Customer frustration with locked-up cases may driving a rise in online sales of 'essentials'
Big-box stores like Walmart and Target are keeping a growing range of items locked up in plexiglass cases, but it might be costing them more in business than they would have lost to sticky fingers if their goods were more accessible. Francisco Velasquez at Quartz says sales figures strongly suggest that customer frustration with the extra security is "playing into Amazon's hands." He notes that a study from market research firm Numerator found that almost a quarter of shoppers abandon their purchases when the products they want are locked up and they have to find an employee to open a case -- and those customers are more likely to turn to online shopping.