Survey Results

RLPXchange
1998 Shrinkage
Poll Results

A survey was conducted between October 22, 1998 and January 1, 1999.

The purpose of this survey was to determine what Loss Prevention professionals felt was the major cause of their company's shrinkage. The survey was open to all visitors to the Retail Loss Prevention Exchange, and no responses were edited or deleted.

A total of 429 responses were received during the survey period.

Category	Total Responses	% of Responses
Total number of respondents who felt that Internal Theft was the leading cause of shrinkage in their company:	226	53%
Total number of respondents who felt that External Theft was the leading cause of shrinkage in their company:	50	12%
Total number of respondents who felt that Paperwork Errors were the leading cause of shrinkage in their company:	140	33%
Total number of respondents who felt that Vendor Theft was the leading cause of shrinkage in their company:	13	3%

Since the majority of responses indicate that the bulk of shrinkage is due to internal theft, the next poll asked where dishonest associates do the most damage. Again, the unedited responses are posted below.

RLPXchange
1999 Dishonest Associate
Poll Results A survey was conducted between January 1, 1999 and March 7, 1999.
As a follow up to the 1998 Shrinkage Survey, this survey focused on where dishonest associates were doing the most damage to their employers, based solely on the experience of the respondents.

A total of 493 responses were received during the survey period.

Most Common Associate
Theft Case Total Responses % of Responses

Straight Theft of Merchandise

Employee Theft of Merchandise

Handing out of Merchandise to Friends/Relatives, etc
224 45.44

Straight Cash Theft

Theft from registers

Theft from safe/change fund

Theft from deposits
49 9.94%

Fraudulent POS Transactions

Refund Fraud

Fraudulent Credit/Debit Card Transactions

Canceled Transactions

Line Voids

Suspended Transactions

Post Voids

Under-ringing

Cash Payouts
198 40.16%

Theft of Time

False Clock In/Clock Outs

Fraudulent Payroll Adjustments
13 2.64%

Other

Discount abuse, theft of personal property, etc.
9 1.83%

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Most Common Associate Theft Case	Total Responses	% of Responses
Straight Theft of Merchandise Employee Theft of Merchandise Handing out of Merchandise to Friends/Relatives, etc	224	45.44
Straight Cash Theft Theft from registers Theft from safe/change fund Theft from deposits	49	9.94%
Fraudulent POS Transactions Refund Fraud Fraudulent Credit/Debit Card Transactions Canceled Transactions Line Voids Suspended Transactions Post Voids Under-ringing Cash Payouts	198	40.16%
Theft of Time False Clock In/Clock Outs Fraudulent Payroll Adjustments	13	2.64%
Other Discount abuse, theft of personal property, etc.	9	1.83%