Here’s a scenario that is familiar to anyone who has ever set foot in Wal-Mart, CVS, Rite-Aid, or any of a dozen other major retailers. After you have made a purchase, collected your bags, or packed everything into a shopping cart, you head for the exit. Just as you approach freedom an alarm sounds (usually a sequence of ugly, electronic grunts) and a robotic voice (always female) announces: “Please return to the checkout.” Other customers immediately look in your direction, and an employee begins to approach you. What’s your next move?
If you possess an ounce of personal pride or perhaps two ounces of fortitude, then the 100 percent correct move is to proceed immediately out the door. Why? There are many reasons, chief among them being that rational adults should not instantly obey mechanical voices (unless that voice instructs us to exit a burning aircraft). Also, if you haven’t stolen anything and therefore do not require interrogation, there is absolutely nothing that should compel you to linger post-transaction. It’s depressing enough simply being there in the first place. Another good reason to make a quick exit is that you aren’t being paid to assist some giant retailer with its security measures. You aren’t part of the team, and you didn’t clock in. The clearest reason for leaving the store, however, is that there exists absolutely no legal obligation to remain there, and the store has no right to detain you.
Pretty funny article in the way that this guy skoffs at different stores security measures. It’s entertaining at the least and might be a good thing. The problem I see is that he pushes the system, and ends up looking like a thief. Rather then going hey, something did set off the alarm. He ignores those alarms and keeps going. I understand his feelings but he ignores a stores feelings. In that they are attempting to stop loss in the most unobtrusive way possible.
Side Note: The Costco lines are annoying and generally idiotic in that most cases they seem to find nothing wrong or if they do they take forever to right the wrong and in some cases ignore what really happened. One time they rang up a soda twice rather then a soda and a water. But first they noted that the water wasn’t charged so they pulled me off to the side to pay for it… and then as I got to the car my wife realized they had instead run up the soda twice. So back I went and longer I waited as they fixed that goof. Why is it they caught one and not the other? They care more about losing then “Accurately checking the customers are are not overcharged.”
Tags: Interesting, Irony, Legal, Stories
