If you own or operate a retail business of any kind, you know that you have to protect the merchandise you allow customers to purchase. Using various tools to protect your merchandise is the best way to prevent shoplifting, especially when paired with good employee training. The Alpha Spider Wrap is one tool you can use to protect merchandise in boxes and other types of packaging because of its flexible cable structure. In most cases, having one of these strapped to your stock is going to send shoplifters in the other direction; however, if these devices are not properly used, and properly protected themselves, they don’t have the same deterrent as when used properly. There are a few big “no-no’s” to avoid when it comes to using these devices that will keep them as effective theft prevention tools.
I have worked as loss prevention in a department store that sells hardware and tools for several years. Just the other day, there were two suspicious men who came into the tools department that I and my team noticed. They had a particular interest in our portable power tools combo sets. These sets are typically priced at two- to three-hundred dollars. These men were not interested in buying the combo set but were obviously interested in stealing it. As the bearded man picked up the tool set, he immediately began examining the spider wrap containing the item—but there was a big problem. As the criminal soon discovered, the spider wrap was on the box but was not completely tightened. The bearded man and his tall friend wandered around the department for a minute, one speaking to a tools salesperson to distract him. The bearded man came back, crouched down, and slid the cables of the Alpha Spider Wrap off of the edge of the package, defeating the device, and placing it off to the side. He then got up and circled back around, picking the tool set up, and leaving the store with it, rendering no payment.
So the moral of the story is obvious: even if your merchandise has the device to prevent shoplifting attached to it, it won’t necessarily keep it out of the hands of the thieves. This is an obvious statement when read on a piece of paper, but implementing it properly can be much more difficult. Do your employees know how to use a spider wrap device? Do they know how to unlock it, how to lock it, how to tighten it properly, which items to put them on, or where to keep them when they aren’t being used?  Do they also know how to properly secure the keys for these devices to prevent these keys from being stolen or misused for theft?
The magnetic keys for Alpha Spider Wraps issued by Alpha Security are also used to disable or unlock many other alpha security devices. If one of these keys gets lost or stolen, your entire store could be at risk! Make sure you have a system that will prevent the theft of these, or their loss by associates. This may include not leaving keys (even tied down) at unattended cash registers, or using a paper log to sign keys in and out. Likewise, make sure your employees are trained to use these devices properly, including unlocking—an area where a lack of training could be a big inconvenience for your customers. Just as important, make sure that they know how to re-secure new merchandise in the store.
For more information contact us: Prevent Shoplifting or call 1.770.426.0547

If you own or operate a retail business of any kind, you know that you have to protect the merchandise you allow customers to purchase. Using various tools to protect your merchandise is the best way to prevent shoplifting, especially when paired with good employee training. The Alpha Spider Wrap is one tool you can use to protect merchandise in boxes and other types of packaging because of its flexible cable structure. In most cases, having one of these strapped to your stock is going to send shoplifters in the other direction; however, if these devices are not properly used, and properly protected themselves, they don’t have the same deterrent as when used properly. There are a few big “no-no’s” to avoid when it comes to using these devices that will keep them as effective theft prevention tools.

I have worked loss prevention in a department store that sells hardware and tools for several years. Just the other day, there were two suspicious men who came into the tools department that I and my team noticed. They had a particular interest in our portable power tools combo sets. These sets are typically priced at two- to three-hundred dollars. These men were not interested in buying the combo set but were obviously interested in stealing it. As the bearded man picked up the tool set, he immediately began examining the Alpha Spider Wrap containing the item—but there was a big problem. As the criminal soon discovered, the Spider Wrap was on the box but was not completely tightened. The bearded man and his tall friend wandered around the department for a minute, one speaking to a tools salesperson to distract him. The bearded man came back, crouched down, and slid the cables of the Alpha Spider Wrap off of the edge of the package, defeating the device, and placing it off to the side. He then got up and circled back around, picking the tool set up, and leaving the store with it, rendering no payment.

So the moral of the story is obvious: even if your merchandise has the device to prevent shoplifting attached to it, it won’t necessarily keep it out of the hands of the thieves. This is an obvious statement when read on a piece of paper, but implementing it properly can be much more difficult. Do your employees know how to use Alpha Spider Wrap? Do they know how to unlock it, how to lock it, how to tighten it properly, which items to put them on, or where to keep them when they aren’t being used?  Do they also know how to properly secure the keys for these devices to prevent these keys from being stolen or misused for theft?

The magnetic keys for Alpha Spider Wraps issued by Alpha Security are also used to disable or unlock many other Alpha security devices. If one of these keys gets lost or stolen, your entire store could be at risk! Make sure you have a system that will prevent the theft of these, or their loss by associates. This may include not leaving keys (even tied down) at unattended cash registers, or using a paper log to sign keys in and out. Likewise, make sure your employees are trained to use these devices properly, including unlocking—an area where a lack of training could be a big inconvenience for your customers. Just as important, make sure that they know how to re-secure new merchandise in the store.

For more information contact us: Prevent Shoplifting or call 1.770.426.0547