Customer, not Criminal

Chris Tyler's Blog

Customer, not Criminal Thu, Mar 11. 2010


I like TigerDirect stores: they're like geek supermarkets. However, they have some really annoying practices, such as entering my card number into their POS system, separately from their POS terminal; the terminal receipt shows only the last 5 digits of the card number, and the cash register receipt shows all but the last 6 digits. Anyone with those two receipts and the Luhn algorithm has the full card number.

But the practice that annoys me the most is having a person at the door "check the receipt" of each person making a purchase. The receipt-checker is standing only a few meters away from the cash register -- what is there to check? Is this an effective loss-prevention practice, or just a way to annoy customers?

Today I bought a micro-SD flash card with adapter for an Open-RD Client system that Seneca just purchased. The sales guy was helpful, and as I took the purchase to the lone cashier on duty, I found her talking to the receipt-checker. She shuffled over to the cash register. I paid and made my way to the door, and the receipt checker smiled at me and popped the top off his blue highlighter. I smiled back.

"May I check your receipt?" he asked.

"No," I answered, continuing to the door. I figured that the purchase has already been made, as far as I know they have no right to search or detain me, the receipt checker saw me pay the cashier, and it's obvious that I have one purchased item and one receipt in my hand.

Thinking he'd heard wrong, he again asked, "May I check it?"

"No," I replied, walking out.

"Thank you," he yelled after me as I left the store.

Posted by Chris Tyler in Facebook, Fedora Planet, Pet Peeves, Seneca Planet Comments: (8) Trackbacks: (0)

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#1 - disi 2010-03-11 05:01 - (Reply)

At least he is consequent and friendly :-)
I always try to see the things from the other persons view. As a guy who has this kind of job...
Peronally, I never saw any "checkers" on my out of stores, maybe because I live in Europe?

cheers,

disi

#2 - Paul W. Frields said:
2010-03-11 09:04 - (Reply)

This is another horrible export (or import to you) :-) from the USA. I think there's one aspect in which you benefited from being in Canada, though. In the USA the receipt checker probably would have had security run out and tackle you in the parking lot. Then you'd get an apology in the mail 45 days letter from the company, with a $10 gift certificate attached.

#3 - Tom "spot" Callaway 2010-03-11 09:07 - (Reply)

In the US, Fry's is especially bad about this. It's one of the reasons I won't patronize their stores anymore.

#4 - Seth Vidal 2010-03-11 09:39 - (Reply)

The tiger direct at the mall nearest to where I live asks you to check your bags before you go in the door.

I carry a laptop/miscellaneous bag with me most of the time. I was asked to surrender my bag. I said "no". The woman then said "oh is that your MAN PURSE?!" At which point I said, I guess my plan to purchase anything here today is now nixed and turned around and left.

I do not cotton to being treated like a criminal either coming or going.

Good for you in saying no to them.

#5 - Robyn Bergeron said:
2010-03-11 10:53 - (Reply)

Dude. I LOVE THIS STORY!!!!!!!!

I wish I had the figurative nuts to do this myself. Instead, I just avoid Fry's unless absolutely, positively necessary. Even Best Buy has gotten in on this game, but they tend to not actually move from their post to do it, since socialization is much more important.

#6 - Scott Baker said:
2010-03-11 11:13 - (Reply)

While patronizing Fry's one day the receipt guy asked for my receipt. I handed to him begrudgingly and asked "do you ever catch people actually trying to steal anything?" To which he replied "just today I caught someone with THIS", and held up a $3 pack of hilighters. I laughed and walked out the door.

Fry's pays two people to stand at the door and check receipts. I'm sure that's a non-trivial amount of money. Fry's exit is about 50 ft from the checkouts though.

#7 - andy york said:
2010-03-11 13:06 - (Reply)

AFAIK the only stores allowed to practice receipt checking are the membership only type. All the rest I simply tell them that if they think I stole something they should go ahead and have me arrested and I keep walking. They are indeed worst at TigerDirect. I too have had them stand there and watch me pay for something and then ask to see the receipt. Makes me wonder who came up with such a concept...

#8 - Jatinder Singh 2010-03-12 16:58 - (Reply)

Last week I bought a new wireless keyboard plus mouse from one of the Tiger direct chains in Markham. I felt very uncomfortable as she wrote my credit card number into their system. She then swiped it again and I was thinking "O Lord Help Me Here!". I couldn't say a word because I needed those items really badly. But I won't ever deal with Tiger Direct in future because of the way their billing system works.


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