WALMART’s Receipt Verification Policy Divides Shoppers on Social Media.
In a viral video on X, a customer can be seen refusing to show his receipt as he leaves Walmart.
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“No, you can’t check my receipt,” said the man On video can be heard saying several times.
A store employee approaches and says, “They have to ship everything that’s not in the bag.”
The buyer responds that not really, and he will leave.
Another worker can be heard saying he is going to call the police.
“It doesn’t matter, call the police,” the buyer responds.
The worker can then be seen dialing on his phone and walking away before putting the phone to his ear.
“I’m going to sue you, don’t play with me,” he continued.
The video ends with the customer continuing to argue with the workers before cutting to him loading his car in the parking lot with an employee standing on the sidewalk watching.
“Why is it so hard, with all the robberies, to just show your receipts and let them do their job?” asked a comment below the video.
“Because he probably stole things,” another responded to the comment.
“No, because Walmart doesn’t have the authority to do that,” added another.
“I don’t need another adult to check my receipt after I’ve been scrutinized on camera,” he continued.
“Sam’s Club and Costco are SUBSCRIPTION based companies and have actual rules for you to follow since they are a “club,” they explained.
“Walmart is neither, it’s not really hard to understand.”
In addition to extra receipt checks, shoppers have complained about a range of issues that they say hamper their shopping experience.
This includes limits on self-checkout, almost all everyday items being locked behind glass, and even a lack of staff available for help and checkout lines, which often results in long wait times and inadequate service.
The reason these policies were implemented, according to retail executives, is due to the increase in robberies at their stores since the pandemic.
Major chains, including Walmart, expect a combined $132 billion reduction in combined shoplifting losses this year alone, according to to look for by Capital One.
Combine these losses with inflation, higher production costs and retailers have the perfect storm to try to maximize their profits through price increases and layoffs.
Large chains like Walmart have seen a combined increase in retail layoffs of 3,225% in 2023 – leaving many customers to bag their own purchases or be forced to wait in exorbitant lines for long periods of time.
However, in the same period since the pandemic, although shoplifting statistics have soared nationally, corporate profits now represent the majority of national income over the past decade, according to the National Bureau of Economic Analysis.
In May, Walmart reported quarterly profit of $5.1 billion, triple what it made in the same quarter just a year earlier.
But even though Walmart tripled its profits, the chain continued to lay off thousands of workers across the country, often citing the need to cut costs due to the same losses resulting from theft and inflationary conditions.
But as Walmart continues to try to cut labor costs in stores, the chain announced that it is spending that money by investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in expensive digital price tags that can be changed instantly — which experts say will do just that. that.
Economists pointed out that this new instantaneous price change could pave the way for more layoffs, as fewer workers would be needed in stores.
“If it’s hot outside, we might raise the price of water and ice cream,” said Phil Lempert, a food industry analyst. NPR about the new change that will take place at Walmart.
“And if there is something that is close to its expiration date, we can lower the price – that’s the good news,” he explained.
Walmart has not clarified how much money the chain is investing in these new price tags.
But just 10,000 electronic shelf tags can cost between $60,000 and $100,000, according to Solum, a maker of wireless communications technology.
Wendy’s, for example, announced earlier this year that it plans to invest around $20 million in high-tech digital menu boards, prompting a similar backlash.
“Why is it so much easier to justify investing in technology than investing in people?” asked one person on X.
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.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
