Aisle to checkout: how concealed item detection follows a shopper across the store

When it comes to loss prevention in retail, we know it’s about so much more than only looking at self-checkout theft prevention. Loss across store is a holistic approach to preventing shrink and preventing theft from all around the store simultaneously. 

For example, in a high value section like champagnes and wines, if a customer came into a store anywhere in the world, took a high value item off the shelf and popped it into a bag, the owner of the store the retailer, needs to know that this customer is now walking around the store with a high value item concealed in their bag. 

Now, there’s not necessarily a theft event happening at this time. It may be that the customer just didn’t have a basket, that they’re not ready to go to the checkout, and actually they do intend to pay for this, but the retailer needs to know. 

Looking on our in-store dashboard here, we have a hidden item event from one of our aisle cameras that shows in-store security or off site security operations centers, a potential incident is now unfolding. We have a customer with a hidden item of high value in their bag. The retailer may decide to take that and act on it immediately by calling in a store guard, potentially to go in and speak to the customer, offer a basket customer service intervention, however, the retailer decides. 

However, they may not decide to intervene in that moment. If they decide not to then we need to give the opportunity for the customer to arrive at the self-checkout. Give them the opportunity to scan the item, and if they don’t, then we can intervene to prevent theft. 

So I’ve arrived now at the self-checkout, and I have a low value item here a can of soup, and I scan that one through. If I take this bottle out of my bag right now and scan it, there’s no need for an intervention whatsoever. Remember the camera at the self-checkout that manages shrink here has never seen the product in my bag, but the system is aware that this shopper has a hidden item. If I don’t take the product out and I try to exit the store, I receive an immediate block and an intervention. Now the store dashboard has passed the intervention from the hidden item in the high value aisle through to the self-checkout. And again, when the member of staff comes over to help this customer, we’re able to present the evidence video of the concealment happening in the aisle on the checkout itself to avoid any ambiguity about what might be happening and prevent this loss from occurring in the moment in real time.