Start A Project - Loss Prevention Research Council

LPRC’s NextRetail Research Center
Create. Test. Grow.

The center conducts high-quality, simultaneous environment + process + technology = behavior R&D to improve 1. Customer Purchasing, 2. Company margin, and 3. Onsite Safety/security.
The center’s goals include:

- Use comprehensive environment-behavior dynamics research to prescribe and test integrated people x process x technology package implementation and execution.
- Provide an interactive learning space for cross-functional retail teams, scientists, and solution partners to ideate and simulate business-improvement concepts.

The center’s scope has broadened from solely physical asset protection R&D to include comprehensive shopper experience, sales, and crime and loss control improvement research. The center can simultaneously conduct 1-2 dozen projects depending on their complexity and deliverable timeframes.
The center contains three focused centers of excellence designed to improve how a retailer’s AP/LP team supports key shopper experience improvement by standing up the below CoEs.

- LPRC hypothesizes shoppers expect:

Exactly what they came to buy is on the shelf, and self-serve, when they want it,
Further many demand a very low-friction/hassle checkout experience, but current self-serve checkout is readily compromised due to errors, theft and fraud; and finally,
Shoppers must always feel safe and secure during any store visit- even at night.

The new Center’s Research Centers of Excellence will therefore include:
On Shelf Availability Center of Excellence

Shoppers expect what they came for is readily available when and where they want it. This CoE is supported by custom as well as multiple LPRC Supply Chain Working Group, and LPRC Product Protection working Group lab and field projects.

SmartCheckout Center of Excellence

Customer demand and online competition are leading all retailers to explore increasingly convenient but secure checkout options. This CoE was established to provide innovation, customer, offender and employee feedback evidence for enhanced layout, tactics, technology checkout solutions. The new center, as well as field testing in several retail formats, supports this CoE and its mission to maximize convenience while increasing basket size, minimizing costs and losses.

Safe and Secure Center of Excellence

Shoppers and employees want to spend their time in safe environments; and fear of crime generates avoidance behavior. Shoppers have so many shopping options available to them, and avoiding your stores means direct revenue loss. This CoE’s mission is supported by lab innovations, as well as field testing in the LPRC Violent Crime Working Group’s multiple projects.

CoE (or Capability Center) Research Models:

Discovery Research
- Journal articles, books, conferences
- iLabs
Problem-oriented Research
- Deterrence and Disruption Action
- Prototype fabrication and deployment
- iLabs
- Store/location/data access
Comprehensive Program R&D
- Volume solution production and deployment
- Store/location/data access
Customized research for solution partners, retailers, and other organizations

Smart Checkout Center Of Excellence Program

Building a C.O.E. to help retailers prepare for the LP consequences of self checkout, scan and go, and other checkout trends

Working Group: LP Innovation Working Group (LPIWG)
Zones of Influence: 3

AP LP Store Survey Metrics R&D

Identifying general capabilities and loss prevention procedures across Goodwill stores

Working Group: Data Analytics Working Group (DAWG)
Zones of Influence: 5

Gait Analysis/Biometric Analysis Project

Identifying how Gait can be used to identify crime.

Working Group: LP Innovation Working Group (LPIWG)
Zones of Influence: 3

Conceal and Carry Policy Project

Examine the effect of conceal and carry practices on instances of violence in the supply chain.

Working Group: Supply Chain Protection Working Group (SCPWG)
Zones of Influence: 5

Burglar Alarm Integration Project

In-store test of burglar alarm integration on loss

Working Group: LP Innovation Working Group (LPIWG)
Zones of Influence: 3

TEB Track Camera TJX Proposal

Testing the effect of Track Cameras in 2 US retailer distribution centers

Working Group: Supply Chain Protection Working Group (SCPWG)
Zones of Influence: 3

Benchmarking Partnerships with Retail Coalitions Project

Exploring the concept of the LPRC serving as the research arm of other retail coalitions, furnishing surveys and helping design studies

Working Group: Product Protection Working Group (PPWG)
Zones of Influence: 5

Key System ROI Analysis

Measuring the ROI impact of a key system that doesn’t require a full rekey when a single key is lost

Innovation Chain: RFID Innovation Chain (RFIDiC)
Zones of Influence: 3

Cash Drawer Monitoring ROI Analysis

Time and motion study to identify return on investment (ROI) of APG SmartTill

Working Group: LP Innovation Working Group (LPIWG)
Zones of Influence: 3

Self-Checkout Training Delivery Method Study

Testing the effectiveness of various SCO training delivery methods/content

Working Group: LP Innovation Working Group (LPIWG)
Zones of Influence: 3

Return Loss Project

Using survey research to identify the relationship between return policies and return loss

Working Group: Supply Chain Protection Working Group (SCPWG)
Zones of Influence: 5

Fulfillment Fraud Project

Identify ways to limit fulfillment fraud in Supply Chain

Working Group: Supply Chain Protection Working Group (SCPWG)
Zones of Influence: 5

Impact of Return Fraud on Shortage Study

Studying the impact of return fraud on shortage

Working Group: Retail Fraud Working Group (RFWG)
Zones of Influence: 5

Buy Online and Pickup in Store Best Practices R&D

Exploring the best practices available to mitigate buy online and pickup in store fraud

Working Group: Retail Fraud Working Group (RFWG)
Zones of Influence: 5

Manufacturer Coupon Anti-Fraud Project

Exploring best practices to combat paper and digital counterfeit coupon fraud

Working Group: Retail Fraud Working Group (RFWG)
Zones of Influence: 3

Gift card Activation Cost Benefit Analysis

Explore the existing control process in place to delay gift card redemption for dishonest customers.

Working Group: Retail Fraud Working Group (RFWG)
Zones of Influence: 3

Merchandise Credit Benchmark Project

Studying the impact of merchandise credit on non-receipted returns and shrink

Working Group: Retail Fraud Working Group (RFWG)
Zones of Influence: 3

Return Fraud Offender Interview Project

Exploring why offenders specifically target certain retail stores for fraudulent returns, how they circumvent store’s return policy, and recommendation to mitigate fraudulently returns.

Working Group: Retail Fraud Working Group (RFWG)
Zones of Influence: 3

Cap Index Robbery Industry Survey Project

Industry survey to better understand, reduce, and prevent crime and optimize the safety and secuirty of employees and customers.

Working Group: Violent Crime Working Group (VCWG)
Zones of Influence: 5

Violence Associated to Merchandise Theft Project

Exploring opportunities within the incidence reporting platform and best methods to descalte violence associated with merchandise theft from a trianing perspective.

Working Group: Violent Crime Working Group (VCWG)
Zones of Influence: 5

Workplace Violence Assessment Tool R&D

Assisting retailers to consider factors to provide suggestions when assessing workplace violence from a known individual.

Working Group: Violent Crime Working Group (VCWG)
Zones of Influence: 5

Anti-Robbery iChain Tech/Mapping Retailer Survey

Working with several Crime Mapping entities to develop techniques in the Baltimore Area

Working Group: Violent Crime Working Group (VCWG)
Zones of Influence: 5

LiveView Parking Lot Protection/Safe-Zone Extension R&D

Studying the effectiveness of the unit on customer’s perception of safety during the day and at night

Working Group: Violent Crime Working Group (VCWG)
Zones of Influence: 4

Perimeter Camera Project

Studying the effects of DC perimeter cam placement on loitering, fence cutting, and deviant driver behavior at depot

Working Group: Supply Chain Protection Working Group (SCPWG)
Zones of Influence: 4

CSI SelectaDNA PR/Deterrent Value Test

Measuring the Offender impact of DNA signage and solutions

Working Group: Violent Crime Working Group (VCWG)
Zones of Influence: 3

Robbery Deterrence R&D Program

Testing the impact of robbery deterrents such as time delay safes, signage, etc.

Working Group: Violent Crime Working Group (VCWG)
Zones of Influence: 3

FaceFirst Facial Recognition Database R&D

Studying current retailer facial recognition database entry criteria and establishing standards to facilitate inter-retailer warning functionality

Working Group: LP Innovation Working Group (LPIWG)
Zones of Influence: 3

EAS Tracking of Convicted Offenders R&D

Testing the effects of EAS tagging of convicted offenders in Seminole County, Florida.

Working Group: ORC Working Group (ORCWG)
Zones of Influence: 5

Felony Threshold Project

Using time-series analyses to identify the effect of higher felony thresholds on retail theft.

Working Group: ORC Working Group (ORCWG)
Zones of Influence: 5

ORC Legislation Project

Using time-series analyses to identify the effect of new state ORC legislation on ORC activity by state.

Working Group: ORC Working Group (ORCWG)
Zones of Influence: 5

ORC Trends Big-Data Analysis Project

Identifying temporal and geographic trends in ORC, as well as products most targeted by ORC.

Working Group: ORC Working Group (ORCWG)
Zones of Influence: 5

Opioid Offender Interview ORC Project

Studying the relationship between the opioid crisis and organized retail crime (ORC) through in-depth offender interviews.

Working Group: ORC Working Group (ORCWG)
Zones of Influence: 5

Avery Dennison Anti-ORC Label R&D

Customer, Offender, and Associate feedback on Anti-ORC labels, along with a 10 store test

Working Group: ORC Working Group (ORCWG)
Zones of Influence: 1