Swati CA

Swati_CA column in The Hindu Business Line

Monday, July 24, 2006

"Should I alert the supervisor, or advise the young man... against shoplifting?" I wondered.


Is shoplifting the bane of retail that needs to be battled with?
One evening, a couple of days ago, I was frustrated that I could not make a quick meal, all because the provisions in the shelf had gone dry. Namak was there, but no mirchi; the tavva was clean and dry, but so was the tael bottle! Sure signs of neglect in the kitchen, after weeks of running around, I realised. Perhaps, it was time to go shopping and I decided on the neighbourhood departmental store.
There, I found interesting things in each section; there were new products, unusual combos, and attractive offers. Suddenly, I noticed that a young man, standing a few feet away, was quickly pocketing an item that he picked up from the shelf. The floor supervisor was in the vicinity, but he was looking elsewhere.
"Should I alert the supervisor, or advise the young man... against shoplifting?" I wondered. But, as providence would have it, the culprit vanished faster than I could get the supervisor's attention.
Returning home with a heavy shopping bag, I found that my mind was heavier after what I had seen in the store. I kept asking myself if shoplifting is the bane of retail that needs to be battled with. Send in your thoughts by Friday.


More

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home