When did Walmart start checking receipts?

[RKS]

I went to two different Walmarts in the same general area and was asked for receipts at both when I was exiting.
The first time I had some orange juice and a 2-liter, I produced the receipt but asked the greeter/checker if Walmart had become private.
The second time I was buying some car cleaning supplies and a bike for my son. I was at the register closest to the exit, in plain view of the greeter but I was still asked for the receipt. This time I politely declined since my hands were full and kept walking. Is this just a Christmas thing?

 

[IndyColtsFan]

They've done it at my local Walmart in the past, but I haven't been asked recently.

 

[Schadenfroh]

They have always done this at my local Sams Club, they occasionally do it to "random people" once our super-walmart opened up about 8+ years ago.

BTW, where is that ATOT thread where one of our own tried to run a checkpoint with an xbox 360 (payed for, but refused to allow them to check the receipt when exiting) and was tackled by security or a passerby or something?

 

[Scouzer]

The other day the dimwit checking receipts had 10 people with full carts waiting for him to check receipts. I just walked around him and left. I'm not waiting 20 minutes to prove I didn't steal anything.

 

[rcpratt]

They used to check them every once in awhile at the Walmart at school. Guess they don't trust the college kids.

 

[Beev]

Sam's Club (and Costco) has always done it afaik. You agree to let them when you buy a membership. Wal-Marts are hit or miss. I haven't been checked in about 10 years.

 

[bobdole369]

Its a Christmas thing. From time to time they do it other times of the year.

PSA: Attempts to just leave and not produce the receipt have been met with chasing you through the parking lot, tackling you, making a citizens arrest, and detaining you in the back room until the police arrive and verify that no crime had been committed.

Its been held up in court as kosher. Something called "shopkeeper privilege". States differ on the extent the shop can go to. Also some jurisdictions require "Probable cause"

(typically an employee must actually witness concealment or prove that a reasonable person would think the same way (watch a shopper enter a bathroom with merch and exit without it for example)).

YMMV, I typically hold the receipt out and make the checker damn sure he knows how inconvenient this is.

http://consumerist.com/2009/11/reader-says-he-was-tackled-at-walmart-for-not-showing-receipt.html

http://forums.officer.com/forums/sh...ut-a-call-to-a-retail-store-for-receipt-check

http://www.swlearning.com/blaw/cases/reasonable_detention.html

http://www.thelegality.com/2008/03/...-the-legality-of-compulsory-receipt-checking/

 

[Venix]

PSA: Attempts to just leave and not produce the receipt have been met with chasing you through the parking lot, tackling you, making a citizens arrest, and detaining you in the back room until the police arrive and verify that no crime had been committed.

Its been held up in court as kosher. Something called "shopkeeper privilege". States differ on the extent the shop can go to. Also some jurisdictions require "Probable cause"

Shopkeeper's Privilege absolutely does not allow a store to compel receipt checks; detaining a shopper based solely on refusal to show a receipt is illegal in all states. Dumbass employees may assault and detain you anyway, but that doesn't make it legal.

You say that this has "been held up in court as kosher," but I've never seen a single decision to support this claim. Reference?

 

[Scouzer]

Law in Canada, if anyone is curious. Reads to me unless they see you jack things, they can't touch you.

Section 494. (Criminal Code)[7]
(1) ARREST WITHOUT WARRANT BY ANY PERSON
Any one may arrest without warrant(s)
(a) a person whom he finds committing an indictable offence; or
(b) a person who, on reasonable grounds, he believes
(i) has committed a criminal offence, and
(ii) is escaping from and freshly pursued by persons who have lawful authority to arrest that person
(2) ARREST BY OWNER, ETC., OF PROPERTY
Any one who is
(a) the owner or a person in lawful possession of property, or
(b) a person authorized by the owner or by a person in lawful possession of property
may arrest without warrant a person whom he finds committing a criminal offence on or in relation to that property.

 

[sourceninja]

I wait in line at Sam's club because I agreed to it when I bought my membership. If they tried it at Walmart I would (if I shopped there) walk right past them. Walmart has enough money that it is worth it for me to be tackled and subdued just for the lawsuit payoff.

I wouldn't even fight back, I'd just wait, take careful notes and call my lawyer, and press charges as soon as the police arrived.

 

[bobdole369]

A ha! SP does abaolutely NOT apply here. There still must be probable cause (at least in FL).

I swear I saw somewhere that the tackling/detention was upheld!

It might have been an actual thief though. Still looking and not looking good for the shopkeeper.

 

[SunnyD]

I haven't dealt with it here at all. I usually ignore the greeter person anyway on my way out.

 

[dougp]

Its a Christmas thing. From time to time they do it other times of the year.

PSA: Attempts to just leave and not produce the receipt have been met with chasing you through the parking lot, tackling you, making a citizens arrest, and detaining you in the back room until the police arrive and verify that no crime had been committed.

Its been held up in court as kosher. Something called "shopkeeper privilege". States differ on the extent the shop can go to. Also some jurisdictions require "Probable cause"

(typically an employee must actually witness concealment or prove that a reasonable person would think the same way (watch a shopper enter a bathroom with merch and exit without it for example)).

YMMV, I typically hold the receipt out and make the checker damn sure he knows how inconvenient this is.

http://consumerist.com/2009/11/reader-says-he-was-tackled-at-walmart-for-not-showing-receipt.html

http://forums.officer.com/forums/sh...ut-a-call-to-a-retail-store-for-receipt-check

http://www.swlearning.com/blaw/cases/reasonable_detention.html

http://www.thelegality.com/2008/03/...-the-legality-of-compulsory-receipt-checking/

Without evidence of theft, I'm not sure how it's legal to be physically assaulted without a verbal warning. I don't mind showing my receipt if I have a shopping cart full of things and there's not a line - but if I have a simple bag, and they don't say anything before deciding they want to tackle me, there will be a fight, period. But I doubt anyone who works at a WalMart in Texas is willing to physically assault someone, because you never know who is carrying and being jumped without warning would incline one to believe they're being mugged or robbed.

 

[bobdole369]

LMAO at this one.

http://jonathanturley.org/2010/01/1...rly-greeter-in-florida-walmart-fires-greeter/

 

[alkemyst]

all these dudes saying they just walk on by are leaving out their mothers staying behind with the cart.

lolz

 

[edro]

...and another thing!

I hate when they ask for ID for my credit card. I have heard it's against VISA and Mastercard policy, but they do it anyway.

Also, I hope these pushy SEE ID people get denied by vendors.

 

[SunnyD]

...and another thing!

I hate when they ask for ID for my credit card. I have heard it's against VISA and Mastercard policy, but they do it anyway.

Also, I hope these pushy SEE ID people get denied by vendors.

No longer an issue - the new credit card laws allows for a lot more flexibility with that.

 

[SunnyD]

all these dudes saying they just walk on by are leaving out their mothers staying behind with the cart.

lolz

Indeed... I leave my mother's coffin in a shopping cart every time I go to walmart. :sneaky:

 

[steppinthrax]

I went to two different Walmarts in the same general area and was asked for receipts at both when I was exiting.
The first time I had some orange juice and a 2-liter, I produced the receipt but asked the greeter/checker if Walmart had become private.
The second time I was buying some car cleaning supplies and a bike for my son. I was at the register closest to the exit, in plain view of the greeter but I was still asked for the receipt. This time I politely declined since my hands were full and kept walking. Is this just a Christmas thing?

They started on this about 2-years ago. What I hate about it is how inconsistent their policy is. For example, I bought a $98 Christmas tree and the only reason why they stopped me to check my receipt was because this was a large package. On the other hand if you bought $100 worth of other stuff (smaller packages), they don't check anything. So, if you walk out of the store with a big box (can’t fit in a cart) that cost less than $20 they will check. However, if you walk out with a $200 I-pod they don’t check shit.

 

[mizzou]

I caused a ruckus in our new super walmart a year ago. I needed to replace my guitar hero combo as the controller was faulty. I went in the closest door near me which was the garden center , ( one of three possible entrances). Went straight to the electronics dept. and asked the sales rep how i should exchange this one for a good one, so he took the bad one off my hands and gave me a new one and i walked out the door. I kept my receipt but he did use the receipt # to process the exchange.

I walked out the same exit and went home.

Next day, getting milk and crap, huge signs everywhere " no MERCHANDISE THROUGH THIS ENTRANCE, RETRNS AND EXCHANGES THROUGH MAIN ENTRANCE ETC ETC"

All merch is now tagged as you enter the door. Why? Because i could have easily just brought my receipt with me, grabbed a new guitar hero box, and then said, "this one is broken, could i exchange.this for a new one?" With no return tag, how could you know it was or wasnt the one i actually bought?.


This exposed a huge flaw in the operation of the dept store and i probably wasnt the only one who exposed it, hopefully before it was taken advantage of.

Walmart, especily super centers are wrought with security concerns and product loss risks. Lets say you take your own bag with you, a receipt a few hours old for some dvds, throw them in the bag and walk out. Without video evidence along with a inventory check, these huge dept. stores must lose billions in stoken goods.


Receipts should always be.checked and the only non emergency exit should be the cashier lane with no possible way to meander out unchecked or confirmed clear to exit.

Worked retail for 5 years and was amazed at the types of people who steal, how much, and how little you can do about it

 

[sdifox]

They started on this about 2-years ago. What I hate about it is how inconsistent their policy is. For example, I bought a $98 Christmas tree and the only reason why they stopped me to check my receipt was because this was a large package. On the other hand if you bought $100 worth of other stuff (smaller packages), they don't check anything. So, if you walk out of the store with a big box (can’t fit in a cart) that cost less than $20 they will check. However, if you walk out with a $200 I-pod they don’t check shit.

I had a bag of milk and I got checked...

 

[DougK62]

This is common practice at Walmart and other stores, especially around the holidays. You are not required at all to show your receipt, and if they try to detain you they are breaking the law.

That said, I just show them my receipt. It's not a huge hassle and I don't want a scene.

 

[rudeguy]

Worked retail for 5 years and was amazed at the types of people who steal, how much, and how little you can do about it

not just what types of people, but what types of stuff they steal.

From my years in retails management I saw all kinds of retarded stuff. People will steal anything that isn't locked down.

I saw an old guy at my local grocery store stealing plastic shopping bags. You know...the free ones? This guy took a big pile of them and tried to act sneaky about it. If he had just asked, the minimum wage cashier would have given him a cart full.

The human race is doomed.

 

[rudeguy]

This is common practice at Walmart and other stores, especially around the holidays. You are not required at all to show your receipt, and if they try to detain you they are breaking the law.

That said, I just show them my receipt. It's not a huge hassle and I don't want a scene.

I only do it because I know the person checking receipts doesn't want to be doing it any more than I want it checked. No point in shooting the messenger.

I will not stop for the door buzzer thing. If I paid for my stuff, I will not consent to being searched because someone didn't do their job.

 

[mizzou]

I only do it because I know the person checking receipts doesn't want to be doing it any more than I want it checked. No point in shooting the messenger.

I will not stop for the door buzzer thing. If I paid for my stuff, I will not consent to being searched because someone didn't do their job.

I still dont see the point if door buzzers, when are they ever taken seriously? People walk out all the time and usually the exitimg customer hesitates, turns around. The cashier shrugs their shoulders, or says " dont worry about it", or totally ignores it , and the customer smiles and walks away.

Wtf is the point?