MOMMY BLOGGER
Shopper Beware K I M B ER LY R A E M I L L ER WR IT E R
The importance of creating a sense of security for shoppers I am not someone who generally feels unsafe in the world. I leave my purse in the car more often than I should and let my kids strike up conversations with strangers as long as I’m in earshot. I have always believed that the world was made up of mostly good people, with a few bad apples thrown in for variety. But the world doesn’t feel as safe these days as it once did. Maybe it’s the economy, the aftermath of the pandemic, the tribalism of American politics, or maybe it’s always been this way and I didn’t realize it. Still, even in the quintessential Americana-esque town where I raise my family I have begun to question how safe I am walking through parking lots and roaming supermarket aisles. Last February, a woman I know from our day care was held up at gunpoint in a parking lot shared by a Whole Foods, Target, and craft store. It’s a shopping center I regularly frequent, as do all the other moms in my area. At 2:30 in the afternoon, she was attacked while she buckled her two-year-old in their car seat. She thought faster than I would have, scaring the attacker off by pressing the panic button on her keys. Afterward, she took to a local Facebook group to share her story. People accused her of fearmongering until the incident and video from the parking lot surveillance was aired on the news.
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That’s not the only story that has circulated among women I know in real life, women I trust, of being followed down supermarket aisles or to their car, only to have their suspicions confirmed by store management and local authorities. A quick Google search turned up oodles of recent news reports of moms with young children being targeted in parking lots all over the country. Moms with little ones are easy targets. Our hands are full. Our attention is scattered. And our instinct is to protect our kids above all else. People don’t always believe women when we say we’re scared. Worries are often dismissed as neurosis, but at the same time, we’re told to always be on guard and able to protect ourselves. This juxtaposition often leaves
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us questioning our instincts when we feel unsafe. But fear is a powerful emotion; it changes behavior and routines. I don’t go to that Whole Foods or Target anymore if my husband isn’t with me. If I need groceries and I’m home alone with the kids, I’m much more likely to order online for pickup or delivery. You can’t necessarily control the bad apples that find their way to your store, but you can ensure that shoppers know they’re safe when they’re there. Having visible security cameras, security guards, and people out and about in parking areas or to greet shoppers throughout the store goes a long way toward making us feel comfortable. Be transparent about your efforts to keep shoppers safe. ■