Costco receipt checking

singist · 27 Dec 2010 at 17:12

Get a ******* life!

If you really believe that there is something wrong with enforcing the contract terms signed by the bona fide member, I think you really do have problems.

From someone who cares about our freedoms being eroded too.

InvaderGIR · 27 Dec 2010 at 17:13

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

gambitt · 27 Dec 2010 at 17:13

InvaderGIR said:
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?

Gaz1988 · 27 Dec 2010 at 17:14

I wouldnt worry about it to much, I used to work in Makro and thus had to do the receipt checking duty - most of the time the receipt was stamped and I pretended to count.

JBuk · 27 Dec 2010 at 17:14

singist said:
Get a ******* life!

If you really believe that there is something wrong with enforcing the contract terms signed by the bona fide member, I think you really do have problems.

From someone who cares about our freedoms being eroded too.

A contract the op never signed or agreed to, he might be moaning but he has a point.

Pez · 27 Dec 2010 at 17:14

gambitt said:
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).

DRZ was simply pointing out the proper application of the law. In that you can be arrested on suspician of an offense - putting an end to your 'innocent until proven guilty' plee.

Unfortunately you appear to be a 'have a go solicitor' yet have no firm grounding in consumer rights, let alone law. It's becoming more and more common with people hiding behind the SOGA, without being able to point out exactly which part of the act applies to their circumstances.

csmager · 27 Dec 2010 at 17:15

JBuk said:
A contract the op never signed or agreed to, he might be moaning but he has a point.

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

DRZ · 27 Dec 2010 at 17:16

JBuk said:
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.

gambitt said:
THANK YOU! Finally a man who knows the law.

What the hell? Are you on drugs?

They are not performing a "stop and search"!!!! You are completing your side of the contract you entered into by allowing them to search THE TROLLEY. They do not search your person, they merely count the items you have in your trolley in order to demonstrate that you have paid for all of them.

Prevention of theft for the benefit of everyone that shops there. Sounds good to me!

JBuk · 27 Dec 2010 at 17:17

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

They agreed to allow him to purchase items without signing up.

gambitt · 27 Dec 2010 at 17:17

csmager said:
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.

InvaderGIR · 27 Dec 2010 at 17:18

gambitt said:
Under what act?

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

Under what act is it illegal to search the shopping bags?

They aren't searching per se anyway, just checking the goods match the receipt. What has your rucksack got to do with anything? Seriously, you really don't get this in the slightest do you?

gambitt said:
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.

Which in likelihood just extends you as a member via your friend and so you are still under the T&Cs due to your friend being under them...but that's an assumption, I've not read the T&Cs.

Kutter · 27 Dec 2010 at 17:18

THey do this over here, the one i shop at has the rather titter worthy name of BJ's.
http://www.bjs.com/

gambitt · 27 Dec 2010 at 17:19

DRZ said:
What the hell? Are you on drugs?

They are not performing a "stop and search"!!!! You are completing your side of the contract you entered into by allowing them to search THE TROLLEY. They do not search your person, they merely count the items you have in your trolley in order to demonstrate that you have paid for all of them.

Prevention of theft for the benefit of everyone that shops there. Sounds good to me!

Why not do the check at the checkout while the items are being bagged and before the transaction has been completed? That way the goods are still theirs to count, check, whatever they want to do until funds have cleared (I put in my PIN number).

JBuk · 27 Dec 2010 at 17:19

DRZ said:
What the hell? Are you on drugs?

They are not performing a "stop and search"!!!! You are completing your side of the contract you entered into by allowing them to search THE TROLLEY. They do not search your person, they merely count the items you have in your trolley in order to demonstrate that you have paid for all of them.

Prevention of theft for the benefit of everyone that shops there. Sounds good to me!

there's no need to be insulting

he did not have an agreement to let them search his goods as he did not sign up.

Yes prevention is good, i'm just questioning the legality of what happened to him.

gambitt · 27 Dec 2010 at 17:20

InvaderGIR said:
Under what act is it illegal to search the shopping bags?

It's not illegal - but what happens if you say no? Will they say "ok have a good day" and let you leave?

InvaderGIR said:
They aren't searching per se anyway, just checking the goods match the receipt. What has your rucksack got to do with anything?.

What if I decide to put MY goods that I've just paid for inside MY rucksack? Can they search my rucksack then?

Buddah · 27 Dec 2010 at 17:20

gambitt said:
The shopping bags belong to me.

The shopping bags didn't belong to you though. Under Costco's T&C's only members can shop there, so even though you paid for them they belong to the member.

7. Only members with valid membership cards may purchase items at Costco, although we welcome two guests per cardholder they can't shop.

johnny6 · 27 Dec 2010 at 17:20

I'm sure it confirms in the T&C somewhere that your friend (the member) is responsible for you and the goods you purchase (well paid for), as you are effectively piggy backing your friends membership to shop there.

DRZ · 27 Dec 2010 at 17:21

gambitt said:
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.

You are in there as someone accompanying a paid member, the terms of the membership extend to you under those circumstances. You are in their club, you are obliged to abide by the rules of the club where those rules are within the law. They are within the law and you made the decision to conduct business with them - you have no grounds for your complaint.

Might I suggest that you resolve this matter by simply ceasing to conduct business with them? That way they do not have to deal with someone as ignorant as you and you are not hassled by having to abide by their rules.

gambitt · 27 Dec 2010 at 17:23

Buddah said:
The shopping bags didn't belong to you though. Under Costco's T&C's only members can shop there, so even though you paid for them they belong to the member.

I brought my own "bag for life" bags with me like I always do when I shop.

InvaderGIR · 27 Dec 2010 at 17:23

gambitt said:
Why not do the check at the checkout while the items are being bagged and before the transaction has been completed? That way the goods are still theirs to count, check, whatever they want to do until funds have cleared (I put in my PIN number).

gambitt said:
It's not illegal - but what happens if you say no? Will they say "ok have a good day" and let you leave?

Because you are still able to wander about and pick up items before you get to the door..as your friend proved by getting a hot dog. Once you step out of the door you can't steal anything, and as has been said, you then can't come back and say 'x is missing'. The best place for this to occur is at the door because it's inches away from you leaving, not meters where anything could happen, including a ninja dropping an extra beer or pack of condoms into your shopping bags.