# My new shopping experience. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 1, 2003, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-shopping-experience/204829 "2003-10-01T02:03:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/258eb7/32.png) [@Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wonko_The_Sane)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-shopping-experience/204829/1 "2003-10-01T02:03:42Z")
I went shopping last night, and had a Strange Shopping Experience. I sent a letter by the webpage, and so far have gotten only an automated reply. I figure if I pay for stuff, and get a receipt, it’s mine, and bugger all if some stranger wants to go through my things and detain me on my way home. Bite me you blue shirt-wearing rastafarian “security” drone. > [@](#): > > I went shopping at your Woodbridge, NJ store yesterday for some DVDs, and after I paid for them, and recieved my reciept, I left. As I was leaving, I scooted around two people blocking the exit (one was rather stout, and took up a lot of room, otherwise I think you’d need three people to block the exit). As I left the building and walked to my car, a rastafarian chap demanded to see my reciept (said it was His Job), and I told him that he could not, as it was mine, and if he really wanted to see it, I would have to charge him five dollars (for my Time and Trouble). Then he told me I could not ever come back. Is it normal to ban paying customers? I’m not very “with it” I suppose, but I figure you’d want more people to shop there and pay for things. I was never accused of shoplifting; however, when I tried to walk back in the store, some 16 year olds ran over (quite cute in those blue shirts you know) and, well… they just kinda gangled by the door looking un-coordinated and pubescent- yet very well groomed. It was kind of weird, so I left. > > What’s the deal with that? > > Please reply by e-mail- Thanks! Normally, I wouldn’t shop there anymore, but it’s such a **Good Buy** Oh, and since this is the pit \*\*fuck \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-shopping-experience/204829/2 "2003-10-01T06:57:31Z")
Sounds to me like you made an [adequate purchase](http://fff.fathom.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6962&highlight=adequate+purchase)😃 ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-shopping-experience/204829/3 "2003-10-01T11:20:10Z")
Personally, excepting warehouse clubs, where I am a member, and thus have entered into a contract, I believe that they have no actual right to detain you. In fact, if they do so, it may, and only may, be worth light entertainment with informing them of the general concept of illegal detention. It doesn’t matter if they post their rules on a wall, it’s less valid than a click through license. You have exchanged money for goods and services, and they must have some sort of reasonable suspicion beyond “he was a customer” to stop and search you. Thus, when asked for a reciept, I inform them that yes, I have one, and continue walking. I have yet to be actually stopped, though I am somewhat waiting for it, though sometimes they have followed me into the parking lot, yelping. A note: I have seen a K-Mart training video. Apparently, if the alarm goes off and you keep walking, it’s not policy to stop you. They’re supposed to stop you if the alarm goes off and you stop and look around, though. Yep. Makes sense. In short, Wonko, ignore the Rasta, he doesn’t have the authoritah he thinks he does. ---
**Author:** ![Herge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Herge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Herge)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-shopping-experience/204829/4 "2003-10-01T12:21:57Z")
Can’t speak for the laws in the US, but in the UK security staff can arrest someone who they suspect has taken stock and left the store without making any attempt to pay. They can use reasonable force to take you back into the store, and they don’t need to ask to see a receipt. If the alarm goes off at the door, security staff are normally instructed that the alarm is not good enough reason to detain that person, as the alarm is triggered by an automated system. The alarm is not necessarily set off by the security tag, it can be set off by various other means (e.g. a pacemaker if I remember). ---
**Author:** ![JerH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bb73d2/32.png) [@JerH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerH)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-shopping-experience/204829/5 "2003-10-01T12:45:22Z")
**Herge** , it’s essentially the same over here - they can detain you if they have reasonable suspicion that you’re a shoplifter. That is, they have to see you stuffing CD players down your pants or ripping open packages or something like that. “He looked shifty” or “she wouldn’t show me her receipt when she left” don’t really meet that standard. Like **Wonko** , I tend to walk right past them. I’ve never yet had the Blue Shirts stop me. ---
**Author:** ![jsleek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8dc957/32.png) [@jsleek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsleek)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-shopping-experience/204829/6 "2003-10-01T12:50:24Z")
I’ve set off those alamrs a few times. Always caused by a purchase that was not properly cleared by their staff. It’s quite irritating to be suspected, detained and searched. They don’t have to ask. I never return anyway.