LATimes: Retail lobby admits "shoplifting surge" is a lie

[litebright]

Dec 21, 2023 10:26:25 GMT -5 tacokick said:

Dec 21, 2023 8:05:55 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

Costco has had someone checking your costco card before you can get into the self check out. I guess people were somehow going around it?

I saw some people trying to check out at Costco without a card and then telling the workers that you didn’t need one if you did self check out. Which, of course, was not true.

I wonder if that is a widespread belief/issue?

I thought you couldn't get into Costco without flashing your membership card?

I am pretty sure the issue with self-checkout for Costco was that people were using other people's membership cards in the self-checkout rather than buying their own membership. That's why Costco started cracking down on having someone check that everybody in self-checkout was using their own membership card, because they make something like 3/4 of their profit on membership fees. 

[Scout'sHonor]

Dec 21, 2023 9:25:12 GMT -5 formerlyak said:

Dec 20, 2023 22:22:18 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

and to approve alcohol purchases

We can’t do alcohol or gift cards (or medicine with alcohol like cough medicine) at self check out by me.

Same here, if you have those you have to go through the line. I hope they don't put a limit on our self checks, but I'd understand why. I love getting to do it myself and have a very fast system. I also go at like 8pm so not during busy times. 

[nsl]

Dec 21, 2023 10:34:53 GMT -5 litebright said:

Dec 21, 2023 10:26:25 GMT -5 tacokick said:

I saw some people trying to check out at Costco without a card and then telling the workers that you didn’t need one if you did self check out. Which, of course, was not true.

I wonder if that is a widespread belief/issue?

I thought you couldn't get into Costco without flashing your membership card?

I am pretty sure the issue with self-checkout for Costco was that people were using other people's membership cards in the self-checkout rather than buying their own membership. That's why Costco started cracking down on having someone check that everybody in self-checkout was using their own membership card, because they make something like 3/4 of their profit on membership fees. 

Our Costco has started only occasionally making people show their membership cards when entering the store, which is so weird to me because I'm sure it leads to backups/arguments at the checkout lines.

I did notice that the Michaels near me suddenly has a ton of things locked up. All of their Cricut accessories are behind the counter, and I couldn't buy a multi-pack of silver and gold paint pens the other day because they were all on one of those security racks that use something like a zip tie secured with a magnetic tag, and there were no employees anywhere to be found except behind the register (where there was naturally a massive line), so I had to buy a few individual pens instead. Who would have thought that paint pens would be such a theft risk?

[tacokick]

Dec 21, 2023 10:34:53 GMT -5 litebright said:

Dec 21, 2023 10:26:25 GMT -5 tacokick said:

I saw some people trying to check out at Costco without a card and then telling the workers that you didn’t need one if you did self check out. Which, of course, was not true.

I wonder if that is a widespread belief/issue?

I thought you couldn't get into Costco without flashing your membership card?

I am pretty sure the issue with self-checkout for Costco was that people were using other people's membership cards in the self-checkout rather than buying their own membership. That's why Costco started cracking down on having someone check that everybody in self-checkout was using their own membership card, because they make something like 3/4 of their profit on membership fees. 

You’re not supposed to get it without but it’s always so busy, I never see them actually check every person because people bunch up and they don’t ask multiple people in the same group to show them.

I’ve seen the “we don’t need membership for self check out” twice and I am there maybe 6 times a year!

It probably is people using other people’s cards too! People are sneaky!

[Saudade]

You don’t need a Costco membership to buy alcohol, at least at my local store.

[fortnightlily]

You can also use the Costco pharmacy without a membership: customerservice.costco.com/app/answers/answer_view/a_id/796/~/do-i-need-a-membership-to-purchase-prescription-drugs%3F

[sent]

Dec 21, 2023 8:05:55 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

RE-self check out, our target has gone to 10 items or less now, which I'm happy about because there are finally more workers in the store. One worker for 8 self check out machines was too much, esp when that was all that was open. I wish our grocery store would adopt a similar model. My mom and I went on a Friday morning a week before Thanksgiving and there was 1 standard check out lane open.

CNN just had something about self-check out changes: www.cnn.com/2023/12/08/business/self-checkout-dollar-general-retail/index.html

Costco has had someone checking your costco card before you can get into the self check out. I guess people were somehow going around it?


The only store with stuff locked up near me is Michael's and the spray paint, but it's been that way for years. I was thinking it was more to keep people from spraying the paint in the store vs theft.

Our Costco matches the picture on the ID to the person trying to checkout. They did this even before COVID. Maybe that’s what they’re trying to catch. At Sam’s Club you need to scan your card at self checkout but no one is checking if you borrowed your friend’s card to shop there.

[tacokick]

Dec 21, 2023 13:44:47 GMT -5 Saudade said:

You don’t need a Costco membership to buy alcohol, at least at my local store.

Doesn’t that have a separate check out? We don’t have alcohol here but when I’ve been to other states it was always separate from the rest of the store and not self check out.

[tacokick]

Dec 21, 2023 13:54:55 GMT -5 fortnightlily said:

You can also use the Costco pharmacy without a membership: customerservice.costco.com/app/answers/answer_view/a_id/796/~/do-i-need-a-membership-to-purchase-prescription-drugs%3F

Yup! That’s why you have to check out at the pharmacy.

[ssmjlm]

Dec 21, 2023 14:48:35 GMT -5 tacokick said:

Dec 21, 2023 13:44:47 GMT -5 Saudade said:

You don’t need a Costco membership to buy alcohol, at least at my local store.

Doesn’t that have a separate check out? We don’t have alcohol here but when I’ve been to other states it was always separate from the rest of the store and not self check out.

I'm in Virginia and it's all one check out, but we can only get beer and wine. Hard liquor might be different.

[tacokick]

Dec 21, 2023 14:56:10 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

Dec 21, 2023 14:48:35 GMT -5 tacokick said:

Doesn’t that have a separate check out? We don’t have alcohol here but when I’ve been to other states it was always separate from the rest of the store and not self check out.

I'm in Virginia and it's all one check out, but we can only get beer and wine. Hard liquor might be different.

Interesting! The laws are all so different.

[penguingrrl]

Dec 21, 2023 14:56:10 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

Dec 21, 2023 14:48:35 GMT -5 tacokick said:

Doesn’t that have a separate check out? We don’t have alcohol here but when I’ve been to other states it was always separate from the rest of the store and not self check out.

I'm in Virginia and it's all one check out, but we can only get beer and wine. Hard liquor might be different.

Different state laws are so weird. I’m in NJ and no costcos can sell any alcohol whatsoever, nor can grocery stores with a few exceptions. When they can get a liquor license at all (their are only X per town and they sell for over a million apiece when they’re sold) they need to cordon off the wine/beer/alcohol section and you can’t pay for the rest of your order there, only the liquor store purchases.

[StrawberryBlondie]

Dec 21, 2023 8:05:55 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

RE-self check out, our target has gone to 10 items or less now, which I'm happy about because there are finally more workers in the store. One worker for 8 self check out machines was too much, esp when that was all that was open. I wish our grocery store would adopt a similar model. My mom and I went on a Friday morning a week before Thanksgiving and there was 1 standard check out lane open.

CNN just had something about self-check out changes: www.cnn.com/2023/12/08/business/self-checkout-dollar-general-retail/index.html

Costco has had someone checking your costco card before you can get into the self check out. I guess people were somehow going around it?


The only store with stuff locked up near me is Michael's and the spray paint, but it's been that way for years. I was thinking it was more to keep people from spraying the paint in the store vs theft.

I would be OK with this if the cashiers let you bag your own stuff (maybe others do but mine doesn't) or didn't use an insane amount of bags. Or had a reasonable amount of cashiers open.

One of my recent trips I had to use the regular lanes because they had self-checkout blocked off and I ended up with 3 bags for 4 items.

[sent]

Dec 21, 2023 16:17:13 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

Dec 21, 2023 14:56:10 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

I'm in Virginia and it's all one check out, but we can only get beer and wine. Hard liquor might be different.

Different state laws are so weird. I’m in NJ and no costcos can sell any alcohol whatsoever, nor can grocery stores with a few exceptions. When they can get a liquor license at all (their are only X per town and they sell for over a million apiece when they’re sold) they need to cordon off the wine/beer/alcohol section and you can’t pay for the rest of your order there, only the liquor store purchases.

It's 2 stores per chain that can sell liquor in New Jersey. For Trader Joe's, those are Princeton and Westfield. For Costco, those are Edison and Wayne. Sorry South Jersey, maybe you can go to PA. 

[penguingrrl]

Dec 21, 2023 19:02:58 GMT -5 sent said:

Dec 21, 2023 16:17:13 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

Different state laws are so weird. I’m in NJ and no costcos can sell any alcohol whatsoever, nor can grocery stores with a few exceptions. When they can get a liquor license at all (their are only X per town and they sell for over a million apiece when they’re sold) they need to cordon off the wine/beer/alcohol section and you can’t pay for the rest of your order there, only the liquor store purchases.

It's 2 stores per chain that can sell liquor in New Jersey. For Trader Joe's, those are Princeton and Westfield. For Costco, those are Edison and Wayne. Sorry South Jersey, maybe you can go to PA. 

Wait, really? I didn’t know any could! Edison is the closest of those to me, but it’s still 45+ minutes, so way too far to drive to a store. 

[basilosaurus]

Dec 21, 2023 9:25:12 GMT -5 formerlyak said:

Dec 20, 2023 22:22:18 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

and to approve alcohol purchases

We can’t do alcohol or gift cards (or medicine with alcohol like cough medicine) at self check out by me.

huh. I guess the vons by me in lbc did make you go through a person (it was tiny). In hi and va self check was ok. I think the same for target. I know for sure in hi because I showed my ID and the woman started crying me telling me about a tragedy for her on that date and how I was an angel sent to comfort her and could she hug me. Lady, I'm in self check to avoid people. But from then on she just waved me through automatically, so, win?

The first paint cages are mostly for anti huffing. In some places I've been told it's also to curb graffiti and tagging.

[basilosaurus]

Dec 21, 2023 16:00:20 GMT -5 tacokick said:

Dec 21, 2023 14:56:10 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

I'm in Virginia and it's all one check out, but we can only get beer and wine. Hard liquor might be different.

Interesting! The laws are all so different.

even in the same state one Costco might be treated differently than another. Even super target. In Colorado the stores that essentially swallowed liquor stores adjacent to them were allowed to sell but new stores had to be separate. One Costco, either there or fl, I don't remember, because it was open 10+ years was treated differently. All this was many years ago so things have likely changed. But I think it's related to the laws around alcohol sales in grocery stores. There's probably also something related to wholesale alcohol that might kick in with Costco.

Fucking blue laws are so very stupid

[sent]

Dec 21, 2023 19:06:25 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

Dec 21, 2023 19:02:58 GMT -5 sent said:

It's 2 stores per chain that can sell liquor in New Jersey. For Trader Joe's, those are Princeton and Westfield. For Costco, those are Edison and Wayne. Sorry South Jersey, maybe you can go to PA. 

Wait, really? I didn’t know any could! Edison is the closest of those to me, but it’s still 45+ minutes, so way too far to drive to a store. 

The Edison Costco is a perpetual madhouse but yes, they have a full selection of liquor inside the store. Just don’t come on a Sunday morning because they rope off the liquor until 12 pm if I recall. Each county has different blue laws. We learned this at the Trader Joe’s in Westfield one time. Road trip!

[wawa]

Dec 21, 2023 19:02:58 GMT -5 sent said:

Dec 21, 2023 16:17:13 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

Different state laws are so weird. I’m in NJ and no costcos can sell any alcohol whatsoever, nor can grocery stores with a few exceptions. When they can get a liquor license at all (their are only X per town and they sell for over a million apiece when they’re sold) they need to cordon off the wine/beer/alcohol section and you can’t pay for the rest of your order there, only the liquor store purchases.

It's 2 stores per chain that can sell liquor in New Jersey. For Trader Joe's, those are Princeton and Westfield. For Costco, those are Edison and Wayne. Sorry South Jersey, maybe you can go to PA. 

PA's laws are worse.  S. Jersey can go to Delaware if they want Costco liquor.

[SusanBAnthony]

Dec 21, 2023 13:44:47 GMT -5 Saudade said:

You don’t need a Costco membership to buy alcohol, at least at my local store.

I think this is a weird MN law thing.

ETA: in MN some grocery stores sell lower alcohol content beer I think, but generally all stores have a separate liquor store attached to the regular store with separate check out and door. Costco, super target, trader joes, etc. And they must not allow liquor stores to require membership because Costco liquor doesn't require a Costco membership and an employee told me it was because of state law.

[pixy0stix]

When the Costco here was built liquor of any real alcohol content wasn't able to be sold in CO except in liquor stores. So they built the liquor store as a standalone section. I don't know if you need a membership or not.

Grocery stores as of this year can sell alcohol now.

[UMaineTeach]

Dec 22, 2023 8:02:30 GMT -5 SusanBAnthony said:

Dec 21, 2023 13:44:47 GMT -5 Saudade said:

You don’t need a Costco membership to buy alcohol, at least at my local store.

I think this is a weird MN law thing.

ETA: in MN some grocery stores sell lower alcohol content beer I think, but generally all stores have a separate liquor store attached to the regular store with separate check out and door. Costco, super target, trader joes, etc. And they must not allow liquor stores to require membership because Costco liquor doesn't require a Costco membership and an employee told me it was because of state law.

I’d almost drive across town to a package store than deal with that ridiculous loophole.

Thankfully, except by town ordinances you can get alcohol just about anywhere in ME. There is that same separation door for law for some breweries. Like, tasting room has to be separate from the retail bottle sales. Except the tasting rooms can sell you a growler.

The state gave up running their own liquor stores years ago, but they still price fix the liquor. Which, I like. You can shop anywhere and it’s the same price.

[UMaineTeach]

@@@


The self checkout at Walmart this morning tried to say I was stealing.

We had 2 packs of donuts and my kid was helping scan. She scanned the first one and set it back on the unofficial unpaid side. I explained not to do that and moved it to the correct side. The check out frozen, alerted the attendant, and had video replay of what happened for the attendant to verify my story.



My kid kept saying, we aren’t stealing mama, we’re good guys.

[wanderingback]

Dec 21, 2023 17:11:03 GMT -5 StrawberryBlondie said:

Dec 21, 2023 8:05:55 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

RE-self check out, our target has gone to 10 items or less now, which I'm happy about because there are finally more workers in the store. One worker for 8 self check out machines was too much, esp when that was all that was open. I wish our grocery store would adopt a similar model. My mom and I went on a Friday morning a week before Thanksgiving and there was 1 standard check out lane open.

CNN just had something about self-check out changes: www.cnn.com/2023/12/08/business/self-checkout-dollar-general-retail/index.html

Costco has had someone checking your costco card before you can get into the self check out. I guess people were somehow going around it?


The only store with stuff locked up near me is Michael's and the spray paint, but it's been that way for years. I was thinking it was more to keep people from spraying the paint in the store vs theft.

I would be OK with this if the cashiers let you bag your own stuff (maybe others do but mine doesn't) or didn't use an insane amount of bags. Or had a reasonable amount of cashiers open.

One of my recent trips I had to use the regular lanes because they had self-checkout blocked off and I ended up with 3 bags for 4 items.

Not specific to target only but I always nicely tell baggers if I don’t want a bag or if I want everything in 1 reusable bag. You can def ask them to put things together!

[basilosaurus]

Dec 21, 2023 17:11:03 GMT -5 StrawberryBlondie said:

Dec 21, 2023 8:05:55 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

RE-self check out, our target has gone to 10 items or less now, which I'm happy about because there are finally more workers in the store. One worker for 8 self check out machines was too much, esp when that was all that was open. I wish our grocery store would adopt a similar model. My mom and I went on a Friday morning a week before Thanksgiving and there was 1 standard check out lane open.

CNN just had something about self-check out changes: www.cnn.com/2023/12/08/business/self-checkout-dollar-general-retail/index.html

Costco has had someone checking your costco card before you can get into the self check out. I guess people were somehow going around it?


The only store with stuff locked up near me is Michael's and the spray paint, but it's been that way for years. I was thinking it was more to keep people from spraying the paint in the store vs theft.

I would be OK with this if the cashiers let you bag your own stuff (maybe others do but mine doesn't) or didn't use an insane amount of bags. Or had a reasonable amount of cashiers open.

One of my recent trips I had to use the regular lanes because they had self-checkout blocked off and I ended up with 3 bags for 4 items.

ugh. I've definitely had that experience. They'll try to double bag eggs and put nothing else in.

Thankfully where I am now does that opposite and tries to fill a bag too maximum capacity. I reuse them as trash bags, so I have to make an intentional choice not to use my reusable bags on occasion.

[AJL]

The Target and Walmart that are closest to me are nearer to the interstate. There are several homeless tent encampments in the area, set up beneath the overpass. Both stores have locked up basic clothing like socks, underwear, and sweat pants as well as personal hygiene products. For some reason that level of “security” just seems like an act of cruelty more than anything else.

[wise_rita]

Dec 22, 2023 9:30:33 GMT -5 UMaineTeach said:

@@@


The self checkout at Walmart this morning tried to say I was stealing.

We had 2 packs of donuts and my kid was helping scan. She scanned the first one and set it back on the unofficial unpaid side. I explained not to do that and moved it to the correct side. The check out frozen, alerted the attendant, and had video replay of what happened for the attendant to verify my story.



My kid kept saying, we aren’t stealing mama, we’re good guys.

Video replay, that's wild! I've never seen that before.

Was it automatic or did the attendant replay it?

I feel like that feature is not ever going to end well for the attendant if somebody is trying to steal.

[UMaineTeach]

Dec 25, 2023 6:52:09 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

Dec 22, 2023 9:30:33 GMT -5 UMaineTeach said:

@@@


The self checkout at Walmart this morning tried to say I was stealing.

We had 2 packs of donuts and my kid was helping scan. She scanned the first one and set it back on the unofficial unpaid side. I explained not to do that and moved it to the correct side. The check out frozen, alerted the attendant, and had video replay of what happened for the attendant to verify my story.



My kid kept saying, we aren’t stealing mama, we’re good guys.

Video replay, that's wild! I've never seen that before.

Was it automatic or did the attendant replay it?

I feel like that feature is not ever going to end well for the attendant if somebody is trying to steal.

It played automatically, but the attendant didn’t actually look. He punched in his numbers and poked buttons while I tried to explain. The message is worded like “oops you missed scanning something!” But the reaction of the machine doesn’t convey sincerity with the ‘oops’

(I did know the attendant, but only because I know his parents. I highly doubt he knew me).

(

[bugandbibs]

Dec 21, 2023 10:26:25 GMT -5 tacokick said:

Dec 21, 2023 8:05:55 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

Costco has had someone checking your costco card before you can get into the self check out. I guess people were somehow going around it?

I saw some people trying to check out at Costco without a card and then telling the workers that you didn’t need one if you did self check out. Which, of course, was not true.

I wonder if that is a widespread belief/issue?

My Costco has only had self checkout for about a year, but they have always checked your card. They used to it at the register when you scanned your card, but now they do it before you walk up- it’s a little annoying because it slows things down because you have to line up even if there are registers open.

[bugandbibs]

Dec 21, 2023 14:48:35 GMT -5 tacokick said:

Dec 21, 2023 13:44:47 GMT -5 Saudade said:

You don’t need a Costco membership to buy alcohol, at least at my local store.

Doesn’t that have a separate check out? We don’t have alcohol here but when I’ve been to other states it was always separate from the rest of the store and not self check out.

No separate check out for alcohol here and you can buy everything including hard alcohol.