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Dollar Tree is the latest retailer to say shoplifting is squeezing margins

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Re: Dollar Tree is the latest retailer to say shoplifting is squeezing margins

#11
post #5

If you're stealing from Dollar Tree, you're either truly needy or just in it for the thrill of being antisocial. Their stuff hasn't got any value in the store, much less fenced.

This is flatly untrue. There are both sophisticated and basic criminal enterprises based around stealing from places like dollar tree and selling to your corner store.

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Re: Dollar Tree is the latest retailer to say shoplifting is squeezing margins

#12

If you're stealing from Dollar Tree, you're either truly needy or just in it for the thrill of being antisocial. Their stuff hasn't got any value in the store, much less fenced.

They often sell products that are just overstocked elsewhere. Near me, they've lately been selling bags of Starbucks brand coffee for their typical $1.25, and my wife used to buy a brand of juice that easily cost 2-3x that much elsewhere.

Re: Dollar Tree is the latest retailer to say shoplifting is squeezing margins

#13
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is anyone truly needy enough to shoplift? I’m not sure how we would get good data but I’ve known a lot of shoplifters and none of them needed the food.

I like this reasoning. To take it further, is anyone truly needy enough to shop at a dollar tree? I’m not sure how we would get good data, but I suspect everybody has what they need at all times based off of the fact that I’ve never known anyone that is starving.

I regularly buy products there. For instance, if I need something for cleaning my car, they often have smaller-sized products (like Armor All wipes in packages of 10 vs the big canister at larger stores). When I was packing up my old house, I bought cheap products for the bathroom after all our good stuff was packed up. I've bought cheap batteries there when I was traveling, shipping tape, etc - all kinds of stuff when I really don't care about the quality or quantity.

Re: Dollar Tree is the latest retailer to say shoplifting is squeezing margins

#14
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is flatly untrue. There are both sophisticated and basic criminal enterprises based around stealing from places like dollar tree and selling to your corner store.

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Are you unfamiliar with the multi million dollar business that criminals have figured out? Turns out homeless people don’t steal deodorant for fun but because they’re paid to do so by organized gangs.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-12-03/members-...

Re: Dollar Tree is the latest retailer to say shoplifting is squeezing margins

#16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

Are you unfamiliar with the multi million dollar business that criminals have figured out? Turns out homeless people don’t steal deodorant for fun but because they’re paid to do so by organized gangs. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-12-03/members-...

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Re: Dollar Tree is the latest retailer to say shoplifting is squeezing margins

#17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I like this reasoning. To take it further, is anyone truly needy enough to shop at a dollar tree? I’m not sure how we would get good data, but I suspect everybody has what they need at all times based off of the fact that I’ve never known anyone that is starving.

I'm not especially needy, but I enjoy Dollar Tree shopping for a few reasons. One, it's literally the closest store to my home with any inventory. It's around the corner in my backyard. So that's a plus. Two, I was introduced to this mode of shopping when I told my friend I needed to purchase a greeting card. Of course, cards cost $4-5 retail and she protested, saying the Dollar Tree would have cards for $1 and under…

You've misunderstood the person you're replying to. He's not saying that dollar tree is for poor. He's intentionally making a logical fallacy - 'no one needs to go to the grocery store [in this case, dollar tree] since whenever I visit my friends' houses, they always have food!'

>Or as he puts it: I suspect everybody has what they need at all times based off of the fact that I’ve never known anyone that is starving.

He's making fun of the guy in the original comment, who questioned whether anyone needs to shoplift, because his personal friend circle didn't include people who had to shoplift out of necessity.

Re: Dollar Tree is the latest retailer to say shoplifting is squeezing margins

#18
post #4

If you're stealing from Dollar Tree, you're either truly needy or just in it for the thrill of being antisocial. Their stuff hasn't got any value in the store, much less fenced.

Is anyone truly needy enough to shoplift? I’m not sure how we would get good data but I’ve known a lot of shoplifters and none of them needed the food.

Given that most things cost money it makes sense that everybody without any money would be "needy enough to shoplift."

Re: Dollar Tree is the latest retailer to say shoplifting is squeezing margins

#19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't get it, if Dollar Tree sells basically everything for $1.25 the wholesale cost must be so low that corner stores have basically no room to save money by buying stolen goods. Anyway, if there are really criminal enterprises doing this it seems like it would take marginal investigative work to uncover and nail down.

Yeah GP really needs a source for their claim. They’re basically saying that criminal organizations can steal incredibly cheap trinkets and sell them below cost… apparently at volume. Seems ridiculously unlikely.

I don't know about incredibly low priced items (Dollar Tree), but the kjist is correct around organized shoplifting at retail.

Retailers say organized retail crime has made their theft problems only worse. Crime gangs often look to steal products from stores that can easily and quickly be resold on online marketplaces such as Amazon and through other illicit markets.

“More products today are locked up because the problem has gotten so much bigger,” said Lisa LaBruno, the senior executive vice president of retail operations at the Retail Industry Leaders Association. “Criminal actors can steal high volumes of products and sell them with anonymity.”

Retailers have supported a bipartisan bill that would require online marketplaces to verify state-issued IDs for millions of high-volume third-party sellers. President Joe Biden supports such a measure and this week also called on Congress to impose liability on online marketplaces that sell stolen goods on their platforms.

Amazon said it does not allow third-party sellers to list stolen goods and works closely with law enforcement, retailers and other partners to stop bad actors.

“We regularly request invoices, purchase orders, or other proofs of sourcing when we have concerns about how a seller may have obtained particular products,” a spokesperson said.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/08/01/why-does-the-drugstor...

Re: Dollar Tree is the latest retailer to say shoplifting is squeezing margins

#20
post #4

If you're stealing from Dollar Tree, you're either truly needy or just in it for the thrill of being antisocial. Their stuff hasn't got any value in the store, much less fenced.

Is anyone truly needy enough to shoplift? I’m not sure how we would get good data but I’ve known a lot of shoplifters and none of them needed the food.

From what I've heard, the most commonly stolen items are things like chewing gum and energy drinks.

So in the cast majority of cases, probably not.

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