Kohl's Employee

[Cinders]

Today I took the boys shopping for clothes and shoes at a Kohl's. Older DS tried on a couple pairs of shoes and I noticed there was a pair of old worn black Vans and an empty box sitting at the end of the aisle. The whole time we were in shoes no one came back for these. I had noticed a guy when we first got there walking back and forth and he kept glancing around but I figured he was looking for someone. I told a saleslady that I thought this guy stole a pair of shoes and told her where the old ones were. She said, "Yeah, I noticed he was strange looking (lots of piercings and tats) and he was sorta shifty but hey it happens all the time." It sorta ticked me off that she was so nonchalant about the whole deal and that she made no effort to see if he was still in the store. No wonder prices go up if this is how they treat shoplifters.

 

[SugarBear]

Kohl's has security walking through the store at all times. They look like customers and they have a special code on the paging system. They are the ones who will confront the thief, not some woman working there who could get hurt. Just because you didn't see anyone do anything doesn't mean that nothing was done.

 

[debster812]

ITA with SugarBear

In EVERY SINGLE retail job I have ever worked, it was drummed into us that under NO circumstances are we to ever confront a thief/shoplifter, etc.

 

[peachgirl]

I would imagine for what Kohl's pays their sales associates, it really isn't worth chasing down theives and putting themselves at risk.

Besides, it does happen all the time. As customers it surprises us, but after you see it happen day after day it really doesn't shock you anymore.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

As a former Kohl's employee I can say that during back to school so many shoes are stolen it's a joke. Happens all the time. Hopefully she informed security and that would be the end of her part in it-unless he came back and they had her "helping" him.

Our security guys had knives pulled on them. One went through a window tackling a guy with a bunch of jeans. Not to mention finding needles and drugs on people when they pat them down.

 

[krissy3483]

I worked at a Kohls for about a year, and shoes were stolen practically every day that I was there. Underwear also seemed to be a big one, there were always tags on the floor. As far as I can remember, we were always told that there was nothing we could do about someone we suspected was shoplifting, aside from calling security. And security had to actually see them doing it, if I called and said someone walked in wearing a different pair of shoes than he was wearing now it wouldn't be enough. In fact, one of our security guys was actually fired for wrongfully accusing (and I believe detaining) someone he thought was shoplifting.

 

[Nancy]

The laws are on the side of the shoplifter. We have to have security both visually see them (either on camera or in person) and then they should try to get them on tape. Under no circumstances can an employee approach and accuse an individual. security can not even stop them until they are outside of the store...because at any point inside the doors they can say they were paying for the merchandise, even if they stuffed it in their pants. Employees are not allowed to follow a oerson outside the store...I know from experience...when working overnight a few of us got read the riot act over doing that.

 

[HollyJoy]

Sorry to tell you, but it does happen all the time. I worked in retail for many years, and I've seen my fair share of things that people do. Very sad that some people have such low values.

 

[Cinders]

Kohl's has security walking through the store at all times. They look like customers and they have a special code on the paging system. They are the ones who will confront the thief, not some woman working there who could get hurt. Just because you didn't see anyone do anything doesn't mean that nothing was done.

Wouldn't she have had to move off deadcenter to use the paging system? I never said she should confront him but she did nothing at all.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

Originally posted by Cinders
Wouldn't she have had to move off deadcenter to use the paging system? I never said she should confront him but she did nothing at all.

There are phones placed around the department where employees can page from. Yes, she would have hdd to move away fromt he guy to page. She wouldn't want to be right next to him when she did it anyway.

The only thing she could have done, besides alert security (if they are even there), is to give him good customer service. Smile at him, ask if he needs help, maybe be close but not too close. It's hard though if you are the only one in the department and other customers are needing your help, especially at BTS time.

Kohl's also knows that they could put the security tags on everything, but they don't want to be "that kind of store." They expect a certain amount of loss/month/year.

Unless you work/have worked retail you don't know how often this really happens.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

and that she made no effort to see if he was still in the store.

but you didn't see the guy do anything. What reason did she have to try and track the guy down?

"Excuse me sir, but another customer doesn't like the way you dress or your shifty eyes, please come with us back to the Security Office!"

Just because somebody has piercings and tattoos doesn't mean they were the shoplifter. He might have been looking for his kids, that is what I'm usually doing when I'm walking around Kohls glancing around