How Mass Shootings Are Rewriting Retail ROI

Mass shootings now slice a staggering $27 billion a year off U.S. retail revenues, with stores within a 1.25‑mile radius seeing nearly 20% sales drops after an incident. These violence‑driven spending shifts aren’t confined to shops—commercial real estate values in high‑traffic financial hubs are taking a hit as investors demand safer markets. For forward‑looking executives, the message is clear: security risk is now a core economic factor, not a peripheral concern.

AInvest

The biggest culprit in shrink is in the store — but it’s probably not a criminal

Contrary to popular belief, most retail shrink stems from process breakdowns—mis‑scans, pricing errors, and poor inventory accuracy—rather than outright theft. These operational blind spots quietly drain margins, often hidden beneath the radar of traditional loss‑prevention tactics. Tackling human and system errors, not just shoplifters, can unlock significant gains for loss‑prevention teams.

Retail Dive

Life’s a breach: How brands and retailers can prevent, mitigate, and deal with a data breach

In today’s digital battleground, no brand is immune: a single breach can erode consumer trust overnight and trigger costly compliance fines. The playbook isn’t just firewalls and encryption but also rapid incident response, transparent communication, and regular breach simulations. Proactive planning and continuous employee training turn breaches from catastrophic surprises into manageable hiccups.

Fox Williams

How Tax-Free Overtime Is Reshaping Private Security Staffing

New tax‑free overtime incentives are upending the private security labor market, drawing guards toward providers who offer richer after‑hours pay without penalty. Smaller firms without the flexibility to absorb these costs are struggling to recruit and retain veteran officers, creating talent shortfalls in critical sectors. The shake‑up underscores the growing importance of creative compensation models in maintaining robust security rosters.

Security Info Watch

‘It fundamentally changes what it means to be an e-commerce brand’: What a ChatGPT checkout system could mean for retail

Integrating ChatGPT–powered checkout could transform online shopping from a transactional chore into a conversational experience—think personalized upsells, instant product Q&A, and frictionless payments. By embedding AI agents at the point of sale, retailers can dramatically cut cart abandonment and elevate brand engagement. The real revolution lies not in the tech itself, but in how brands rethink customer interaction as a two‑way dialogue.

ModernRetail

A column dedicated to thought-provoking conversation for Asset Protection professionals.

In this column, I, along with other AP/LP professionals, will write about provocative thoughts and ideas for all of you to ponder. Readers will also have an opportunity to submit comments to be posted throughout the week. We at TalkLP hope this content will help enrich your experience within our profession.

Arrogance in Asset Protection 

David George

Executive Editor | TalkLPnews

Many people don’t see the Asset Protection/Loss Prevention profession (AP/LP) as being an industry divided into two equal parts – the Retail AP/LP teams and the Solutions Providers. Both sides are so intertwined that one cannot possibly be successful without the other, yet many AP/LP professionals don’t consider Solutions Providers as equal participants of our industry.

This perceived disparity becomes blatantly clear once we examine how Solutions Providers are sometimes treated by AP/LP professionals.

Granted, some Solutions Providers can be far too aggressive when trying to get a meeting with a retail AP/LP decision-maker by bombarding them with excessive emails and phone calls. 

People like that give the rest of the Solutions Providers a bad name. But let’s not forget, some retail AP/LP leaders can be equally annoying.

With that said, most Solutions Providers are intelligent, hard-working professionals who truly enjoy helping to solve complex retail problems. They understand that a short-term sale of a solution that isn’t a good fit will only serve to destroy any hope of building a long-term strategic partnership. So why are Solutions Providers often treated so poorly?

Arrogance. There – I said it.

And if I am being completely honest, I have been accused of being arrogant many times when I was an AP/LP executive in the world of retail. (Some say I’m still just as arrogant.)

Arrogance involves an exaggerated sense of self-importance and superiority, often accompanied by a lack of empathy and a tendency to dismiss others. It is easy to understand why many retail AP/LP leaders fall into the arrogance trap. Being the sole person who decides where millions of dollars get allocated is a very powerful position. One might say it is the most powerful position in our industry. Making matters worse, this power is immediately given to retail AP/LP leaders the very day they are promoted to this coveted position without any training in how to execute this power with the degree of professionalism it deserves.

Failing to interact with Solutions Providers with the level of respect and importance they deserve only stands to create a divide that only hurts your respective organizations, as well as the AP/LP industry as a whole.

Questions for you, retail AP/LP leaders:

1. When you receive an unsolicited email from a Solutions Provider, do you immediately delete it without responding? If so, you might consider responding with something like this: Thank you for reaching out. At this time, we are not interested in your services, but I will retain your contact information should we need your services in the future.”

Try it! You will actually feel good about showing a higher level of respect for the very people who are working diligently to help you achieve your objectives.

2. After you agree to listen to a Solutions Provider’s pitch and agree to receive a proposal from them, do you simply ghost them after deciding to go with a different provider? If so, perhaps you would consider having a conversation with them or, at the very least, send a note notifying them that you selected a different provider, and provide feedback as to your reasoning. Was it cost? Was it quality concerns? Did you receive poor reference checks regarding this particular provider?

Taking the time to respectfully share the reasons for your decision is not only respectful, but it is also a wonderful way to build a solid reputation as a professional and insightful leader.

If you disagree or feel you have a better suggestion, feel free to Change My Mind.

Send all comments to: Comments@TalkLPnews.com. If your comment gets listed in the TalkLPnews Retail Rundown for the remainder of the week, it will be listed as “anonymous.”

What we know about Michigan Walmart stabbings as suspect faces terrorism charge

Eleven people were injured Saturday when a 42-year-old man stormed into a Michigan Walmart and began stabbing shoppers in what authorities call a random attack.

The victims, ages 29 to 84, were taken to the hospital after the violence in Traverse City, a Munson Healthcare spokesperson said.

A customer described hearing commotion a few aisles over as she picked up items. Still shaken from the incident, Julia Martell said she ran down an aisle as the suspect barreled past someone and "angled toward me."

NBC News

Fatal shooting at Wegmans warehouse leads to some empty shelves at stores

DeWitt, NY - Many of the produce shelves at Wegmans stores are empty today, and a sign at the DeWitt store says it will remain that way until midweek.

“Due to circumstances at our warehouse, product availability will be limited until midweek. We apologize for the inconvenience,” the sign says.

The lack of products is because of a shooting Saturday at a Wegmans warehouse near Rochester, said Evelyn Ingram, speaking for Wegmans. Ingram provided no further information.

Syracuse

NYC shooting: What to know about Shane Tamura, gunman who killed 4 including NYPD cop in Midtown Manhattan

Fox News

Great leaders aren’t just made in calm waters, they’re forged in conflict.

At APEX, our "Leading Through Conflict" session explores the strategies executives use to navigate tough conversations, build trust, and drive results under pressure. If you lead people, you need this session.

[CASE STUDY] A Leading Luxury Retailer Benefits from an Open Platform with OpenEye Web Services

Experiencing consistent growth over several decades while innovating the fashion world, a luxury retailer needed to find a solution that aligned with their company’s success. They wanted a system that could be easily scaled across locations while working with their stores’ most critical systems and devices, whether that was current third-party cameras, inventory management systems, barcode scanners, and other future innovations.

By working with OpenEye, this retailer utilizes an open cloud-managed video platform that enables streamlined scalability and integrates with their devices, with benefits including:

• Open Platform: OpenEye Web Services (OWS) enabled the business to integrate their existing cameras into the cloud video platform for more streamlined deployment and better cost savings.
• Reliable Support: The company leveraged reliable support through OpenEye, ensuring that whenever their team needed a new recorder or assistance with their surveillance, they had it.
• Improved Operations: OWS’ effective user management features equipped facilities, HR, and other teams throughout the business with access to powerful video surveillance.

See how this luxury retailer has been able to enhance operations across their stores while ensuring their employees, customers, and assets are secure in the complete case study.

How Artificial Intelligence Is Already Reshaping Retail From the Ground Up

Retailers once relied on shelf space and sales associates to win over customers.

Then came e-commerce, search-engine optimization and hyper-targeted social marketing. Now, another shift is underway, one that could prove even more transformative: the rise of the AI-powered consumer.

But, according to a comprehensive study by information technology giant Cognizant, which surveyed more than 8,000 consumers globally to better understand how artificial intelligence is changing buyer behavior, this is not just a tech story, it's a human one.

Newsweek

Washington Metropolitan Police Partners with CVS for Community-Oriented Retail Safety Initiative

The Washington Metropolitan Police Department is venturing into new territory with its partnership with CVS Pharmacy, attempting to tighten the bolts on retail safety.

In what appears to be a fresh take on community policing, the department's 1D Outreach program has teamed up with the pharmaceutical retailer to introduce Retail Safety Pop-Ups across the First District, as reported on their official social media channels.

This initiative aims to enhance store security while also reinforcing the ties that bind the police force to the community it serves.

Hoodline

Man killed after gunfire erupts inside 7-Eleven in Lawndale

Los Angeles County homicide detectives are investigating after gunfire erupted inside a 7-Eleven store in Lawndale Sunday night. 

What we know:
First responders were called to the 7-Eleven located near the intersection of Prairie Avenue and Manhattan Beach Boulevard around 8 p.m. Sunday, July 27.

Arriving LA County sheriff's deputies found the victim suffering from at least one gunshot wound.

He was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Fox11 News

Sr Investigative Analyst, Asset Protection - Victoria's Secret

The Senior Investigative Analyst (Sr. IA) is a highly dependable position in the Asset Protection Department. The Sr. IA is responsible for reducing shrink through the identification and development of internal/external theft investigations; managing the restitution procedures and vendor partnership; and supporting background checks adjudication.

The Sr. IA needs to be analytical and detail oriented. The role requires the ability to transition from daily tasks to managing ad-hoc requests by the leadership and field team members with agility and speed to meet deadlines.

From a bill complaint to a scam: how fraudsters almost walked away with $1,020

Fox4 News

Stater Bros. could face its first-ever strike

Workers at Stater Bros. are demanding a new contract and have threatened to strike if an agreement isn’t reached, marking what could be the first labor standoff in the retailer’s history.

The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Stater Bros. Bargaining Committee has been negotiating with the grocer for months. About 12,000 workers voted to authorize a strike last week.

Supermarket News