Walmart Buyer Reveals Cunning Strategy to Avoid Receipt Check – Name of the Game Is ‘Keeping Workers Alert’

WALMART’s receipt verification policy has been criticized by customers who find it a nuisance.

One shopper shared his sneaky trick for beating the system.

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Walmart customers took to Facebook to discuss the retail giant’s widely disliked receipt verification policy.

February 2024 publish from Casual Posting who gained 1,000 likes said, “You’re soft if you let them check your receipt at Walmart.”

Nearly 300 social media users took to the comments to share how they deal with politics, with many revealing they do not fully participate.

“I don’t stop – I keep walking because if you trust me to check on me, you better trust me,” wrote Lacy Mollison.

“I wave in the air and keep walking. I also use Walmart mostly to go,” said Diane Skilling Stevens.

Calum Bryans revealed an especially unique method he uses to avoid receipt verification.

“I always bring a fake receipt to keep them on their toes,” he commented.

However, some buyers defended employees participating in the policy.

“They’re just doing their job. It takes half a second and they let you go. Get over it,” wrote Erica Bowser.

“I think being offended by someone doing your job makes you soft,” Dan Yo said.

REASON FOR RECEIPT

Walmart implemented its receipt verification system to prevent theft. This helps keep inventory high and prices low, which keeps customers happy, a spokesperson for the retail giant said. ABC10 in February 2019.

He told the outlet that “our intention is to verify each receipt.”

However, customers do not seem happy with the policy and it is clear that not all receipts are being verified.

Emmett Jordan Summers wrote on Facebook that “90% of the time they don’t even ask,” but later admitted he is not a frequent Walmart shopper.

In December 2022, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon revealed that theft was a major problem for the company, leading to receipt checks in 2023 and 2024.

Customer Hope Moore attributed the crime problem to self-checkout – another widely criticized system – in her Facebook comment.

A Lawyer’s Top 5 Receipt Checking Tips

Los Angeles attorney Camron Dowlatshahi spoke with The US Sun about receipt checks and a customer’s rights and options when asked to show their receipt.

1. There has been a lot of debate surrounding the legality of a retailer asking to see your receipt, but if it’s in the store, it’s completely legal. “Apparently there is nothing illegal about this. You are still on the company premises and the reason for doing this is to avoid theft”, confirms Dowlatshahi.
2. However, if they’re kicking you out of the store, that changes things, Dowlatshahi said. “Location is important,” he explained. “If you’re outside the store, you’re in the parking lot and they come and start accusing you of stealing and that you have to show the receipt, I think it’s a little bit of a different situation because now you’re in your way.”
3. Although customers can say no to receipt checks, it can cause problems if you do so and the store suspects you of stealing. “You might say no, maybe it will create an unnecessary hassle for you because now you might have the police coming to your house and following up,” Dowlatshahi said.
4. If you’re being blocked from leaving a store because you refused a receipt check, you may have legal action – but the store must have detained you for a long time. “Let’s say it’s for hours, that’s certainly false imprisonment, and they didn’t have any impetus to do it,” Dowlatshahi explained. “If a client has been emotionally traumatized by being detained for false imprisonment, I would definitely encourage [them] process.”
5. “I would say, show your receipt,” he concluded. “It’s a very simple thing to do. If you haven’t stolen anything, it’s relatively simple to do,” the lawyer advised.

(According to Camron Dowlatshahifounding partner of Mills Sadat Dowlat LLP)

“I literally throw away the receipt after I check out,” she said.

“If they wanted to do the whole ‘make sure you’re not stealing’ thing, then they should never have introduced self-checkout.”

Attorneys said that in most cases, customers are not required and cannot be forced to participate in a Walmart receipt check.

EXPANDED RECEIPT CHECKS

Walmart isn’t the only store that checks receipts.

Other major retailers – including Costco, Sam’s Club and Kroger – have also implemented this system.

However, not all Walmart and Kroger locations have done so, although all Costco and Sam’s Club members are expected to participate.

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