1 week Ago By Chris Bradford
A FURIOUS Walmart shopper was left bewildered after being asked to prove they bought a pack of sodas. The customer was unimpressed by the store worker’s attitude at the exit. A Walmart shopper encountered trouble when trying to leave the store as they were forced to show their receipt (stock)AlamyThe greeter wanted to inspect the piece of paper over a single product (stock)GettyThey claimed they were stopped by the staffer because their 12-pack of Gatorade wasn’t in a bag, according to an X thread.
The shopper explained why they didn’t put the item inside a carrier. “It doesn’t fit in the bag,” they pointed out.The shopper blasted the worker, calling her “rude as heck.
”The shopper shared a picture of their receipt following the saga that played out at the Lee’s Summit, Missouri, superstore. They were unimpressed by the apparent inconsistency.“We never get stopped at any other Walmart stores in the area,” they claimed.
The shopper purchased 32 items while on the shopping trip, according to their receipt. A Walmart representative responded to the shopper’s grievances. “Please send us a DM with this information,” thank you,” they said.
They also had the opportunity to send feedback via an online survey. Scores of Walmart shoppers have expressed their fury after being subject to the inspections.Some customers have been left appalled by the conduct shown by staffers.
And, they’ve criticized the approach of workers for apparently being over-zealous.One shopper claimed a worker snatched their phone out of their hands to ensure the inspection took place.Legality of receipt checks and detentionIn an effort to curtail retail crime, stores are increasingly turning to receipt checks as shoppers exit.
Legally, stores can ask to see a customer’s receipts, and membership-only stores have the right to demand such checks if shoppers agreed to terms and conditions that authorize it.Many legal professionals have weighed in and come to similar conclusions, caveating that all states do have specific laws. Generally speaking, stores have Shopkeeper’s Privilege laws that allow them to detain a person until authorities arrive when they have reasonable suspicion that a crime, like theft, has been committed.
Declining to provide a receipt is not a reason in itself for a store to detain a customer, they must have further reason to suspect a shopper of criminal activity.Due to the recent nature of the receipt checks, there is little concrete law on the legality of the practice, as it takes time for law to catch up with technology.Setliff Law, P.
C. claims that “there is no definitive case law specifically relating to refusal to produce a receipt for purchases.”For stores that improperly use their Shopkeeper’s Privilege, they could face claims of false imprisonment.
“The primary law that applies to these types of wrongful detention cases is called ‘False Imprisonment’,” explained Hudson Valley local attorney Alex Mainetti.“Of course, you’re not literally imprisoned, but you’re detained by a person who has no lawful authority to detain you and/or wrongfully detains a customer.” It is likely that as altercations in stores over receipt checks continue, more court cases will occur giving clearer definitions and boundaries to the legality of receipt checks.
The inspections have proved controversial, prompting shoppers to share their strategies on how they try to skirt around them.One claimed they simply waved their receipt in the air as they approached the exit.Meanwhile, others have claimed they use a decoy receipt to keep workers on their toes.
Some shoppers have not resorted to extreme measures, claiming they simply walk past the staffer by the exits.Certain Walmart stores appear to have rolled out receipt checks – even though the inspections are not a nationwide company policy.But, the inspections do take place at membership clubs.
Costco has explained receipt checks ensure goods have been processed accurately.And, it is the retailer’s way of checking that customers have been charged correctly.The shopper was quizzed after buying Gatorade (stock)Getty.
