Police were called, I was shoplifting!

Status
Not open for further replies.
1. If that guy had jumped into the back of my truck, he would have ended up in the hospital at a minimum.

2. What I can tell you is that when I have encountered that particular culture in business, they are usually bat feces crazy and think you are out to steal their shirt, shoes, socks, children, toilet paper, and their food.

My last experience was a man who swore we switched out the tires on his truck for a set of older tires while we were servicing his truck.

I've never been to that nation in my life, but I get the feeling that life is incredibly rough there for the natives.
 
Originally Posted By: MNgopher

Again, I'd be looking in the mirror if I wanted to figure out where this whole issue started - walking out the door with merchandise that was not cleared at a register is generally not a great idea...


You've got to be joking...

OP stood in line and bought an item that proved to be faulty...then was expected to stand in line again, after his sales service consultant (sounds better when it's a three word title, doesn't it?) left him standing there, as he was personally too busy.

There's a thing called a "service" desk, where businesses usually manage these trnsactions

If the OP was genuinely the cause of the problem, then the Police would have issued a caution.

As to "even exchange"...what the store and their suppliers have in contract between them has nothing to do with the customer, who is only in contract with the store to provide a serviceable part for the price paid.
 
Originally Posted By: MNgopher
While it is an even exchange for the customer, it is not for the store.

Essentially, they need to document why the exchange was needed, pull another unit from the computerized inventory, and have the bad part set aside for return to the manufacturer/wholesaler, with the documentation as to why it was bad, so the store gets credited for the bad part. While its entirely possible this can be handled by an associate behind the scenes, its clear the OP never got that reassurance from the associate - he merely told the associate to take care of it. Maybe the associate is the one who made the manager aware?

On top of that, no idea if its the case at this particular store, but stores do track returns and exchanges and can identify suspicious behavior from these histories.

Again, I'd be looking in the mirror if I wanted to figure out where this whole issue started - walking out the door with merchandise that was not cleared at a register is generally not a great idea...


 
Originally Posted By: expat
OK I should not have left the store. But I had my reasons.

1)Old lady in an unheated house on our coldest day of the year.

2) Merchandise bought and paid for, return item checked and replaced at customer service.

3)Long line at check out till.

4)No reason given why I should need to be at check out till (Credit Card not needed)

5) Assistant had other things more important to do, and so did I!
I explained this in a friendly manor before leaving with the merchandise I had paid Initally for. Strangely, I would have stayed IF he had stayed with me. I guess I wanted some commitment from the store.

6) Store slogan 'Neighbours helping Neighbours' this is not a big box store. I like to support local businesses. I have known some members of the staff for over a decade! But the owner is new.


Those who don’t get it ~ please read this part ~ then please move along to another thread …
BTW, that “jumper” would get a cap busted on him doing that stunt in Houston …
 
Originally Posted By: expat


6) Store slogan 'Neighbours helping Neighbours' this is not a big box store. I like to support local businesses. I have known some members of the staff for over a decade! But the owner is new.


I typically avoid small business for the reason you discovered. If you have a problem, you're dealing with a guy that will jump into the bed of your pickup. You have a problem at Lowe's or Home Depot, you can contact the main office and they'll make it right.
 
Originally Posted By: dishdude
I typically avoid small business for the reason you discovered. If you have a problem, you're dealing with a guy that will jump into the bed of your pickup. You have a problem at Lowe's or Home Depot, you can contact the main office and they'll make it right.


I agree. I've always gotten the worst customer service at mom and pop's.

I had to exchange a lawn mower at Home Depot one time (in Ft Worth). The guy at the customer service desk said "Just go grab what you want and have a great night!!".
 
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
Originally Posted By: dishdude
I typically avoid small business for the reason you discovered. If you have a problem, you're dealing with a guy that will jump into the bed of your pickup. You have a problem at Lowe's or Home Depot, you can contact the main office and they'll make it right.


I agree. I've always gotten the worst customer service at mom and pop's.

I had to exchange a lawn mower at Home Depot one time (in Ft Worth). The guy at the customer service desk said "Just go grab what you want and have a great night!!".


One exception might be when some good reasonable people own the store within a network with nationwide purchasing power. For example we have a True Value hardware store where the owner, his son, and long term employees are very knowledgeable and courteous … have a small but diverse inventory … in/out quickly …
I bought a small (made in USA) Stihl chainsaw for $159 … the guy fills the tank with Stihl super fuel and bar oil … and walks me out to the sidewalk for a demonstration of the saw …
 
Again, no excuse for what happened after the OP left the store.

But again, he left without having the exchange rung up as he was directed to do by the associate... Their store, their rules and policies. I can choose to not shop there again if I don't like them, but that doesn't give me the right to just walk out the door with unprocessed merchandise.

And I'm the crazy one.

I see several mentions of a service desk, etc, that should handle that. I don't disagree, but I don't see that was what the OP was directed to do. He was brought to a place to finish the transaction (and an exchange on a defective item IS a transaction).

I get the feeling that some of you have no idea what level of organized shoplifting exists out there and what loss control processes are in place to find it and identify it...
 
Originally Posted By: expat
...
2) Merchandise bought and paid for, return item checked and replaced at customer service.
...

/End Thread!

A self-respecting business would have a checking terminal at that desk.

So now the order is :
-The sales associate dropped the ball BIG TIME and probably also alerted the boss to cover his behind.
-Boss overreacts
-Police clears everything out
-OP is the nice guy since he did come back to the store, put up with the boss's rant, waited for police, being patient to explain to police and also do what the boss wanted(check said item out, hence the second receipt), ALL on his own time.
 
Originally Posted By: JLTD
Jumped in your bed? I'd have been tempted to hit the gas. Hard.

Never know when a carjacking starts....


He's in Canada, they are polite there.
 
In retrospect I am really amazed that I kept my cool in this situation, the owner was really, personally, insulting to me. I really think he was trying to provoke a physical response from me (to have on CCTV) before the police arrived. The video clip posted earier (I have not seen the movie) was VERY close to his action. I just turned my back.

I have to shake my head over this. This is an old Logging indusry town, some guys around here would take this guy for a ride out into the woods (no kidding)

If only for this reason, I will be sure to keep my distance.
 
Originally Posted By: mk378
When a stranger jumps into your vehicle, you can legally assume that he has bad intent and defend yourself. It is the same as coming into your house uninvited.


I guess if a person leaves a store and bypasses the checkout, you can legally assume he is shoplifting?

The problem is taking 'the legal approach' shouldn't be the first tactic. Situational understanding should be.

Lot of comments in this thread of "should have" just seem to be to exacerbate the situation, not resolve it.
 
Lots of armchair'ers in this thread for sure. Let's all agree that this was a weird situation shall we?

OP shoulda, woulda, coulda... yeah yeah yeah the business owner over reacted too. IMO, the OP's actions were justified seeing how he left an older lady in a cold house with NO HEAT. Judging by some responses here, I think that fine point was missed.

We should all learn from this and 100% inspect something like this before buying.
 
Originally Posted By: PeterPolyol
How is it theft if he has left the store with nothing more than he paid for? This is what's wrong with the world.


Can you just walk into walmart with 7 quarts of M1 0w20 and walk out with 7 of 10w30?
 
eljefino said:
Originally Posted By: PeterPolyol
How is it theft if he has left the store with nothing more than he paid for? This is what's wrong with the world.


Can you just walk into walmart with 7 quarts of M1 0w20 and walk out with 7 of 10w30?
Click to expand...
Thats not what happened.

It would be walk into walmart with 7 quarts of M1 0w20 go to return desk, take 7qt of 10w30 to the return desk, then walk out.
apparently the service desk there doesnt have a register??
 
KrisZ said:
Wow indeed.
I also refused several times to show my receipt before I exit the store to some random worker, when I just spent 10 minutes in the checkout line and then they want more to wait again in a line to show the receipt. No way, they have their cameras, sensors and loss prevention people, either call the cops or don't bother me.
Click to expand...
That is usually how it goes for me. Whoever is working LP they usually don't even make motion to look at my receipt anymore, probably the common sense of me going to self check-out and having bags and doing everything all on camera and doing it all myself, sometimes one or two of them go through the theater of looking at it - shopkeeper's privilege has not been brought up one time in this thread - but more often than not, they know I have paid.

This also is not a home hardware store. We then wonder why stores that have the right idea get so much business.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Zee09
I Am A Great Guy 👦
Replies
15
Views
1K
TomYoung
OVERKILL
  • Locked
Store clerk charged after taking thief's baseball bat and beating thief
2 3
Replies
55
Views
2K
ripcord
shortyb
Guess its my turn, lost a dog buddy
2
Replies
26
Views
597
alarmguy
Zee09
Dollar Tree Yesterday
2 3 4
Replies
70
Views
2K
andyd
C
Someone tried to scam my son tonight
2
Replies
28
Views
2K
supton
Back
Top