A shopper has criticized Costco for its receipt checking policy and even compared it to a TSA line.
Checking receipts has become an increasingly common and controversial aspect of retail purchases in recent years.
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While stores like Walmart have adopted these measures more recently, Costco has used this policy for years.
Shoppers must wait when leaving the store for an employee to check their receipts and items before they can leave.
A Costco customer (@JEllulz) shared his disdain for this measure on an X, formerly Twitter, publish.
“It’s amazing how Costco checks your receipt and every item in your cart on checkout,” they wrote.
“Like a little TSA phrase on your way out the door.”
This buyer also questioned the logic behind the process.
“What do they hope to achieve by this?” they added.
“Do you think I somehow slipped a TV past the register but the rando at the exit is going to catch me?”
Many customers believe this policy is an anti-theft measure, but Costco has clarified its true purpose.
“It is standard practice at all of our warehouses to check purchase receipts when customers leave our buildings,” the store wrote on its website. website.
“We do this to verify that purchased items have been processed correctly by our cashiers.
“It’s our most effective method of maintaining accuracy in inventory control, and it’s also a good way to ensure our members are charged appropriately for their purchases.”
Receipt verification isn’t the only practice that makes Costco stand out as a store.
Because it is a members-only warehouse store, shoppers must sign up and pay for a membership to shop at the retailer.
Legality of receipt and detention checks
In an effort to reduce retail crime, stores are increasingly turning to checking receipts as customers leave.
Legally, stores can ask to see a customer’s receipts, and members-only stores have the right to demand such checks if customers agree to the terms and conditions authorizing them.
Many legal professionals have evaluated and reached similar conclusions, warning that all states have specific laws.
Generally speaking, stores have Retailer Privilege laws that allow them to detain a person until authorities arrive when there is reasonable suspicion that a crime, such as robbery, has been committed.
Refusal to provide a receipt is not in itself a reason for a store to detain a customer; she must have additional reasons to suspect a client of criminal activity.
Due to the recent nature of receipt checks, there is little concrete legislation regarding the legality of the practice, as it takes time for the law to catch up with technology.
Setliff Law, PC states that “there is no definitive case law specifically relating to the refusal to present a receipt for purchases.”
For stores that misuse the Retailer Privilege, they may face charges of false imprisonment.
“The primary law that applies to these types of wrongful arrest cases is called ‘False Imprisonment,’” the local Hudson Valley attorney explained. Alex Mainetti.
“Of course, you are not literally arrested, but you are detained by a person who does not have the legal authority to detain you and/or wrongfully detains a client.”
It is likely that as store altercations over receipt checks continue, more lawsuits will occur giving clearer definitions and limits to the legality of receipt checks.
Customers typically showed their cards to a staff member upon entering as proof, but a change to that approach angered some people, The US Sun previously reported.
The retailer is testing a new system where customers must scan their membership cards.
A customer complained on X, formerly Twitter, about this test.
“I don’t know why Costco is so strict with their membership now,” they said in the post.
“You don’t get paid enough to act like this is Area 51,” they added.
The US Sun has reached out to Costco for comment.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
