Two out of three shoppers are unwilling to purchase items displayed in locked cases.

Locked display cases, intended as a theft-prevention strategy, are making shopping less spontaneous and more of a wait-and-see experience. However, a new survey indicates that this approach may be causing more harm than good. Two out of three shoppers are unwilling to purchase items displayed in locked cases

The survey, conducted by Consumer World, found that when shoppers encounter a locked item, only 32% bother to seek help from a store employee to unlock it. For 55% of respondents, the locked product means a lost sale, prompting them to shop elsewhere. The remaining 13% look for alternative items in the same store that are not secured.

This online survey, which took place from September 2 to September 9, included responses from 1,124 individuals.

Edgar Dworsky, a consumer advocate and publisher of Consumer World, shared his thoughts on the findings. “If I see a locked case, I’m not going to search for a store clerk,” he told Retail Brew. “It was surprising to see that over 50% of people felt the same way. Two out of three shoppers are unwilling to purchase items displayed in locked cases

Dworsky noted that the survey results could reflect a bias, as it was opt-in rather than random, and his audience likely has a heightened sensitivity to consumer inconveniences.

Major retailers, including Target, have increasingly placed inventory behind glass in response to what they label organized retail crime, often highlighted by viral videos of thefts. However, some industry observers argue that the perceived scale of the problem may be exaggerated.

A September 13 article from CNN noted that retail executives are sounding the alarm about theft less frequently. Mentions of “shrink,” a term for inventory loss, were down 20% during earnings calls in the first two quarters of 2024 compared to the previous year, according to a FactSet analysis.

“A year ago, America’s stores declared a shoplifting epidemic,” the CNN piece stated. “This year, retailers are telling a very different story—or no story at all. It’s as if the shoplifting crisis has suddenly vanished.”

Dworsky, while admitting he is not a loss-prevention expert, expressed concern over the prevalence of locked cases. “This is a no-win situation,” he remarked. “If you leave everything out, you risk theft; if you lock it up, you frustrate customers and lose sales. Two out of three shoppers are unwilling to purchase items displayed in locked cases. Either way, retailers face losses.”

Amanda Mull, in an August article for Bloomberg, described the trend of entire aisles becoming locked showcases, suggesting they resemble pawnshops, which may be an unfair comparison.

This situation poses a significant challenge for physical stores. Mull pointed out, “If stores lock up too much merchandise, they cease to be stores—they become giant vending machines with no place to insert your money. For many shoppers, those locked shelves are yet another reason to avoid in-person shopping and turn to Amazon.”

In summary, while the intention behind locked display cases is to deter theft, they may be driving consumers away and detracting from the overall shopping experience.