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Why is this such a big deal?

By jayhawk88 (Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 12:04:41 PM EST) (all tags)

On Slashdot: OMG i didntz show recepit I iz freedum fiter!

Look I get that stores sometimes get silly about this and occasionally a rent-a-cop goes on a power trip, but at the core of the issue here, why is having to show your receipt 10 seconds after you make a purchase such an offensive notion to so many people? Seems like I see one of these pop up on Digg or wherever at least once a month. I'm just trying to understand the mindset of someone who is so offended by having to show a receipt?

Easy way to make you think you're "Fighting the Good Fight"? I guess, but wouldn't it be just as easy to write a scathing blog post about Taser Kid or something like that?
"OMG they make me feel like a criminal!" But you've got no problem with the camera's watching every aisle, the Blue Shirts coming to engage you in conversation if you stand by the CD's a little too long, or the sirens going off if the cashier didn't remove/disable the magnetic thing properly? Stores take steps to prevent shoplifting. Why is the receipt checking so much more offensive than any other measure?
I'd very much like to think of a third reason here, but I just can't.

Seriously, what is this? You buy something, you walk 20 feet to the exit, some kid pretends to look at your receipt, and you walk out. 99% of the time you don't even have a chance to get the receipt in your pocket. What is the big concern here? Whenever you ask this question people always start screaming "Ahh illegal search and seizure against the law i have rights AHHHH" but that's a load of crap. They're not doing strip searches here, they're just asking to see your receipt and try to get an idea that what you really bought matches what you've got in your hands/cart. What shopping experience could you possibly have where you would lose/forget/have your receipt stolen, or be falsely accused of stealing if you did show them the receipt?

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Why is this such a big deal? | 25 comments (25 topical, 0 hidden) | Trackback

I know a good reason by theboz (4.00 / 2) #1 Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 12:11:48 PM EST

You have a baby that is twenty-three minutes away from her next bottle, and there is a line growing to eight different shopping carts because some illiterate fuckhead thinks that they really are supposed to read every item and make sure it matches what you have in your basket.

Other than that, I agree with you completely.
- - - - -
That's what I always say about you, boz, you have a good memory for random facts about pussy. -- joh3n

I have a better reason by lm (3.25 / 4) #16 Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 02:02:50 PM EST

The stores really aren't allowed to do it.

Think of fifth of bourbon going missing while your kid has a friend over. The bourbon going missing doesn't give you reason to detain the kid until the cops come. The kid refusing to let you search his bad doesn't give you reason to detain the kid until the cops come. Only if there is probable cause such as you personally having seen the kid pick up the bourbon and put it in his bookbag, can you perform a citizen's arrest and prevent the kid from leaving the house. Without that probable cause, all you can do is to forbid the kid from every coming over again or call the kid's parents. Under no circumstances can you detain the kid unless he lets you search his person and property.

This scenario is no different from what the store is doing. They have no right to search their customers person and property short of a contract between the customer and the store where the customer gives the store to do so in exchange for some form of compensation. The store has absolutely no legal or moral right to detain someone who declines to be searched unless there is other evidence such as an employee having seen the person stuff merchandise into their backpack.

There is no more degenerate kind of state than that in which the richest are supposed to be the best.
Cicero, The Republic
[ Parent ]

I agree with you by theboz (2.00 / 0) #17 Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 03:00:29 PM EST

However, there are sneaky ways to do that. For example, as far as I know all this shit started with Sam's Club. To shop at Sam's you have to be a member and sign something, which could include a section about how you agree to let them inspect your receipt and information. For other stores to do it, perhaps they would be able to print it in small letters on the front door or on the back of the receipt. I'm not really sure. I just know that the government is going to fall to the side of Walmart and Best Buy over the side of the consumer every single time.
- - - - -
That's what I always say about you, boz, you have a good memory for random facts about pussy. -- joh3n
[ Parent ]

: shopping clubs like Sam could do it by lm (2.00 / 0) #25 Sun Sep 23, 2007 at 08:45:31 AM EST

From what I remember from my one class in business law, a mere sign or fine print on the back of the receipt does not an enforceable contract make. Those things might strengthen a store's hand if they have to eject you if you come back after having been asked to never do so again, but they won't give them the right to search your private property without your acquiescence.
But on the other hand, when you join a club like Sam's (or Costco) or a cooperative and money changes hand and a membership agreement is signed, those organizations most certainly include wording that would have you expressly waive certain rights.
There is no more degenerate kind of state than that in which the richest are supposed to be the best.
Cicero, The Republic
[ Parent ]

presumption of guilt by discordia (2.00 / 0) #2 Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 12:14:48 PM EST

I suppose by jayhawk88 (2.00 / 0) #5 Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 01:00:54 PM EST

But again, it's not like they're asking that much of you. It's literally 5-10 seconds of your time, to look at something that you probably still have in your hand anyway. I just don't see what all the furor is about.

[ Parent ]

drama queens by discordia (2.00 / 0) #6 Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 01:02:49 PM EST

I understand the reason for the drama, but I think there are more important things to get irate about.

[ Parent ]

5 - 10 seconds!?!?!?! by ad hoc (2.00 / 0) #19 Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 03:41:25 PM EST

You must shop in different places than I do.
--
Heat, pressure, and time: the three things that make a diamond also make a waffle.
[ Parent ]

maybe there is a mythical door security guard by discordia (2.00 / 0) #20 Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 04:23:23 PM EST

who doesn't have to move his lips while he reads out there somewhere

[ Parent ]

: or a queue less than five deep by ad hoc (2.00 / 0) #21 Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 05:05:22 PM EST

--
Heat, pressure, and time: the three things that make a diamond also make a waffle.
[ Parent ]

Not really sure. by blixco (4.00 / 1) #3 Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 12:52:10 PM EST

I mean, it is slightly offensive that the store thinks I am a thief until I prove otherwise. Because I'm not. But the guy who is, is.

So it's offensive slightly, but I am more offended by most things in the parking lot (SUVs, republicans, people with babies, the environment, etc) than I am about this.

However, once they check through my bags, if I set off an alarm? I keep walking. It's funny that no-one has ever chased me.
---------------------------------
"You bring the weasel, I'll bring the whiskey." - kellnerin

: it probably was due to computational analysis by discordia (4.00 / 1) #8 Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 01:04:28 PM EST

of store traffic patterns and loss patterns
some bureaucrat figured out that $MEGACORP could save millions a year by treating all of their customers like scum, and of course all of the execs agreed.

[ Parent ]
: I got chased once by lm (4.00 / 2) #15 Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 01:50:42 PM EST

About half way to my car I finally half-turned to face the manager who kept asking me politely to stop to which I kept calling `no' over my shoulder and I asked, ``how many times has that alarm gone off in the past hour for no apparent reason?''
And after that he stopped and I kept walking.
There is no more degenerate kind of state than that in which the richest are supposed to be the best.
Cicero, The Republic
[ Parent ]

Heh - the lunatic fringe.. by Bob Abooey (1.00 / 1) #4 Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 12:57:34 PM EST

Because - you can't let THE MAN oppress you.

Warmest regards,
--Your best pal Bob

How's my blogging: Call me at 209.867.5309 to complain.

What's really amusing to me by jayhawk88 (2.00 / 0) #11 Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 01:14:09 PM EST

Is that every time you hear about one of these, it's someone who is walking out with merchandise and directly refuses to show their receipt. If it were my job to check receipts and (at least on some level) make sure the store wasn't robbed blind I'd sure as hell be suspicious about someone doing that.

I'm trying to imagine the scenario where if a person just buys their shit, walks to the door, shows their receipt, and walks out, there could ever be any kind of misunderstanding or anything else that would be more than 2 minutes of hindrance to your day. Maybe that sounds a little "If you don't eat your meat you can't have any pudding" for some people's tastes but unless you're looking to steal something I just don't see how you could ever see this as a big deal. To me if you make a stink over this you're just looking to stir trouble, and there is a fuck ton of other causes in this world that need trouble stirrers more than this.

[ Parent ]

: calling Miss Manners by dr k (4.00 / 1) #22 Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 06:08:50 PM EST

This is really a matter of public civility, a situation where the security dude can politely ask to see my receipt and I can politely refuse him. That the situation has gone beyond this shows there is a crack in our society, we have fallen into a real world Stanford prison experiment where a $7/hour employee can arrest someone for disrespect.

:| :| :| :| :|
[ Parent ]

A common problem by husiacct (1.00 / 1) #7 Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 01:04:26 PM EST

in those who feel like they are taking a stand. When they are, as you point out, not really doing so it may tend to make those who are really taking a stand seem all the less important.

Attempts, like yours, to criticize them are often met with rejoinders like "well, at least I'm doing something!" or "we have to take a stand, somehow!".

I would class these kinds of rebellions as essentially anarchistic. In any revolution they are likely to have some use.

Yours, perhaps, is a more advanced form of consciousness the masses are not yet ready for.

Then again maybe you are part of the problem?

Which problem is that? by blixco (4.00 / 1) #9 Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 01:06:41 PM EST

---------------------------------
"You bring the weasel, I'll bring the whiskey." - kellnerin
[ Parent ]

plz put down the benzos by discordia (2.00 / 0) #10 Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 01:13:19 PM EST

and report to detox before posting

[ Parent ]

Me? Part of a problem? by jayhawk88 (2.00 / 0) #12 Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 01:16:13 PM EST

I must admit I've always dreamed of being part of a problem, instead of just a listless and unenthusiastic bystander, but to actually think that it might one day come to pass.....No, it's too much, I can't have my heart broken again.

[ Parent ]

: Or maybe not. Maybe you are above the common by husiacct (1.00 / 2) #13 Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 01:23:07 PM EST

mans sub-optimal rebellion, that's all.

[ Parent ]

``They're not doing strip searches here'' by lm (4.00 / 2) #14 Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 01:48:17 PM EST

The difference is only in extent, not in kind.

There is no more degenerate kind of state than that in which the richest are supposed to be the best.
Cicero, The Republic

Indeed by duxup (2.00 / 0) #18 Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 03:04:22 PM EST

I don't get it either.

When I bought my last digicam best buy puts them in a clear bag and when I walked out they asked for the receipt. I didn't feel accused or violated. I figured They don't want their #### stolen. I showed them the thing and I moved on. I'm cool with that.

Lotta folks out there want to stick it to the man but the sticking they choose or the sticking they choose to back up with their hells ya! seems mighty suspect to me.
____

my reason why by DivideByZero (2.00 / 0) #23 Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 08:27:12 PM EST

A few months ago, I needed a new hard drive. Best Buy had the cheapest price, so I ordered from their web site. I decided to use their in-store pickup, where you pay online, then drive to the store to pick it up.

I waited a couple of hours, then see the email that my order is ready for pickup, so I drive over. I walk up to the desk and show the receipt I had printed. It then took them 25 minutes to find the actual hard drive. By this time, I was extraordinarily pissed off about their definition of "ready for pickup", so by the time I got my hard drive, I didn't want to spend another second there.

I walked straight by the guy asking to see my receipt and set off the alarm. Luckily, they didn't chase after me, because they would have gotten an earful.

But usually I'll stop, unless there's a line. I have better things to do with my time than for a store to prove I'm not a thief.

---
I'm too lazy to make up a sig

He wasn't arrested for not showing his receipt by ObviousTroll (2.00 / 0) #24 Sat Sep 22, 2007 at 04:08:36 PM EST

He was arrested for refusing to show his driver's license - which arrest was an out and out violation of Ohio law, and the prosecutor only refused to drop charges because she wanted to coerce him into giving up his right to sue.

--
Has anybody seen my clue? I know I had it when I came in here.

Why is this such a big deal? | 25 comments (25 topical, 0 hidden) | Trackback