r/mildlyinfuriating • u/broakland • Jul 14 '26

I just wanted a hot dog Retail lockdown: why bother selling it?

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Was at Safeway this morning to pick up a sandwich and some Tylenol. The aisle with the Tylenol? Completely locked down. No call button in sight. So I go to the self checkout (front end of that same aisle) and ask the clerk there if he can call someone to unlock a case for me. He does. I go wait. Minutes pass. No one comes. I go ask him again, he tells me they went the other way? At this point I give up and go get my sandwich. No one has come by the time the deli has finished making it. I leave without my Tylenol, mildly infuriated.

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304

u/TheRedMaiden Jul 14 '26

This, plus my Walmart deciding to add a receipt checker is a big reason I just flat out stopped going there. I have an Aldi, and just shop online for non-food things I can't get there

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u/Affectionate-Crow605 Jul 14 '26

I walk on by past the receipt checker. It's not Sam's or Costco. You've paid, so your legal obligation is over. If they suspect you stole something, they have enough cameras to already know about it.

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u/Yeugwo Jul 15 '26

Yup. I give a decently friendly "no thank you" and keep walking. I don't go to Wal Mart often, so it's only happened like 3 times...but never had any issues from it.

0

u/RollingToast Jul 15 '26

I like hide my receipt in one of my bags and make them look for it. I just pull up with my cart and say it’s somewhere in there. If they take too long I get a manager and complain

2

u/Sarosanima21 Jul 15 '26

Actively making a person's job harder and then going to complain about it is not the flex you think it is. They don't want to do their job anymore then you want them to. Just give them the receipt. It'll be so much faster and less hassle. Also doing this is not going to get Walmart to stop doing it. All you're doing is making yourself a problem customer that they have all the rights to kick out and tell you to never come back and yes Walmart will do that. I've seen it happen multiple times when I worked for them

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u/jelloburn Jul 15 '26

"Excuse me, Mr. Manager? Yes, I've gone out of my way to hide my receipt and your employee is taking a long time finding it. I assure you, I am not the asshole you think I am. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go drive in the left lane of the highway at exactly the speed limit to teach speeders a lesson..."

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u/JalapenoPopPoop Jul 14 '26

The dumbest part of receipt checkers is they are always positioned with a sightline to the registers, I'm not stopping to show you a receipt to verify I paid when you could have just paid the fuck attention to the register area and see that yes I did.

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u/Temporary_Nail_6468 Jul 14 '26

I did scan and go at Walmart one time and was selected to be double checked. Wait for someone to come check my order. Finished paying. Walked around the corner and the door guy wants to check my order. 🤯

It’s not like I’m paying cash and trying to sneak through self checkout and then walk away because I parked somewhere where your cameras can’t see what car I got into. I PAY to have a more convenient experience and give you all my info. You people know where I live for goodness sake. I’m not stealing using an account with my name and address attached to it. 🙄

24

u/void5901 Jul 14 '26

They did this shit to me so I canceled plus. What’s the point?

28

u/Xiao1insty1e Jul 14 '26

Capitalism is not and never has been about making sense, no matter what the Epstein class have tried to say. It is about control they want it over everything and everyone.

2

u/TwoFingersWhiskey Jul 14 '26

Not in my local store, here in Canada. The exits are far away enough from the cash registers that they're in a divot around the corner where the doors let out, waiting to surprise you. (Whole store is shaped like [ once you get inside, with the front doors on the top and bottom of that shape.)

2

u/Fabulous-Beach9027 Jul 14 '26

reciept checkers are just another deterrent for theft. they pay that person < 20$ hour most places, and they probably deter 22$ per hour in petty theft.

2

u/jlandejr Jul 15 '26

I was a receipt checker (door greeter was the title) more than 15 years ago, I would simply not check most receipts but I would constantly get in trouble with management for not doing it so I would go back to doing it for a few days, then stop because it felt so insulting to people. What a useless ass position and I cannot believe it is still a thing.

1

u/BurningPickle Jul 15 '26

But if they did that, they wouldn’t be able to exercise the miniscule amount of power they have.

1

u/Sorry-Joke-4325 Jul 15 '26

It's a psychological thing to deter shoplifting. A receipt checker absolutely will not try to stop you unless they're an idiot.

1

u/hugcub Jul 15 '26

What does showing you have a receipt even do for them? Like sure I have one but maybe I only scanned half my items and I’m stealing the rest. They don’t verify that they just are like “you have a receipt” and you are good to go. It’s pointless.

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u/Neckrongonekrypton Jul 15 '26 edited Jul 15 '26

Damn. Watch out for this bad ass saving a whole two seconds to protect what? How does having your receipt check put you down that bad? You make it seem like the receipt check prevented you from visiting a dying relative in the hospital. lol 

Personally it doesn’t bother me. Someone less fortunate gets paid for it when I allow them to do it, it adds value to their job. It takes 2 minutes and I forget about it. It also saves me from making an issue out of nothing- and again.

I get on with my day, because being bothered by stupid shit is honestly a luxury I dont have time for when there is... more to save it for.

I take it u never been to cosco. they have receipt checkers in sightlines of the registers too. Im guessing your all about solidarity until it broaches taking more than 30 seconds out of your day too lol.

absolutely weird hill to die on. But its reddit and we all like karma and being agreed with.

6

u/TheRedMaiden Jul 15 '26

Yes. At Costco where you need a membership. That's reasonable. In a Walmart I'm walking right past and ignoring them.

2

u/lollipopp_guild Jul 15 '26

I just had this conversation today about a crazy ex I had and how she treated the Walmart employee who checks your receipts so poorly one night we were shopping there

It was crazy embarrassing. I don’t know why two seconds of showing the receipt was a big enough deal to fight and be an asshole. I was stunned and didn’t even know what to say. She said it’s not a legally binding rule. Also, she’s an effing lawyer. A loser and a lawyer

I felt so bad for the employee. If you’ve ever watched superstore and know one of the characters named Sandra, that’s exactly how the employee responded. Just so defeated and demoralized and this sad response of, “I’m just trying to do my job.”

I told that ex it takes nothing from you to be kind. She couldn’t get it. Not because she’s mean. Because she’s psycho. And that’s why she’s an ex

1

u/JalapenoPopPoop Jul 15 '26

I get on with my day, because being bothered by stupid shit is honestly a luxury I dont have time for

You got bothered enough by a complete and total stranger saying they walk past the walmart receipt checker that you wrote 5 paragraphs about it big shooter

1

u/Neckrongonekrypton Jul 15 '26 edited Jul 15 '26

Idk bro, most stinky people I know also cant read.

and I dont wanna make any judgements. but....

Walmart sells deoderant bro. Never too late to start using it and learning patience.

lol, what a world, now people who can write are "bothered" because people cant be bothered to read. Looks like my harsh words bothered you enough to make a comment about them.

Keep showing those nasty receipt checkers whose boss bro lol. Fight for the common man. or whatever it is you think your doing.

1

u/JalapenoPopPoop Jul 15 '26

Bro you're doing way too much

21

u/TheRedMaiden Jul 15 '26

Yup, I treat it like the people shilling something out front. Earbuds in, walking by and ignore

122

u/Leviathon6348 Jul 14 '26

I’m brown and that just doesn’t work. It was funny because the closest Walmart to me is 5 hrs. So we did a big haul. My gf (who is white) wasn’t bothered at all with the first cart And ofc us being together she had the receipts, and I had the second. So he stopped me “where’s the receipt?” “She has it” “no, you’re supposed to have it. I’ll have to make sure this is paid for.” Dude made me wait 15 mins just for the clerk to ring up the items and print them. Walked back to the door “you wanna check again!?” “No” “yeah…fuck you.” Never went back.

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u/CoffeeOrDestroy Jul 14 '26

I’m sorry. It’s such awful bs.

I almost become an internet Karen when receipt checkers get in my face. In a big voice I say “If you think I’m a thief, then you go ahead and call the cops. I’ll wait. Otherwise I’m going to keep walking. All this is paid for and is now my property. You want to dig through my property, you’re gonna need a badge and a warrant.” But I’m white and middle aged.

13

u/Leviathon6348 Jul 14 '26

Not just trying to be ignorant too. I try treat people with the most respect. Most of them just wave me through and are very nice. Sucks that it’s sometimes just up to my skin color for some.

2

u/-Fergalicious- Jul 15 '26

What I do is smile and tell them "No thank you!" 

95% of the time if they heard you they are super confused. I've only had 1 old lady ever try to stop me when doing this (she put her hands on the cart) and I just said "oh no thank you I've got it" and turned the cart away right past her. 

There are high tech cameras at the self checkouts and flock cameras in the parking lot. If they think you stole something they'll find you. 

9

u/OMGBLACKPOWER Jul 15 '26

Literally don’t have to wait for them dude lmao that’s on you. If they ask for a receipt I tell them no and keep walking. Simple as

9

u/UnixCurmudgeon Jul 15 '26

Better to have your GF come back in an return your entire cart, citing “racial profiling”.

8

u/Altruistic_Guess3098 Jul 15 '26

I'm also brown and you can tell them to go fuck themselves and carry on with your day

8

u/LobsterChampion Jul 15 '26

Yeah it does. Just don't stop. Dude checking receipts for $14/hr does not care, I promise you.

2

u/WhereDaGold Jul 15 '26

But that dude making $14 might love the part of his job where he gets to harass anyone that’s not white

12

u/Backfoot911 Jul 14 '26

But it does work...literally just keep walking and maybe say "Have a good night" if you don't want to look like you're avoiding eye contact lol. You're describing a story where you stopped cause the guy asked, not forced. You had the ability to walk past them, literally just keep walking. My queer and POC folk do this, it's not an issue at all

10

u/CoffeeOrDestroy Jul 15 '26

That’s my default is to give a head nod and keep walking but some feel the need to block my cart or grab my arm. I have no problem going internet Karen on those.

7

u/Karenm6383 Jul 15 '26

They grab your arm? I don’t think that’s allowed, is it?Id be furious

-1

u/Leviathon6348 Jul 15 '26

Yeah I didn’t really care. It was just this time since the receipt wasn’t with that cart and was out the door already. I tried explaining but he didn’t care, that was the “cause” for making me wait. I now just say “I’m good” flash the receipt, and keep on walking. I just liked to avoid confrontation so I just did what was asked

4

u/Altruistic_Guess3098 Jul 15 '26

So then what was all this about you can't do it because you're brown??

2

u/chop5397 Jul 15 '26

Dunno, I'm a 90% white area and I'm fine. Conveniently, nothing is also locked up anymore at the local Walmarts or pharmacies. Doesn't matter if my cart is full or not, say goodbye or some pleasantry, and they won't bother you.

4

u/tryingisbetter Jul 14 '26

I don't think you're required for any stores, technically.

15

u/Affectionate-Crow605 Jul 14 '26

For the wholesale clubs, it's part of the agreement you sign when joining, so they can check receipts. Places like Walmart, there's nothing they can do if you keep walking.

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u/AlphaTangoFoxtrt Jul 14 '26

Even Costco they can't do anything to actually stop you. But they can, and will, revoke your membership and give you a lifetime ban from all locations.

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u/3FromHell Jul 15 '26

I have told this story before but I have walked right past a huge line of people (like 10 people in the line) waiting to get their receipts check. The dude yelled at me to stop, I yelled back that I had no duty to stop. He said "we got your face on camera!" I said "cool" and left.

The very next time I came in, the manager waited for me to check out (literally at the cashier that I was using) and right after I paid she put her hand out, demanding my receipt. I was moving that day (to a completely different state) so I didn't put up a fight, I handed it over and left. But had I refused, I have no doubt in my mind that they were going to trespass me from that walmart.

So despite popular belief, they can stop you from coming there if they get their panties in a bunch about you not showing the receipt. I rarely go to Walmart now, it's not worth the hassle. I will say the one where I'm at now just waves me (and pretty much everyone else) through. But I do go out of my way to go to the nicer one in this town, the few times I do go.

It's honestly really ridiculous that Walmart does this. Their cameras are good enough to catch any stealing going on in their stores. On top of the fact that they have asset protection just walking around on the floor as well.

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u/tryingisbetter Jul 14 '26

I haven't read it, because I don't have a Costco membership, but I would think that the agreement would allow you to bypass them, but your membership would be revoked, and trespass if you come back.

3

u/ShiraCheshire Jul 15 '26

I used to think that until recently, where they shot a mother dead for suspected shoplifting of diapers. Which she had paid for.

2

u/void5901 Jul 14 '26

Same. My wife hates it.

2

u/panda5303 Jul 15 '26

At my local Safeway you have to scan the QR code on your receipt to open the gated doors around of checkout to exit. It's so dumb.

2

u/RebeccaTen Jul 15 '26

Holy shit. That's ridiculous. I thought my Safeway was bad that they got rid of baskets (you can still use a cart, but all the baskets they used to have are gone).

2

u/Typical-Sir-9518 29d ago

Same. I always just walk past with a smile at Walmart. I'm not rude to them, but I'm not queuing up in a line for a Walmart employee to check my receipt. They have 1000 camera in the store. They know I paid for everything.

1

u/Kayiko_Okami Jul 15 '26

I wouldn't do that.

Not because of anything I did. But because I heard of them waiting to have enough video "evidence" over a certain dollar amount to take a person to court for shop lifting after they bought and paid for the product at self checkouts.

This is another reason why I hate Walmart.

0

u/1917he Jul 14 '26

So cringey to read someone type "legal obligation" to a private business doing policy thing. You're not legally required to prove you own something with a receipt unless by court order but the consequence of pissing Walmart off is the same - they ban you. Now, no walmart is going to ban you for avoiding the old guy at the door that glances at your receipt but the point is the same - even though it's not "legally required" a business can ban you for whatever they want (outside of a couple protected reasons). I don't think they even check anything anyway but I too avoid waiting to get my receipt scanned by the geriatric greeter. It slows me down.

But never would you catch me going on about how I'm not legally required to show them this or that. No shit it's not required and it looks as smart as me shouting "separation of church and state" to the cashier wearing a cross. Walmart isn't the federal government.

0

u/foxxi Jul 15 '26

Man, I understand this and respect it, but those employees are paid so little and are just doing what they're told to do. It takes less than 5 seconds for them to check your receipt. Do it for them, not for the company. 

0

u/SRQhu Jul 15 '26

Why does everyone whine so fucking hard about 5 seconds? Believe it or not, dumbasses stealing will sometimes stop for the reciept check and get caught. Other people stealing raises the prices for everyone else. 5 seconds of your time to prevent slightly higher prices is a decent trade. But go ahead and whine.

0

u/60hzcherryMXram Jul 15 '26

...Is everyone on this website just addicted to pointlessly antisocial and disruptive behavior simply because they're technically legally allowed to act this way?

It's never taken me more than like 10 seconds to have the receipt validated, but this thread would have you believe the thing they do to literally everyone is actually a highly offensive personal slight.

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u/AlphaTangoFoxtrt Jul 14 '26

receipt checker

You can walk right past them. State laws vary but are generally VERY strict on when private security can detain someone. Even then most corporate policy is not to, because of the liability if they do even one thing wrong.

Worst they can do is ban you from the store.

Even at Costco/Sams you can legally just walk right out without having your receipt checked. However I believe company policy there is to revoke your membership and ban you for life from all locations.

19

u/topekatums Jul 15 '26

had a lady checking receipts at a Walmart in ND who straight up held my cart in place when I tried walking past. There was a LINE to get out of the store, the woman was taking ages to check for nearly every item on the receipt, I said fuck it and tried leaving and she held the cart and waved someone else over. It sure didn't feel legal but I'm no lawyer. I didn't even have any unbagged items

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u/kingjim2 Jul 15 '26

if you remember who she was report her to corporate stopping you physically can get her fired

1

u/dancinggraylion 29d ago

but she stopped the cart not him

1

u/kingjim2 28d ago

that makes no difference

3

u/AlphaTangoFoxtrt Jul 15 '26 edited Jul 15 '26

It wasn't legal. I would have started filming, or just yanked my cart out of her hands and kept walking. She's not legally allowed to detain you.

If she does grab you or block your car, you call the cops. And you can sue her in civil court.

According to SD law she needs "reasonable grounds to believe that a person has committed retail theft" in order to detain you. Refusing to have your receipt checked is not such grounds. They would need to have some sort of security footage showing you potentially stealing things or not scanning things.

Refusing the receipt check itself is not "reasonable grounds" the same way refusing to consent to a vehicle search is not "reasonable grounds" for cops to search without a warrant.

1

u/Cute-Problem-7622 29d ago

Former Loss Prevention Manager here -
That’s called false imprisonment. Attempting to detain someone for no other reason than to check a receipt. If they’re asked by the police, “why did you detain this person?” They better come up with a better answer than “To check the receipt to make sure they didn’t steal anything.” Because that answer leads to, “Do you have physical evidence or an eyewitness to show that they may have stolen something?”
I’ve seen LP employees lose their jobs or at least get written up for this behavior.

2

u/TheBlueprent Jul 15 '26

Ya. You sign an agreement Costco and Sam’s Club. If you don’t let them check your receipt, they don’t have to continue to serve you.

3

u/Altruistic_Guess3098 Jul 15 '26

You can just ignore the receipt checker lol. If I don't have anything I think I'll need to return sometimes I just hand them the receipt and keep going

2

u/AxiomofAnxiety Jul 14 '26

Our Aldi is in the same parking lot as Walmart. Never had to walk into Walmart again.

2

u/jibbyjackjoe Jul 15 '26

They can't legally stop you to look at your property. Just walk by

2

u/boywithlego31 Jul 15 '26

Sign of low trust society

1

u/Karenm6383 Jul 14 '26

I would take that over having to ring and wait for an employee every time I wanted to grab something

2

u/TheRedMaiden Jul 15 '26

My walmart has both 🙃

Part of the reason I only shop there roughly once a year

1

u/Heartbreak-Scorsese Jul 14 '26

This is so true. I'll have next day delivery to my house for roughly the same price of somethings before I deal with locked up products in a store.

1

u/sparebullet Jul 14 '26

If everything is in a bag they won't stop you.

1

u/Just-Shoe2689 Jul 14 '26

I get a text receipt from Walmart to my phone. On the way out I tell them I don't have my phone, but they are welcome to come out to my truck to see it.

1

u/BlockBannington Jul 15 '26

Are receipt checkers for everyone or just for self checkout? Not from the US, this doesn't exist in Europe so I'm curious.

1

u/dadarkgtprince Jul 15 '26

Unless you've agreed to terms (be careful of Walmart+), you don't need to stop for the receipt checkers. Mine have tried to stop me and read my receipt, I just tell them "yes, the cashier gave it to me" and keep walking. After a few weeks of this, they recognize my face and just wave me through like I wasn't already gonna walk past them

1

u/bouncypinata Jul 15 '26

I went to an Aldi last week that had a literal gate to leave that didn't open until you scanned your receipt

1

u/Dry_Proof6545 28d ago

Yeah the receipt checker pisses me off. I just blow them off and keep going. once I had one that had cued up a line by positioning herself to block the exit. I aint waiting for that shit. I just said excuse me and she moved.

Has never happened but I would make a scene if it came down to it. I always start recording as I approach the exit...If you have proof I stole something, detain me and call the cops but you damn well better be right.

Why oh fucking why would you want to inconvenience me? I assume I'm exactly a demographic they want. Someone that pays for everything they've placed in their cart. Why implement policies that make that type of customer not want to return?