Do you know the lefts solution to crime toward merchants in San Francisco?

@ArishMell I do not know how often it happens but yes we do have that problem here in some cities.

For reasons like that, I am surprised B&M stores even still exist.

Some stores have the more expensive items in steel cage displays. Not just some glass or plexiglass barrier.
I am sure the crooks will soon find a way around that so it will be interesting to see what the next step in security is.

@Punches I can see a time when shops return to behind-counter displays, no self-service.

An alternative to those cages is empty-box displays for costly items like power-tools. Full details of the goods are posted, but you receive the tool itself on payment. Those items on open display are either dummy (empty casing) or wired to the alarms.

It does seem to work.

@ArishMell Of course the behind-counter displays would have to be smash-resistant like the cages. A glass or plexi case isn't going to stop the aggressive ones.

Even though caging is becoming more necessary, it does make it a pain for honest customers to shop. Because of so many feral leftist kleptomaniacs, the rest of us have to deal with inconvenience.

Really because of some gangs doing these mass-theft acts in stores, retailers don't have much choice but to close shop and go online.

Big retailers might lose the battle but they are not going to lose the war.

Of course there are the dishonest ones who do not directly steal but try to cheat retailers. I think that is why companies are offering less and less perks, discounts, etc.

@Punches So in the end, everyone loses...

The on-line retailers were suffering from being too free-and-easy with returns, especially of clothes, but I believe they are clamping down on this.

@ArishMell
There is a specific name for the act of buying clothes, wearing them once (like for a special occasion), and then returning - it is called "Wardrobing"

@Punches Oh - I'd not heard that! Easy to treat: the buyer pays the full cost of return and inspection and the seller only refunds the purchase price if the goods are in fact faulty by manufacture. More or less as guarantees operate anyway.