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CVS Tests Letting iPhone Users Unlock Product Cabinets Without an Employee
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Costco has had big screen televisions stolen. Those are kind of hard to carry inconspicuously.
As of last night, petty theft is the least of our worries what with grand larceny in process in Washington, DC
As of last night, petty theft is the least of our worries what with grand larceny in process in Washington, DC
You’re overthinking it, the main reason is because between skeleton crewing their store and “flexible scheduling” to keep people from hitting enough hours to get benefits the stores are too perpetually short staffed and the employees too perpetually overworked and stressed.
Tldr the problem is that these chains see employees as an avoidable expense that is stealing money from shareholder payouts.
This is fixable by hiring more staff and having more consistent staffing, but god forbid shareholders dont milk every single possible penny of productivity from overworked employees until they drop, by god that just wouldnt be american!
This is awesome, putting more work on the customer instead of stopping theft. It's the same model that Costco uses!
How would you differentiate between those who unlocked a door to get an item and pay for it between the one who got an item and stole it?
By the time you find and look at the footage, the criminal is long gone and is enjoying the item after removing it from his or her underwear.
So you've never been to costco eh?
Costco's receipt checking works a lot better, with a lot more convenience, than locking stuff up, that's a fact
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Notice this thread is only about open hours.
Breaking and entering theft has increased as well as we see often in gang Smash and Grab at Apple stores.
Apple could just make crippled models for store displays that can never be updated to full operation. To that end, put signs up around the store saying these are crippled devices that will only work in an Apple Store. The stores have a new dedicated low power wifi frequency not publicly available for the demo equipment or screens just go thru a continuous slide show with no wifi capability built in al all.
A more subtle approach would be the device power switch can only be energized within range of an Apple Store beacon. Exceed the distance and it opens permanently unless an undisclosed manual procedure done in back would allow it to be placed back on display.
Perhaps only the senior tech would know how to reset the unit to operate back only in the store.
One should walk into an Apple Store with a local empty grocery bag and leave the store with Apple gear inside that.
Breaking and entering theft has increased as well as we see often in gang Smash and Grab at Apple stores.
Apple could just make crippled models for store displays that can never be updated to full operation. To that end, put signs up around the store saying these are crippled devices that will only work in an Apple Store. The stores have a new dedicated low power wifi frequency not publicly available for the demo equipment or screens just go thru a continuous slide show with no wifi capability built in al all.
A more subtle approach would be the device power switch can only be energized within range of an Apple Store beacon. Exceed the distance and it opens permanently unless an undisclosed manual procedure done in back would allow it to be placed back on display.
Perhaps only the senior tech would know how to reset the unit to operate back only in the store.
One should walk into an Apple Store with a local empty grocery bag and leave the store with Apple gear inside that.
I believe Costco is allowed to do this because it is a 'private club' by membership only, not a public accommodation like most open-to-the-public retailers.
If CVS is smart, a big ask, they'll log the IMEI, phone number, or something to identify who unlocks the cabinet. Might discourage the casual thief but not organized gangs. They definitely need to do something since Amazon's 24 hour or less delivery is kicking their butt.
You apparently missed the paragraph right above, and right below the one you decided to respond to. To help i copied it below and highlighted it for you. Fortunately California is starting to take notice and is beginning to reverse some of their previous stupidity.
The reason you don’t get it is because it doesn’t exist. Shrink has and continues to remain fairly flat at ~1.4%. It was an excuse to close stores and implement these ridiculous controls while reducing staff.
Stop reiterating false information or put up actual verified data, because those claims have been long debunked.
I mean, sure -- but the logical way to handle this would be more like a vending machine. User tells app on phone what he/she wants to purchase and it charges their card in the app as soon as it unlocks the cabinet. (Obviously, there should be at least some kind of warning box popping up first to instruct the person to visually verify the item they need is actually in stock, in said cabinet, before they click to pay for it and unlock the cabinet.)
In the big picture though? This reeks of the reason our local CVS went out of business. Total lack of customer service and employee availability. They drove customers to all use the self-checkout lane and would often have you walk into a store that appeared like it had no staff working there at all. (Typically, someone was in back someplace but nobody at a regular register.)
I think, this idea is (maybe) okay to unlock the restrooms of those stores in areas with high amounts of homelessness and public drug use, etc — and, yes, that’s another problem the U.S. hasn’t dealt with well, assuming there's a better solution.
I can only speculate on this aspect…
A lot of the softness on criminals is bean counting, specifically, the loss of product revenue versus how much will legal action cost if anyone (including but not limited to general employees and any security personnel) is injured. And I’m guessing, the civil lawsuit possibilities (far) outweigh. Probably also a substantial reason why it’s security cabinets and tags vs. guards.
Some, though only the most pillaged.
Or even accuse.
That’s certainly a part of the equation.
This appears to only deter ‘shy’ thieves and is another way to annoy (mostly) honest costumers. Speaking of customer inconveniences… If I had the number of times someone complains about just showing their ID card for nicotine and other item purchases that require an ID validation by law, you may be shocked.
I can only speculate on this aspect…
A lot of the softness on criminals is bean counting, specifically, the loss of product revenue versus how much will legal action cost if anyone (including but not limited to general employees and any security personnel) is injured. And I’m guessing, the civil lawsuit possibilities (far) outweigh. Probably also a substantial reason why it’s security cabinets and tags vs. guards.
Maybe that claim, but according to a ShopRite worker they are mixing baby food in with crack. Is it true? Who knows. All I know is I needed to get a store employee and have an ID to purchase it in upstate NY.
I concur. There doesn't seem to be the resources. Years ago I was getting ice cream with my son at a local spot. We turned around and a 20 something year old ran out of a TJ Max with a baby seat that had a TON of clothes and stuff piled on it. We heard an alarm going off and he jumped in a car and was gone. Its like stores don't even have the resources to do anything. Sure they have camera but then they have to hire someone to prosecute the person. The system seems broken to me.
Example. I follow Dan James Roro (@danocracy) on Instagram. His storage facility has gotten broken into. He said there is no point in calling the Austin Police Department (APD) police because they won't do anything. - his latest videos lead me to believe it is an inside job at the facility.
Article on APD shortage (although this is from later summer): https://www.kxan.com/news/local/aus...tinues-with-over-330-sworn-officer-vacancies/
It seems like companies make out more by just writing off their retail price losses each year.
I didn't bother to expand whatever it is you wrote. I'm 100% positive that the law hasn't been changed to make shoplifting legal. You already knew that.
You're trying to push a narrative that suits you, instead of what is.