How do you shoplift at self-checkout?
A common self checkout theft technique is to purchase an expensive item and ring it up as something much cheaper. For example, an expensive cut of meat can be rung up as ground meat, or an expensive, out-of-season fruit can be rung up as inexpensive bananas.
What happens if you don’t scan something at self-checkout?
Store employees might interpret a customer’s honest mistake as an attempt to steal property. As a result, someone who accidentally forgot to scan an item could end up facing arrest for shoplifting. In some cases, especially those involving repeated thefts, shoplifters may receive felony charges.
What happens if you get caught shoplifting on camera?
The store will turn the matter over to the police, who, depending upon their workload and the amount involved, will either begin an investigation, or will file it away and essentially ignore it until (or if) it comes up in another investigation.
Why do people scan groceries?
At its best, self-scanning gives shoppers autonomy, and allows them to skip the long lines that many people complain about in grocery stores. Other shoppers say that it disconnects them from grocery store employees, and removes that valuable person-to-person connection that makes grocery stores so community-driven.
How do self scanners work?
Each item in the store is connected to the self-checkout system through information accessed by scanning the UPC on the product. The self-checkout machine eliminates this need by using the information stored about the product’s weight to measure against a scale underneath the bagging area.
Why do people steal at self-checkout?
As reported by CBC, the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention in the U.S. surveyed thousands of small-time shoplifters and found that many saw the self-checkout machines as easy pickings due to the lack of staff present.
How does self-checkout work?
In self-checkout systems, the customer is typically required to: Scan product barcodes where these exist. Weigh products (such as fresh produce) without barcodes and select the variety on a touchscreen display. Place all scanned items into a “bagging area”.
What are self scanners?
Self-scanning is a cutting edge automated solution that enables your shoppers to scan, bag and pay for goods without human assistance.
How do you scan cheaper items at self-checkout?
Another trick is switching barcodes when scanning items. Beck said one method — which involves some planning — is to take a photo of a cheaper item’s barcode, print it and then stick it over the barcode of pricier items when scanning them at self-checkout.
What percentage of customers use self-checkout?
Therefore, about 90\% will use self-checkout, especially if they are in a hurry or have only a few items. Retailers are always looking at ways to reduce labor costs and redirect the savings to other areas of the business.
Why is it so hard to differentiate between self-checkout and self-service transactions?
The emeritus professor at the University of Leicester said it’s hard to differentiate between the two acts, because a customer’s intent is unknown. A U.K. criminologist estimates a large retailer with half its transactions being processed through self-checkout can expect added losses in the millions of dollars. (Sophia Harris/CBC)
How much do people steal from self-checkout stores?
After auditing 1 million self-checkout transactions over the course of a year, totaling $21 million in sales, they found that nearly $850,000 worth of goods left the store without being scanned and paid for. The Leicester researchers concluded that the ease of theft is likely inspiring people who might not otherwise steal to do so.