As i was doing the whole self check out thing, a woman came rummaging madly through my plastic shopping bags looking for a product that wasnt there. Not sure what was the upset about, she didnt find anything and didnt even say sorry.
Is it normal they check your bags after self check out?
Jack42 on 01/09/2015 - 21:29
Last edited 01/09/2015 - 22:07
Last edited 01/09/2015 - 22:07
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Did you maybe set off the weight thing that says 'Please place the correct item in the bagging area'?
nope. it was weird. someone thought i slipped something into the bags.
I would have asked them to stop immediate and explain themselves.
I guess technically the items don't belong to you so you don't have the same protections against searches but either way it is just rude.
that was before paying for it as well.
Yeah, so it is really rude regardless.
Which store?
I've never had my bag checked, even when I'm wearing my laptop backpack, I can just waltz right out of the store after checking out my groceries. I guess it also depends on where you shop — more dodgy areas with higher crime rates — tighter security.
lets just say its a supermarket we all go to. i meant the shopping bags.
I guess it also depends on where you shop — more dodgy areas with higher crime rates — tighter security.
lol definitely. Suburbs out in the Wild West of Sydney can have security guards just outside each supermarket at night.. so a shopping centre will have a guard for Coles and one for Woolies. One I'm thinking of in particular has a guard just for Coles though, I imagine because it's closer to the exit and is a higher risk. They also have fewer staff on at night than the Woolworths in that same centre.
I think it just comes down to how you look.
I mean I literally never, ever get checked.
Unless that is I'm wearing a baseball cap.
I'm guessing blacks would get checked more than whites and so on.
16yro boys more often than 60yro grandmothers. It is prejudiced to profile, but it is human nature.
No big deal
By 'a woman', do you mean an employee?
If so, I would've politely asked them what the problem was.
If she was not an employee, I would've impolitely told them to get lost.Whats the big deal?
Surely if you've nothing to hide, there's no problem? And whatever slight embarrassment you may feel is washed away when they find nothing…?
You're making it sound like she was noticeably angry and not finding anything - sounds like a complete exaggeration.Would you also complain if someone checked your bag leaving Target or KMart etc?
It's part of their job… and if you can't handle the absolutely remote chance of this happening, don't use the self-service.
there was a bit of shouting, maybe unintentional.
When people ask to search my bag when I leave a store I never go back to that store. Asking to search a bag is really just accusing you of theft.
People steal stuff in stores all the time and it costs the companies a lot of money; they pass this onto us in the form of increased prices. If it means I'm inconvenienced sometimes to enable them to catch the shop lifters then I, generally, don't have a big issue with it. Usually it is just a cursory look in the bag. If they got a bit more officious then I would ask them flat out what they are looking for and why they think I took it. There are far worse things out there, like getting on a plane, being stopped by the cops, etc.
In relation to Jack42 - really, there was "unintentional" shouting. Well, if people didn't think you were up to something dodgy before then, they probably thought so after that. As soon as you lose your cool, you have lost control of the situation.
When people ask to search my bag when I leave a store I never go back to that store. Asking to search a bag is really just accusing you of theft.
It's a condition of entry at the big stores
I never said I refuse to let them check my bag, they are within their right to do so. But being accused of theft, means I won't return to their stores.
I wear a backpack 24/7 and go in and out of stores all the time. It is very very rare for someone to ask to check my bag.
They usually have a sign up saying they reserve the right to check your bags. It is annoying, and they should be polite about it, but given how some people decide they will buy expensive vegetables using cheaper codes, I'm not surprised they do check bags. I've had bags checked leaving Myers before and one terrible experience in HN where they just wouldn't believe I hadn't taken something 'cause the alarm kept going off. Generally I just, politely, let them look through the bag and co-operate; they normally thank me for my time.
If you aren't happy with this experience then don't consider getting on a plane.
not only did they not ask, they came up with false excuse. That she was searching for an item, when in fact she wants to know whats there. Probably untrained.
Personally I feel sorry for the people working in those places. The wages aren't high, the training is probably poor and it must be really hard going up to someone and asking to check their bags; nobody likes dealing with conflict. Maybe she thought you had put something in the bag without paying for it; I doubt she just wanted to know what your weekly shop is.
- "not only did they not ask, they came up with false excuse. That she was searching for an item, when in fact she wants to know whats there. Probably untrained."
I'm sorry, but you're actually delusional.
WHY would someone, tasked with probably the shittest job in their workplace, want to see what you buy for shopping?
Are you some sort of local celebrity where everyone just dying to find out what you're buying?It's a random check! Maybe you set off something on the self-serve checkout and didn't realise… maybe the person next to you set something off and this employee thought it was your machine…
Or maybe one of her colleagues thought they saw you do something suspicious during your shop and asked her to check..There are lots of possible scenarios here…
Unless you were caught in the act of buying a trolley load of vaseline and cucumbers, who the hell cares?
I never get checked, I wait around looking for someone who looks dodgier than me and let them go first. Just kiddin' :)
This happened to me at coles the other day. The lady thought I hadn't paid for some apples. I must admit my first reaction was that I felt insulted. She checked my receipt against every item
Just say "No thank you" when they ask to check your bags. They're just doing their job, but you're well within your rights to refuse. They can't physically restrain you, but they can refuse you entry next time you try to enter.
I just say a friendly "No thank you", and keep walking, much the same as if I've been asked for change from a beggar (I donate to the Salvation Army, before anyone retorts).
The problem is OP was still in the process of scanning and bagging up the items at the self serve checkout so they weren't paid for yet so I don't think the shopping bags counted as OP's personal belongings therefore the attendant was rightfully able to check.
Otherwise the 'no thanks' method works great. Half the time I get a follow up comment though (maybe for being young) but ignore it and keep walking.
Usually if you buy a SIM or DVD/CD they get antsy (is that a word ;)