Thread: Am I Required by Law To Show My Receipt When I'm Leaving Wal-Mart?

Quote: Originally Posted by Rumor_Watkins I routinely shop at wally world I have been asked to show a receipt maybe 3 times It has never lasted more 5 seconds I have never had to wait in line to get my receipt checked they do not make demands or interjections - they ask politely now, granted I don't go in on fridays when welfare disbursements are made, and I don't go on saturdays when the majority of people shop, either, so...

Quote: Originally Posted by pan1 The Greeter likewise is not legally obligated to allow store merchandise to leave the store without proof it's been paid for. ... They can assume the goods in your possession are theirs until proof otherwise is shown. They can keep the cart and it's contents and let you go. Ditto, store bags you are carrying. Your purse, they can't touch without formal accusations of a crime and a warrant or...

Quote: Originally Posted by whorfin Nice dodge. I didn't ask you, and don't really care about what you do when they're polite and it doesn't take long. Most people do the same thing. What I'm asking is whether you would still show your receipt if the checker was rude and demanding, or if it took a substantial amount of time. I have contended that I would not, unlike the situation with a nice greeter and no...

Quote: Originally Posted by Bearflag70 I'd hate to see what happens when someone asks you to please pass the salt during dinner. Don't be ridiculous. Do you really think the friends & family I am dining with are the same as some Wal-Mart drone I have never seen before?

Quote: Originally Posted by pan1 No, you are not legally obligated to show your receipt as you leave Wal-Mart. The Greeter likewise is not legally obligated to allow store merchandise to leave the store without proof it's been paid for. I'm fairly certain that this is incorrect, but I would appreciate a cite showing otherwise.

I can see why people hate the practice. It's like saying: "I walk into the store, I pay for my goods, you issue me a receipt and STILL you think I'm stealing." Of course the store will check everyone so it doesn't come into a law suit for racial (or other types of) profiling. Here's another example, not quite the same thing but similar. I worked in a hotel where all the employees had to walk past security...

Quote: Originally Posted by t-bonham@scc.net They started it -- I was just calmly walking out after making my purchases when they rudely interrupted me... Do you consider the very act of asking to check your receipt to be rude? The vast majority of the time for me they are quite polite about it.

Quote: Originally Posted by hellpaso Depending on my mood, I have been known to tell them "Sure--I just stole $300 worth of food, Fuck-head". This is a pretty silly thing to do IMO, when you say this you have essentially given them free probable cause to detain you until the police arrive to sort the matter out since you are freely admitting to a crime. And you certainly aren't making yourself look like the upstanding...

The question is not: Am I legally required to show my receipt when leaving Wal-Mart? It is rather: Can Wal-Mart legally detain me for failing to show a receipt upon request? At common law, there existed the shopkeeper's privilege. This authorized a store proprietor (or it's agents, whether called "Security Personnel" or "Greeters") to detain and investigate (but not to search) a person on or...

I go through the check-out at Wal-Mart, pay for my purchases, and as I'm heading out the door to the parking lot, a Wal-Mart "Greeter" intercepts me and says "Sir, I'd like to see your receipt for your purchases." (before I leave the store) Am I legally obliged to show and have her go through my purchases or can I say "no thanks" and keep walking? Thanks Gus PS--> I always...