Modern network video systems, when thoughtfully deployed, can deliver both a frictionless in store experience and robust protection
As luxury retail evolves to meet the expectations of younger and digital savvy consumers, combining sustainability, refined customer experience, and effective protection of high value assets has become a core priority.
Rising retail crime is adding further pressure. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), US retailers saw an 18 percent increase in shoplifting incidents in 2024 compared with 2023, while “threats or acts of violence tied to shoplifting or theft events increased by 17 percent year over year.”
Retail shrinkage, which includes theft, fraud, and operational errors, also remains significant. Industry reports estimate that shrink continues to cost the retail sector “close to $100 billion” annually, highlighting the scale of financial impact.
Retailers are responding with increased investment in modern surveillance. Grand View Research valued the global video surveillance market at USD 73.75 billion in 2024, with expectations it will nearly double by 2030.
But gaps remain in proper implementation. The global video analytics market, estimated at USD 10.25 billion in 2024, is projected to grow quickly but current retail adoption remains low. The ECR Retail Loss Group found only 7 percent of retailers use video analytics today.
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recent blog by Axis Communications notes that modern network video systems, when thoughtfully deployed, can deliver both a frictionless in store experience and robust protection. For security integrators and consultants, the analysis reinforces that the future of retail security lies in systems that provide actionable insights, enhance operations, support privacy, and align with sustainability goals as retailers adapt to shifting consumer expectations and rising risks.
From retail display to data driven security
According to the blog, the journey for a luxury customer often begins online, yet the physical retail environment remains a vital touchpoint for brand experience.
At the store front, analytics enabled cameras monitor the “display window,” helping retailers “understand the accumulation of potential shoppers at the store window” and use people counting data to gauge how visual merchandising impacts footfall.
Once customers enter the store, a network video system can support a wide range of use cases. These include optimizing the store layout, measuring dwell time at displays or checkout, and triggering dynamic in store experiences such as personalized digital signage.
For physical security professionals, this signals a shift. Video surveillance is no longer restricted to loss prevention. It is becoming a tool of operational intelligence and a sensor layer that feeds analytics and business insight, not just stored footage.
Discreet protection meets brand experience
A key challenge for luxury retailers is balancing security needs with maintaining an upscale and unobtrusive environment. High value stock demands vigilant protection, but the visual aesthetic and customer comfort must remain uncompromised.
Modern network cameras can meet this need because discreet cameras can be given a customized coating if required and can be integrated into light fittings or architectural elements.
During opening hours, these cameras combined with analytics support operations such as people counting, customer flow management, and targeted promotional triggers.
Outside business hours, or in minimally staffed settings, the same infrastructure provides 24 hour protection. High resolution video capable of delivering clear images in daylight and at night enables reliable detection of loitering, intrusion, or other suspicious activity.
For integrators, this underscores an important shift. Surveillance design cannot treat cameras as generic mounted devices. Instead, it must consider placement, discretion, integration with store architecture, and dual use for both business analytics and traditional security.
Privacy, compliance and consumer expectations
The blog highlights growing consumer concerns around privacy. Even as retailers seek to collect behavioral data, they must do so in ways that preserve anonymity and build trust.
One approach is the use of real time masking that can blur out human faces in video analytics. Capabilities such as masking, combined with on device analytics or local data processing, help retail operators respect privacy expectations and comply with regulations. For security integrators, privacy aware configuration must become a standard part of system design and commissioning.
Integration and return on investment
One of the article’s key messages is that when video systems and analytics are integrated into a unified Video Management System, they deliver more than security. They deliver business intelligence, operational efficiency, and improved return on investment.
The blog explains that:
“Through a seamless integration of advanced camera technology with AI-driven analytics, embedded in a single VMS platform, luxury retailers can reduce loss while gaining deeper operational and client insights.”
Since analytics can run directly on the camera, this approach is often “easily integrated into an existing system” and minimizes disruption while reducing the need for extensive new infrastructure.
For security integrators, this creates a compelling value proposition. The total cost of ownership is defined not only by hardware and monitoring, but by the long term value of intelligence driven operations, reduced shrinkage, and better customer experience.
Sustainability and long term strategy
A central theme of the blog is that security and sustainability are increasingly interconnected. For luxury brands that prioritize environmental responsibility, selecting a “network camera vendor that they can trust, and that has an alignment in values” is essential.
This aligns with broader sustainability trends across the industry. In a related post, Axis emphasizes “green design and circular economy” principles, including product longevity, repairability, recycling, and the reduction of hazardous substances.
For integrators, these themes reinforce the importance of lifecycle thinking. Surveillance solutions should be evaluated for energy consumption, maintenance requirements, long term reliability, and end of life recyclability. Cameras that require fewer devices to cover a given area, support local analytics, or integrate with other smart systems can reduce operational footprints while maintaining high security performance.
As sustainability expectations rise and regulations evolve, integrators who prioritize environmentally responsible system design will be better positioned for future projects in the retail sector.
Implications for physical security system integrators
Key takeaways for integrators and consultants include:
- Design for dual use. Surveillance should support both security and operational analytics, with attention to camera placement, discretion, and alignment with store layout.
- Adopt edge analytics and unified VMS platforms. Running analytics on camera and consolidating management through a single interface provides scalability and reduces infrastructure complexity.
- Prioritize privacy. tools such as face blurring and local data processing help retailers meet customer expectations and regulatory requirements.
- Consider sustainability throughout the lifecycle. Evaluate solutions based on longevity, energy use, maintainability, and environmental impact.
- Frame security as a business value driver. Integrators can present modern video systems as tools that improve loss prevention, operational performance, and customer experience.
The future of retail security
The luxury retail sector is undergoing a strategic shift. As younger consumers place more value on sustainability and experience, retailers must rethink how stores operate, how assets are protected, and how consumer trust is maintained. Security systems are now part of core retail infrastructure and must contribute to both safety and operational intelligence.
As the blog notes, retailers that combine “durable and reliable cameras with effective analytics” can “improve operational efficiency, loss prevention and security … and optimize the customer experience by taking actions on analytical insights.”
For physical security integrators, the message is clear. The future of retail security is holistic. It is intelligent, sustainable, customer centric, and deeply integrated with operations. Integrators who embrace this direction will be essential partners to retailers navigating the next phase of in store transformation.