Does OfficeMax have a problem with shop lifting or something?

[Kaspian]

Originally posted by: Pantoot

Originally posted by: kranky

Originally posted by: Medicine Bear

Sure I can as long as I'm in the store. Not shoplifting unless I try to leave the store without paying for something.

You might want to run that thought by a lawyer before relying on it.

Legal Myths

You are not guilty of shoplifting until you leave a store with merchandise you did not pay for.

Wrong. Generally, people who conceal merchandise while inside a store may be guilty of shoplifting. Also, changing a price tag on an item for the purpose of paying less than the stated price is shoplifting.

The Loss Prevention personel still have to let you at least aproach the exit door before they can do an aprehension (a last chance for the suspect to "ditch" the merchandise before leaving the store). Also besides concealment they "suspect" has to show some sort of INTENT. If the suspect does not show intent and still gets aprehended, he/she can fight it in court (with a good convincing story) and could get a nice settlement.
(I was a former Loss Prevention Specialist for Lowes, Khols and Elder B.)

 

[Ornery]

"Watch him, don't take any chances."

That's just two employees. Doesn't make it company policy. Our OfficeMax has been using those headsets for at least a couple years. I never associated it with shop lifting. Seems they use headsets, rather than paging over the PA. Each employee is instantly in touch with others, from one department to another, and even the stock area. At first it seemed like overkill to me, but after I saw it used a few times, it made sense. Security is probably just one more justification for the headset system.

 

[Kaspian]

Originally posted by: NFS4
Is that why they have G-Men stalking their customers as they walk through the door??

They have their little headsets on and report on EVERYTHING we do. I walk in and the guy is looking all devious as he's talking into his mic an explaining to everyone else that "We've got one coming, heading towards back of the store."

All of them are like that. There was an Indian fella looking at the cameras and I overheard one of them say "Watch him, don't take any chances." WTF, the things are bolted to the showcase.

And it's not just one OfficeMax, they all have this sorta big brother thing going on.

I used to be a loss prevention specialist for a few retail stores. I've never been in a store that had to be so "blunt/obvious." However, these could be some of the reasons:

A: They had no camera systems in the store (cctv)
B: They had no LP personel on staff.
C: The LP on staff has not been certified to do apprehensions.
D: Atleast on of the stores (of the same chain) is in litigation procedures do to a "bad" stop (when they apprehend an inocent person by mistake)
E: Or a combination of the above.

I could go on and on on this topic, but I'm just giving you and over view. I dont agree with their procedure. It is obvious they are just pissing people off. :|

 

[AndrewR]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: Hammer
is it only you? your store is paranoid over black people maybe? don't put up with that BS. tell them fsck off.

Not just me. They do it for every customer coming in. Whenver someone comes through the door, they alert everyone through their headsets as to where they are going and what they are doing. There always seem to be 3-4 employees roaming the store at any given time.

I did a tour de force of technology stores last weekend, and I saw the same thing in direct contrast to my experience at all the other places. I since visited another OM and saw it again, too. It just solidifies my opinion of OM as the lowest of the office supply stores by a long shot.

One point in their favor was the stunning cashier though. :thumbsup:

 

[CptObvious]

Regarding the side legal issue of shoplifting, you can be convicted of larceny if you even pick up the item with the intent to steal it (no concealment necessary). Practically speaking, however, it would be hard to ascertain an intent to steal merely because the person picked the item up. The reason places wait until you are walking out the door is that usually is sufficient manifestation of intent. If they stop a person prematurely, they could be liable for big $$ in a tort lawsuit for false imprisonment.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Originally posted by: NFS4
Is that why they have G-Men stalking their customers as they walk through the door??

They have their little headsets on and report on EVERYTHING we do. I walk in and the guy is looking all devious as he's talking into his mic an explaining to everyone else that "We've got one coming, heading towards back of the store."

All of them are like that. There was an Indian fella looking at the cameras and I overheard one of them say "Watch him, don't take any chances." WTF, the things are bolted to the showcase.

And it's not just one OfficeMax, they all have this sorta big brother thing going on.

The one on Glenwood? LOL

 

[mwtgg]

It seems a bit excessive to do that, but they obviously have a reason to do it. However, this is easily avoidable -- DON'T SHOP THERE, MORONS.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak

Originally posted by: NFS4
Is that why they have G-Men stalking their customers as they walk through the door??

They have their little headsets on and report on EVERYTHING we do. I walk in and the guy is looking all devious as he's talking into his mic an explaining to everyone else that "We've got one coming, heading towards back of the store."

All of them are like that. There was an Indian fella looking at the cameras and I overheard one of them say "Watch him, don't take any chances." WTF, the things are bolted to the showcase.

And it's not just one OfficeMax, they all have this sorta big brother thing going on.

The one on Glenwood? LOL

The one in Cary at Crossroads. It's the closet to me.

 

[klah]

Go to the back of the store and do THIS

 

[suse920]

Originally posted by: klah
Go to the back of the store and do THIS

wtf $1000 no way i would do that

 

[amicold]

Originally posted by: ActuaryTm
"That guy! Swarm! Swarm!"

:thumbsup:

 

[Zim Hosein]

Originally posted by: klah
Go to the back of the store and do THIS

Linky no workie!

 

[batmanuel]

Originally posted by: Ornery
"Watch him, don't take any chances."

That's just two employees. Doesn't make it company policy. Our OfficeMax has been using those headsets for at least a couple years. I never associated it with shop lifting. Seems they use headsets, rather than paging over the PA. Each employee is instantly in touch with others, from one department to another, and even the stock area. At first it seemed like overkill to me, but after I saw it used a few times, it made sense. Security is probably just one more justification for the headset system.

I worked there part time on weekends for some extra cash up until recently and the behavior that NFS4 noted is actually company policy. The program is called Boundless and they assigned people shifts to be the Sales Leader and make sure everyone comes arouond and helps all the customers. That way, they don't actually have to worry about keeping all the departments staffed and can instead have two or three people run around and take care of all the people in the store. The sad part is that the store you were at was actually trying to do it by the book. Either they had a District Manager coming to visit (they are known for hiding outside with their own FRS radios and listening in to make sure everyone is being as annoying as possible) or they drunk corporate the Kool-Aid.

Before I left, they were getting more strict about adhering to the program. For a while at first those of us there actually tried to use the radios in a sane manner - namely we used them when we needed to talk to someone and kept the unnecessary chtter to a minimum. Now they want constant chatter on the radio to prove that the Sales Leader is doing their job and micromanaging all the associates on the floor. This sucks in several different ways: first, by making one person sales leader, you cripple the customer service capability of the store by removing one person from interacting with customers (the Sales Leader is not supposed to get bogged down); second, you make it hard for the sales associates to actually listen well to the customers because they always have to listen to the constant background chatter; thirdly, by constantly chattering you are tying up the radio frequency. I don't know how many times I've needed to get in touch with a manager concerning a customer service or stock issue only to have to sit there for a few minutes while someone was telling us how much money the copy center had made in the last hour.

It's a good idea, giving people radios for instant communication, but it is horribly executed. I swear the OfficeMax corporate management was its own worst enemy. That store would do so much better if they just fired the lot of them and started over.

 

[whistleclient]

how do you guys feel about the "guy checking your receipt at the door" policy at some stores. it bugs me.

once i pay, and they accept payment, aren't the goods mine and a search in my bag isn't legal, is it?