I’ve been working retail my whole life and I want to share some tips with the community that’s given me so so much. thank you all babes, I hope I can help
First of all, no retail employee is EVER held liable for customer theft. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Unless an employee is in direct collusion with a customer, they aren’t going to get in trouble for someone else shoplifting. This would actually be illegal.
I’ve worked probably ten or more retail establishments, from lowly part timer all the way up to management. I was NEVER properly trained to deal with theft. Not once. Even when working for big corporations. I’ve heard ‘if they take something big, wait until they leave and call mall security if you want’, ‘we can’t watch everyone’ and ‘just put those purses up high’. So I’m going to say 99% of employees are VERY undertrained in loss prevention. This is good.
Now some shoe store tips! I’ll do some others later, just take this for now. Here’s some methods that worked on me, haha. This is mostly for smaller mall-style stores without cameras although any blind concealing techniques would work if there are. The places I worked tagged purses but didn’t have towers (wtf i know), but you’ll have plenty of opportunity to detag anyway.
If you go early or late, there’s going to be less employees. There might only be one. Most mall shoe stores have really big back rooms that need CONSTANT organizing. Usually this is done in off hours, at opening or for a few hours before closing (unless they have a dedicated stock person, which most stores do not). So you can easily get the store all to yourself. Just ask for a size in a couple different pairs of shoes. If there is another SA on the floor, they might even pitch in to help get your stuff if you ask for a lot. If you REALLY need some time to yourself, pick out different styles. Usually the sandals, runners, boots, etc, are all kept in different areas in the back, so your SA is going to take longer.
So for purses, wallets, accessories: while they’re gone, help yourself. Take a purse, detag if you have to, and leave. If you feel weird leaving before the SA comes back out, grab what you want and then fake a phone call, apologize when they bring your stuff, say it’s an emergency, maybe you’ll be back, or maybe you didn’t notice how late it was and you have to go, etc, and get out.
If you want some shoes: again, ask for multiple pairs. Collect up some of the display shoes while the SA’s in the back. You can just leave these nearby like you’re checking them out or shove them under a couch/chair, behind your big ass lifting bag, whatever. So your SA comes back out with your pile of shoes. Most SA’s are not going to sit there and put the shoes on your feet or watch you take them on and off but some do, so know your store and your SA’s style. I’m gonna say from my experience, female SA’s are going to leave you alone more than male SA’s, especially the older male SA’s who think they can flirt their way into a sale. It’s fucking disgusting, so watch out.
Anyway, once you’ve got your shoes, MAKE A FUCKING MESS. Mix stuff up, lids and tissue paper everywhere, get some of those little sockettes out, maybe you’ve got some clothes you want to match to the shoes (this is a great technique because if you’re looking for a specific match to a dress for a wedding or prom, it gets you out of the store more easily when you don’t find it), etc. You can easily conceal in this mess. If the SA is too attentive, ask for more shoes from the back, and conceal while they’re gone. Remember those display shoes you grabbed off the shelves? Put them in the empty box(es), put the lids on, stack them under your other boxes. Make it look neat like maybe you didn’t even open that box. No one’s going to notice until you’re gone. Up to you how you wanna get out; fake a call, say you have other shoe stores to check out but you might be back, whatever you’re comfortable with. Just leave before the SA starts gathering up your mess.
But honestly, when I was dealing with messy customers, I’d just angrily toss everything back in boxes, pile it all up and shove it in a corner to deal with later. Sometimes there were even empty boxes that I didn’t notice until way later, like MONTHS later. Seriously, if we were really busy, we’d just stack the tried on shoe boxes up in a corner behind the cash and wait until close or even the next morning put them away, so they never got checked properly.
This is just my experience, other stores might have different protocalls. Hope this helps my loves! 💖💖💖😘
discoholicmusic
tangentwithtanner
s-u-f-j-a-n-s-t-e-v-e-n-s
origamiaround
pixelskylines
amandla
