Self checkouts-honest mistakes?!

[Hall]

The local Fry’s market now has overhead cameras on every self-check out station. They’re only 3’ above the station and not up high like in the rest of the store. Then or course they still have Nurse Ratchet standing nearby.

Just a couple days ago, my daughters and I went to Walmart for some things. My older daughter was scanning items and scanned a greeting card, then passed the envelope past the scanner to put in the bag. The system stopped scanning and called for the worker. She played it back to see what was "wrong". It saw the envelope swiped past without scanning a SKU.

 

[SC Maintenance]

They can use civil recovery to send you a bill in many states. They recover millions this way.

However Walmart isn’t very honest either. How many times does POS ring higher than the marked price on the shelf. And of course there is this. Walmart ordered to pay $2.1M for trying to shake down this person for walmarts mistake.

https://news.yahoo.com/amphtml/precedent-walmart-ordered-pay-alabama-000000447.html

 

[John105]

I've heard/seen this claim on the internet, Facebook, etc but have never seen a picture of this in actuality or seen it myself.

They are seemingly asking for donations etc. and force users to decline....

 

[John105]

They can use civil recovery to send you a bill in many states. They recover millions this way.

However Walmart isn’t very honest either. How many times does POS ring higher than the marked price on the shelf. And of course there is this. Walmart ordered to pay $2.1M for trying to shake down this person for walmarts mistake.

https://news.yahoo.com/amphtml/precedent-walmart-ordered-pay-alabama-000000447.html

Supermarkets too--happened to me just today. But it's insane. So your machine didn't accept my $1.47 strawberries coupon, or my $6.77 8 piece dark fried chicken coupon. The woman gave me $5.03 cash back. I think this cash outlay becomes "petty" and unaccounted for. Better to credit my credit card so there's a record of the transaction....and apply the refund to it.

edit: I just did my own calc, and was owed $3.81. $2.52 on the strawberries, and $1.29 on the chicken. I was handed $5.03 in cash. sigh

 

[PontiacHO]

The local Fry’s market now has overhead cameras on every self-check out station. They’re only 3’ above the station and not up high like in the rest of the store. Then or course they still have Nurse Ratchet standing nearby.

We had an employee get caught bagging his groceries and bypassing the scan by way of store cameras. He’s no longer employed with our outfit…

 

[John105]

The local Fry’s market now has overhead cameras on every self-check out station. They’re only 3’ above the station and not up high like in the rest of the store. Then or course they still have Nurse Ratchet standing nearby.

Funny at our local ACME, I was routinely going there Thu. AM after the gym, last day of the sale. They'd have whole milk $3.72 (sadly that's cheap in PA, it was in the $2's in DE at least 2 years ago, not now, however), and spring water $0.79/gal. I'd get 1 gal milk and maybe 5-8 gal of water. We have no bags here so all is out in the open--a woman would slink her way behind me, and watch me do my transaction, then slink away. She reminded me of Nurse Ratchet...seemed totally unnecessary, I'm not gonna commit theft over $10 and I've got like 6-9 gal jugs to make off with

 

[brianl703]

 

[John105]

Issaquah don't play!

That might have worked < 2008. The smartphone has really changed everything...

 

[y_p_w]

You can not be stopped at a public retail store for a receipt check, of course you have the option to allow them to check, but that is up to you. IN order to be physically stopped you have to be accused of a crime and of course if you are accused and they are wrong you have legal means to seek satisfaction.

I’ve been to a supermarket where there were theft issues. They went with armed guards (still do but not at all times) and more recently installed gates at each checkout lane and an automated receipt checker at the exit for self checkout. There’s a barcode scanner and the gate opens after scanning. Makes it really tough to exit if I’m just browsing, and once I just went in to use a DMV kiosk. I can’t find a photo of the one I go to, but this one is apparently from College Ave in Oakland, which is a rather affluent area right on the border with Berkeley.

 

[SC Maintenance]

The funniest thing about this entire situation is Shrinkage - aka theft - in retail was predominantly the cashier failing to scan items they bagged, and usually it was found out it was done on purpose because the customer was a relative. Easy peasy, load up the cart, go to your daughters till, she skips scanning a few expensive things.

Who'd of thought the same people would simply fail to scan their own stuff in self checkout.

And don't even get me started in the walmart delivery criminals stealing your deliveries. I no longer feel bad for buying from Amazon one iota. At least i get my stuff.

 

[y_p_w]

Ok as long as we’re all turning ourselves in, I once realized I hadn’t scanned a pound of bacon. It was an honest mistake. But I didn’t go back

And years ago, I left behind an entire ham. I was so twisted at my stupid mistake, I did go back and the courtesy desk said no ham was left behind. They said go and get one that’s about the same size. That was before I knew my wife so maybe 2004…

I might have bought 10 cups of yogurt but for whatever reason missed scanning one of them.

I’ve done the forgotten item before and the manager said to just pick one up. Heck - once I forgot one of two bags, called up the store, and they said they note every time it happens and it was waiting for me when I returned at their customer service counter.

I think I might have even taken a few coins left behind at self checkout by the last customer who apparently didn’t care. I’ve heard that’s illegal in Nevada casinos. On the sidewalk it’s fine, but any money or chip found on the floor can’t be taken except by the house.

 

[Aredeeem]

The level of theft prevention, based on preventing the occasional theft, will never keep pace with the current onslaught of the daily, overwhelming stealing of goods.

 

[y_p_w]

I do know Costco has always been said to have 1/10 the industry benchmark on shrinkage. They’ve never stated it, it’s industry analysts who have.

In my younger days I have tested “security” and true they cannot grab a person, only LE can. I have walked right out the door with one shouting at me to halt. Following them back in to a back room is silly but many would.

In my younger days I saw a buddy (who I didn’t realize was doing it) stopped by plain clothed security and it was hands on. And it was the whole back room thing. I was innocent and just walked away. But that was decades ago.

There has been a ton of controversy over a shoplifter who was shot and killed by a security guard, whose employer (a security contractor) apparently mandated a more proactive approach to addressing shoplifting than just monitoring and reporting to police. They got into a physical struggle before they separated. Most of the reporting was that physically detaining a shoplifter is legal in my state, but rare these days because of a worry about lawsuits from perps and even bystanders who might be injured.

 

[dishdude]

When are these stores going to learn they're losing more than they're saving with these self checkouts? The honest customers hate them, the thieves love them. Everyone loses with these stupid things.

 

[blufeb95]

They use some sort of AI system now with camera's at multiple angles at Meijer, if you're going through the self-checkout and want to make two seperate purchases on different cards they have to override because it knows you have unscanned items in your cart.

 

[2heeldrive]

This seems to be one area where house loses.

Today I witnessed a senior moving items from his cart, directly to the bags.

His ruse was he was talking on his cell.

Of course the weight was mismatched, and so it appeared some young grocery employee overrides it? At which point the senior announces, “It’s good now. Whatever it was doing before it’s fine.”

I’m sure it’s all in 2160p and he likely used a CC. But those for removing self checkout say these grifters will say it was an honest mistake. Obviously it’s not the same as putting items into one’s pocket and leaving the store.

Even costco assumes theft now. They are checking items upon leaving the self checkout area. Then, it’s checked again at the door. At least the one where it go does that.

I watched a young couple doing the same thing last time I was in Walmart. They walked with about a half full cart of groceries. No one did a thing to stop them.

I don't know why all these stores think self check out's are so great. Is it that hard to find employees?

 

[chiefcook]

In my younger days I saw a buddy (who I didn’t realize was doing it) stopped by plain clothed security and it was hands on. And it was the whole back room thing. I was innocent and just walked away. But that was decades ago.

There has been a ton of controversy over a shoplifter who was shot and killed by a security guard, whose employer (a security contractor) apparently mandated a more proactive approach to addressing shoplifting than just monitoring and reporting to police. They got into a physical struggle before they separated. Most of the reporting was that physically detaining a shoplifter is legal in my state, but rare these days because of a worry about lawsuits from perps and even bystanders who might be injured.

 

[AutoMechanic]

I once forgot to scan something at BJ’s that was in the bottom of my buggy and they treated me like I was a criminal it felt like they followed me back to the register watched me scan it. Scanned the receipt afterwards and noted customer claims they forgot to scan item. And the lady who checked receipt the first time said don’t let this happen again or we will suspend your membership because we don’t allow stuff like that around here. She informed us it was noted on our membership the date and time and the item so it can be pulled up at anytime and see we tried to not pay for it. I was like it was a freaking mistake lady jeez. Talk about being embarrassed. It was one item out of the 15 items I had.

 

[CleanSump]

I once forgot to scan something at BJ’s that was in the bottom of my buggy and they treated me like I was a criminal it felt like they followed me back to the register watched me scan it. Scanned the receipt afterwards and noted customer claims they forgot to scan item. And the lady who checked receipt the first time said don’t let this happen again or we will suspend your membership because we don’t allow stuff like that around here. She informed us it was noted on our membership the date and time and the item so it can be pulled up at anytime and see we tried to not pay for it. I was like it was a freaking mistake lady jeez. Talk about being embarrassed. It was one item out of the 15 items I had.

They have to do their jobs, but they could have been a lot nicer about it. They should act as if it's an honest mistake rather than assume you're a thief.

 

[AutoMechanic]

They have to do their jobs, but they could have been a lot nicer about it. They should act as if it's an honest mistake rather than assume you're a thief.

Yeah and that’s what I think too. I think it has to do with they are right in the hood of my town so that’s probably why they acted the way they did. The end of town they are on deals with theft on a daily basis.