Organized Retail Crime Responsible for $30 Billion in Retail Losses
Retailers are losing billions of dollars per year to Organized Retail Crime (ORC) groups, according to National Retail Federation's 2013 ORC Survey. The survey's findings are troublesome, especially with retail loss prevention departments reporting that this insidious form of theft has actually increased over time. With losses of $30 billion per year, retailers are scrambling to deploy tighter security efforts in the hope of deterring ORC groups from targeting their stores.
If you're not familiar with organized retail crime, here's a quick overview: ORC is led by large-scale theft squads that convert stolen retail goods into financial gain by selling them on the black market. These groups, who infiltrate big-box retailers in large numbers, go after valuable black market merchandise like infant formula, laundry detergent, electronics, and much more.
Another persistent threat to retailers is gift card fraud, a sneaky tactic that thieves use when trying to return stolen items. With no receipt in hand, these thieves take advantage of the gift cards that retailers often provide to a customer who isn't able to show proof of purchase.
What can be gleaned from this survey? Roughly 94% of the retailers surveyed reported that they were a victim of ORC groups in the last year, further demonstrating that just about every big-box retailer is vulnerable to it, whether that's now or in the future. Taking the proper steps to prevent these gangs from entering your shop is critical. VideoSurveillance.com has the expertise to design a security camera solution that will help keep these criminals away.