{"id":1001,"date":"2026-02-11T13:35:51","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T13:35:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sterlingcooper.info\/blog\/?p=1001"},"modified":"2026-02-11T13:35:51","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T13:35:51","slug":"costco-has-figured-out-how-to-stop-retail-theft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sterlingcooper.info\/blog\/costco-has-figured-out-how-to-stop-retail-theft\/","title":{"rendered":"COSTCO HAS FIGURED OUT HOW TO STOP RETAIL THEFT!"},"content":{"rendered":"

As rampant shoplifting across the US has forced store closures and inflicted billions of dollars in losses on retailers, one industry giant appears to have cracked the problem.<\/p>\n

Costco has largely defied the retail theft surge that has plagued chains such as Walmart and Target – because it runs its stores differently.<\/p>\n

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In its most recent annual report, Costco explained how its business model keeps losses low.<\/p>\n

‘By strictly controlling the entrances and exits and using a membership format, we believe our inventory losses are well below those of typical retail operations,’ the\u00a0report for 2025<\/a>\u00a0said.<\/p>\n

Unlike Walmart or Target, Costco doesn\u2019t let just anyone wander in off the street.<\/p>\n

Shoppers must\u00a0show a paid membership<\/a>\u00a0– often with photo ID – before they\u2019re allowed through the door. Once inside, there\u2019s usually just one way in and one way out, and\u00a0every purchase is checked against a receipt<\/a>\u00a0before customers leave.<\/p>\n

These all add up.\u00a0Fewer entrances mean fewer blind spots. Receipt checks make it much harder to walk out with unpaid items.\u00a0And because everyone inside has already paid to be there, there\u2019s far fewer anonymous shoppers\u00a0 – a key driver of retail theft.<\/p>\n

The contrast comes as US retailers are estimated to have lost more than $47 billion to shoplifting in 2025.<\/p>\n

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