Why us?

[Anakah]

So I don't know if this just happens to me or if its now required but everytime my fiance and I go to Walmart the same old man ALWAYS checks our stuff on the way out. I figured, hey its his job, right? But I also notice that he only does it to us... He lets everybody else go without having their reciept checked and stuffed looked through.

I know its usually part of the job. But it makes me feel like a criminal. I never say a word to the walmart greeter guy, I just fork over my reciept and wait for him to look in my bags. I know Sam's club does it because there are no bags but its not sam's--its walmart. Why does he single us out? He's the only one who does it too.

Am I over reacting? He's nice the whole time but I get that eerie feeling that he thinks we're going to steal. Or is this the new thing that Walmart is doing? And when he looks at the reciept there's no way he can actually account for every object, so I don't really get why he even looks at it.

[ReverendBSB]

Do you buy a lot of stuff that is too big to be bagged? That is the only times the greeter checks my receipt when I leave. I dont mind it, it cuts down on theft.

But if you are being singled out then speak to the manager about it.

[bainsidhe]

Some greeters look for specific things. If you buy bottled water, dog food, or something else big that is placed beneath the cart, he may be checking the receipt for those items. It's because customers "forget" (yeah right) to tell cashiers about the big bulky items below. Some customers do honestly forget, but it's amazing how many people try to save a few dollars through theft.

If you're not purchasing anything big or unbagged, then you might want to question management. You also have the option to continue walking and simply tell the greeter "no thanks" when asked to present a receipt.

[draftermatt]

Legally he cannot check your bag or cart. He can look at it your bag or cart and try to compare recipets only.

Some greeters profile. My father in law refuses to go into the Wal-Mart near my house because everytime he goes in they stop him and check his stuff, doesn't matter if he has one bag with a pair of earrings in it or a TV wall mount, he gets stopped.

[wheeitsme]

Maybe he picks you because you don't look like someone who will yell at him...

[ShadowTiger]

Maybe he picks you because you don't look like someone who will yell at him...

That's exactly what I was going to say as well. They really don't need a fight on their hands, but they still have to do their job. This is the best of both worlds, as it were.

[Bright_Star]

Legally he cannot check your bag or cart. He can look at it your bag or cart and try to compare recipets only.

Some greeters profile. My father in law refuses to go into the Wal-Mart near my house because everytime he goes in they stop him and check his stuff, doesn't matter if he has one bag with a pair of earrings in it or a TV wall mount, he gets stopped.

I work at Sam's Club & the door greeters are REQUIRED to look in ALL bags and/or carts that are covered. Let's say someone has a ice cooler. How do you know there's nothing in it without looking? So that's why they look. To prevent someone from walking out with stuff that they hadn't paid for.
I don't know about the LEGALITY of doing that but if someone can quote a specific law brief that PROHIBITS stores from doing that then I'd love to hear it. I'd run to management real quick then with that tidbit...lol.

[draftermatt]

I work at Sam's Club & the door greeters are REQUIRED to look in ALL bags and/or carts that are covered. Let's say someone has a ice cooler. How do you know there's nothing in it without looking? So that's why they look. To prevent someone from walking out with stuff that they hadn't paid for.
I don't know about the LEGALITY of doing that but if someone can quote a specific law brief that PROHIBITS stores from doing that then I'd love to hear it. I'd run to management real quick then with that tidbit...lol.

From what I was told by LP at my part time job we can only check a bag or cooler, cabinet, roll of carpet, etc if the door sensors go off (as those items don't have a sensor) and only if the person consents to our looking.

I'm almost dead sure they told me it was illegal to look without consent, but sadly I can't quote an exact law.

[Andara Bledin]

I don't know about the LEGALITY of doing that but if someone can quote a specific law brief that PROHIBITS stores from doing that then I'd love to hear it. I'd run to management real quick then with that tidbit...lol.

From what I understand as Not-a-Lawyer, in the US, any public shop cannot detain a patron unless they have witnessed them actually committing shoplifting, and then they have to call the authorities.

However, it's not worth fighting with some wage-slave at the door over. If you really don't like it, write to corporate and/or make a complaint to the management. In this case, where the guy appears to be harassing someone specific, it would be something to bring up to management.

Club stores that require memberships are different, however, in that they are not public, so they don't have to follow quite the same rules as public establishments. I'm not sure if this affects detaining members at the door to check their carts, and if so, in what ways.

Still, the door is still not the place to make a fuss over it unless you want to possibly show up as the star of a story in the main forum here.

^-.-^

[fma_fanatic]

It's annoying, yes. I can recall only one time I was asked to see a receipt and it was annoying because I was trying to cart out a heavy desk I just bought (not even 30 feet from the exit where the greeter was) and trying to keep the cart from tipping over.

Maybe the next time it happens, ask for a MOD and find out why you seem to be singled out every time you shop there and why others who are passing you by are not stopped and searched. That might get their attention.

[Mnemjian]

Maybe the next time it happens, ask for a MOD and find out why you seem to be singled out every time you shop there and why others who are passing you by are not stopped and searched. That might get their attention.

That's a really good idea, because if LP is profiling only you or if he is actually supposed to be checking everybody and just being lazy, he will probably get some flack from his supervisor (which he would deserve ). Then maybe he'll stop.

[Kheldarson]

Having had the "honor" of covering that job before, all we can check is things that are out and our shopping bags/merchandise if the door goes off. And frankly, we can't stop you before that either. Hence why I usually ask if I "may" see your receipt. Get a number of people who just walk by but most people stop. *shrugs* So either talk to a MOD or just keep walking. He can't stop you.

[Kogarashi]

Like the others have said. If you're consistently purchasing unbagged items, or setting off the alarms (which it sounds like you aren't), then he has plausible reasons for checking you each time. However, if all of your stuff is bagged up, just like everyone else's, then it's more likely he's profiling (consciously or otherwise), and that's something to take to management. Phone call from home if you don't feel like staying behind at the store to talk in person.

If you feel a mite confrontational, you can also ask him next time (politely) why he always asks to see your receipt. If he mentions that he asks everyone, you can point out (again, politely), that he didn't check the people in front of you. If he isn't aware that he's always singling you out, this might make him realize it, and if he is aware, there's a chance you'll get an explanation.

I do know from covering that position myself that most door greeters are not told to check every receipt. It's not Sam's Club. They only check if there are large unbagged items or if something sets off the alarm. Looking inside things like trash cans isn't even their job, it's the job of the cashiers.

[SmivMoc]

For warehouse stores like Costco and Sam's Club, the receipt check is part of your membership agreement. Any place else, say "No thanks" and keep walking.

[Ree]

Legally he cannot check your bag or cart. He can look at it your bag or cart and try to compare recipets only.

Once again, a reminder that those are comments best left to fratching, and hopefully members can keep from that road and the thread will actually stay on topic. (The topic would be a greeter who seems to be singling out the OP for a receipt check - not a discussion of whether receipt checks are legal.)

This issue has come up before, and it resulted in a closed thread and infractions in the past because people just couldn't keep away from the whole, "Legally, they can do this" line of discussion.