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RETAIL-LOSS-PREVENTION5 MIN READ

The Three Doors Of Shrink

Explain the three primary sources of retail shrink and name the first diagnostic question for each.

Shrink is not one problem. It is a variance with multiple possible doors. Door 1: External Theft This is customer or outside-group loss: concealment, pushouts, price switching, refund fraud, booster bags, or coordinated ORC events. The mechanism is opportunity plus exit confidence. Controls focus on visibility, service, product protection, reporting, and safe escalation. Door 2: Internal Theft This is loss created by someone with access: false returns, sweethearting, gift-card abuse, under-ringing, collusion, or stockroom removal. The mechanism is trust plus system access. Controls focus on exception reporting, approvals, role separation, and evidence preservation. Door 3: Process Failure This is non-malicious…

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