03.21.07
Door checking receipts (WalMart, Costco, Best Buy, Target)
Since I’m up at this obscene hour with what seems to be my first onset of “hay fever” allergies, I may as well assault you, gentle reader, with another dose of vitriol.
For those who belong to Costco, the following scenario is commonplace and recognizable. Unfortunately, it seems to have made it to WalMart, Best Buy, and Target.
You go to the checkout with your cart full of consumerist booty. Items are scanned, bagged, and ultimately, purchased. You thank the cashier, load the bags back into your cart, and head for the door – but wait! Here to block your progress is some prepubescent teen or kindly septuagenarian brandishing a highlighter like Obi-Wan has just introduced them to the Force. And they don’t want to know how long you’ve owned these droids. Nope, they’re here to…
Mark your receipt. They will make a cursory examination of your cart, check your receipt, and then expertly apply a colored slash. As if a five second inspection is actually going to correlate the contents of my cart to my receipt?
This is a ridiculous circus of a policy. Oh, of course you’ll hear technical sounding terms like “loss prevention” and “shrinkage oversight,” but honestly, this is a feeble show that provides no actual enforcement against theft – but immeasurable big-ass boatloads of aggravation to the 99% of customers who actually paid for their purchases.
To use the same metaphor as my earlier post on customer service, this is like gun control – it mostly punishes those who obey the rules.
Now I can see posting someone at the entrance to stop would-be pilferers from leaving “out through the in door.” I can even see posting someone at the registers just to observe customers who might “accidentally” slip the latest issue of the Weekly World News into one of their shopping bags.
However, subjecting customers to TSA inspired inspections of pointlessness is an indignity and annoyance. It’s plainly obvious to both the customer and the poor sap assigned to the duty that they aren’t remotely able to actually match my receipt to what’s in my cart. And when even the Emperor notices he’s naked, it’s time to dump the policy.
Kris Kelso said,
March 21, 2007 at 1:17 pm
I believe I have asolution tot his problem. At least for men. Put beautiful women at the doors and make them cavity check to leave the store. This would make it bearable.
Donna Carsten said,
March 22, 2007 at 10:15 am
I was going to respond and found myself in the midst of a TSA stupidity rant — so I guess I need to start a blog as well….
David said,
March 30, 2007 at 9:11 am
I feel the same. I don’t like having to prove that I haven’t committed a crime everytime I leave a store. It appears as if once again we have lost a little bit of our personel rights.
Does anyone know just how far the employee can go to prevet you from leaving?
Mag said,
April 15, 2007 at 10:19 pm
I refused to show mine at Walmart just yesterday 04/14/07 when the man at the door argued with me after I told him that I did not have to and said he had to do it. I told him it was illegal and he persisted. I do not know how he finally got a hold of my receipt, but he did, and put the colored slash on it. I was angry and knew I was in the right. I walked out of the store to find myself turning right back around into it. I asked for the manager…on vacation. I got a substitute manager. I asked why receipts where checked. Store policy was the answer. I explained that I was told it was illegal. She said it was what the employees were told to do and that they could lose their jobs if they didn’t. She went so far to compare it to Sams. You agree to inspection with the membership at sams, which you sign. This is not so at Walmart. You don’t have to show your receipt. They cannot do anything to you if you refuse. If ever put in my situation. Hold on to your receipt. I hear Walmart policy is only to pursue you to only 10 feet from the door.
Here is something else I found on the net and a link: http://www.die.net/musings/bestbuy/epilogue.html
Thanks for sharing your story of Best Buy door nazis. I was also a victim
of this today, the Best Buy security refuse to let me leave the store unless
I showed him my receipt and PHYSICALLY BLOCKED ME FROM LEAVING. Told him I
did not have to present a receipt and asked for a manager… showed the
manager my police ID… and told him that the next time anyone does that,
they’ll be in handcuffs for violation of California Penal Code section 236,
False Imprisonment. I recommend all your readers do the same. They have no
legal right to force you to show a receipt.
In retrospect, I should of called the police and said that I was being held
against my will… and that I wanted the security guard to be arrested.
ady said,
April 17, 2007 at 1:22 pm
they have no right to detain you and they can only see the receipt if you ALLOW them to. i love messing with them and look really supscious as i walk out with a small item. i usually jusy ignore them and make them walk outside. then i say “no”. one guy once held me by the arm…i gave him my craziest “look” he backed off then took down my plate number. i didn’t steal anything so i have nothing to worry about. my girl hates going shopping with me. lol
cynicalsynapse said,
October 6, 2007 at 12:30 pm
Although I’ve never liked it, I used to put up with receipt checking until a recent experience at Lowe’s, which is no longer on my list of available retailers as a result. I bought a handful of cleaners and light bulbs (admittedly highly pilferable, high-value items every shoplifter at the top of his game is after), which I paid for at the U-scan, under the watchful eye of not one but two employees. Not more than 25-feet away, a third employee, who watched me the entire distance from the U-scan, stopped me and asked to see my receipt. Her rationale? “It’s store policy to randomly stop people.” I asked for the manager and she asked me to wait, which I did (wonder what would have happened if I’d “run for it…”).
That’s the last receipt I’ll be showing anyone absent a charge of retail fraud they’re willing to call the police on. I believe receipt checking is part of the “culture of submission” engendered by 9-11. It includes millions of people taking their shoes off at the airport, queues of people waiting to go through a metal detector to see the Liberty Bell when (at the time, spring of 2002) “terrorists” were held at bay by temporary fencing like they use around the kiddie rides at the fair, and the latest no more than 3 ounces of liquids. We should not accept authorities (public or private) being suspicious of the law-abiding, rule-following majority. “Feel good” policies that have no tangible purpose.
I’m not proposing anyone break the law. And I’m not advocating anyone take action without knowing their rights on the sturdiness of the ground on which they’re standing. Some places, like Sam’s Club and Costco, have receipt checking as part of their membership agreement. Your recourse is to stop shopping there. But for other retailers, politely (it’s not the fault of the guy on the door) declining the receipt check and expressing your dissatisfaction with store and corporate management seems like the right thing to do.
Oldtech said,
October 10, 2007 at 12:29 pm
I joined Costco. They check my receipt. I put LiveCDroms into the demo computers and show the public how great GNU/Linux and BSD really are.
I hand out the free LiveCDs to everyone. We are all known to each other.
The door check folks have a weird job to do, and a low wage for it.
They are all my friends, and I don’t want them to lose their jobs!
Last month a gang of bad dudes ran into the entrance, smashed the expensive jewelry cases, grabbed about $30,000 worth of diamonds, and ran out the door, in about 3 minutes.
I really can vouch for my poor friends who check your receipt being totally not trained nor capable, of being a security guard! One of them is in a wheelchair, three have weak backs or permanent disabilities that prevent them running, or struggling with anyone.
I am 60, retired Air Force, (Tactical Air Command, 12 years), so it was like being in the Army, living in the field, carrying a pack, rifle, gear…
I avoid confrontations, take photos, and only fight for hills I am ready to die for.
The entire disagreement is really about the fake national crisis caused by 19 heathen idiots from Saudi Arabia and environs. Our government is budgeting almost $600Billion and guess where a lot of that money will end up? In the hands of elected officials friends in business.
Follow the money, and only fight for hills upon which you can make a moral statement with your death. There lies honor.
Jeff Herrold said,
October 11, 2007 at 9:18 am
Thanks for the comment Oldtech. I agree with the sentiment, and I certainly never disrespect the poor bloke whose job it is to check my receipt. Technically, it is within the membership agreement at Costco – but there is no legal agreement – implicit or explicit – which allows WalMart, Lowe’s, Best Buy, etc. to check your receipt.
It’s “Security Theater,” a show put on with the express purpose of trying to deter thieves.
Well, guess what – they’re not going to hide their goods in a bag, they’ll stick them down their pants. Secondly, the “enforcement” is so ridiculous as to be contemptible – when I am subject to a search ten feet after the register, by an employee who watched me check out? Forget it. Or when they only glance at the receipt and give it a stripe, without verifying the actual purchases? What’s the point, again?
Falcon said,
December 9, 2007 at 2:45 pm
Just had a receipt check commotion at a local WalMart. They really get upset when you refuse – I asked why and the securtity guy about came unglued. Immediately called for a manager, which was going to be my next request. I simply wanted to see if he knew why he was checking receipts and to confirm with him that it was not required.
I calmly explained that this practice is illegal. With much ado (2 managers and three checkers), they finally “let” me leave. I mentioned that detaining me illegally is not a good idea, either.
I understand the shoplifting issue that they face, but when there is a mob being held up at the door, I simply don’t want my day taken up with another line.
Anyway, probably easier to show the receipt, but principles do count. I’m not willing to give up my civil rights so easily.
Joe said,
December 13, 2007 at 9:15 pm
It’s not illegal, it’s just voluntary. It helps reduce loss, to keep you prices lower.
http://www.crimedoctor.com/loss_prevention_3.htm
nic said,
December 17, 2007 at 7:50 pm
Joe must work for Wal-Mart. All you have to do is when you walk out the door, in a nice calm voice say “no thank you”. They will let you pass.
NYer said,
January 3, 2008 at 1:53 pm
I had mispalced my recipt today on the way out the door at Costco.
I politely told the gal I lost it…she said I have to go back to CS & get a new one printed out & I said no i dont…i already waited on line to pay for my items..
She says I have to call the manager…I respondedc “you call whoever you have to but do you see that door right there? I am walking right out side of it!
Have a nice day…
Christian said,
January 3, 2008 at 10:09 pm
I am a California police officer and a 20 year veteran. I am field supervisor and I have been called to Costco, Best Buy and other merchants that check receipts when customers refused to show their receipts. I was amazed that some of these store managers were ignorant of the law and a few believed that their store policy was the law and that I was required to enforce it.
I explained to the store managers that their store policies do not supercede California law (PC 490.5 (f)1) or the California or United States Constitution and anyone can refuse to be searched unless they (merchant) have PROBABLE CAUSE that the person or persons have committed a theft. Merchants can ask a customer to show a receipt but there is no duty for the customer to comply and he or she is within their rights to refuse to show a receipt or have their property searched. I have not seen anyone get detained by force but I am sure it will happen one day and it may lead to an arrest or arrests of employees.
I am aware the merchants use the pretext that it is use to deter shoplifting but the excuse is weak as employees are more likely to steal from them. I have no issues with merchants that ask to see a receipt but when they demand to see a receipt or search someone’s property they could be looking at civil or criminal liability if they have an employee(s) that poorly trained or believe that store policy is the law. My advice is to those who refuse to show their receipts is to remain calm, say “No thank you, and walk away. If you are physically restrained or threatened with bodily harm call the police or sheriff and insist on a criminal report or an arrest. Your next action would be a consultation with an attorney.
To merchants please train your employees to say, May I see your receipt and if a customer refuses let him or her go and say thank you. It’s not worth the civil or criminal liability that you place yourselves in when you have poorly trained employees including store managers.
Competition is the key to lower prices and people that believe in ” Thou shall not steal” will lower prices further. My two cents worth and I don’t show my receipt either as I don’t follow the herd.
xxs said,
January 4, 2008 at 1:00 am
Well said Christian
Thank you
Andy said,
January 25, 2008 at 2:58 am
As far as civil liability goes, I think that a colorable claim for false imprisonment can be made IF you are precluded from leaving by physical obstruction (employee stands in your way), makes threates of violence or duress (“we’ll call the police”), or by force itself. The problem is that, at least in California, a false arrest must be for an appreciable length of time. There isn’t any hard and fast time limit (i.e. minimum of 15 minutes or 1 hour). However, if you refuse, the employee calls the manager, you argue with the manager for a minute and they you exit, you may have difficulty convincing a judge that your imprisonment lasted for an appreciable length of time.
If an employee touches you, that would likely constitute a battery and would probably be actionable, regardless of the length of time of the imprisonment.
It would be interesting if the receipt checkers of a particular company were to reveal that the company policy was not voluntary and that the employee was instructed and expected to INSIST upon examining the receipt. If the policy is truly voluntary, and the law does not allow more, I could envision some class action by employees against an employer for a policy which requires employees to INSIST.
RJI said,
March 29, 2008 at 3:21 pm
What a silly little post. Of course the kid is not checking every item. However, I can pretty much assure you that if you have a large item in the bottom rack of the cart he will make sure the clerk got it. Also, if you have an item in your cart that costs in excess of $100.00 by itself he will double check to make sure it matches.
This is such a small price to pay for the value you get shopping at these places. Really, get a life. If this is what ticks you off with all the crap going on around you in the world then your life must be in pretty neat order. Seriously, stop your whinning and step away from the computer.
Sniper said,
April 1, 2008 at 12:03 am
I actually have been in a situation at my local walmart, that involved the bag checker grabbing my arm because I refused to show her my reciept and what was in my bag. I called the police, made a police report, 12 other customers held waiting to exit the store also contributed to the report as witnesses. When the police got around to the manager’s story, he lied and told the officers that he didn’t know what was going on, (the customers and I assured the officer he knew I was grabbed)and that he didn’t train the employees to grab anyone like that. The officer took the manager asside to explain the mark on my arm. It became clear to me the manager knew about me being grabbed ,but also that the manager didn’t train employees to do so. The employee was terminated on the spot. I could’ve taken the case further, but seeing this 58 yr old woman getting fired on the spot was pleasing, plus the manager gave me a $500.00 gift card the next day. The item in the bag a box of condums, yep a mans pride sure can be rewarding in more ways than one.
Earl Eggleston said,
April 4, 2008 at 8:47 pm
OK how about the people who push bikes out the door when asked for a receipt, or people who have thousands of dollars worth of electronics in their basket and refuse to stop—-it costs us all in higher prices—if you don’t want to show your receipt, pay higher prices—-if your not stealing whats the big deal???? Come on you guys be realistic, someone pays the price for missing stolen goods, and if you don’t want it to be you, SHOW YOUR RECEIPT!!!!!
NJ said,
April 15, 2008 at 3:01 am
I have been refusing receipt checks for several years. I haven’t been physically touched yet but when I am, a battery warrant will be taken.
Here are a few techniques that I use when I’m feeling frisky and have a little time to burn.
When one of the gate gestapos asks for your receipt, let ‘em see it but don’t let ‘em stop with the normal cursory glance. Insist that every single item be removed from the bag and compared with the receipt. And insist that a printed price guide be produced so that scanning and mis-pricing errors may be detected. Once, when I got a very smart-mouthed manager, I insisted that we walk the isles to verify that the scanned prices matched the shelf prices.
After all that checking is done, wheel the cart over to customer service and return everything. Be sure to check off each item as it is scanned for the refund to make sure no mistakes are made. Try to take as much time as you can to maximally muck up the works.
Then, if you REALLY want to mess with their minds, go buy everything all over again. If you use a shopping list, that won’t take long.
If you have a friend along, video record the encounter. (takes some pre-planning, of course.) Write up the incident in the form of a press release and send it, along with a copy of the video to all the local media. You don’t have to be a big corporate type to send out a press release. If you’re lucky, they’ll pick up on the story and run with it.
A related Wallyworld peeve is not having enough check-out lanes open to handle the crowd. I refuse to stand more than 2-deep or for more than 5 minutes in line. If either of my “Policies” is violated then I wheel the cart to the door checker and tell him that I’m abandoning my purchases because of the store’s failure to open enough check-out lines. Then I walk out.
I used to just walk out but I decided that the message wasn’t delivered clearly enough. So now I make sure that I tell someone, normally the gate gestapo, what I’m doing and why.
vic said,
May 10, 2008 at 4:53 pm
If you don’t like the policy don’t shop at Walmart. There is nothing to worry if you did not steal anything at the store. I don’t complain if they check my bag in the airport, Disneyland, SeaWorld, Universal Studios, and immigration. I don’t complain too if they check my reciept at Sams, Costco, and Bestbuy.
Walmart helps thousand of employees and if they loss lots of items in the store they have to lay off some employees, that is why, they want to protect their stores. Every store has the right to make their own policy.
Sean said,
June 19, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Several people wrote, essentially, “if you haven’t stolen anything, why is it a bother” or “bag searches are a small price to pay for discount prices at these stores because someone would have to pay the cost of theft otherwise.”
Our nation has been reduced to a prison of desperate idiot shoppers. We are no longer citizens, but “consumers” seeking a bargain. Personal rights, privacy, dignity, these are things of the past that anyone below the top 0.05% of income earners will trade for a low interest rate credit card.
Most Americans are heavily indebted, fat, SUV-driving shopaholics seeking their next zero rate balance transfer credit card fix. We increasingly live in isolation where we drive from a sea of anonymous tract houses to big box retailers in strip malls. There is no community, no familiarity, no reference point other than the television and advertisements. The only way you see someone you know is if you make an appointment and drive 10 or 30 miles. The only regular relationship you have is one-on-one with the Man – the TV, radio, billboard, ad machine.
Bag searches are just another step down the path we inexorably travel: the one to hyperslavery. “But how could it be slavery when we have all of these great products at incredibly low prices!?!?!?!” After the Civil War, many slaves returned to their masters and their plantations because they simply didn’t know what else to do. Slavery is a state of mind where your freedom and dignity are less important than your material well being. Freedom, dignity, privacy – these words are today nothing more than hollow slogans used for politics and advertising. No American knows what the words freedom, dignity, or privacy mean. No American knows how important each is to the other.
Americans know the specs of all sorts of great products — even ones they will never buy because they’ve seen the commercial. Americans know what the monthly payment is to “buy” one of those things. Slavery by trick is a less expensive and safer racket to run than using outright force. You’d be surprised how psychologically-based earlier forms of slavery were. They only make them seem forced-based in the history books. They all involved insinuating slave mentality, which is the mentality we are cultivating here today.
“Isn’t working on the plantation a small price to pay for having a comfortable place to live, food to eat, never having to worry about where the next meal’s going to come from?”
Wake up.
Will said,
June 19, 2008 at 5:25 pm
WOW, talk about paranoia!!! Sean you got to get some help! But you did make some serious points, it was just difficult to get passed all the propaganda.
What you refer to slavery, I refer to as simple laziness. Its the “whats the harm” mentality. Whats the harm in showing my receipt turns into whats the harm in letting them check my pockets, to whats the harm in a full cavity search.
Its an unfortunate state of being that we are in. As long as we do not perceive it as personally affecting us, then there is “no harm”, As a result we get things like the door Nazis, traffic cameras, police checkpoints, the patriot act, and gated communities. We give up pounds of freedom for ounces of perception.
So what should people do about the door Nazis? There is not one solution, but being submissive to being guilty before proven innocent is simply not American, no matter what pennies you save.
Personally, I choose to simply say no thank-you, in a calm loud strong voice. Not because I do not want to show my receipt, but simply because its none of their business to look at it. As far as preventing theft, it would take quite the foolish thief to show their receipt while they have stolen goods in their bags. They too, would simply say no thank you. Hence, the only people getting checked are those that are not stealing.
That does beg the question as to why do the stores even bother checking them? Maybe they count on ignorance and the gullibility of thieves. My understanding is that its really to cut down on the employee cashier only pretending to scan high price items for co-conspirators. Maybe thats just the kind of people they hire. Pretty sad in my opinion when a company thinks so little of their employees.
My personal method for jousting at this particular windmill is to simply convince friends and family not to do it and hope they are able to convince others as a result. It took about 2 years for me to convince my brother and sister and I think I am the verge of convincing this snooty lawyer friend of becoming a little more American. This is how I became free of the door nazi, a good friend and I were shopping at Fryes and while I was dutifully waiting in queue to prove my innocence to the people who just took my money, he walked straight out without a word, so I did to, and wow, what a feeling.
BTW, Costco made you sign that you will show your receipt, not let them search your bags.
Pass on the freedom folks.
curoco said,
July 7, 2008 at 10:25 pm
It’s simple really…don’t stop and don’t let them check your bag/cart or whatever. Once you pay for the items, the BELONG TO YOU. They are your personal property and fall under “unreasonable search” laws. The door checker at Walmart does not have the authority to check anything…and HE KNOWS IT. If you decline, he will let you pass without harassment. Stores like SAMS and COSTCO are membership stores…you signed a contract to join, and in the small print it says that you will get your cart checked…deal with it or quit. Unless there is a sign posted stating that by shopping at the store you give consent to be searched…keep walking, there is nothing they can do.
ed said,
July 12, 2008 at 10:08 pm
I think most of you miss a very important point…You went to the store, they didnt force you to go. I get tired listening to people cry about stores..their prices are too high, the person checking me out at the register dosnt care about me, they dont carry the brand I have to have, THEY CHECK MY RECEIPT AT THE DOOR. dont like it….go some where else you dumb a#*. thats your right. trust me the guy at the door dosnt care about you, he cares about his job that feeds his family. So when the manager says check receipts he does, also Im sure he dosnt want to check your bums for stolen tv’s.
JP said,
July 30, 2008 at 5:22 pm
okay so check this out.
as far as Costco goes, people who are members at the store signed the form to have their merchandise checked. You must show your receipt. In reply to the idiot that lost her receipt, tough luck. You should of got the reciept reprinted. They can block your membership card and/or terminate your membership for that. Also, there have been a handful of times when I was shopping at Costco and the cashier double charged me for some things because he/she was keying the number on the upc instead of scanning it. The people at the front door caught it everytime so to you people that say “they’re accusing me,” and “oh, my rights feel so violated” they’re doing a service for you by finding things that you have been overcharged for. Lets not forget spending tens of thousands of dollars at costco does not make you a better member, and complaining about someone checking your receipt, and bringing up the fact that you do, makes you a douce. i can see how other department stores dont have the right to check your reciept, but as far as costco goes, you paid and signed the agreement. if you dont like it, quit. Im sure they wouldn’t care if you did. One less idiot consumer
An American said,
August 20, 2008 at 5:17 pm
For those that have replied to just go along with it and don’t make a fuss, or if you don’t like it don’t shop there, and those that say it’s a small price to pay to keep theft down, my answer is will you please remove your head out of your butt and wake up!
Do you like the implication that you are being profiled as a shoplifter? Grouped into the mass and then like some little child on a playground being told to line up at the door and get your nose wiped.
To the few that refuse, the few that have remembered they live in the United State where millions have died for the constitution, bill of rights, the freedoms and just plain common sense, a hearty atta-boy to you all.
I don’t know California law as to what constitutes an arrest, but I do know Ohio’s Law and what they are doing and it matters not if it takes an hour, a minute or a second, once you are stopped from making egress from a place of business or structure, by an owner, employee or agent of said establishment, they have by law, arrested you.
Before becoming a police officer I worked loss prevention and the one thing that used to be pounded into staff was if you aren’t 100″ positive someone has stolen something, let them go. Even if you saw them put it under whatever, if you lose sight for a fraction of a second, let them go! Why? Because if they got rid of it and you go ahead and stop them from going past the last point to purchase items, that you have in fact arrested them and if nothing is found you and the store are liable for civil action, your ow3n arrest for false arrest, and a world of hurt in the courts.
So far I haven’t pushed the point, but after today and a rather snobby old woman that takes her job way to serious, I look forward to my nest trip to a store that is on American soil, and is open to the public, so I’ll damn well go there when and if I want, and I can only hope that some lackey, following their job duties, illegally or not, takes a hold of my arm to stop me as I smile and walk my American tail out the door with my receipt in my pocket. My next hope is that the members of the jury won’t be a bunch of sheep as so many that have replied to this are.
Stand up and either man up or woman up you idiots, this is your America that’s being taken away a receipt at a time and a let them do it, it’s no big deal at a time as well.
TARGET SUCKS said,
November 11, 2008 at 9:32 pm
From: http://targetfiling.blogspot.com
===============================
D. EAS Alarm Response
If an EAS alarm sounds, the uniformed TPS shall follow the procedures outlined below. If a uniformed TPS is not available, the LOD, GSTL or ETL-AP shall follow the outlined procedures; other team members are not permitted to respond to EAS alarms.
1. Guests with visible purchases:
a. Approach guest and conduct merchandise receipt check to verify purchases and deactivation of EAS tags.
1. If you find the item on the receipt, deactivate the item and allow the guest to leave.
2. If the item is not on the receipt, ask the guest if they would like to purchase the item.
3. If the guest does not have, or cannot find a receipt, ask the guest which cashier rang up their purchase and verify with the cashier. If the purchase cannot be verified, contact another AP team member for assistance.
4. Searches of a subject’s personal possessions (example: purse) for evidence (merchandise) is not allowed unless the subject initiates the search or requests an AP team member to inspect their possessions.
NOTE: If the guest becomes uncooperative, allow the guest to leave. Obtain a description of the guest and guest’s vehicle and enter it in CIRS.
2. Guest with NO visible purchases:
a. Approach guest and conduct merchandise receipt check to verify purchases and deactivation of EAS tags.
1. If the guest does not have any purchases, ask if they have an electronic key – if so ask to see it.
2. Ask if guest has merchandise from another store – if so ask if they would like it deactivated.
3. If the guest does not have merchandise or an electronic key, allow them to leave the store.
4. If guest shows you Target merchandise that has not been paid for, ask if they would like to purchase the merchandise and allow them to purchase the item(s). If the guest refuses to purchase the item, ask for the merchandise back.
5. Searches of a subject’s personal possessions (example: purse) for evidence (merchandise) is not allowed unless the subject initiates the search or requests an AP team member to inspect their possessions.
NOTE: If the guest becomes uncooperative, allow the guest to leave. Obtain a description of the guest and guest’s vehicle and enter it in CIRS.
Joe said,
February 24, 2009 at 9:17 am
It amazes me how some comments are stating that we should just show the receipt. To just ignore the fact that we are having to prove that we did not commit a crime.
Its simply astonishing how so many, for the sake of convenience, disregard the fact that our most basic rights as Americans are being taken away.
Look, its the stores responsibility to prove a crime was committed, not for you to prove your not a criminal.
Astrogirl » Blog Archive » The Sewing said,
March 15, 2009 at 2:17 pm
[...] use the self-checkouts and pack my own bags. They might even prove useful at Costco, but due to the exit inspection procedure, maybe [...]
Ken Milligan said,
April 18, 2009 at 8:44 pm
30 years police retired. Everyone go to “California Codes” on the Web. Read 490.5 of the Penal Code. Section F 1 states that you CAN BE detained by the store to prove rightful purchase. Court cases have held that means between the last point of sale and the exit. The People Greeter and the store is within their legal right to check that receipt and is not unlawful. The only items that they are checking is what is not bagged and may have been missed by the checkers. Everyone must feel that it is against them. Not so as long as you have a receipt. The only items that I have found missing from the receipts were on the bottom and was missed by everyone. But the ones that I have found that would not show a receipt has turned into stealing. Some upwards of $1000. Also turned over to the Police. When I ask for a receipt for an unbagged item or two, the line out is held up for several seconds. Those that do not show the receipt may be held for 10 or 15 minutes or until they show the receipt. You may leave by the other door but the items will remain in the store until a receipt shows purchase. This is California State law in the Penal Code.
Also do not show me a Badge. Unless you are working or making an arrest you can not use the color of your badge to try an put someone down. This is unlawful and against the federal laws.
doug said,
April 24, 2009 at 7:13 pm
Ken Milligan,
Penal code 490.5 section F1 does not state that at all. IT says something about probable cause, but nowhere doe “state” “you CAN BE detained by the store to prove rightful purchase”.
(f) (1) A merchant may detain a person for a reasonable time for
the purpose of conducting an investigation in a reasonable manner
whenever the merchant has probable cause to believe the person to be
detained is attempting to unlawfully take or has unlawfully taken
merchandise from the merchant’s premises.
A theater owner may detain a person for a reasonable time for the
purpose of conducting an investigation in a reasonable manner
whenever the theater owner has probable cause to believe the person
to be detained is attempting to operate a video recording device
within the premises of a motion picture theater without the authority
of the owner of the theater.
A person employed by a library facility may detain a person for a
reasonable time for the purpose of conducting an investigation in a
reasonable manner whenever the person employed by a library facility
has probable cause to believe the person to be detained is attempting
to unlawfully remove or has unlawfully removed books or library
materials from the premises of the library facility.
Dyan Wooton said,
May 3, 2009 at 10:46 am
If you don’t like the policy….quit complaining and don’t spend your money there.
That was easy.
Dayton Enns said,
May 17, 2009 at 9:35 am
I work for costco and somewhat agree with what you are saying here, the door checkers look for the things on the bottom of the cart which may have been missed, also they check for any coupons the cashier may have also missed, I discover missed coupons all the time and the response from the customer is always the same…”wow you guys actually do serve a purpose” and we do…serve a purpose.
Tom O'Neill said,
May 17, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Think about this from another direction. When the checkers mark the receipt aren’t they making themself someone who could attest that no theft has occured or been attempted?
Assuming this is reasonable, I wonder if the checkers realize what they’re doing when they sign off on the receipt.
Perhaps we should be putting the checkers name on the receipt and thanking them for being a witness.
Will said,
June 5, 2009 at 10:53 pm
Ken Milligan,
From your writing, its obvious to me at least that you are not a retired leo, but someone who is simply trying to use the color of authority to convince some teenager or other easily duped person reading this blog that the forced unwarranted search of someones property is somehow lawful. This is America pal.
Ms Anne Thorpe said,
June 16, 2009 at 10:33 pm
@ Ken Milligan FAIL!
I implore people to refuse this corporate slavery tactic. You still have the right to privacy, people, use it or lose it. Do not stop when receipts are requested at the door. Do not stop when door alarms activate. If these people block your way to exit, they are kidnapping you(in my state), so press charges. All entrance ways should have CCTV cameras. There is your evidence of the unlawful detention. Use it! BE FREE!
No Thanks said,
June 21, 2009 at 7:58 am
I think we need to organize a day in which we all go to our local Wal-Marts and refuse to show our receipts. I have some non-violent, perfectly legal plans regarding the methods to do this, but I want to leave it open for discussion in this forum before I type everything out. Otherwise I would have just wasted everyone’s time.
The plan is very thourough, and involves getting more people involved than just those in this forum. The only thing that would be required of anyone wishing to participate is that they do something they have all proven they can do:
1. Shop at Wal-Mart on a set day
2. Carry a slip of paper
3. Use a computer
The beauty is that everyone involved may remain anonymous if they wish.
Like I said though, I want to leave all of this up for a public discussion. We will need to organize into a loose, nationwide, online group that people in this forum that wish to participate in will name. I for one propose the name “No Thanks”. I propose this name because in most forums and online content the words “No Thanks” are used when a customer describes the way they dealt with receipt checkers.
I hope to see your posts on this matter, because I am sure many of you will agree with me when I say the time for Wal-Mart’s intimidation of it’s honest customers and the customer’s subsequent complaining in half-buried online forums is over. It is time to act.
This is our chance people, this is our chance to reach beyond our local boundaries and right into Wal-Mart’s corporate headquarters. We all know that our complaints are silenced beyond the local manager…that is IF they even get that far. Wal-Mart cannot ignore all of us acting in unison.
Chris said,
July 1, 2009 at 5:08 pm
My ma always gets pissed when she’s stopped for a receipt check, but only because she thinks she’s being singled-out. She’s extremely pacifist though, and wouldn’t say anything, even when I told her that she didn’t have to do it. She just puts up…
But I turned out to be her evil spawn, apparently. When I ignore them and speak my mind I “embarrass” her.
I can understand why they would do it, though. It’s not a “slavery” thing, it’s a scare tactic. It’s the same thing with the door alarms and the like. While I don’t mind them using these tactics to avoid monetary loss, I cannot approve of the people who work there… They should know it’s against the law to force someone to show a receipt; it’s common sense. I live in a big city, and this Wal-Mart still somehow manages to find the dumbest, close-minded, single-thought-processing, low lifes I’ve ever seen…
ACTUALLY, now that I think about it, the smaller Wal-Mart around here has some pretty smart and nice people. I guess it’s just the superstore that I have problems with.
Also, I wonder if it’s true women still get paid less than men at this store.
Maybe WalMart thinks it makes the laws around here lol.
peace out,
Chris