A shop has different needs from a home: you’re protecting stock and cash, settling customer disputes, and keeping an eye on the billing counter — often across long hours. This is the CCTV setup we recommend for retail in 2026, whether you run a grocery, textile shop, jewellery store or supermarket.
Before anything else, cover these: the entrance (a clear face of everyone who walks in), the billing counter (cash and card transactions, dispute resolution), and the main stock area or high-value shelf. These three angles resolve the vast majority of retail incidents.
Resolution: this is where shops should not cut corners
For a shop, the ability to identify a face or read a note clearly is the whole point — so 5MP is the minimum we recommend, and 4K for jewellery or high-value counters where fine detail matters. A 2MP camera may show that a dispute happened but not the detail to settle it. See our resolution comparison to choose. Browse options in HD cameras or step up to IP cameras for the sharpest detail and smart features.
Storage: keep weeks, not days
Retail disputes and shortages often surface days or weeks later, so you want a longer history than a home. Plan for a 2TB or 4TB hard disk — a 4TB disk holds around a month of footage on a typical setup. Our storage days guide shows the exact numbers so you can pick your retention window.
Keep it running through power cuts
A shop CCTV that goes dark during a power cut is a serious gap — and cuts are common. A UPS keeps the recorder and router alive so footage is continuous. For busy stores, a wall-mount rack keeps the recorder, switch and UPS locked away neatly and securely behind the counter.
Watch your shop from your phone
Connect the recorder to your broadband, or a 4G SIM router where there’s no wired line, and you can check your shop live from home or while travelling — a huge peace-of-mind feature for owners.
Retail CCTV checklist
Shop type
Cameras
Storage
Small shop / kirana
3–4 × 5MP
2TB
Textile / apparel
6 × 5MP
2–4TB
Jewellery / high-value
6–8 × 5MP/4K
4TB
Supermarket
8–16 × 5MP
4TB+
How many cameras for your store?
Use our camera-count planning guide to map your entrances, aisles and counter with no blind spots, then match the recorder channels.
Frequently asked questions
Which brand is best for a shop? Choose a proven brand with strong service support — CP Plus, Hikvision, Dahua and Prama are all solid for retail. Genuine stock with a valid invoice is what protects your warranty.
Do I need audio recording? Some cameras support audio, useful at a counter — but check local rules on recording conversations. We can advise on compliant options.
Can one system cover multiple shops? Each location needs its own recorder, but you can view all of them from a single phone app. Ask us how to set up multi-store viewing.
Tell us your shop type and size on WhatsApp, or browse complete retail systems in our store — we’ll build a package that protects your counter, stock and entrance.
