3rd Degree Screening

Retail

Background Checks for Retail Businesses That Protect Your Inventory, Your Customers, and Your Bottom Line

Screen every sales associate, store manager, loss prevention officer, and back office employee with a process built for the high-turnover reality and theft exposure of retail hiring.

Confident retail professional in olive shirt and apron with cobalt and crimson brand circles behind him
PBSA-accredited screening

Independently audited

For compliance & accuracy

PBSA

PBSA Accredited

Background Screening Association

FCRA

FCRA Certified Staff

Fair Credit Reporting Act

US Based

100% US-Based

Support and Operations

Licensed PI Agency

Licensed Private Investigative Agency

State-Licensed & Bonded

Why it matters

Retail Shrink Starts Before the First Shift.

Retail businesses lose billions of dollars annually to employee theft, and the hiring process is the first and most effective line of defense. An employee with an undisclosed theft or fraud conviction doesn't become a risk on the job. They were a risk before you handed them a name tag.

Beyond internal theft, retail hiring carries customer-facing trust obligations that are easy to underestimate. Your associates handle customer payment data, assist shoppers in fitting rooms and private spaces, and in some formats enter customer homes for delivery or installation services. The reputational damage from a single serious incident involving an inadequately screened employee can outpace years of brand investment.

And in an industry where annual turnover routinely exceeds 60%, the pressure to fill open roles fast creates a constant temptation to treat screening as optional. It isn't.

At 3rd Degree Screening, we help retail businesses:

Screen store associates, managers, loss prevention, and back office staff under one consistent compliant workflow
Catch theft, fraud, and criminal history flags before they reach your floor or your stockroom
Run credit checks for managers and staff handling cash, financials, or high-value inventory
Verify employment history for supervisory and management hires
Handle the volume and pace of retail hiring without sacrificing screening standards

Screening Packages

Our Retail Screening Packages

Store Management & Supervisors

Store Managers, Assistant Managers & Department Leads

  • Legal Name and Maiden/Alias
  • Identity Verification
  • Social Security Trace
  • USA Arrest Booking
  • Nationwide Criminal Database
  • Global Watch Lists
  • Nationwide County Criminal Record Check - Unlimited
  • Federal Criminal Nationwide Search
  • Employment Verification
  • Credit Check
  • *Possible 3rd Party Fees

Sales Associates & Customer-Facing Staff

Sales Associates, Cashiers & Customer Service Representatives

  • Legal Name and Maiden/Alias
  • Identity Verification
  • Social Security Trace
  • USA Arrest Booking
  • Nationwide Criminal Database
  • Global Watch Lists
  • Nationwide County Criminal Record Check - Unlimited
  • Federal Criminal Nationwide Search
  • Employment Verification
  • *Possible 3rd Party Fees

Loss Prevention & Security

Loss Prevention Officers, Security Staff & Asset Protection

  • Legal Name and Maiden/Alias
  • Identity Verification
  • Social Security Trace
  • USA Arrest Booking
  • Nationwide Criminal Database
  • Global Watch Lists
  • Nationwide County Criminal Record Check - Unlimited
  • Federal Criminal Nationwide Search
  • Employment Verification
  • Credit Check
  • Professional License Check
  • *Possible 3rd Party Fees

A La Carte

  • Legal Name and Maiden/Alias
  • Identity Verification
  • Employment Verification
  • Credit Check
  • Motor Vehicle Record (MVR)
  • Civil Records Check
  • Reference Check
  • Federal Criminal Nationwide Search
  • Workforce Monitoring - Criminal Record

90%

reports in under 36 hours

99%

support requests resolved in 1 contact

9.5 years

average client tenure

50+

integrations

Why Choose Us

Why Retail Businesses Choose 3rd Degree Screening

Theft and fraud history surfaced before day one

Criminal screening that specifically captures theft, fraud, and financial crime history is the single most effective tool a retail business has for reducing internal shrink before it starts. We build it into every package as a baseline.

Credit checks for management and cash-handling roles

Store managers, controllers, and staff responsible for cash reconciliation, bank deposits, or high-value inventory warrant an employment credit check. We apply them to the right roles with proper FCRA disclosure and consent built in.

Loss prevention screening that goes beyond the basics

Loss prevention officers carry a heightened responsibility for store security and in some cases interact with suspects in confrontational situations. We include professional license checks and a more comprehensive criminal history review in our LP package to match that responsibility.

Consistent standards across every location

For multi-location retailers, we configure role-based screening packages that apply consistently across every store so your brand standard doesn't vary by market or district manager.

Fast turnaround built for retail hiring cycles

Retail can't hold a floor position open for a week. We turn around the majority of reports within 36 hours so your open roles get filled without leaving your floor understaffed.

No setup fees, monthly minimums, or term commitments

Whether you run a single storefront or a regional chain, you pay only for the checks you run.

Frequently Asked Questions

Your Inventory Is Only as Safe as the People You Hire to Protect It.

Build a screening process that reduces shrink, protects customers, and holds up under audit, with a PBSA-accredited partner built for the pace and volume of retail hiring.

Retail business contact and onboarding

Stay informed

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get access to exclusive content, promotions, and the latest industry news and trends delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for our newsletter today!

Complete the security check above to enable the button.