What does everyone think about receipt checkers?

[rgf207]

I see this more and more lately. When you buy some items at any given retail store (BestBuy and Wal-Mart are huge culprits), you are almost forced to show your receipt upon exit.

I understand that at stores like Sam's Club and Costco you agree to this with your membership but at the other places, it's not required.

I really don't have a problem with the act of showing my receipt I just really can't stand it how stores basically assume you are shoplifting until you prove you didn't

It's like you're Guilty until proven innocent.

Thoughts?

 

[Miz Diz]

I think it is a waste of time. Seriously, shoplifters are not going to put extra items in their bag or shopping cart - they're going to hide it.

 

[Sparx]

I've only been stopped once. Most of the time they don't say anything and just let you walk by them. And when I was stopped, he didn't even read my receipt, he just marked on it with a highlighter.

 

[Acklander]

I figure if a store is willing to pay someone to check the receipts there must be a good reason for it. It only takes a few seconds, and then I'm on my way. I guess if it bothered me, I'd just shop elsewhere. I never thought it was because they thought it was me personally who was shoplifting.

 

[rgf207]

I think it is a waste of time. Seriously, shoplifters are not going to put extra items in their bag or shopping cart - they're going to hide it.

Exactly. The thing that really irritates me is that I'm being labeled as a possible shoplifter until I pull out my receipt from my bag and prove that I paid for my items.

I did a bunch of reading on the internet before I posted and there really is no legal requirement for you to show your receipt and you cannot be detained. People have filed lawsuits and won over things like this.

 

[Piecey]

I've never had to show my receipt anywhere but Sams Club...

Walmart and Best Buy are seriously doing this?? Seems like a waste of time. It's a waste of time at Sams Club, too! They don't even check.

 

[KAMLEM]

I think it is a waste of time. Seriously, shoplifters are not going to put extra items in their bag or shopping cart - they're going to hide it.

Not necessarily a waste of time, just the fact that there is a receipt checker will stop many shoplifters. That alone probably more than pays for the position.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

I think it is a waste of time. Seriously, shoplifters are not going to put extra items in their bag or shopping cart - they're going to hide it.

That's what I was going to say. It's like, stop hassling me! I didnt and wouldn't steal anything!

 

[Handbag Lady]

I think that if they actually stop and look at your items and count then look at the total on the receipt, then I'm happy with them.

What I really, really hate is waiting at Costco to leave in the giant line of checkers when they just grab my receipt and highlight it and not even look.

Why on earth do I have to wait in line for that? You didn't do anything!

 

[MarilIncredible]

I think it is a PITA. Unless you can do self check-out, I do not really see how it catches many shoplifters, to be honest. At my Best Buy, the cashier is right near the exit and all out in the open - not much opportunity to slip a pilfered item into your bag with the paid-for stuff. Plus, they have those secutiry gates at the exit (although they tend to go off for certain cell phones or other electronic devices, and people just get waiver through). And the guys at BJs almost always just hole-pinch or mark the receipt without even a glance into our cart.

 

[Miz Diz]

Not necessarily a waste of time, just the fact that there is a receipt checker will stop many shoplifters. That alone probably more than pays for the position.

I'm not a shoplifter, so I really don't know how their mind works, but it is my opinion that if they are the type to shoplift, they are not going to let the 70 year old man who checks the receipts at BJs to stop them. Like I said, they'll hide it somewhere. He only looks at the cart and the receipt. It's not like he pats people down or does a body cavity search.

 

[kwelch10377]

There is also the perception that if someone is at the door checking receipts, someone who is coming to shoplift it might deter them because they think they are being watched.

I get where you are coming from about the whole guilty until proven innocent, but from the prospective of the retailer if they don't have a process in place that shows that they are checking everyone's receipt and they just decide to randomly check someone receipt or bag there is a greater chance that the retailer can get sued becuase the person feels discriminated against because they were checked and others not. I do get that some retailers are not consistant and it defeats the purpose then, but that typically is the general principle behind checking everyone.

 

[rgf207]

I've never had to show my receipt anywhere but Sams Club...

Walmart and Best Buy are seriously doing this?? Seems like a waste of time. It's a waste of time at Sams Club, too! They don't even check.

Yup. Happened to me this morning at BestBuy (which prompted this thread). I paid for my items less than 10 feet from the receipt check guy and he still asked me for my receipt.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

No big deal to me. It gives an elderly person a job. They used to have store greeters, now they have them check receipts. Like what would happen if they found that something wasn't on the receipt? The thief would be long gone with the goods before anyone would react.

I never for one moment thought of this as "guilty until proven innocent".

 

[OceanAnnie]

I watch the people that check the receipts and inside I'm cracking up. Usually there is a big show with head movements and pen pointing, but no real counting. Couldn't be because stuff is under other stuff. I don't mind. It is entertaining to watch and only takes a few extra seconds.

It has to be an incredibly boring job. I always try to be extra nice to them!

 

[JimmyPicker]

I get that they check everyone and it's not like they're personally accusing me of shoplifting, but I still hate it.

 

[happygirl]

No, a big deal. The only time I have ever been stopped is when they I get big ticket items TVs or things like that. It takes about 2 seconds.

 

[rgf207]

No, a big deal. The only time I have ever been stopped is when they I get big ticket items TVs or things like that. It takes about 2 seconds.

correct. I'm not saying that it takes a long time, just sayin that IMHO it seems like I have to prove to them that I'm not a theif.

 

[MushyMushy]

That doesn't bother me. What DOES bother me is having to show my license every time I buy cold medicine.

 

[happygirl]

correct. I'm not saying that it takes a long time, just sayin that IMHO it seems like I have to prove to them that I'm not a theif.

So how do they stop people that are thieves. Just let everyone walk out of the store with big screen tvs? Or Just guess who might be stealing?