Costco receipt checking

[gambitt]

Boring "story" (rant) alert...

Just went to Costco for the first time. 3 of us went and we asked if we could pay seperately even though only one of us is a member - "no problem" she said. One of my mates paid for his stuff, put it on the trolley and went to buy a hot dog. There was a big queue at the "resturant" so we said we'd go and load up the car. As we were leaving we get stopped by a member of staff - my mate didn't tell me about this but apparently it's "company policy" to check all customers' receipts and shopping AFTER you've gone through the CHECK OUT. Call me crazy but I always thought checking out was exactly that, not an interim stop before the "final check by the door to see if you've nicked anything point".

Anyway, he goes through our receipts and notices some extra beer in the trolley. So he goes through it again and asks if we have another receipt - yes we do but it's over at the hot dog stand so I walk back to retrieve it from him. Anal McLooney checks everything again and for some reason likes to touch everything he counts before deciding that he can't find a bag of crisps that's on the receipt but apparently not in the trolley. Who cares?! The only thing in between the checkout and the exit are car tyres - what are they expecting to find?

I can't help but wonder if this is entirely legal. Sure it says so in their terms and conditions but I didn't sign up since I'm not a member but they still allowed me to purchase items, so they've entered into a legal contract and taken my money but they aren't allowing me to leave with MY goods. I don't like this dehumanising culture. I wonder what they can do if someone just carries on walking... I might try it next time.

 

[gambitt]

Due to the high volume of goods some people buy they check everyone's trolley before they leave for two reasons:

One: Make sure you haven't stashed some boxes under 800 other boxes

A member of staff loads the goods onto the check out and another member scans it. No "stashing" is possible.

Two: To make sure that once you've left you have no comeback if you say something was missing

I'd be happy to sign something on ther way out that says "I've checked my trolley myself and I waive my right to complain if anything is missing". This is because I know how to pack bags and *gasp* put them in a trolley.

They've already had 2 members of staff handling the complicated task of moving items around at the check out, now they want a 3rd person to check? Do they not trust the check out staff to do this simple task? Why not have a 4th person at the car park exit just to triple check everything in case the 3rd person made a mistake?

 

[gambitt]

They could say "standard policy" is to bring a pink elephant with you - doesn't make it a legal requirement. I'm pretty sure they cannot detain a person unless they have some reasonable grounds to do so (ie. they've seen you nick something).

 

[gambitt]

I honestly wonder how people like you make it through life.

I honestly wonder how people like you just bend over and follow any rule without question or individual thought like a good little sheep.

 

[gambitt]

There is a MASSIVE SIGN at the exit to tell you why.

I don't care if they have a SUPER DUPER MASSIVE SIGN IN BRIGHT GREEN at the exit. Doesn't make it legal.

Does it affect you?

Yes.

I would say if you don't like their policies then shop else where.

Or I could just follow UK law.

 

[gambitt]

How does it affect you though? Not the shops fault you forgot the receipt. Get a grip, worry about things which are actually important in life.

I didn't forget any receipt. Another person had it as I explained.

Why would you think it's not legal?

Sale of Goods Act.

 

[gambitt]

you did forget to take the receipt with you, so you did forget it.

No I didn't.

 

[gambitt]

The act of you and your one friend taking yours and another friend's shopping to the exit without the third person's receipt would say otherwise.

Since when it is illegal to be in possession of goods belonging to someone else when they have given you permission to move them?

If it wasn't legal they wouldn't be allowed to do it

"Company policy" and the good little sheepies who do what they've told by anyone in a uniform.

Do you know how long they've been trading for? How long they've been trading in America, across the world with the same policies? I think if it wasn't legal it would've been flagged up by now.

Irrelevant. I live in the UK and under UK law. I'm not familiar with American law so I am unable to comment.

 

[gambitt]

:/

You fail so darn hard I can't be bothered to explain the whole thing again as so many others have done so already.

No one has explained anything apart from droning on about "company policy". I am questioning the legality of it - do you know what that means? If not you are in the wrong thread.

 

[gambitt]

You weren't trying to leave with just your goods though, you were trying to leave with someone elses!

And is that illegal after being given permission? Please answer yes or no.

 

[gambitt]

So, which law have they broken?

You do realise it's illegal to detain someone without reasonable grounds? I cannot stop you in the street and say "you can't go anywhere until you satistfy some criteria, then I'll let you go". I don't know the exact act, I'm currently looking into it. - Human Rights perhaps?

 

[gambitt]

AS FAR AS THE STORE KNOWS, YOU'RE STEALING THE GOODS.

Stealing the goods from whom? The store or my friend?

 

[gambitt]

Great. I'm going to go shoplifting then. No one can ask me to prove I'd paid for them on the basis that would be against my human rights.

Unless they can prove you have stolen an item (CCTV, witnesses, security tags etc) .

 

[gambitt]

the Police would have been called and again if you had no proof you had purchased those goods you may have been arrested.

Wrong. The onus of proof is on the accuser. The concept of innocent until proven guilty is getting lost these days

 

[gambitt]

I'd be long gone by the time they've checked any of that. They're not allowed to detain me.

Read further up:

You do realise it's illegal to detain someone without reasonable grounds?

 

[gambitt]

All this fuss over having things checked?

Today it's having YOUR goods checked - tomorrow it's having YOUR handbags and pockets checked, all by other members of the public.

 

[gambitt]

You are there with goods you cannot demonstrate you have paid for - the burden of proof only applies in court which is why you can be arrested on suspicion of an offence.

So the police arrest you, realise they can't prove anything and let you go. Or they charge you, then the CPS realise can't prove anything and they let you go... The result is the same, the police will not waste their time unless they have something to use (CCTV, eye witnesses etc).

 

[gambitt]

yep


Like the op I would question the legality of someone performing a stop and search with no reasonable suspicion, the Police have strict rules about this and when it can be performed, the store seems to be in the practice of suspecting everyone without justification.

THANK YOU! Finally a man who knows the law.

 

[gambitt]

They are not searching your person, they are searching the shopping bags, which is perfectly legal.

Under what act?

The shopping bags belong to me. Can they also search my rucksack?

 

[gambitt]

If he didn't sign or agree to it, then he shouldn't be shopping there.

They let me in the store and when I asked if I could pay myself KNOWING that I wasn't a member, they allowed me to.