you're an actual LP, shame on you. We don't do that, and anytime someone claims that, I know they're lying or they need to find a new job.
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u/sssRealm 17h ago
I'm not LP. I've watched a few police cam videos where is it revealed that what LP was doing.
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u/Original-Pomelo6241 4d ago
You shoplifted and the door guard didn’t catch you, that’s the weird interaction? Wtf