So Iâm not the best at tips but Iâll give it a shot.
1. REGULAR BARCODES DO. NOT. SET. OFF. ALARMS. if itâs printed onto the object (shampoo bottle, facial cleanser, etc) it wonât set off the alarms.
2. âHow do I find a blindspot?â Walk around, crouch, behind shelves, displays whatever floats your boat. If you canât see a camera, it canât see you. But lol watch out for hidden cameras those are fuckers.
Now, on to what does set off towersâŚ
3a. Iâm not going to post a pic because mobile sucks balls but RFIDS will set off towers!! Always search for them. Theyâre puffy little thin rectangle stickers that have a barcode type design on them. Often put on makeup, almost any makeup or beauty products at bed bath and beyond, etc. They are also inside the boxes at a lot of stores so try to discreetly check for that. Just peel them off and put it on another item that doesnât have one on. They can get very sticky so make sure you get it all off.
3b. They also come in a square sticker. Perfectly square, kind of bumpy. Usually placed on perfumes. Again, just peel off (these usually take some time. Super super sticky) and stick on to something else.
3c. RFIDs in paper tags. You know that little tag thatâs attached to the clothing with the size and price on it? Some places and/or articles of clothing will have an RFID actually in the tag. You can just rip those off and hide it somewhere or throw them away.
3d. ALWAYS CHECK FOR THESE IN CLOTHES BECAUSE THESE ARE SNEAKY LITTLE SHITS. Usually in higher end clothes. I havenât had to deal with them yet but Iâm sure a ton of stores near me use them. On clothes, they all have those labels with washing directions. Look around for those. If you see one that is thick and usually says âremove before washing or wearingâ or something of that sort, cut it off! It has an RFID embedded into the clothing. Isnât source tagging great? Anyway. Like I said, just slice it off with little sewing scissors or a pocket knife or something, hide or discard.
3e. Those plastic tags that everyone knows and loves. Some need a magnet, some need hooks. If it had a hole in it, it needs a hook. If not, magnet. Wala (or however you spell it). Tags decoded. Now if youâre ever ballsy enough to get a hook or magnet, be extremely careful. That shit can get you caught so fast. Also Iâve heard to wrap your magnet in a bandana or something which is a good idea. Be careful and only detag using a magnet or hook when thereâs a lot of noise, business, etc. There will be a loud pop. But also be careful because while a lot of customer talk next to you can override the sound, they may have also worked in retail and can know the sound and snitch. So magnets and hooks are very risky, which is why Iâll never buy them.
Alright on to fitting rooms
4a. If fitting rooms are unattended and unlocked (like target sometimes, wet seal sometimes, etc) you have come across the holy grail of shoplifting. Enjoy this moment. Embrace it. And donât get sloppy and fuck up. What I mean by that is.. Youâre still on camera. Unless youâre damn good at concealing quickly on floor or double hanging, youâre probably not going to make it into the fitting room without a camera catching a glimpse of you carrying a bright yellow top (example of outstanding, noticeable pattern) and then not having it a few minutes later (if you concealed or hid it). So basically what Iâm trying to say is, itâs basically a free for all. But donât go into the dressing room with just one bright pink top and a bunch of other dull greys then come out with no bright colors. If youâre unlucky and someone is bored and watching the cameras, theyâll be onto you if not customer servicing you right away. So if youâre lifting a polka dot top, a bright yellow tee, etc., always have at least two of that same shirt/pattern and only steal one. And try not to make too many tips to the dressing room if youâre not buying anything because that will seem sus.
4b. Fitting rooms that are locked and unattended. Just get an SA to open it for you. If they count themselves, only take one or two things. But always test it out and make sure you can come out without them counting again. Marshallâs does that. Like okay sure stop me from stealing this half ass pair of shorts that are like 60% off. These are still pretty easy, just be cautious.
How to not seem suspicious.
5a. Well for starters donât clearly look up at the ceiling. If Iâm getting clothes at a place with a fitting room, I donât even bother to find a blind spot because I donât need it. Just subtly look for cameras if you have to. But be careful!!
5b. Getting clothes but donât wanna seem suspicious for not buying anything? Say youâre looking for an outfit for a dinner with family, a funeral, a football game. But please donât use the same excuse multiple times at the same store.
5c. Ask questions. Ask opinions from the SAs. Hell, they work there they should be somewhat into fashion depending on where you are. Ask for different sizes. Just basically donât be in a shell.
How to dress.
6a. Dress for the weather!! I know this is harder if you self harm and itâs summer so Iâm sorry but then maybe just wear a very light long sleeve shirt. Capris are very acceptable in summer as well. Scarves can be used to your advantage but again, make sure the type is the kind you would wear in the season youâre in.
6b. If youâre getting clothes, a structured bag helps. Or bring in old shopping bags with you and use that. If youâre getting makeup, it really doesnât matter. Using a slouchy bag might even seem less suspicious.
6c. Donât come to the mall, ulta, even target in just sweats and a tshirt if you plan on lifting and youâre clearly under around 25. Just donât. Work on your appearance. Break out that expensive makeup, put on nice shoes, make it seem like you could buy anything you want. But donât go to target wearing an mk selma and Chanel. I mean you could but I wouldnât. Just vary it by store. You want to blend in. Donât be memorable.
Timing in between hauls
7a. If youâre actually lifting, donât go to the same store more than twice per two weeks. And thatâs really cutting it close.
7b. If you lift one day but need to go to the store and youâre actually buying something, no time is needed in between. Just make sure you donât lift more than two days per two weeks.
7c. If youâre sloppy and think an SA is suspicious of you, more time is needed between hauls. Iâd say donât go back to that store for about 3-4 weeks. And go at a different time and day than you did.
7d. If you set off towers, donât go back for about 3-4 weeks. Now my pet peeve is people setting off towers because it always makes me worried it will amp up security over time. I get that towers malfunction and even people buying stuff set off towers but it just bugs me. But I have set off towers before so I canât really say anything more. I knew I was gonna set it off too but I couldnât help it. Anyway, if you set off towers, Iâd wait a long time to come back. Retail is actually really good at remembering people.
Boosting sites
8. Poshmark, mercari, vinted, eBay. Poshmark seems to be the most common. Just research those and find one you like.
Actual boosting tips
9a. Take about 20-30% off your item if itâs brand new. If itâs damaged, take 40-50% off. It all depends on the item and condition. Keep in mind poshmark makes the customer pay $5 for shipping which is a lot so if a customer tries to offer too low, donât get too upset. People will ask for $30 or less for a naked palette. Just donât take the offer and move on. (Unless youâre okay with accepting. I mean what, so you only earn $30 for that palette you got for free? It still adds up and youâre making someoneâs day by only charging that much. I donât boost but if I did boost lifted stuff, Iâd sell it for super cheap every now and then.)
9b. Now Iâm sure youâve seen those hauls with 15+ palettes in them. We all have. But do not say you have like 7 more naked palettes in stock!!! That just seems weird because nobody has 7 naked 2s they got for their birthday that they donât want. So just try to keep some time in between each item you sell if youâve sold it before. Even use different sites if you want. Just donât make it too suspicious that you have 10 extra $54 palettes.
9c. Now a question Iâve seen come up a lot is âIâm a minor and donât want my parents to know Iâm boosting.â Now honestly this will be hard to hide. If you have a car, just go to the post office ms drop it off there. Put it in the mail when your parents arenât home. Basically just do anything when youâre parents arenât there or say youâre sending it to a friend that moved or something. I canât give much advice here but just donât get caught sending out like six packages a month. Theyâll start to get suspicious.
On to vocab from the community.
10. >Lifting: The act of shoplifting goods and/or services ILLEGALLY from a store and/or person (donât steal from people, Iâll do more on that later.)
>SA: Store/Sales associate. Employees in stores that can and will get you caught. Watch out for them. Be nice to them.
>LP: Loss prevention/Loss Protection: The very people whoâs sole job it is to keep you from coming home with hauls. May be 1 per store, may be one per region. Just assume theyâre always in store, eyes glued to the cameras.
>AP: Asset protection: (see LP)
>Sus: Suspicious. The act of being or seeming suspicious.
>CS'ed: Customer serviced. An SA may be suspicious of you then come up to you and either scare you away from just lifting or make you leave the store immediately. âCan I help you find a different size?â âDo you want a matching bra with those?â Etc. sometimes theyâll just be making conversation. It should be easy to differentiate.
>Haul: All of the items you get in a trip.
>Double-Dipping: When someone sends the same question to multiple people. Usually could be a question answered by researching, but is rarely done.
>Free for all: This DOES NOT mean just shove everything into your bag without a care in the world. It means the store is relatively easy. Still be wary of cameras, customers, and other basic cautions.
>Sweethearting: A method where the cashier doesnât ring an item up for their friend or rings up something of a lesser value. Can be as simple as giving a free drink at Starbucks but on such a small scale like that, itâs usually never noticed or punished.
Places you should NOT lift from
11. Goodwill, churches, public libraries, flea markets, farmers markets, festivals where people sell their own items, family owned businesses, people, teachers, fairs, places that will hurt the owner.
Places you should lift from
12. Big corporations (target, Macyâs, etc), amusement parks, kill shelters.
If youâre caught
13. Be honest. Admit. Make up a story about how it was your first time and you thought itâd be fun because your friend gets so much. Cry. But be respectful of them. Apologize like thereâs no tomorrow. Hopefully theyâll go easy on you.
Stores I can give tips on if needed
14a. Mall stores: Francescaâs, Nordstrom, Macyâs, wet seal, forever 21, hot topic, Victoriaâs Secret, pink, Claireâs, icing, PAC sun, American eagle, bath and body works, Windsor, Charlotte Russe
14b. Other: Target, Bed bath and beyond, pier 1 imports, michaels, hobby lobby, Home Depot, Sallyâs, CVS
Basic Lifting Protocol
I. Do NOT get cocky.
II. Do NOT get greedy.
III. Donât leave any evidence behind.
IV. Donât leave the fitting rooms a mess.
V. Donât hurt others economically while lifting (see #11 above)
VI. Donât argue when caught. Be respectful.
VII. Donât be sloppy.
VIII. Always check for tags. Everywhere. Three times.
IX. Do âshopâ confidently. Be intrigued.
X. Always be a bad bitch.
Sorry for this being so long. Idk how to do the under the cut thing and Iâm on mobile anyway. Hope this helped some of you.