As Shoppers Show Fear of Retail Parking Lots at Night, Is This a Fixable Problem?

When we discuss problems facing consumers, brands, and retailers today, safety concerns often take a backseat — and if they are discussed, online scams, skimmed credit cards, and in-store threats usually take precedence.

However, according to recent data from LiveView Technologies (LVT), nearly half of Americans (46%) — including a majority (52%) of women, and 41% of men — feel unsafe in large, open-air retail parking lots after dark.

“Men and women alike are concerned about their safety in parking lots, especially after dark, which could impact overall store foot traffic and sales,” said Matt Kelley, SVP of Business and Market Development at LVT.

Among the statistical findings produced by the LVT/Harris survey:

• Fear isn’t restricted to nighttime in retail parking lots: Even during the day, one-quarter of women (25%) and 17% of men indicated they felt unsafe in retail parking lots even during the day.
• Generations exhibited different degrees of anxiety: The results showed a bit of bookending here, with the number Gen Z respondents saying they felt unsafe while visiting retail parking lots after dark (49%) with baby boomers (53%) than the slightly lower numbers provided by millennials (40%) and members of Gen X (44%). Concerning daytime safety, perhaps surprisingly Gen Z exhibited the most anxiety over retail parking lots (30%), with all other age cohorts coming in at 19%.
• Feelings of being unsafe also show geographical difference: Residents of the Midwest exhibited the greatest uncertainty about being in a retail parking lot at night (52%), followed by the South (47%), Northeast (43%), and West (42%).
• Security cameras can help, at least to some degree: More than three-quarters of respondents (77%) indicated that they were “more likely to be mindful of their own actions and behave responsibly” if security cameras were notably present. However, a more critical view of this data might suggest it’s possible that those who might engage in theft or violence in retail parking lots after dark may not be adequately represented in polling.

Speaking of solutions, Kelley offered a few remarks on that subject:

“Retailers can better secure parking lots and increase the sense of safety by ensuring optimal lighting, establishing visibility with human guards or through video security solutions, and offering assistance to customers who may appreciate a store associate accompanying them to their vehicle. Proactive communication around a store’s safety efforts can help alleviate shopper fears around safety at all hours,” he said.

Other tips offered by Consumer Reports on the subject of staying safe in retailers’ parking lots included: being choosy about where you park, preferring populated and well-lit areas; removing items from view that could incite theft and locking your vehicle; being totally aware of your surroundings, and not keeping your attention on your smartphone while walking to and from your car; refraining from dallying and walking with purpose with your keys in hand; and to always assume you are being watched, with that same phone at the ready to dial 911 in case of emergency, among others.