Invasive anti-theft measures in stores are driving customers online
The shoplifting epidemic that has hit big retail outlets and supermarkets is prompting more and more stores to place many of their products behind display cases that have to be opened by an employee, or products stored inside plastic boxes that have to be opened at the cash register, or that involve devices or labels that have to be removed or deactivated by an employee.
The problem makes shopping even more of a chore: if every time you want to buy something you have to wait for an employee to arrive, carry useless plastic boxes or deactivate anti-theft tags, the sense of immediacy is impaired, in addition to the feeling of being permanently in an uncomfortable environment in which you are always a suspect. Many stores even put anti-theft tags or devices on relatively low-priced products.
In addition, there is the risk that the cashier forgets to deactivate some products, setting off alarms and making the customer feel like a thief; similarly, you get home to find that the clothing you bought has been damaged by removing the anti-theft device attached to it.
Some analysts say this obsession with anti-theft technology, in addition to failing to achieve its objective of discouraging petty theft, is prompting more and more people to shop online. The emphasis that some websites are…
