Employee theft costs the convenience store industry billions annually. According to the National Retail Federation, employee theft accounts for approximately 42% of all theft-related inventory losses. For a convenience store doing $1.5M in annual revenue, a 2% shrink rate means $30,000 per year walking out the door — and a large portion of that is preventable with the right loss prevention system.
This guide compares the four primary loss prevention solutions available to convenience store and gas station operators: DohShield, DTiQ, Envysion (Motorola Solutions), and March Networks. We evaluate each on features, pricing, ease of implementation, and operational fit for c-store operators specifically.
The Four Contenders at a Glance
| Criteria | DohShield | DTiQ | Envysion | March Networks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Managed audit service | Surveillance platform | Enterprise video + analytics | AI video analytics |
| Best For | 1-50 locations, no LP staff | Operators wanting full surveillance + self-serve tools | 50+ location enterprises | Operators with LP teams wanting AI analytics |
| Daily Human Audit | Core offering | Premium tier add-on | Available as add-on | Not included |
| AI Analytics | — | Core technology | ||
| Evidence Packages | Delivered to you | Self-compiled | Self-compiled | Self-compiled |
| Hardware Required | Existing cameras | DTiQ hardware rec'd | May need hardware | March NVR + cameras |
| Contract | Month-to-month | 3-5 year typical | Multi-year typical | Multi-year typical |
| Starting Price | $299/mo | ~$150-$800/mo + hardware | Custom enterprise | Custom + hardware |
| Ecosystem | DohAssist + DohOps | Standalone | Motorola Solutions | Motorola Solutions |
Detailed Profiles
DohShield — The Managed Daily Audit
DohShield's differentiator is that trained human reviewers watch your POS exception data correlated with video footage every single day. You don't log into a platform and review alerts. You receive a report with confirmed findings and evidence packages.
Key strengths: Done-for-you auditing, no hardware investment, month-to-month terms, ecosystem integration with DohAssist back-office and DohOps workforce management. 125K+ incidents caught across the client base with a 487% average ROI.
Best for: 1-50 location operators without dedicated LP staff who want expert eyes on their stores every day.
DTiQ — The Full Surveillance Platform
DTiQ (formerly ICG) provides a complete video surveillance platform with smart cameras, cloud storage, and analytics. They serve restaurants, retail, and convenience stores with a technology-first approach. Premium tiers include managed audit services similar to DohShield.
Key strengths: Comprehensive hardware + software solution, remote live viewing, audio monitoring, established brand with large install base. Good for operators who want both surveillance infrastructure and loss prevention analytics in one package.
Best for: Operators who need a complete camera system installed and want self-service video review tools alongside optional managed auditing.
Envysion (Motorola Solutions) — The Enterprise Choice
Envysion was acquired by Motorola Solutions and positions itself as an enterprise-grade video analytics and loss prevention platform. They serve large restaurant and retail chains with 50 to 5,000+ locations.
Key strengths: Enterprise-scale analytics, Motorola Solutions ecosystem, advanced AI-powered pattern detection across large multi-unit operations.
Best for: Enterprise operators with 50+ locations, dedicated LP departments, and enterprise-grade budgets.
March Networks — AI-Powered Video Analytics
March Networks focuses on intelligent video surveillance with their Searchlight platform, using AI to analyze POS transactions against video footage automatically. Also now part of Motorola Solutions.
Key strengths: Powerful AI analytics engine, hybrid cloud/local video storage, banking-grade security infrastructure.
Best for: Operators with existing LP teams who need sophisticated AI analytics tools and are comfortable with hardware investment.
Decision Framework: How to Choose
Answer these five questions to determine your best fit:
- Do you have dedicated LP staff?
- Yes → DTiQ, Envysion, or March Networks (tools for your team)
- No → DohShield (outsourced LP department)
- How many locations?
- 1-10 → DohShield or DTiQ basic
- 10-50 → DohShield or DTiQ premium
- 50+ → Envysion or March Networks (enterprise scale)
- Do you need new cameras installed?
- Yes → DTiQ or March Networks (hardware + software)
- No → DohShield (works with existing cameras)
- What's your budget?
- $300-$500/mo per location → DohShield
- $500-$1,000/mo per location (incl. hardware amortization) → DTiQ or March Networks
- Enterprise budget → Envysion
- Do you want findings delivered or tools to find them yourself?
- Findings delivered → DohShield
- Self-service tools → DTiQ, Envysion, or March Networks
Why Many C-Store Operators Choose DohShield
For the typical convenience store or gas station operator — someone with 1-20 locations who runs their business during the day and doesn't have time to review video at night — DohShield's managed service model addresses the core problem: you need loss prevention, but you don't have the staff or time to do it yourself.
The combination of no contracts, no hardware investment, transparent pricing, and daily human-verified auditing makes DohShield the lowest-risk, fastest-to-value option for most small to mid-size c-store operators. And the integration with DohAssist's back-office reconciliation creates a unified financial picture that no standalone LP platform can provide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Switching depends on your current contract. DohShield has no contract, so you can start or stop at any time. DTiQ, Envysion, and March Networks typically have multi-year contracts that may include early termination fees. If you own your hardware, it's generally portable; leased hardware typically must be returned.
These solutions primarily focus on internal theft (employee-related) and operational compliance. Camera presence deters some external theft, and recorded footage helps with prosecution, but these are not shoplifting prevention systems. For external theft, consider traditional security measures (EAS tags, customer-facing cameras, staffing during peak hours) alongside your LP solution.
DohShield clients typically see confirmed incidents within the first 1-2 weeks, with measurable ROI within 30 days. Technology platforms (DTiQ, Envysion, March Networks) may take longer to show ROI because of the implementation timeline and the learning curve for staff to effectively use the tools.
DohShield works with most IP-based camera systems regardless of manufacturer. DTiQ and March Networks may prefer or require their own hardware for full functionality. Envysion supports a range of camera brands but may have specific NVR requirements. Check compatibility during your evaluation.