Covering THE Topics that are most important to the retail security community.
It's your job to keep your organization safe, it's our job to make sure you have the insights and tools to succeed. We will cover the topics below through multiple tracks depending on your role and interests.
Workplace Violence
Retail is one of the highest risk jobs for workplace violence. Given the events of the past two years, incidents have multiplied, and levels of violence have intensified. With retail employees overworked, businesses understaffed, and workers charged with enforcing CDC guidelines, the need for renewed training efforts and reimagined technology is imperative.
Cybersecurity
Cyber-attacks continue to rage with augmented layers of sophistication. Malicious cyber actors continue to launch ransomware attacks, phishing scams, and fake e-commerce websites – all with crippling effects for retail companies. With advice from retail chief information security officers, the FBI and other experts, merchants can hone the skills needed to identify and defeat cyber criminals.
Organized Retail Crime
Incidents of organized retail crime have increased over the past year; so, too, has the violence and brazenness of these mobs. ORC is perceived to be a low risk, high reward crime – yielding high resale value products with low threat of apprehension. Retailers are trying myriad tactics to stem the tide, but they will need federal and law enforcement backing.
LP INDUSTRY ISSUES
The world is a different place than it was 24 months ago and the role of retail loss prevention, asset protection and cybersecurity is vastly different, too. Safety is the chief objective -- the safety of employees and the safety of customers -- and all issues are viewed through that prism. No longer a siloed team, LP executives have an essential cross-functional role that aligns with operations, logistics, human resources, and IT.
Ecommerce Fraud
Ecommerce fraud has more than doubled over the past 18 months and the trend shows no sign of abating. Retailers acknowledge that mitigating fraud is critical – not only for the corporate bottom line, but for delivering a superior online shopping experience. And recently the stakes have gotten higher as fraudsters are finding cunning ways to take advantage of Buy Now Pay Later payment services. It’s a never-ending game of catch-up and retailers cannot let down their guard.
Business Continuity Plans
Threats to retail business come in many forms - from the pandemic to fires to innumerable acts of Mother Nature. Effective communication is the corner stone of a disaster recovery plan, along with a keen focus on getting critical applications and systems up and running in a timely fashion. Minimizing the impact and outcome of disasters comes down to having a detailed and systematic plan because as threats morph, so, too, must retailer plans.
Return Fraud
NRF data finds that US merchants lost over $25.3B to return abuse and fraudulent returns. Fraudsters exploit retailer’s return policies, taking advantage of programs often put in place to simplify make the return experience. There are numerous types return fraud including returning stolen merchandise, price switching and wardrobing and thus the abuse is both widespread and difficult to prevent. But don’t bet against the good guys; retailers are putting program in place to combat this scourge.
Company Culture
LP/AP and cybersecurity executives are integral to company culture. With strong leadership qualities, these individuals influence and inspire others, applying innovative and creative thinking to problem solving across the enterprise. In most retail companies, these professionals strive to create a community that is highly engaged in safety -both internally and externally. They’re methodical in approaching processes and elite when it comes to awareness and communication. In short, vital to c-suite.
