Best Buy and Sears Layoffs

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Canehdianman

FYI, they really don't like it when you push past the sharpie line and try to leave.

I had someone step in front of my cart and tell me that he "needs to see my receipt". I told him that he wanted to see my receipt, he didn't need to see my receipt." This led to some posturing whereby he said that he would have my membership revoked if I didn't go to the back of the line. I pushed my cart around him, wished him luck and continued on my merry way.

I looked it up afterwards and the terms of the membership actually grant Costco an unconditional consent to search you. I've always found this to be extremely strange (and an incredible invasion of privacy).

It's the best reason I've ever found to avoid Costco.

From what I've read, Costco does it as much to actually check your receipt and make sure you're not stealing anything since they don't have scanners at the entrances, as they do it to have customer interaction among all their employees since everyone takes a turn at the door.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Canehdianman

It's Costco, I bought a family pack of leather zipper masks.

It is somewhat like the checkstop argument, aside from the fact that I don't think forcing me to hand over my receipt would be saved by Section 1 of the Charter. For the record, I'm opposed to checkstops for pretty much the exact same reason as I'm opposed to the receipt requirement.

I've done nothing wrong, therefore there is no reason to infringe on my privacy. Further, no other store assumes that I'm a thief.

Costco is a private company located on private premises. They have the right to make a quick check of your goods a part of the terms of shopping there. You make it sound like they were trying to give you a body cavity search.

The store isn't assuming you're a thief. They are assuming that there are thieves out there, which is totally correct. Costco unlike most other retailers has expensive items on display that the customer can grab without supervision. The extra security is justified.

Costco is not a place you go to for one on one customer service.

[darockwilder]

Originally Posted by blankall

Well Consumer's Distributing is a retailer themselves. I'm talking about a system where you order directly from the producer of the goods.

That sounds like a good idea, we could eliminate all the retail jobs out there. Those people wouldn't need the jobs anymore anyway because all the prices would be so low.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by darockwilder

That sounds like a good idea, we could eliminate all the retail jobs out there. Those people wouldn't need the jobs anymore anyway because all the prices would be so low.

Because it's such a good idea to keep obsolete jobs just for the sake of having jobs. I don't really see the difference between that and having people collect welfare. Canada also has a shortage of people willing to work minimum wage jobs. I don't see why mostly useless retail employees couldn't be diverted elsewhere.

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by blankall

Because it's such a good idea to keep obsolete jobs just for the sake of having jobs. I don't really see the difference between that and having people collect welfare. Canada also has a shortage of people willing to work minimum wage jobs. I don't see why mostly useless retail employees couldn't be diverted elsewhere.

As good as online shopping has become, I don't think it will completely replace retail sales when you can check out the product before you buy. For intellectual property products like music, movies and software, online sale can replace retail sales. But for tangible products, I want to see it before I buy.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by blankall

Well Consumer's Distributing is a retailer themselves. I'm talking about a system where you order directly from the producer of the goods.

That's true, though you wonder if there could be a market for Consumers Distributing again in some modified form. It could be a no frills, one-stop, "online" shopping experience. Fill out your order online and drive over to their store location and pick something up.

I don't think things will ever get to be completely online because sometimes you need things right away. Especially for my work, it's convenient to stop at a Future Shop and pick up a cable you might need for something that just came up or a backup hard drive, that sort of thing.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by blankall

Because it's such a good idea to keep obsolete jobs just for the sake of having jobs. I don't really see the difference between that and having people collect welfare. Canada also has a shortage of people willing to work minimum wage jobs. I don't see why mostly useless retail employees couldn't be diverted elsewhere.

Eliminate the entire retail sector and all of it's jobs, then you can worry about massive unemployment, a giant recession, and an even larger spread between the haves, and have nots. You will also have way less cash going into the system for the people that own the businesses, as a massive segment of your customer base, no longer has a pay cheque.

I think this was on 60 minutes not to long ago, how automation of factories and robotics is moving at such a rapid pace, that first manufacturers are going to start pulling out of China and building factories back on Amercian soil, then what few jobs are left, are going to go to robotic/automated work forces. It was pretty neat, but pretty scary at the same time.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...n_2472010.html

http://www.tv.com/shows/60-minutes/w...rowth-2635983/

[onetwo_threefour]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

That's true, though you wonder if there could be a market for Consumers Distributing again in some modified form. It could be a no frills, one-stop, "online" shopping experience. Fill out your order online and drive over to their store location and pick something up.

I don't think things will ever get to be completely online because sometimes you need things right away. Especially for my work, it's convenient to stop at a Future Shop and pick up a cable you might need for something that just came up or a backup hard drive, that sort of thing.

Doubt it, all the inconvenience of having to wait for the order to be shipped plus the inconvenience of it being shipped to a store instead of your home (kind of like the tire I had to order online from costco this weekend). The only way they could make it attractive to the consumer as I see it would be if they could reduce the shipping so much to make it worthwhile to drive to the store to pick your stuff up.

They certainly wouldn't warehouse items locally, because then they couldn't afford to compete with the pure online distributors with centralized warehousing.

[Anduril]

I wonder if it's feasible for some reason company to create a something like a delivery/shipping store where all the store does is demo items, mostly small personal electronics like tablets and maybe cellular, allow items that you order online to be shipped to that store, and returns to be made at that store.

The associates would only have to deal with the pickup/returns and be well versed in those specific demo items. Probably a secure booth made for purchasing/reserving online orders to made later.

Only Amazon comes to mind as being somebody who could and would consider this though..

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by Canehdianman

It's Costco, I bought a family pack of leather zipper masks.

It is somewhat like the checkstop argument, aside from the fact that I don't think forcing me to hand over my receipt would be saved by Section 1 of the Charter. For the record, I'm opposed to checkstops for pretty much the exact same reason as I'm opposed to the receipt requirement.

I've done nothing wrong, therefore there is no reason to infringe on my privacy. Further, no other store assumes that I'm a thief.

I guess they have no right looking for your valuepack of Preparation H.

So any store that has those electronic buzzer things like Best Buy or the Calgary public library. Do you try to go around them or leap over them? They are assuming you are a thief too.

[Canehdianman]

Originally Posted by pylon

But you weren't treated differently than any other customer. You were not discriminated against, and as you said yourself, it is in the membership terms and conditions. If you cannot understand why they do this, maybe stop shopping at Costco.

I never argued that I was discriminated against. I argued that it was an invasion of privacy. Also, as I mentioned in my post, I bypassed them once, then read the terms and conditions. All I'm pointing out is that I find the practice offensive, and, consequently, limit my shopping at Costco as a result.

Originally Posted by Azure

From what I've read, Costco does it as much to actually check your receipt and make sure you're not stealing anything since they don't have scanners at the entrances, as they do it to have customer interaction among all their employees since everyone takes a turn at the door.

If you believe that, then I have a bridge to sell you in San Francisco.

If they wanted more customer interaction, they could try having people roam the aisle to answer questions about the products?

Originally Posted by blankall

Costco is a private company located on private premises. They have the right to make a quick check of your goods a part of the terms of shopping there. You make it sound like they were trying to give you a body cavity search.

The store isn't assuming you're a thief. They are assuming that there are thieves out there, which is totally correct. Costco unlike most other retailers has expensive items on display that the customer can grab without supervision. The extra security is justified.

Costco is not a place you go to for one on one customer service.

You get the same answer as pylon (above).

Would you be offended if they required a body cavity search instead of making you stand in line to show your receipt? How about opening up your purse/bag to show that it is empty?

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

I guess they have no right looking for your valuepack of Preparation H.

So any store that has those electronic buzzer things like Best Buy or the Calgary public library. Do you try to go around them or leap over them? They are assuming you are a thief too.

The electronic buzzer doesn't infringe on my privacy at all. Once I have concluded my shopping and paid for my purchases, I can leave unimpeded. I can't do that at Costco.

I'd even argue that the installing electronic buzzers at Costco would be much more efficient than someone armed with a sharpie who looks over my cart for 2 seconds before marking it.

[Brannigans Law]

Costco is private property and you agreed specifically to a membership entitling them to search you on the way out. Don't like it? Don't renew your membership and don't go. Don't act like a bigshot on the way out and make some guys job even more miserable than need be. Odds are you're just a jerk, but I don't really know you so I can't say. But you sure act like one.

[BlackArcher101]

What's with this privacy crap? Who gives a hoot if one more additional person checks my receipt. Guess what? The two people at the till already did. Not only that, but my purchase was logged in their system and connected to my card.

If you want to complain about your privacy being broken, surely there are bigger concerns than the guy at the door checking if the flat of pop on the bottom was rung through.

Canehdianman, if you don't think they are doing it for theft prevention, then why do you think they are doing it? (Trying to provoke the conspiracy theory out of this one)

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Canehdianman

Would you be offended if they required a body cavity search instead of making you stand in line to show your receipt? How about opening up your purse/bag to show that it is empty?

But they do none of those things, and they never ask to go through your bags.... ever. So it's an irrelevant argument. Again, with a store as chaotic as Costco, it would be a shoplifting haven if they didn't have this security measure in place. It's the price of being able to buy a 3 gallon heirloom jar of mayo for $1.75. And again, If you never steal anything, you have nothing to hide.

[Bertuzzied]

I wonder if those Costco sharpie guys even look at what i bought.

One time i gave them the wrong receipt, I was returning something and they resharpied that original receipt.

I think the only thing they look for are big electronic items like TVs and furniture.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by onetwo_threefour

Doubt it, all the inconvenience of having to wait for the order to be shipped plus the inconvenience of it being shipped to a store instead of your home (kind of like the tire I had to order online from costco this weekend). The only way they could make it attractive to the consumer as I see it would be if they could reduce the shipping so much to make it worthwhile to drive to the store to pick your stuff up.

They certainly wouldn't warehouse items locally, because then they couldn't afford to compete with the pure online distributors with centralized warehousing.

Not sure if they have these in Calgary, but I've seen a couple of Amazon kiosks in grocery stores on the East coast. You order online and the items are delivered to the kiosk for you to pick-up. The centralized aspect likely reduces some of Amazon's costs (not sure if they pass that on in the form of lower shipping charges or what) and allows for people who live in apartment buildings etc. to avoid some of the hassles of typical deliveries.

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by Canehdianman

The electronic buzzer doesn't infringe on my privacy at all. Once I have concluded my shopping and paid for my purchases, I can leave unimpeded. I can't do that at Costco.

I'd even argue that the installing electronic buzzers at Costco would be much more efficient than someone armed with a sharpie who looks over my cart for 2 seconds before marking it.

But your original complaint was that costco was treating you like a thief.

If you can't spare 2seconds(wow those guys are getting faster as we type)...... then maybe you should try a self check out at superstore right before dinner hour.

You can even trick them with some bulk food hijinks!

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

I wonder if those Costco sharpie guys even look at what i bought.

According to research the prescence of the greeter (or the Costco Sharpie guy) is the main theft deterrant. To me their functions are like the fake home alarm stickers people put on their front door.

[Maccalus]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

I wonder if those Costco sharpie guys even look at what i bought.

One time i gave them the wrong receipt, I was returning something and they resharpied that original receipt.

I think the only thing they look for are big electronic items like TVs and furniture.

I worked as one for about a month and a half a couple years ago. Some of us would catch unscanned items occasionally, mostly due to items missed in the carts by the cashiers. They will generally look for 1-2 of the items and do a quick glance count of the number of items in the cart. They are definately there as a deterrant more than an effective net.

The deerfoot meadows location also used to have a "scarecrow" person hovering over the books and dvds to prevent people from stealing those items. All people would have to do was pick them up and walk around the corner to avoid them.

[Canehdianman]

Originally Posted by Brannigans Law

Costco is private property and you agreed specifically to a membership entitling them to search you on the way out. Don't like it? Don't renew your membership and don't go. Don't act like a bigshot on the way out and make some guys job even more miserable than need be. Odds are you're just a jerk, but I don't really know you so I can't say. But you sure act like one.

I hardly acted like a bigshot. I acted like something with other things to do with my day besides stand in line for no reason.

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

What's with this privacy crap? Who gives a hoot if one more additional person checks my receipt. Guess what? The two people at the till already did. Not only that, but my purchase was logged in their system and connected to my card.

If you want to complain about your privacy being broken, surely there are bigger concerns than the guy at the door checking if the flat of pop on the bottom was rung through.

Canehdianman, if you don't think they are doing it for theft prevention, then why do you think they are doing it? (Trying to provoke the conspiracy theory out of this one)

I'm sure there are bigger concerns. Doesn't mean that I like having to stand in line for someone to make sure that I'm not stealing something.

I never said it wasn't for theft prevention.

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

But your original complaint was that costco was treating you like a thief.

If you can't spare 2seconds(wow those guys are getting faster as we type)...... then maybe you should try a self check out at superstore right before dinner hour.

You can even trick them with some bulk food hijinks!

Costco does treat me like a thief. They force me to wait in line to show my receipt to someone (who doesn't even really review it).

It's idiotic and inefficient. If I wanted to steal something, I would probably be smart enough to keep it hidden for another 80 feet until I'm out of the store.

Anyways, it's clear that most people haven't bothered to read my original post. After I (in my bigshot fashion, puffed up my chest, screamed obscenities at the single mother asking for my receipt) rolled my cart filled with 80" TVs out the door (running over her one good foot in the process), I reviewed the terms and conditions from my membership and noticed that it does state that I have consented to standing in line like a sheep waiting for my receipt to be verified.

Don't worry, I now stand in line like the rest of you. Waiting for someone to look through my cart as they review my receipt to make sure that I haven't stolen anything. I do think it's an invasion of my privacy, but it is equally annoying that it is such a waste of time. If I managed to hide something from the cashier as I went through the till, why would I put it in the cart during the 80 foot walk to the door?

I do find myself shopping at Costco less because of it.