Question about showing receipts in Texas

[tacticool]

It seems like a pretty picayune thing to get in a lather over.

, the person at the checkout register already checked the purchases and issued a receipt. There's no reason to make the customer stand in another line to have a store employee check their purchases again.

Most of the times Walmart has a little ol' man or little ol' lady checking and I go ahead and let them see the receipt. I don't want to hassle someone's grandma/grandpa. If there's a line I just walk on by.

If there's no line, I don't mind a 15 second delay, but that's very rare when I shop. Most of they time they're not checking anyone or there's a line of people backed up waiting for another store employee to check their purchases again.

[Snap E Tom]

Thanks for all the information, and good discussion.

My feeling has always been, "I've paid for it, now leave me alone." I'm also from the Northeast. I'm impatient.

[Thomas]

It's rare that I shop, and it's more rare that I encounter these checks. If there is no line, I will spend 5 seconds to let them highlight my receipt. I keep a strong grip on it so if something comes up, I can make sure I leave with my receipt. If there is a line, I just walk right on by. No one has ever said anything to me for not submitting to a receipt check.

[speedsix]

So.. what's the best was to deescalate a shoplifting accusation from a shopkeeper while carrying?..

I'm certainly not going to stand for anyone putting hands on me and no way am I "going to the security office" if I haven't stolen anything..

If a shopkeeper believed I had stolen something, I suppose I'd not complain too much about them searching my bag, if they were polite and professional about it. But being asked to search my person, especially when CHL... Recipe for a headache.

Any of you store security folks have a suggestion on how to handle this?

I suppose I'd refuse the body search and refuse the walk to the security office, but very politely offer to wait for an officer to show up as if it doesn't bother me. But no way am I going to be put in cuffs and/or "taken" anywhere without resisting.

Where's the line here?
How's best to deescalate?

...in my oldpinion...you've got a great plan...exactly what I'd do...I'd stand/sit right where they stopped me to wait for a professional lawman...not a store monkey...to search me...and I wouldn't make a scene or threaten or bluster...so they'd have no excuse to put hands on me...

[b322da]

Interesting case in Virginia: http://consumerist.com/2011/03/calm-man ... ckers.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Elmo

[WildBill]

Interesting case in Virginia: http://consumerist.com/2011/03/calm-man ... ckers.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Elmo

that's it an interesting story. To me, checking receipts is a minor irritation. Most of the time I look them straight in the eye, smile and nod, while I walk right past them. Sometimes, I will show them the receipt and let them mark it will their highlighter. It gives some people a job where they can feel that they are contributing to society. I have more important things to expend my energy on than worrying that someone is violating my rights by looking in my "paper or plastic" bag. Nothing to get hung about, IMO.

[Trinitite]

Maybe he's against open carry receipts and that's why it stayed concealed in his pocket.

[zero4o3]

Interesting case in Virginia: http://consumerist.com/2011/03/calm-man ... ckers.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Elmo

reading that story reminds me why I would just show the person my reciept, far to much energy was used and he let him self get more worked up then needed.


here is my question for all those who say they dont like to show receipts, do you show your ID when you pay with a credit card?

[TexDotCom]

Sure I do, but that's the beginning of the transaction when the property still belongs to the store and they're making sure I am authorized to use the card in question. The whole show-me-the-receipt issue comes about after you've already purchased the item and it is now your property. There is no further transaction, so no need to prove anything.

Unless...the store is acting like the TSA and treating every single person that passes through as the same threat level. In that case, the receipt checking exercise becomes a surreptitious way of saying, "We think you're a thief and you're guilty until proven innocent...in this case by furnishing a receipt." If that's the way it is, they should go ahead and just post a sign at the front door that states their position very clearly...instead of being sneaky about it on the back end when folks are just in a hurry to get home and are less likely to care what you're calling them. There would a lot less, "I'll just go along with it." then, though.

[Mike1951]

I don't care how many video cameras a store uses to catch shoplifters. I don't care if every other person is plain clothes security, because I'm not going to steal anything.

But I consider the receipt checking to be an accusation of theft. That's why it's an issue for me.

[zero4o3]

Sure I do, but that's the beginning of the transaction when the property still belongs to the store and they're making sure I am authorized to use the card in question. The whole show-me-the-receipt issue comes about after you've already purchased the item and it is now your property. There is no further transaction, so no need to prove anything.

Unless...the store is acting like the TSA and treating every single person that passes through as the same threat level. In that case, the receipt checking exercise becomes a surreptitious way of saying, "We think you're a thief and you're guilty until proven innocent...in this case by furnishing a receipt." If that's the way it is, they should go ahead and just post a sign at the front door that states their position very clearly...instead of being sneaky about it on the back end when folks are just in a hurry to get home and are less likely to care what you're calling them. There would a lot less, "I'll just go along with it." then, though.

regardless of who the property belongs to, they have no more rights to require you to prove your identity to purchase the item then they do to require your proof of purchase to leave the building. your card is authorized by visa/ mastercard who ever and the signed card is all thats required by the merchant to be covered on their end. if you are worried about an invasion of your privacy go all the way with it. checking your receipt could be seen just as much as inventory control as it is theft prevention.

I would much rather let a store clerk make sure the model number on my tv match's the one on the receipt in my hand then let a cashier see my drivers licenses.


but maybe thats just my twisted way of seeing things

[lowonair]

Guilty until proven innocent and all that jazz...

[TexasGal]

What harm comes from allowing police to search you vehicle/property? They are just doing their jobs.

That's a heck of a leap from showing a receipt to searching vehicle/property. I would NEVER allow a retail store to "search" me. But if they're just checking my receipt against the items in THEIR shopping cart, I don't really see the problem either. If they DID try to stop/detain me, we'd have a BIG problem. But just showing the receipt doesn't bother me and certainly doesn't rise to the level of a "search" of my vehicle/property.

Not a leap at all. And they often paw through MY items in MY bags. Would you mind them searching your purse too?

No, I absolutely would not allow them to search through my personal bags. But I don't have a problem with them looking inside the shopping bags and shopping carts that THEY provide in THEIR store while simply checking that I have the items I paid for. If they tried to look into my bag or my wife's purse, I'd tell them NO in no uncertain terms and threaten to call the police if their harassment didn't cease immediately. But that's never happened to me.

I've never had a receipt checker paw through my bags. And I believe it is quite a leap from this policy to a full search of a vehicle or person. They're asking you to prove you purchased the goods you have, and in my experience it doesn't happen that often (Sam's etc. are exceptions).

It's no big deal. Now, TSA searches...that's another matter entirely!

[Barbi Q]

here is my question for all those who say they dont like to show receipts, do you show your ID when you pay with a credit card?

No. It's not necessary. viewtopic.php?f=7&t=42788&start=45" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[RiverCity.45]

As a condition of a vendor's contract with the credit card companies, they have to agree to verity that the identity of the person presenting the card matches the name on the card. They're not doing this to irritate you. They are doing it to prevent charge-backs, which, if a company has too many, can lead the credit card company to terminate their business arrangement.
The best solution is a card with your photo on it.

There really aren't boogie men hiding behind every bush.