A WALMART customer threw a tantrum at the store after he was allegedly followed by staff for not being able to show his receipt.
The Walmart customer described his ordeal on social media.
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“In 2018, I had no idea they checked receipts, so I just walked out with the stuff I paid for,” the shopper wrote on X.
“I wasn’t even halfway to the car when security came after me and made a scene as if I was shoplifting.”
The customer had already thrown away his receipt, leading to another confrontation where he had to re-enter the store to confirm his purchase.
As shoplifting and petty theft continue to rise in both luxury department stores and discount retailers, many stores have implemented new security policies to ensure the safety of customers – and products.
One way stores combat potential thieves is by checking customers’ receipts before they leave the store.
The concept is simple: once a customer has paid for their purchases at a cashier-manned checkout or self-checkout kiosk, they simply need to show the receipt to an employee near the store exit.
The employee then looks at the receipt and the customer’s purchases to make sure the items match.
Checking receipts is not the only measure Walmart has taken to combat theft.
The retailer recently introduced a new policy for its self-checkout kiosks that limits transactions at all machines to 10 items or less.
Walmart said it wants to make shopping more convenient for its customers. By limiting the number of items per purchase, it hopes to reduce self-checkout orders and shorten wait times.
However, the store was also criticized for not having enough staff at the cash registers, meaning many customers with large orders had to wait in long lines.
And despite limiting transactions to a maximum of ten items at self-checkout lanes, many customers are finding that the majority of kiosks are closed – even during peak shopping hours – because there are reportedly not enough staff to monitor them.
While long lines and checking receipts are rather annoying, shoppers seem to agree that one security measure is more important than all others.
Some stores, including Walmart, have already begun locking their items behind plexiglass display cases, requiring customers to flag down an employee to get everyday items like shampoo or deodorant.
Legality of receipt verification and retention
In order to curb crime in the retail sector, stores are increasingly checking receipts when customers leave the store.
Stores are legally permitted to ask customers to produce their receipts. Members-only stores have the right to do so provided customers have agreed to the relevant terms and conditions.
Numerous legal experts have weighed in and reached similar conclusions, albeit with the caveat that each state has its own specific laws.
Generally, stores are subject to storekeeper privilege, which allows them to detain a person until authorities arrive if there is reasonable suspicion that a crime, such as theft, has been committed.
A store’s refusal to provide a receipt is not in itself a reason for a store to detain a customer; there must be other reasons to suspect the buyer of criminal activity.
Since receipt verification has only been implemented recently, there are no concrete laws yet regarding the legality of this practice, as it takes some time for legislation to catch up with technology.
Setliff Law, PC claims that “there is no clear case law specifically regarding refusal to produce proof of purchase.”
Businesses that abuse their storekeeper privilege may face charges of false imprisonment.
“The main law that applies to these types of wrongful imprisonment cases is called ‘deprivation of liberty,'” explained Hudson Valley local attorney Alex Mainetti.
“Of course, you are not literally being detained, but you are being held by a person who has no legal authority to detain you and/or is wrongfully detaining a customer.”
It is likely that, given the ongoing disputes in stores over receipt checking, there will be more court cases in which the legality of receipt checking will be more clearly defined and delineated.
Even customers who order items for curbside pickup or delivery are not immune from the safety measures.
Last month, a Walmart customer reported that one of the items from her recent pickup — a box of razors — was still locked in a clear display case, rendering the purchase worthless unless she returned to the store.
Despite the store’s best efforts, it remains unclear to what extent these measures actually help prevent or reduce shoplifting.
Angry buyers
Another Walmart customer shared his experience when he was stopped to check the receipt for a $2 purchase of flip-flops.
They were shocked and thought checking the receipt for a cheap item was absurd.
“These are fucking $2 flip-flops,” said the buyer.
“I hate Walmart.”
Walmart customers are also frustrated with other policies of the retailer.
A new return policy requires customers to complete the process online.
It involves several steps that must be followed correctly, otherwise the return will be rejected.
