How a Global Home Improvement Retailer Reduced Shrink Without Slowing Down the Store

A global home improvement retailer needed a better way to secure high-risk products across large store formats—without slowing down operations or impacting the customer experience.

By upgrading to a connected security approach, they significantly reduced shrink while improving efficiency for store associates.

The Problem: When Security Starts Slowing Everything Down

With large store layouts and a wide range of product types, the retailer faced ongoing challenges:

• High-theft products across multiple categories
• Ineffective magnet-based security solutions
• Time-consuming processes for associates
• Limited control and visibility over product access

Traditional approaches made it difficult to balance security, accessibility, and operational efficiency.

The Solution: Matching the Right Security to Every Product

The retailer transitioned from traditional magnet-based solutions to a more advanced, connected approach using InVue technology. This approach allowed the retailer to match the right security to each product type while simplifying how associates access and manage products across the store.

For boxed tools and packaged merchandise that are easy to grab but difficult to secure, Package Wraps provide a flexible, tamper-resistant solution that keeps products protected without removing them from the sales floor.

Designed to deter common theft methods—including magnet-based tampering—these wraps allow products to remain fully visible and merchandised, while adding a strong layer of security directly at the product level.

Additional benefits include:

• Magnet-resistant locking to prevent common bypass methods
• Flexible application across a wide range of boxed products and sizes
• Quick application and removal for faster associate workflows
• Shelf-ready design that maintains product visibility and presentation

As part of the OneKEY ecosystem, Package Wraps integrate into the same access system used across the store—allowing associates to unlock merchandise quickly and consistently, while maintaining full control and visibility over access activity.

For small, high-risk items that are easy to conceal and frequently targeted, IR Safers provide full-enclosure protection while keeping products visible and merchandised on the sales floor.

Rather than moving items behind counters or into locked cabinets, Safers allow retailers to maintain open displays—ensuring customers can still see and select products—while preventing in-store removal until checkout.

Additional benefits include:

• Full enclosure design to prevent grab-and-conceal theft
• Clear casing that keeps products visible and easy to shop
• Controlled removal at checkout for secure, streamlined purchasing
• Flexible use across small hardware, accessories, and high-theft items

By standardizing how these items are secured and accessed, IR Safers help stores maintain consistent control across high-risk categories—without adding friction for associates or customers.

Safers are also part of the OneKEY ecosystem, allowing associates to unlock them using the same key as Package Wraps. With role-based access, only the right employees can access secured products—eliminating the need for shared or exposed codes.

For high-value tools and merchandise that customers need to pick up, handle, and experience, IR Cable Locks provide strong, alarmed security without limiting interaction on the sales floor.

Instead of locking products behind cabinets, cable locks secure items directly to fixtures—allowing customers to freely engage with products while maintaining a visible and effective theft deterrent.

Additional benefits include:

• Alarmed protection to deter tampering and unauthorized removal
• Flexible tethering that supports a wide range of product types and sizes
• Minimal interference with the product, preserving the shopping experience
• Quick application and removal to support fast associate workflows

By enabling secure, hands-on interaction, IR Cable Locks help retailers protect high-value merchandise while keeping products accessible and ready to sell.

Cable Lock Anchors are also part of the OneKEY ecosystem, allowing associates to use the same key used for Package Wraps and Safers. Allowing security to be tailored to each product—while keeping access consistent, centralized, and easy to manage.

As the solution was rolled out, store teams quickly saw improvements in speed, control, and ease of use

The Results: What Happens When Security and Access Finally Work Together

By integrating these solutions into their loss prevention strategy, the retailer achieved:

• Shrink reduced to below 1% of total sales (lowest in company history)
• Faster, more efficient access for store associates
• Improved protection against both internal and external theft
• Stronger operational consistency across stores

The updated approach delivered measurable improvements in both loss prevention and day-to-day store operations.

Different products require different security approaches—but they should all work together.

By moving away from one-size-fits-all solutions and adopting a connected system, the retailer was able to:

• Reduce shrink
• Improve associate efficiency
• Maintain product accessibility
• Strengthen control across the entire store

Want to learn more about security solutions for Home Improvement Stores? Click Here.

If you’d like to learn more about the secuirty solutions InVue has for your Home Improvement store, contact us today.



This case study reflects a real customer implementation. Certain details have been generalized to respect privacy.