I work for eBay. Businesses need Congress’s help to fight the scourge of retail crime

Fox News - Apr 25th, 2025

Retailers across the United States are grappling with a surge in organized retail crime (ORC), which has nearly doubled since 2019, leading to significant financial losses and increased security costs. In response, businesses are implementing measures such as plastic lockers and reduced store hours, though these solutions often inconvenience consumers and contribute to rising prices. To effectively combat this issue, a collaborative effort is required, involving retailers, law enforcement, and online marketplaces like eBay. eBay's initiative, Partnering with Retailers Offensively Against Crime and Theft (PROACT), has been instrumental in preventing significant thefts, highlighting the need for coordinated action.

The proposed Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA), introduced by Senators Chuck Grassley and Catherine Cortez Masto, aims to enhance legal tools for law enforcement and establish a federal coordination center to address ORC. The legislation seeks to facilitate cooperation between governmental bodies and private industries, ensuring a unified response to the growing threat. This initiative underscores the importance of legislative support and public-private partnerships in reducing retail crime and stabilizing consumer prices, emphasizing the broader societal implications of unchecked theft and security challenges.

E Bay Consumer Prices Organized Retail Crime (Orc) Retail Theft Senator Chuck Grassley Senator Catherine Cortez Masto Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (Corca) Retail Security

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RATING

6.4

Moderately Fair

Read with skepticism

The article provides a timely and relevant discussion on the issue of organized retail crime, highlighting its impact on retailers and consumers. It effectively uses specific data points to illustrate the problem's scope and advocates for collaborative solutions involving retailers, law enforcement, and legislators. However, the article could benefit from greater transparency in sourcing and a more balanced presentation of perspectives.

While the narrative is clear and accessible, the focus on retailer perspectives may limit the article's engagement potential and depth of analysis. Including more diverse viewpoints and detailed explanations of legislative efforts could enhance the article's comprehensiveness and impact. Overall, the article serves as a useful introduction to the topic but could be strengthened by addressing potential biases and providing a more nuanced exploration of the issue.

Accuracy

The article presents several factual claims, such as a 93% increase in shoplifting incidents and a 90% increase in dollar loss due to shoplifting, as reported by the National Retail Federation. These figures are specific and appear to be sourced from credible industry reports, which adds to their verifiability. However, the article does not provide direct access to these sources, which limits the ability to independently verify these claims.

The story also mentions eBay's PROACT initiative, stating it helped prevent $50 million in theft at CVS locations in 2023. This claim is specific and measurable but lacks detailed evidence or external verification to confirm its accuracy. Additionally, the mention of the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA) is accurate in terms of its introduction by Senators Grassley and Cortez Masto, yet the article does not provide detailed information about the bill's provisions or its current legislative status.

Overall, while the article contains specific and seemingly credible data points, the lack of direct citations or links to the original data sources limits the ability to fully assess its factual accuracy.

Balance

The article primarily presents the perspective of retailers and e-commerce platforms like eBay, emphasizing the challenges they face due to organized retail crime. This focus may lead to an imbalance, as it does not sufficiently explore the perspectives of other stakeholders, such as consumers, law enforcement, or legislators, beyond mentioning the introduction of the CORCA bill.

While the article does mention the need for collaboration between different parties to address organized retail crime, it does not delve into potential criticisms or alternative viewpoints regarding the effectiveness of current measures or proposed legislation. This lack of diverse perspectives can result in a one-sided narrative that predominantly supports the interests of retailers and e-commerce platforms.

Clarity

The article is well-structured and presents its points in a logical manner, making it easy for readers to follow the narrative. The language is straightforward and free of jargon, which aids in comprehension for a general audience. The tone is neutral and informative, focusing on the issue of organized retail crime without sensationalism.

Each section of the article builds on the previous one, creating a cohesive argument that highlights the problem's scope and the need for collaborative solutions. However, the inclusion of more varied perspectives could enhance the article's depth and clarity by providing a more nuanced understanding of the issue.

Source quality

The article relies on data from the National Retail Federation and mentions initiatives by eBay, which are credible sources within the retail industry. However, the lack of direct citations or links to these sources limits the ability to assess their reliability fully. Additionally, the article does not incorporate a variety of sources or perspectives, such as independent experts or consumer advocacy groups, which could provide a more comprehensive view of the issue.

The primary source of authority in the article is eBay, represented by Christian Hardman, which could introduce a potential conflict of interest, as the company has a vested interest in combating organized retail crime. This reliance on a single perspective may affect the impartiality of the reporting.

Transparency

The article provides a clear narrative about the challenges of organized retail crime and the efforts to combat it, but it lacks transparency in terms of data sourcing and methodology. While it cites figures from the National Retail Federation, it does not provide direct access to these reports or explain how the data was collected or analyzed.

The article also does not disclose potential conflicts of interest, such as eBay's vested interest in the issue, which could impact the impartiality of the claims made. Greater transparency regarding the basis of claims and potential biases would enhance the article's credibility.