It’s that time of year in retail.

Once, I wrote about Christmas displays in September. This year, I’ll write another dark side of Christmas retail.

Theft increases close to Christmas. From the retail perspective, we’re close enough. People want gifts. The professional thieves are stealing stuff for resale. Scammers are working the returns desk trying to get extra cash. All the usual stuff, just with increased intensity.

Happens every year and it’s part of the holidays.

Opportunities for theft increase as staffing levels decrease. It’s hard(er) to steal something when helpful customer service people are watching your every move and offering to talk to you about every item you pick up. We’re in the home improvement business. A few of our customers plan major home improvements as family projects when everybody is home for the holidays, but the vast majority of our customers plan NOT to have the place all torn apart when the holiday guests are present. Our customers are too busy organizing holiday entertainment to have time for home improvement projects. Unlike many retail operations, Christmas is not our big season. Our busy time is the hundred days of spring. Because we don’t have the sales this time of year, we don’t have as much staff.

Opportunities are created.

Theft increases when the economy decreases. Many people at the margins are forced out of the formal economy and turn to desperate measures. We’re looking at an economic downturn and, indeed, desperate people are turning to desperate measures.

And that’s strike three.

For the past week or so at work, I have been dealing with multiple theft events per shift. I’m getting to the point I don’t trust my customers anymore. You could probably characterize me as nasty and suspicious. The whole situation puts a lot of stress on me – and many of my colleagues are equally stressed.

I don’t sell well when I’m suspicious. I have a hard time acting genuine when I don’t feel genuine. It’s similar to my difficulty selling products I don’t believe in, except it’s a difficulty selling to customers I don’t believe in. I don’t focus well when I’m trying to think about two things at once – and every time I’m helping a customer, half my mind is wondering what sort of scam they’re working and another 10% is watching the department around me trying to see who else is stealing what. The customer can tell I’m giving them less than 40% of my attention and I KNOW I have to give 100% to do a good job.

Times are really rough right now. My colleagues are trying hard. We’re supporting each other well. The emotional support is the best it’s been while I’ve been in this store. Problem is, there are some aspects of closing ranks against the customers instead of teaming up to help customers.

Readers, please, if you’re having difficulty getting help in a store this Christmas, please have a thought for the retail employees. It’s a really tough time of year for them, and they want to enjoy their holiday’s too. If there is extra security in a store, smile! That security is probably reducing the price you’re paying.

As for me? I solved the problem in a different manner. I started a new job yesterday.