Anyone get stopped leaving stores?

ToadHill · Jan 21, 2009

I think I'd write a letter to the local newspaper and see if you can get them to print it, including the name of the store and the time and date you were there.

Several years ago I was driving through a small town near my farm. I had just come off a divided highway and heading toward my place and a car came the other way, I dimmed my headlights and went on. About a half mile down the road the local cop pulled me over , he was the car coming the other way at me. He gave me a ticket for not dimming my lights, I told him I did dim them, He said in his opinion I didn't do it fast enough.

I sent a letter to the town and to the local newspaper letting them know that since my place was located right between their town and another, I'd be taking all my business in the other direction. I calculated the amount I spent with local business and it came to something like $8000 per year. I wished them well with the $25 fine I had to pay and mentioned that all my neighbors were aware of the nit picking cop they employed and many of them said they would drive the other way for purches as well.

I don't know if it did any good but I felt better. I do know that at least 2 of my neighbors and I have changed out shopping habits since.

dmccarty · Jan 21, 2009

I would write a very cool, calm and professional letter and send it to the CEO/President of the company, the manager in question, and the district manager. And see what happens.

If they do not do anything then its media time if one wants to expend the effort.

Regarding ToadHill being pulled for not dimming a headlight I would send a letter, as he did, to the powers that be in the town, mayor, town council, etc. as well as the Police Chief. The Chief might not care what the officer did but the Chief''s boss might. But in a small town they just might not care either.

But they might.

Later,
Dan

polo1665 · Jan 21, 2009

The local Wal-Mart here also has a policy of randomly checking receipts. To me it is all a matter of how you are approached. I can understand that the store needs to protect their interests and ours. If they are stolen from who do you think picks up the tab in the long run? As log as they are polite and friendly about it I would not have a problem. IMO the original poster was treated without respect and the manager should be disciplined.

Mark

MikeD74T · Jan 21, 2009

BJ's & Sam's are "shopping clubs" thus you have to play by their rules to be a member. I choose to believe that the door check is as much a way to check cashier honesty & proficiency as it is to catch customers stealing. At the local Sam's they seem to do an item count only. I'm only offended by those door checks when the checked is gabbing with a coworker while I'm waiting to get out.
The local Walmart has door checkers as well. When asked for my receipt I politely say "no - thank you" and keep walking. Only once was I further challenged. I replied "if you think I'm stealing call the police. I paid for my items & the receipt is my property. If you don't trust your cashiers watch them more closely." Then I walked away. MikeD74T

woodchuckie · Jan 21, 2009

My wife and I shop at Wal-mart for groceries. We split the list and each get a buggy to make things quicker. For about three or four weeks each time we went through the exit the alarm would go off so the door greeter would look over the receipt and tell us to go on. This was getting funnier and funnier to me as I try to be easy going and take things in stride. The last time we set it off I took the buggies back through and pushed each one through the door without me going through. No alarm. So then I walk through and the alarm goes off. I go back in and take a shoe off and throw it thru. No alarm. I throw the other thru and the alarm goes off. Several weeks earlier the cashier failed to deactivate whatever is built into the shoe.

dooleysm · Jan 21, 2009

Whenever I go in or out of a CVS the alarm sounds. It has happened in several CVS's in Indiana as well as one in San Diego. I have never been stopped in either direction.

actionaj · Jan 21, 2009

I think I would have turned the buggy around and went to the service desk and returned everything got my money back. Then tell that big shot wannabe that I will being doing my business with your competitor from now on.

Chuck52 · Jan 21, 2009

I may be a victim of profiling. I never get checked anyplace except Sam's. I bought an elliptical trainer at one of the local Super Wallyworlds a couple of weeks ago, because as I was on my way to the lighting section I passed the exercise section and saw this thing on sale for $129. The sign was right below what looked to be a reasonably decent elliptical trainer, but I wasn't sure it was the one on sale. I had a clerk check it out and he said it was the one, so I had him load it up on a flatbed and take it to customer service while I did the rest of my shopping. At customer service, they rang it up and it came out $297...still pretty cheap for the thing, but more than I wanted to pay. So I told them it had a sign for $129, and they said OK. No further check was made on a difference of $168. I then wondered if I could have said $50, but I just don't have enough larceny in my heart I guess. I checked the same machine at the other two Wally stores over the next week or so, when I happened to be in them, because my SIL thought he might want one. Either I got in on a short-lived sale, or it was just mislabelled. I got a boxed machine, by the way, not a floor model.

Chuck

Wayne County Hose · Jan 21, 2009

Okay, I did this to my sister. I was at a Staples and getting copies of blueprints made. Long story short, in joking with the guy, he gave me some of those sticky things that set the door alarms off. I put one under the lapel of her jacket. She still can't figure out why the store alarms go off.

I think one day the wife is really going to trip my trigger, then I'll get her too!

That manager that stopped the original poster is an idiot. Nothing you can do will change that. You should show pity on him. Just think, he probably has a wife and kids at home. How do you think they feel having an iidiot like him for a husband/father?

MossRoad · Jan 21, 2009

When they ask you if they can see the receipt, politely ask them "Why?"

If they tell you it is to make sure you got everything you purchased, tell them "I'm pretty sure I got everything and will come back if I did not."

If they tell you it is store policy, ask them "Can you go get the store policy manual and show me this?"

If they tell you it is for security reasons, look concerned and ask them "Isn't this a store safe anymore?" and look around at people coming and going.

If they get nasty with you, tell them you've decided to return everything in the cart and want them to check each item on the receipt. After they check it, tell them you changed your mind, and since they already saw your receipt, you can leave now.

Then tell them you think you need assistance and ask them if they could push the cart out to your car and help load everything in the trunk for you. Then pretend to forget where you parked and take them on a hike out to the gas station on the other side of the parking lot.

Great fun.

If he touches you, kick him in the bean cans.

But really, just get the guy's name, call the store owner, tell them the guy was an unprofessional jerk and tell them you will not be shopping there anymore until they correct the situation.