Loss Prevention Interview Questions in United States

"As a loss prevention associate, it's your job to keep an eye on customers and ensure that theft does not occur in your store. Employers are looking for candidates with strong customer service skills and a close attention to detail in order to detect any attempts of shoplifting. In an interview, you can expect a lot of situational questions that will test your ability to evaluate behavior, make difficult calls on the job, effectively interrogate suspects, and properly apprehend shoplifters."

1,131 Loss Prevention interview questions shared by candidates

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Cub Foods
Loss Prevention was asked...April 15, 2009

What would you do if a store associate approached you and informed you that they just witnessed a customer conceal an expensive item into their coat pocket?

2 Answers

I would “kill the customer with kindness:” Give the customer my full attention and bog them down with customer service questions and repeatedly ask if there is anything I can do to help them. This often makes the thief nervous and can dissuade them from stealing. If it turns out the customer didn’t steal anything and the associate was wrong, this technique won’t have caused any harm to the customer or negatively influenced their experience. Less

You let it go!! You cannot make an apprehension on the word of anybody else!

Walmart

Give the 5 steps prior to detaining a shoplifter.

2 Answers

Observe shoplifter enter the building, observe shoplifter conceal, continuos observation, observe shoplifter walk passed POS, apprehend Less

1-Look for signs, 2- Watch shoplifter,3- wait for them to exist,4- calmly approach the shoplifter and 5- retrieve the merchandise Less

Nordstrom

Has there ever been a time where you witnessed a fellow employee find money on the ground and kept it for themselves rather than turning it in to lost and found or human resource? If so, please explain how you would approach the employee and ask them about the money.

1 Answers

I said I have never witnessed a fellow work associate find money on the floor or ground and kept it to themselves. Less

Kohl's

Man walks into the store with an empty backpack. He grabs several items and you lose sight of him. The next time you see him he is exiting the store with a bulging backpack and the cashiers say he didn't ever make a purchase, what do you do?

8 Answers

You cannot make a stop based upon the fact that you are missing several elements of the assumed theft. He could have easily ditched the merchandise while he was not in sight of the officer. Stopping a suspected SL based upon this scenario is absurd and may have potential legal ramifications. Less

Sadly, you have to let the individual leave the store you cant stop him with knowing(by actually seeing the event) he has stolen property. Also it wouldnt be considered stolen unless he left the store and got to a certain part of the parking lot which every store is different Less

Always remember to follow the six steps. Unless you observed him attempting to conceal items and head past the Point of Sale towards the exit, you have no legal cause for stopping him. Even asking him to empty his backpack is a sticky legal situation. He has his fourth amendment rights, even on private property. If at any time he feels he was detained (IE You standing between him and the exit, or he is surrounded by employees) it could attempt to press charges of Unlawful Detainment. Detainment is often associated with force, such as handcuffs or holds, but it is as simple as inhibiting some ones ability to exit. Less

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Ritz-Carlton

train travelling from the east to north, where is the smokes going?

4 Answers

the smoke is going to the east cos smokes moves opposite direction

the smokes they will go back to the east

East us the correct answer

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Marriott International

Are you willing To work in a 365 , 24-7, 12 hour shift environment?

4 Answers

Yes

Yes

Hard work pay

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Kohl's

The most difficult question asked was had I ever made a non productive stop, for every LP this is a difficult thing to talk about.

3 Answers

I'd have simply said something like, "Yes, but only for a bathroom break".

Or, if you don't suck at your job, your answer would be "No".

Answered the question and explained what I did wrong and what I learned from it.

Macy's

Stated above, nothing too hard. Don't over think it.

3 Answers

Ill answer some for those that are nervous or unaware. 1) I told them I was a regular shopper at macy's and everyone I know shops there aswell. I always wanted to work there and when I saw an open position I quickly applied. 2) I told them every job I had (which are mostly retail) required some form of loss prevention; which consisted of price accuracy, taking merchandise to the register for customers to deter shop lifters because if they know you are trying to assist them they will become too afraid to try something, inventory audits which required inventory counts which is a form a loss prevention, and etc. - But as good as those thing sound, keep in mind you do not do any of that there, just catch shoplifters. 3) Suspicious behavior looks like customers paying more attention to their surroundings rather than merchandise, hiding behind large objects, noticing cameras and paying with multiple gift cards. 4) I recommend your strength be, "honesty and reliability". I said something that I cant remember but Im sure it was a good strength for a sales person. I say honest and reliable because that's what the manger said they are looking for duh. My weakness was I think "improving my flaws" because everyone makes mistakes. 5) There was one question that threw me off, I think it was "name a time where an employee did something unethical and what did you do". I could not think of anything, but my answer was staying too long on breaks and asking the coworker to change his/her behavior, then go to the manager if it did not change. I could of said stealing, but I have never seen an employee steal so I didn't want to put my foot in my mouth by lying on such a simple question. If you don't know then state what you would do on something that I just stated. 6) One of the most important, is "what do you think the job consists of". Answer to that question is obviously Loss Prevention. Video monitoring customers and employees, physically escorting them to the back when caught shoplifting, filling out paper works on a daily basis and dressing in casual clothing and being eyes on the floor. Being able to come to the store after hours when the alarm goes off and whomever lives closest will most likely go there. 7) Last thing- What I believe that made me stand out was the fact I knew about the position, and there was one thing the manger said and that was being able to bring something to the team aswell as new ideas. I responded by saying I believe Im the best person for the position and one of my ideas would be to move the most expensive and commonly stolen items to an area relatively far from the exit or entrance below a camera that would give Loss Prevention the ability to accurately monitor, witness theft and quickly move to apprehend them without getting in the way of other guests because it is important to uphold Macy's reputation as a great and safe place to shop. (Say something like that and you more than likely got the job) Less

Quick question. My friend thought it was funny to give me a marijuana edible without my consent and I need to know if they do a urine drug test and if they do, do they go in with you at the clinic Less

Quick question. My friend thought it was funny to give me a marijuana edible without my consent and I need to know if they do a urine drug test and if they do, do they go in with you at the clinic Less

Shopko Optical

Describe a situation when you let your manager down.

2 Answers

The point of a question like this is not to "make a negative sound positive" like "I am sometimes too committed to my job." The point of a question like this is to determine how you better yourself after making a mistake, to show you learn. So whatever you did, just show growth from the situation. Less

Use examples that make it seem as though the task was challenging but there wasn't enough time to complete it. Don't make other excuses unless they are good ones. Talk about how you felt knowing that you let the manager down. Less

Family Dollar Stores

They asked about my experience with inventory shortage and involvement with internal theft cases.

2 Answers

Yes at the 1355 S Sheridan Store Back in 2007

I spoke about my historical results.

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