Retail employee theft: When retail security alone is not enough

Abstract

AbstractRetailers and local governments lose revenue, and inevitably consumers pay higher prices due to theft. In 2018, the amount lost to employee theft per incident was $1361. This is in comparison to the amount per incident lost to shoplifting of $302. Despite this difference, the scholarly attention in marketing on retail employee theft is sparse. The current study aims to fill this gap. The framework developed and tested is based on routine activity theory, the theory of reasoned action and findings from the retailing and management literature. Data were collected from a national sample of 665 retail employees. The framework simultaneously examines the influence of attitudes, antecedents, and social norms regarding stealing on employee intentions to steal and the influence of a moral compass and organizational commitment on attitudes toward stealing and intentions to steal. Results indicate that attitudes toward stealing are driven by the availability of suitable targets, the absence of guardianship, and a moral compass. Behavioral intentions to steal are influenced by attitudes toward stealing, suitable targets (but indirectly), and the employee's level of employment.