SELF-SEEVHiTG IN RETAILING FOOD PRODUCTS. 13 



all of these losses in order to determine to just what extent each 

 occurs. In one of the self-serve stores investigated, which was oper- 

 ated under a retail stock-control plan, a number of these factors were 

 eliminated, which would result in a more accurate determination of 

 the loss through thievery. Practically all commodities were han- 

 dled in packages put up in another department, to which was charged 

 the loss resulting through waste and overweight. Few articles that 

 would lose weight through evaporation were carried, and those were 

 sold in packages, so that there was no loss to the store. Thus the 

 shrinkage consisted only of cashier's errors and loss through thievery. 

 As cashier's errors are as likely to be in favor of the store as against 

 it, the shrinkage almost entirely represented thievery. It was 

 slightly more than 1.5 per cent of the total sales. 



Petty thievery exists more or less in all stores. While it may be 

 slightly emphasized in self-service stores owing to the psychological 

 effect of the store arrangement and the method of selling, it is not 

 peculiar to this type. This is demonstrated very clearly by the 

 experience of several large department stores that operate self-serve 

 grocery departments while the remaining departments are operated 

 on the regular-service plan. A large percentage of the persons caught 

 stealing in thg grocery department was found to have on their 

 persons articles stolen from other departments and other stores. 



The fact that the problem of thievery is especially brought to 

 the attention of the self-serve operator and that special consideration 

 is given to it goes a long way toward reducing the amount of steal- 

 ing in such stores. On the whole, it seems doubtful whether self- 

 serve stores lose more through thievery, relatively speaking, than 

 other types of retail establishments, for the latter suffer not only 

 from stealing on the part of customers but in some cases also from 

 lax or even dishonest clerks. Methods of combating petty thievery 

 are discussed later. 



From one point of view the necessity for the exercise of great care 

 in buying merchandise for self-serve stores of such quality that its 

 worth can be recognized without the aid of explanations from sales- 

 men may be looked upon as a disadvantage. Similarly, the necessity 

 for the more careful grading of articles in self-service stores than 

 in other stores may be considered disadvantageous. Keeping in 

 mind, however, that most of the customers of self-service establish- 

 ments are those willing to forego the multiplicity of grades as well 

 as the service of fancy stores, it will be readily understood that the 

 simpler stocks, involving smaller capital tied up, resulting from 

 strict grading, compensate for the greater attention which must be 

 given to buying and grading. The problems of buying and grading 

 for self-service stores are discussed later. 



