Community Chat

[Georgiagrama]

So much offense being taken by everything and anything these days.    Sad.

[NYC Susan]

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@Lindsays Grandma wrote:

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@proudlyfromNJ wrote:

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@blackhole99 wrote:

I have never shopped anywhere where a store employee checks the sales receipts against your merchandise as you exit the store. I would not shop at such a place that would waste my time like that. I don't think that would fly in my area either, we have open carry and that kind of practice might get you shot. Either people do not shop lift in our area or every Walmart does not have the same policies.

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@blackhole99. Our Costco checks your receipt as you leave the store. I don’t go to Walmart so I don’t know what they do. Also, I try to avoid states with open carry.

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Yes, Costco checks the receipts, they don't go through all your purchases.  This employee has people standing back to back while she goes through all your bags.

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At every Costco I've ever been to, they have always gone through my purchases.  They check them against my receipt to be sure everything is paid for.  I know that they do this, and it doesn't bother me at all. 

[Katcat1]

I can't read all this.

[songbird]

i rarely shop at Wal Mart, but my husand uses their Pharmacy.  It's a so called Super Wal Mart with groceries, etc.  Nobody greets us comng in or stops us on the way back.  

On the other hand, whenever I go to my Costsco, smeone always checks our bags careully. They never say anything to us, just ask to show our bags.   I half expect them to ask us to hold our arms up.  One reason I don't like to shop there.

[ID2]

OP, in the grand scheme of things this is small potatoes. Take a deep breath and enjoy life. You'll look back at this and laugh for getting so upset. 

[CelticCrafter]

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@september wrote:

Just want to say, that I don’t mind if all customers are stopped at the exit and have their receipts and purchases checked out.  They do this at Costco.  

I feel it’s unfair when they choose random people to scrutinize, as the OP stated, and what I went through at Target. 

Do it to everyone, or don’t do it at all. 

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Costco does it because there are no bags otherwise you could put anything in the cart and walk out with it.

[gardenman]

Checking purchases has become common since some clever thieves figured out they could print their own UPC bar codes on stickers and put them over the genuine bar codes to get a lower price. The Best Buy chain was hit by this scam many times and added a checker as you leave the store to ensure the model number on the receipt matches the model number on the box. With self checkouts more common, it's really become necessary. It's pretty easy for people to pull all kinds of scams that can only be caught as the perpetrator leaves the store.

Stores like Walmart have lots of fairly high value items just sitting there. Let's say a thief is looking to buy a new router for their computer. Walmart has models ranging from $30 to over $200 in many cases from the same manufacturer. If the thief uses a smartphone to take a photo of the UPC code of the $30 router, then prints that barcode out onto a sticker and applies that over the barcode on the $200 router and pays the $30, they've essentially stolen $170 from the store while looking like they've done nothing wrong. Store security cameras don't see anything wrong and  the only way to catch such a theft is by checking the purchase afterwards to ensure the items in the bag match the items on the receipt. And yes, there are a lot of thieves out there. 

I think the old catalog showroom model (Best, Service Merchandise) may become more popular again as it drastically limits shoplifting. With smartphones and apps, a customer could simply scan items thet want, even pay from the phone, and have it all waiting to be picked up as they leave the store. 

[AuntG]

@Lindsays Grandma I'd respect someone who did their job and not complain to management. 

[Gorgf]

I was beeped for  $15 roll of top of the line Gorilla Tape. Lol The only thing that gets me is at the small door it holds up traffic and a line develops as they go through the bags only when beeped. Usually that door in the liquor department is closer to parking and faster. I have turned around to use a another door. We have a small Wal-Mart.  The larger one near me has a greeter and never checks  and no beepers.

Many more issues in the self service checking also. If I have any larger items I use the regular checkout or tech. Items with a silver coin.   I was talking to a Wal-Mart  employee who said the employees noticed two men at Self Service trying to steal a TV. The excuse was they did not want it anyway. With the retail traffic this time of year an issue.

It sounds from the posts the stores vary from sleeping to checking everything! Must depend on individual managers?

[tobes]

I have only once seen an employee check a customer's bag and receipt. but have never had my receipt checked.