A KMART customer was furious after being forced to show his receipt, explaining why it is legally not necessary.
Shoppers at major retailers have criticized anti-theft measures for their inconvenience.
Many believe this adds long lines and wait times to shopping trips.
Some customers even said that locked shelves or receipt checks would keep them away from certain retailers.
A Kmart shopper gave his option to verify receipt.
“Stop letting Kmart scan your receipt when you leave,” they argued in one tweet in X.
READ MORE about receipt verification
The customer explained why he does not need to show the receipt to the workers.
“They are conditioning you. You have a legal right to just leave. It’s false imprisonment if they don’t let you leave,” they wrote.
“You’ve already made a cool purchase; you DON’T need to prove it twice.”
They then gave their final advice.
“Better yet, don’t shop there,” they wrote.
‘A TREATMENT’
This wasn’t the first time a customer criticized Kmart’s receipt verification policy.
Another customer didn’t believe Kmart was serious about its anti-theft intentions.
“Checking your receipt at Kmart is nothing more than a ploy to make us think they take theft seriously,” the tweet read.
“They’re not. I know someone who worked in the office of one of those big companies. They never check security cameras. They’d have to pay someone to do it.”
ADVICE FROM A LAWYER
While receipt checks can add a step to a shopping trip, it can save you headaches in the long run.
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 a reason in itself 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.
Camron DowlatshahiThe Los Angeles attorney and founding partner of Mills Sadat Dowlat LLPI talked with The US Sun about the customer’s rights and options when it comes to verification of receipt.
“You can say no, but it might create unnecessary inconvenience for you,” Dowlatshahi replied.
“But now you can have the police come to your house and follow up.”
If the police came to your home, it may be because they had reason to believe you were stealing, but officials were unable to verify it.
He also gave his advice to prevent this from happening altogether.
“I would say, show your receipt. It’s a very simple thing to do,” she says.
“If you haven’t stolen anything, it’s relatively simple to do.”
The US Sun has reached out to Kmart for comment.
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