Cumberland Farms turns a unique theft problem into a marketing campaign on its social media sites. By Megan Wilkinson, Assistant Editor Cumberland Farms stores launched a promotion of its iced coffee featuring David Hasselhoff as its spokesman last month, and it garnered instant attention from its customers…maybe too much attention. The chain decided to place…
Combating C-Store Theft
Typically, convenience stores can experience a few gasoline thefts a week. But when prices increase, some stores see several gas thefts a day. By Howard Riell, Associate Editor When times get hard, thieves get industrious and innovative. The response by convenience store operators must be twofold: extensive background checks on potential employees to weed out…
Preparing for PCI D-Day
As the deadline for PCI DSS 2.0 compliance approaches, chains should make sure they understand the changes— and triple check that they meet the requirements. By Erin Rigik, Associate Editor. On Jan. 1, 2012 all convenience store retailers must comply with PCI DSS 2.0 standards. While some chains have been ready for more than a…
7-Eleven Computer Hacker Sentenced
Computer hacker Albert Gonzalez, accused of one of the largest thefts of credit and debit card numbers ever reported, was sentenced to 20 years and a day in prison last Friday. Friday’s case involved stolen credit card numbers from the Scarsborough, Maine-based Hannaford Bros. supermarket chain, Dallas-based convenience store chain 7-Eleven, and Heartland Payment Systems,…
Protecting Against Theft
RETAIL THEFT 2009 Employee theft accounted for 35.2% of shrink dollars. 41.2% of retailers worldwide experienced a significant increase in shoplifting in 2009, attributable to the economic downturn. Shoplifting and employee theft in the U.S. cost retailers $42.2 billion from June 2008 to June 2009. Every American family was forced to pay an additional $435…