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Comment by tmuir | Hacker News Reader

Don't forget the fact that they sell the same items for different prices in different areas of the store, and take the default position that you've stolen from them until you produce your receipt as you leave.

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Ah, the Final Insult. After standing in the checkout line and paying, I just smile, say "My receipt looks correct, thanks" and walk right by the guy checking purchases at the door. They can't stop you. Been doing this since they instituted the practice (20 years ago?)

Man, try returning a computer, especially a broken one. A true conversation:

"This system doesn't work."

"Right. That's why I'm returning it."

"We can't take it back if it's not working, it means we can't put it back on the shelf."

Facepalm. And reasoned argument, escalating into rather loud voices until they give me my money back just to get rid of me. Do not ever, ever buy a white box computer at Fry's.

This is why you buy things with credit cards. You don't have to yell at employees, you just have to call your credit card company. Part of the contract you have with the credit card companies and the contract the credit card companies have with retailers includes guarantees of robust return policy very often extending the retailer's.

I've never had any luck with that. I called the CC company in front of the Fry's folks and the CC folks just said, basically, "tough, if they won't take it back, that's not our problem"

I don't use that CC any more.

I realize this is splitting hairs, and no comfort to the customer who is inconvenienced, but... I used to work at the periphery of the security industry, and the primary focus of retail security measures are directed at the employees. Notice that the highest concentration of security cameras in big-box stores are directly above the cash registers. There is equipment that simultaneously records the register transaction data stream on top of the security video.

I've encountered the same receipt-checking at Guitar Center on the rare occasion when I've shopped there, and GC's employees also work on some sort of screwy commission system that at least superficially resembles a sweatshop. I suspect that there are some kinds of fiddles that involve ringing you up for one item and walking you out the door with another.

> default position that you've stolen from them until you produce your receipt as you leave.

As a matter of principle, I always walk directly past receipt checkers at store exits. I've never been stopped, although I've gotten some nasty looks.

As long as it's not a membership situation (where one can lose the membership over that), that is your right, but it is also their right to ban you for life if you refuse.

I believe that doesn't happen often, so I don't doubt that it hasn't been an issue for you so far, but it doesn't mean it will never be an issue.

Your choice of course.

Several years ago I used to bike to a Costco to get my meds at the pharmacy (you didn't need to be a member to use it). I used to get pissed off they'd want to search my backpack on the way out-what were they going to do, revoke my non existent membership? Find a giant pallet of toilet paper I hid in it?

I urge you to change your perspective. You are punishing the receipt checker for trying to enforce a policy they have no say in or control over. If their boss sees you walk past them, they can get fired, in which case you will have directly harmed them. In contrast, showing your receipt takes less than 5 seconds.

That's stupid. If they've been given a job which is impossible to enforce and been told they'll be fired if they don't enforce it then that's obviously silly and it's not my fault that it's silly. If an employee is tasked to make everyone hop from the door to my car should I also do that? What about if an employee is tasked to make everyone fly from the door to their car? What about then?

Not at all. If they tried to physically stop you from leaving, that is what would get them fired.

At a Sam's Club the door guy literally grabbed my cart on my way out when I did not show him my receipt. I cancelled my membership the next day.

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