If you’ve read my LP Magazine article “Ending the Retail Defense Paradigm,” you know I’m not one to sugarcoat what’s happening in our industry.
Retail loss prevention has reached an inflection point. The threats are more complex. The pace is faster. And what worked five years ago simply doesn’t work anymore.
But here’s the good news: many retailers aren’t just reacting—they’re realigning. They’re unifying teams, especially fraud and asset protection, under one strategy. And it’s working.
In fact, a recent LPRC Fraud Working Group survey found that 38 percent of fraud teams now report into AP leadership—a sharp rise from just two years ago. That’s not just a statistic; it’s a sign that more companies are beginning to treat protection as a business function, not a siloed department.
Why Unified Teams Work Better
For a long time, fraud teams—especially in e-commerce—and asset protection teams—primarily in-store—operated in separate lanes, with different reporting structures and protection strategies. These hierarchies were built before the rise of omnichannel commerce, which gave customers many new ways to shop. As omnichannel evolved, those divisions created blind spots and competing priorities.
A return fraud scheme might show up in-store—but its roots could begin online. A policy abuse pattern might go unnoticed by LP because it’s being tracked by a separate fraud operations team buried in digital.
But when AP and fraud teams are part of the same reporting structure, they share intel efficiently, connect the dots across channels, act faster, and stop more loss. Plain and simple.
What Unified Teams Make Possible
| Benefit | Real-Life Impact |
|---|---|
| Lower Shrink, Better Detection | When teams share data across fraud and LP, patterns emerge faster—such as repeat offenders using multiple tactics. |
| Safer Stores & Teams | Aligned strategies, training, and tools help everyone respond more quickly. |
| Proactive Risk Management | Machine learning + cross-functional review = quicker identification of complex, cross-channel theft and fraud patterns. |
| Stronger Team Culture | Shared goals and clear roles create ownership, reduce confusion, and prevent burnout. |
| Better Legal Outcomes | Centralized case management means tighter evidence, smoother handoffs, and better coordination with law enforcement. |
None of this requires blowing up your org chart—but it does require intentional leadership alignment and a commitment to breaking down walls that no longer serve the business.
Building a Unified Team
Here are a few practical moves retailers are already making:
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Rework the reporting structure.
More fraud teams are moving under AP leadership—and it’s giving everyone clearer direction and stronger results. -
Get people in the same room.
Regular cross-functional standups between fraud, AP, operations, and payments teams create space for shared problem solving. -
Build a “one team” culture.
Start recognizing wins across teams. Celebrate when data, tech, and people come together to impact loss. It reinforces the mindset shift.
Where We’re Headed
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The future of retail protection is collaborative—it has to be.
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The line between digital and physical loss is gone.
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ORC doesn’t care whether your teams sit in different buildings or report to different VPs. They’re coordinated.
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Each year, more retailers are taking steps to unify—slowly, deliberately, and in ways that fit their structure.
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This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about evolving.
Final Thoughts
If you’re reading this and thinking, “We’re not there yet,” that’s okay. Plenty of retailers are still figuring it out. The important part is recognizing where things are headed—and starting the conversation.
Because when fraud and AP teams align, something powerful happens: losses go down, morale goes up, and the organization becomes more resilient to whatever comes next.
Unified teams aren’t a trend. They’re the future of protecting your people, your customers, your assets, and your profit.
