>don't inflate the prices everyone else has to pay to offset the cost of "external shrinkage" In most cases (and almost always at stores with automated checkou

>don't inflate the prices everyone else has to pay to offset the cost of "external shrinkage" In most cases (and almost always at stores with automated checkouts), the retailer is already charging the most they think they can to make the most profit. It's just supply and demand, the higher the price, the less people will buy it (and vice versa), so the retailer will almost always charge the price such that the number of people that will buy it times the price of the item is the highest. (This is ignoring loss leaders, etc). If shoplifting were to suddenly stop overnight, do you think the stores would lower their prices? (not saying that makes shoplifting okay)