Posted on 06/27/2010 1:57:46 PM PDT by Daffynition
Let's say you're in a rush after buying a fan at Costco. You look past the line packed with people and carts and spy a lone employee standing by the exit. Do you walk over and show your receipt? What's the worst that could happen? Let's ask Reader Shay.
“ On June 23, 2010 at the [redacted] Costco Center at around 11am I made a quick stop in to return a couple items and to pick a fan. Both the returns process and the checkout went wonderfully as usual. It only took me 2 minutes to get in line and pay for the one item I had.
However when I reached the exit door there was a line of 8 people with baskets of stuff waiting to get out the door. So I went to the other door which does have exit illuminated above it and showed the lady standing there my receipt and one item. She shook her head at me and pointed at the line. When I started to walk out the exit anyways she grabbed a hold of my arm and told me to go to the other line. I told her that I was already running late and the line was moving very slowly, so I continued out the exit. At this point her hand slipped off of my arm and she grabbed a hold of my purse. The first time I politely asked her to let go of me, to which she promptly ignored me. So I continued to walk out the door as she still held onto my purse, eventually grabbing onto it with a second hand and began tugging it. I finally started yelling at her to let go of me when we were in front of the exit area (directly center to both entrances). Even after people started stopping and staring at us, She continued to tug on my purse and would not let go no matter how loud I yelled. She finally let go when I knocked her hands off of my purse with pretty reasonable force.
I was honestly pretty shaken up over this. I really couldn’t believe someone would do this in a public place especially an employee of that store. I sat in my car for about 5 minutes and calmed down. Then I had to find the number for Costco, because no where on my receipt does it list a phone number. I finally got a hold of the stores assistant manger and explained what had happened. He was polite and apologetic and end up meeting me in front of the store so I could point out who had done this to me. He said that he would speak with this Employee and that the Store Manger would call me when he came in.
True to his word the store manger did give me a call a few hours later. He once again apologized for the situation. I explained to what had happened and he confirmed that the statement that the employee had to fill out stated exactly what I had told him.
I have also mailed a letter to the regional manger letting him know exactly what happen as well. This should have never happen to me and I will continue writing to members of Costco Management, to ensure that this doesn’t happen to anyone else. There should be a Zero Tolerance Policy for this type of employee behavior. ”
I truly don’t know. I let my membership expire b/c I don’t need large quantities/sizes of products.
What a jerk. Costco is not at fault here. This jerk cut in front of the line, and felt insulted that she was called on it. What a jerk, just looking to cause trouble.
She broke the rules of the store and if she further refused to get in the right line she ought to have been asked to demonstrate that the product in her possesion was paid for. Its all in the membership small print. If she refuses, she should have her membership rescinded.
Neither me,nor anyone else I can see here, is suggesting that door jockey was right in grabbing her purse, but what exactly is this woman whining about? Follow the rules or shop at Wal Mart, its that simple.
I resisted the temptation.
I don’t shop at any of these places (Costco, BJs or Sam’s). I don’t even think you get deals. I have found much lower prices at the regular store. Also, unless one needs 20 lbs. of chicken right now, it’s silly. Of course, those who plan to stock up for the apocalypse might find these places useful.
Amazing how many folks these days will surrender their rights to government or corporations for saving money. One store tried to look in my bags once. I don't make eye contact with them. I pick a line close to the door. I have my receipt visible in my hand. I walk out keeping the same pace till I reach my vehicle. Only once was I chased and it was by a kid whom I verbally set straight on the law real fast then said have your manager explain it to you or a cop. I told him plainly either you have evidence I stole and will call a cop right now so I can sue for false arrest or you drop it and I'm leaving.
And BTW people never ever allow a loss prevention employee or manager to take you anywhere or go anywhere to another room with them. Stay put till the cops get there.
I don’t do “memberships” either.
Another reason I don’t shop there. Pain in the rear policies.
It's not rocket surgery.
I'll let that one go, as you wouldn't understand the criticism.
when it comes to the real world not a peep!!
You mean the real world where folks are expected to speak English?
As in the business world? As in the world where people communicate?
Git on back to yo ghetto, fool. You be perpetratin'
like you ALL DAT when you nothin' but a sucka, yo.
Then get in the right line tough guy.......
Once at Fry’s, an employee insisted I stop and show my receipt.
I, quite loudly, asked if he was accusing me of theft and if he was to call a cop. If he was not, I was leaving.
I go to this Fry’s a lot and they no longer bother me.
Same with Home depot.
Lowes doesn’t treat it’s customers like thieves and does not do this.
A very common practice used by shoplifters is to wave a receipt, even one they find in a trash can or on a sidewalk.
That's why the store has personnel that check the contents against the receipt.
I've witnessed a man buy a tv, take it to his truck, then come back in the store and pick up another one and take it to the returns counter and get a refund. He was stopped by security as he exited the inner doors. He started to push his way past the loss prevention lady. He went to jail.
It's probably against store policy for the door greeter to touch the customers purse unless she witnessed the act of shoplifting occur. But that's a policy and generally those are stacked in favor of giving the customer every benefit of a doubt. I've never been to Costco. I have no doubt that their losses from shoplifting are similar to other retailers, which is huge. We all pay those costs.
I have zero sympathy for thieves and little for people that are too “special” to wait a few seconds in line.
That's their SOP, either like it or shop elsewhere........They seem to be doing ok with it tho despite YOUR objections.
Brilliant! LOL!
Was she no longer running late?
It is a truly sickening and revolting sight to see customers, that just spent hundreds of their hard-earned dollars, lined up at the exits in these places like bleating sheep while their purchases are scrutinized by minimum-wage mall cop wannabes that you probably wouldn't trust to run a hot dog stand.
This practice would not have been tolerated in America back when it was a truly free nation (and when the Nazi-state of Germany and Soviet Russia was still fresh in everybody's minds). If a retail store adopted this practice back in say, 1957, it would have been run right out of business because nobody would even contemplate walking into such an anti-American establishment. And I might add that those who did shoplift were simply caught and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Back in those days, it wasn't enough to just put laws on the books. They were actually expected to be enforced!
She showed the door jockey her receipt. Technically that satisfied the requirement. The door jockey committed battery upon her person. So she does have a beef with the store, and thats why the store manager was most apologetic. Grab my wife like this moron did, and that person will draw back a stump. She carries her .45ACP in her purse. Grabbing that is akin to trying to take her firearm.
The only thing she did that wasn’t nice was refusing to get in line with the rest of the proles. She kind of gave them the bird. But that has nothing to do with the merchant.
“What, in the bushes. The johns are in the store.”
Maybe she’s very private, and felt that a poops place is in the home. :-)
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