Will this get me in trouble?

[andyzee]

I posted this over at Kzone and am posting it here as well, just would like to get as many opinions as possible on this one.

I've been ticked for awhile now with some of the policies that stores have implemented. The blame goes to the general public for allowing them to get away with some of these. First it started with them asking you phone number, and you address, your zip code, in my case I never give them this info, but that's not what's got me going. These are just examples of things that the public let's them do without a complaint.

What's got me is the practice of checking your reciept at the door after you pay for an item. It's bad enough that you wait in a line at the register, then you are expected as general practice to have your reciept ready to show as you leave. This is what I don't agree with. Yes, I know that a store has the right to ask you for proof of payment as you leave, at least I think they do, I have no problem with this. But, I will not wait in line to show a reciept as I am leaving. I have not yet encountered this issue, but I know it will happen one day, almost happened today. I will be leaving a store, there will be one or two people waiting in line to show their reciept as they walk out, I will not wait in line. I will just continue on, if stopped, I will be happy to show my reciept, but I will not wait in line. Will I be wrong?

PS, it's also very interesting to see the difference in responses here as compared to Kzone

 

[teachski]

I believe these measures are implemented in the stores located in areas of high instances of shoplifting. I have seen this done in Worcester, Fitchburg and Springfield. Also, I have only encountered this practice at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club. I have never encountered it at any other store.

 

[roark]

Most Best Buys seem to do it. Out west all Costcos (which is particularly funny given the size of merchandise there).

I hate this crap. The other day my wife was asked her phone number and said "no" and the saleslady got pissed. We will not be returning to that store.:flag:

I always make a point of walking right by the receipt checkers. They usually don't stop me (but it's kind of funny when they do come running after me).

I thought the KZone thread was pretty funny. They'll bite an empty hook if you throw one out.

 

[Charlie Schuessler]

Interesting. It makes me wonder, does impulsive merchandising strategies cause impulsive theft?

 

[andyzee]

Most Best Buys seem to do it. Out west all Costcos (which is particularly funny given the size of merchandise there).
.

Most bigger stores by me seem to do it, Best Buy, Costco, Circuit City, CompUSA, Targets, etc...

I hate this crap. The other day my wife was asked her phone number and said "no" and the saleslady got pissed. We will not be returning to that store.:flag:

.

I usually try to be half nice about it, it not the poor clerks fault.I found that a response of " I do not give that information out" is usually better recieved then a "no"

I always make a point of walking right by the receipt checkers. They usually don't stop me (but it's kind of funny when they do come running after me).
.

If there is no wait and they ask, I usually don't mind. My issue is if there is a line, although this is usually rare.

I thought the KZone thread was pretty funny. They'll bite an empty hook if you throw one out.

You can always count on them to be cough, cough, entertaining :dunce:

 

[riverc0il]

retail is great because if you don't like the service you are receiving, you can always take your business else where. no one has any market cornered and it is up to the retail to give you reasons to keep coming back to their store. while we don't check receipts in my business, i am in retail management and theft prevention is a big issue and we do take steps to ensure it doesn't happen. we try to inconvenience the customer as little as possible in our theft prevention measures. the best loss prevention strategy is customer service, period. having associates well staffed throughout the store and being highly visible is both a theft deterrent and also great service. i suspect stores checking receipts at check out are making up for lack of staffing to cut payroll which deals with the issue when it counts, before merchandise has actually been lifted. it gets a lot harder to do anything about a lift once the merchandise has been lifted and concealled, especially if no associate saw it happen.

in regards to giving information out, i have always simply told cashiers i don't give out my informaiton. the funny part is, i am stedfast against giving cashiers personal information but give out all my details when making an online purchase. :lol:

 

[andyzee]

in regards to giving information out, i have always simply told cashiers i don't give out my informaiton. the funny part is, i am stedfast against giving cashiers personal information but give out all my details when making an online purchase. :lol:

With regards to young pretty cashiers, I have always been tempted to say " I'll give you mine if you give me yours" I figure that's fair.

 

[teachski]

With regards to young pretty cashiers, I have always been tempted to say " I'll give you mine if you give me yours" I figure that's fair.

With your luck the young cashier would be an older looking minor and you'd get in trouble for soliciting a minor.


I don't mind giving my zip code but will not give my phone number...I tell them it is unlisted.

 

[Greg]

I just think you need to ski.... :roll:

 

[andyzee]

I just think you need to ski.... :roll:

You're right, now show me the snow!

 

[NYDrew]

It truly depends on what I am purchasing. If it is something like a TV or other expensive electronic, I don't mind because usually it is related to the in store warrenty, but overall I hate the practice and do everything in my power to undermine it.

Being my last name is Gross, which is a fairly common jewish name, often when they ask for my last name, they respond with any of a number of first names. Jason Gross, sure, John Gross, why not. If they don't have a Gross in the database, then I just make the rest of the information up.

I have never encountered this at wal mart, but if they ever asked me personal information I would just spit in their face. Don't care if they are just an underpaid worker, can't stand wal-mart and I would not stand for them having my contact info.

 

[noski]

Being my last name is Gross, which is a fairly common jewish name, often when they ask for my last name, they respond with any of a number of first names. Jason Gross, sure, John Gross, why not. If they don't have a Gross in the database, then I just make the rest of the information up.

I have never encountered this at wal mart, but if they ever asked me personal information I would just spit in their face.

Why, that's just Gross! (sorry, couldn't help myself)

 

[kcyanks1]

While the checking at the door is more of an inconvenience, that bothers me less than asking me for information at the register. I don't like the datamining that goes on today as companies try to make our privacy non-existant.

 

[David Metsky]

I've gone through this discussion on another website in detail. Stores have no right to stop you as you are exiting with your purchases unless they have some clear indication that you stole something. You can walk past them with impunity, ignoring the cries to stop and have your bags checked. They may decide that you are no longer welcome in their store, but once you've paid for your purchases the store doesn't have any right to examine them.

As for asking for information, I just say "no" and have never had a problem. But unless something else happened, I'd never be rude to salesdroid over it. It's company policy, they don't have a choice.

-dave-

 

[andyzee]

I've gone through this discussion on another website in detail. Stores have no right to stop you as you are exiting with your purchases unless they have some clear indication that you stole something. You can walk past them with impunity, ignoring the cries to stop and have your bags checked. They may decide that you are no longer welcome in their store, but once you've paid for your purchases the store doesn't have any right to examine them.

As for asking for information, I just say "no" and have never had a problem. But unless something else happened, I'd never be rude to salesdroid over it. It's company policy, they don't have a choice.

-dave-

My biggest issue is the checking at the door. My belief is that they do have the right to check, but they do not have the right to make me stand in line. In other words, there is a line at the door because a security guard is checking people's reciepts, my belief is that I do not have to wait in this line. I believe that I should continue walking and if stopped then offer the the receipt for verification. If they tell me to get in line, ignore them and continue on. That is what I would do, my question, would I be within my rights doing this.

As far as the datamining in concerned, the only reason I even mentioned this, is that I can't believe how quick some people are to give out their personnel info.

 

[hammer]

As for asking for information, I just say "no" and have never had a problem. But unless something else happened, I'd never be rude to salesdroid over it. It's company policy, they don't have a choice.

-dave-

I guess I'm bad -- when asked for my phone number, I usually give them the wrong one...

As far as the checking at the door is concerned, I'm used to it from Costco so it's no big deal to me.

Now one thing I don't like is how, at Best Buy, the cashier almost argues with you about the "extended warranty"...if I want one, I'll ask...:angry:

 

[JimG.]

Now one thing I don't like is how, at Best Buy, the cashier almost argues with you about the "extended warranty"...if I want one, I'll ask...:angry:

There are several stores in the NY area who had a customer with merchandise in one hand and cash in the other put that merchandise down and walk out of the store because of the "extended warranty" issue. Of course, that customer is me.

Asking once or twice is OK, after that is harrassment I don't stand for.

I just want to spend my money, please?

 

[2knees]

the extended warranty thing is a total sham, which i'm sure isnt news to anyone here. They pressure the salespeople to no end to maintain a certain % of warranties to sales. Its b.s. but it really isnt the fault of the worker bee behind the register/counter. As far as checking receipts at the door, i dont know the legality of it, but being in retail, i can assure you the biggest hidden cost you pay for is shrink. with the markup in most retail relatively small, the crushing competition etc, most retailers have to find anyway possible to reduce operating costs. If you notice, most stores dont have an abundance of help on the floor, hours are doled out at absolute minimum except for the heaviest traffic times of the year. It sucks, but with walmart and target kicking the crap out of so many retailers, they need to try everything in their power to reduce costs. Luckily, the company i work for has a very very healthy shrink # and we dont, to my knowledge, utilize this practice yet. we dont, however, have many stores in Jersey.

 

[kbroderick]

(Please note that I'm not a lawyer, so you should ask one if you really need to know the answer, but....)

They have every right to ask, but they usually can't make you stop unless they're performing an arrest. If they attempt to detain you illegally, you may have grounds to sue. (Note that with membership clubs, you may have signed a contract agreeing to be treated like a criminal on the way out and this may not apply.)

Personally, I don't like being treated like a criminal. I keep walking, whether they ask me to stop or not, and whether the alarm goes off or not. If they have sufficient evidence to arrest me for shoplifting (which is highly unlikely, given that I'm carrying only goods that I've paid for), they can call the cops and try to get me arrested. If not, they can leave me alone.

 

[David Metsky]

IANAL either, but after reading up on a lot of this, without a valid reason they cannot make you stop on your way out of the store. They can ask, you can ignore. If they have seen something that makes them believe you have shoplifted, they have more rights to stop you until police arrive. Not being versed in the law, I'm not going to attempt to describe when they can stop you and what they can do.

Most stores have strict policies about never laying hands on a customer. Even if they have the right to detain you, they are unlikely to risk assault charges when they don't have proof.

-dave-