Cheap Used Cars

Merchandise shrinkage is a challenge for almost every retail store. Who would ever believe that a dollar store business could face the same challenge? After all, it’s only a dollar; right? Who would ever take a one dollar item? The answer is that there are those who will take what they want for their own use or to resell even if it is only worth such a small amount.

Customer theft can come from the most unexpected places. It might be a small child who wants something and takes it. It might be someone who doesn’t have the money to make the purchase so the item is stolen. It might be someone who need a quick source of cash and takes items to resell. The list goes on….

Take the right precautions to protect your dollar store business. You will never totally eliminate theft. However you can reduce it by taking those right actions. The first step is to talk with the local police. Many departments have literature, coaching and presentations that you and your employees can attend to become informed about merchandise loss prevention.

Your commercial insurance company is another source of information and ideas regarding loss prevention. Some will even provide an expert walk-through of your dollar store business to provide ideas on changes that could be made to reduce your exposure to loss.

Security cameras are another requirement to protect your dollar store business. Ask the vendor you buy from to walk the store and work out a camera placement scheme that covers the areas with the greatest risk. If blind spots remain after the system is installed, then make changes to cover those areas. While well-placed and easily noticed cameras serve to prevent some theft, they are also key to recording theft that does occur.

Alert and well trained employees are one of the best preventative actions you can take. Educate your employees regarding security and theft prevention. While you never want an employee to place themselves in a compromising position, there are steps that employees can take to significantly reduce losses. That starts with visibility to all shoppers in the store. A quick ‘hello’ when someone enters along with employees being visible on the sale floor is the first step. Offers of ‘may I help you find something’ or similar questions as shoppers work their way through the store make it obvious that there is an employee presence on the sales floor of your dollar store business. Always having more than one employee on the sales floor is important for this to work, however.

To your dollar store business success!

Do you want to learn more about opening a dollar store? See Insider’s Guide to Opening a Dollar Store at http://www.OpeningADollarStore.com.

Bob Hamilton is an entrepreneur, author, writer, business consultant and trainer.

http://www.rescue-me-now.com

http://www.MarketingSuccessCenter.com