:mad: It’s always irked me to have my receipt checked at Walmart or other stores, but I’m ESPECIALLY mad at the fact they checked mine and [U][B]only[/B][/U] mine the other day, they were not checking others. I had not done anything wrong, so though I argued he was only checking mine I went ahead and let him.
I shop at this store weekly so they know my face! This is close to an affluent part of town, so I think it’s safe to call it that.
Next time, however, it WILL be different! I am trying hard not to be a Full Metal Christian, because I know it’s a wrong heart attitude, and I won’t be rude next time, but I know my rights and if it happens again either they will have to call the police on me or I call the police to complain that I am being detained against my will!!!
You realize the police have better things to do, right?
I’ve never looked at receipt checking as anything more than the store doing what they have to to make sure they reduce theft. More shrink = higher prices. It doesn’t bother me because I don’t have anything to hide.
there’s actually a way around it… i just go and have my receipt in hand. i shop 2-3 times per week at my local walmart… they know me and my dh, my FIL and stepson have both worked there and the ONLY time they check mine is if i have something on the bottom of my cart or if the buzzer goes off (i always have my electronics bagged together and i put it in the seat part of the cart. I have my dh or one of my kids walk through with the bag and the reciept in hand)
I never have a problem. I tend to either carry the receipt in my hand and offer or not.
If I put it in the bag I place it so it shows.
If I pay at the back of the store I either have them tie the bag and staple it or I definitely carry the receipt.
The only thing that really bugged me was when I had long hair I would always hear “Code 6 Isle __” for whatever isle I was in. And someone would be by to “ask if I needed any help”.
Obviously it was a shop lifting alert.
Yet when I wanted help for something like a fishing license I could wait around for an hour with nobody offering any help. One time I hopped up on the counter and had a seat before anyone stopped to help.
The fact that they chose YOU to check was prolly just random…like at the airport…they pull folks out of line for a body scan PURELY RANDOM. Otherwise they’d be guilty of profiling.
Maybe the security team decides each day…“Okay, today, you check every 10th receipt” Then the next day they pull a number from a hat and check every Nth receipt. Totally random.
At COSTCO, the exit doorman or lady checks EVERY doggone receipt. Shhheees. My COSTCO shopping usually totals $500. I’m sure they can really scan that much in the short time they check.
I dunno, maybe part of it is as a deterrent to the possiblity of dishonest cash register checkers who put their friends through without scanning an item or two. You know, the old ‘scan this and that, but skip this and that’ routine.
One of my son’s friends were doing that at a local grocery store about 10 years ago. Who’d think they could get away with something so risky and dumb and dishonest?
He didn’t. He got fired eventually, although I don’t know the details of his demise.
Where I do most of my grocery shopping they don’t let you take your groceries out unless you can carry them. Instead they put all your groceries in bins and send them outside…then you drive around and someone loads them into your car for you. It’s nice on a cold wet icky day :teehee:
When I do go to Wal-mart you just never know they may check the person in front of me but not me, or the other way around…I just always have my receipt out in case…Usually when I am stopped it’s when I have some items not in the bags and on the bottom of the buggy (kitty litter, pop, etc)
I never really thought to much about it or how they decided who to check
I know where you’re coming from and it can be frustrating. What I think you should understand is that they are not doing it to offend you or because they think you’re stealing. They’re doing it because they have to. The fact is that people steal. I work at a clothing store and we have had a lot of people steal. It is very unfortunate, and it’s so frustrating because you often have no idea who did it. It’s not like there’s a certain type of person to look out for, so you have to look out for everybody.
It’s probably like Artlady said, the receipt checker was told to check every 10 receipts or something. It definitely wasn’t because they thought you were stealing, only because there are a lot that do.
I’ve noticed most of the time, at my local Wal-Mart, receipts are checked depending on what kind of items you bought. Every time we made a large electronics purchase, our receipt was checked…At our Wal-Mart, it’s usually the items that are too large for a bag that are checked and marked on the receipt. I think, at least out here, if the item is maybe a “high risk” item the receipt is checked. The receipt checkers there know my family (or at least did, we haven’t shopped there in months…well, anywhere really but the grocery store…lol) and we’d still have our receipts checked occasionally. Whenever we’d shop there, I never put my receipt away until we were out the door. I’m sorry it has upset you, but, it’s just part of Wal-Mart.
I know how you feel…we once bought a gaming chair that came in a large box. It was on the bottom of our cart, and my husband handed the cashier the sticker from the box. She didn’t ring it up. We got stopped at the door for them to check (which I expected so had my receipt ready). The lady checking the receipt acted like we’d tried to steal the chair! I explained to her we’d handed the cashier the sticker so figured she’d scanned it. It took a couple of minutes and me starting to get mad at being accused of stealing before they decided to believe me. We went back to a register and they scanned the box and we paid for it. I guess people are so bold to place something in plain sight they are trying to steal. I was not happy at being accused of stealing. And really try not to shop at Wal Mart when I don’t have to. Their attitude towards us was uncalled for.
I guess I just grew up in a time where it was “normal.” Kinda like the whole seat belt debate. Usually I have my receipt in hand til I leave the store and only have been asked when I have large items not in bags. The people even know me, I used to work there. It just doesn’t bother me, but that’s me.
Police enforce laws. The law says you don’t have to show your receipt. Period!
Checking receipts is an intimidation tactic which ticks off more honest clientelle than it does catch crooks - especially as more of that theft is employee rather than shopper related. Do you really think anyone can notice in a basket and receipt for 50 or more items whether something is stolen?!?
I have nothing to hide either, I have returned a $1 item which I found the checker had overlooked in the bottom of my basket so my conscience is more than clear! HOWEVER, not only do they not have the legal right to check (if you’ll read my links) and I’ve always shown it without any offense taken…BUT, when they single me out as they let others pass, whether it’s by the color of my skin, the clothes I’m wearing or whatever (like Mike mentioned he had happen to him when he had long hair), THEN it offends me, and it should you as well because next month they could be picking dark haired people, asians, people driving motorcycles, or because you have a Ron Paul bumper sticker, or some such arbitrary thing! That’s why the law which those police officers enforce says they better have proof of your stealing if they try to detain you! Until then your purchase, and your receipt is private property.
I only wanted people to know because I am majorly ticked at being singled out. I’m a well-dressed white female, I shop at that Walmart weekly but that doesn’t matter one way or another. If I go to a different store which I’ve never been to before the laws still apply.
THAT checking I understand, it’s possible the checker even could have forgotten to scan it, which is why most stores have them put a bright sticker on it to show the door greeters that it was not overlooked.
And places like Costco and Sam’s (if you read any of the links I posted) make you sign an agreement which states they will check at the door. Even then they can’t force you to show your receipt, the most they can do is revoke your membership.
I absolutely agree with you and understand how you feel. I stopped shopping at Sam’s Club a few years back and that was one of the reasons.
The checkouts are directly in front of the door, there is no where to go but directly from checkout to door. Stopping me at the door to check my receipt is a waste of time and made me feel like a petty criminal.
THEY DON"T EVEN REALLY CHECK THE RECEIPT. One of the last times I was there I intentionally took an old receipt, that had an entirely different number of items on it. The checker asked for my receipt, examined it closely (or at least pretended to), nodded his head and waved me through.
I don’t believe it lowers prices at all, anyone who pays attention will quickly realize that they are simply scanning the receipt. People who steal items hide the items in coats or pockets so checking the receipt reveal nothing.
I will not shop at a store that treats me like a criminal. That includes the stores that follow you around at elbow distance after you politely tell them you need no help.
Yet I cart out a 32" flat screen and nobody checked me.
When I had long hair I would get stopped at least once a month for traffic violations, out of all that (probably about 20 years of driving with long hair) I have got one single ticket.
I’ve had cops try to pick fights with me during those senseless wastes of my time.
Since I’ve shaved my head I haven’t been stopped even once and I no longer have people following me around the stores.
Yes it is wrong. Treat someone like a criminal and eventually they will act like one.
It’s also stupid, the worst thieves aren’t going to attract attention to themselves by looking different. But the stores don’t get that impression because they pay the most attention to those who look different so that’s who they catch the most.
Can I assume you have a look that makes you a target?
Carry your receipt in your hand and offer it before they ask. They’ll probably wave you threw since you offered.
The whole reason I do that is because of how I was treated when I had long hair.
When I worked in the local supermarket when I was 17 all staff members had to have their receipts signed by a manager, even if they were shopping there on their “off” days. I was also banned from serving family members at the till
Stand up for the rights that the Constitution (if you live in the US, obviously) has given you. If you’re not required by law to do it, it’s your choice to do it or not. But if you choose not to let them into your privacy (because once you pay for the items, they’re your private possessions), they have no legal right to invade it. Again, stand up for your rights.
I would say no, unless a white female, 41 years old, well dressed with her hair up in a bun, driving a mini-van is suddenly on the list of most likely to be dangerous! :teehee: …the only time I’m dangerous is when I’m looking at the yarn display in the store! (But only dangerous to my pocketbook).
Even so, I don’t care if you are the spitting image of Hitler, it’s wrong to assume anything about anyone based on what they look like, wear or don’t wear, etc.
Thanks all for letting me vent. My DH says I would have made a great hippie :roll: because I’m always ready to protest for anyone’s rights, or get on the side of a cause I believe in. I take that as a compliment!
P.S.: Many years ago a Target we shopped at started checking at the door too. A greeter with a real attitude said she had to look in my purse because the purse looked like it came from Target (as I entered)! I told her that yes, I had bought it there and told her the pants I was wearing did too - I asked if she wanted me to take them off right then and there. She didn’t answer :shock: and a couple of weeks later they quit ‘greeting’ at all!
:lol:
bumper sticker, or some such arbitrary thing! That’s why the law which those police officers enforce says they better have proof of your stealing if they try to detain you! Until then your purchase, and your receipt is private property.