January 16, 2025

Is Locking Up Products Hurting Sales? Walgreens Says It Sure Does!

Today Walgreens reports that locking up products is hurting their sales. Is anyone surprised? I’m not! As you know Walmart started the trend of locking up a variety of products to deter shoplifters from stealing them and later on were allegedly sued because of it.

Soon after the pandemic ended and lockdown was lifted we saw more and more stores doing the same. Walmart, Target, Walgreens, everyone was locking up a selection of products like deodorant, toothpaste, body lotions, skincare, and more. I always found it rather ironic that they’d lock up the more random items and the entire four or more aisles of makeup never had a lock in place at any of my stores. I guess everyday essentials are more popular with shoplifters.

I’m sure they’re stores are losing a lot less money now that these items are locked up but I fully expected them lose more from the average, everyday customer who had little to not patience to browse items that were locked behind plexiglas. And let’s not forget having to actually wait for someone to come and unlock the case…! That’s a whole other drama. I dunno how your stores are but I literally have to wait 10 minutes or longer to get toothpaste. Once it was as long as twenty minutes at Target. I never went back to that particular Target because time is something you can never get back. Use it wisely and waiting for toothpaste for twenty minutes is not a wise use of your time.

Back in November I know Walmart was playing with the idea of allowing customers to unlock cases with their cell phone. I personally never saw that option available at my stores. I do know that I’m one of the customers that just isn’t interested in shopping at a store where a majority of what I need is under lock and key. I either go to a different store or buy it online.

Apparently, Walgreens reported an operating loss of $245 million for the quarter in comparison to $39 million for the same quarter one year earlier. Granted, this isn’t all loss due to locked up products but that’s a major loss and could account for the reason Walgreens has plans to close hundreds of stores this year.

It just doesn’t surprise me that locking products up would result in loss sales and I don’t understand how retailers didn’t think that would be an issue. Consumers want to experience of shopping and that means touching an item, maybe even stealing a little sniff of the shampoo they want to buy, or reading the back of the label. That’s impossible to do with products locked up. Not to mention people who work at these stores are already super busy! Having them race around trying to unlock cases plus do a million other things is crazy. Is it any wonder stores are losing sales because of this?

What do you think of the current lockdown situation in stores? I personally hate it.

You may also enjoy

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  • Kimkats

    I detest it. I understand the need to reduce shoplifting but there’s never anyone around to unlock the damn cases! I’m not scouring the store to find someone with a key, so, like you, I’ll just go where they don’t have a lockup or order it online.
    Locking up items is not the way to go – I suspect they’ve lost more in sales than they did to shoplifting.

    • Isabella Muse

      i hate it too. We have little buttons to ring for someone but you can be there ten or more minutes waiting and when you look around no one is there to open it. It’s a chore. I don’t have the time to wait around like that.

  • Lydia Jones

    I feel the SAME way about Ulta. Especially, when trying to sample fragrances!!

    • Isabella Muse

      wait, you ulta has locked up products? or do you mean the ulta at target? Mine aren’t locked down yet gasp!

  • CL

    I haven’t seen a lot of that, but I haven’t been to Walgreen’s in a long time. My CVS is still locking up razor-related items, but they’ve been doing that since before the pandemic. When CVS came to town, it was in hot competition with Walgreen’s, and I ended up going to CVS a lot more often, I think because the layout of the store was a lot more inviting than the dollar-store aura of Walgreen’s. I might check out Walgreen’s again soon to see if they ever did change in a positive direction.

  • Kristine Jackson

    Maybe if the shoplifters get prosecuted shoplifting would stop. We all have seen on the news people walking out of a store with merchandise and they don’t get arrested. Stop locking up merchandise and start arresting people.

  • Powell

    I hate products being locked up, but on the other hand I get why they do it. Drugstores, retailers, and grocery stores don’t hire security or enough security, don’t employ the best security solutions, and our governments don’t change the laws for the times we are in. Any dollar amount of theft should have severe penalties and consequences. I don’t feel like retailers, law enforcement, and governments are working together to solve these issues. Nothing will change if they don’t see that they also need to change.

    • Isabella Muse

      I agree with you 100%. New York does nothing to those who shoplift and it continues to be a major problem here :-/

  • MelodyJ

    A grocery store in the area has deodorant locked up in individual lock boxes you take up to the cash register. I emptied my basket. The cashier struggled to open the lock box. She had to call another cashier to how who also struggled. But finally got it opened. I was thinking how did we get here. as a society? So many low-cost items are being locked up. I feel there are bigger issues at play.