a Wal-Mart horror story regarding an Abbott & Costello DVD I have bought

LOL!!!!!!

-BZync

 

As the years go by it gets easier. When you're at the checkout with a box of tampons for your wife...they will not care about your age, nationality, sex or political preference. Even-though you'll feel like you're under a microscope.

 

That one made me laugh out loud!!!

 

Just trying to be diplomatic...

The truth is, it's pretty much every big store chain out there today, from Wal-Mart checking bags on the way out, to the circling hawk clerks at Circuit City, to Best Buy not putting garbage cans in their bathrooms. The industry generally seems to want to create the impression to their customers that "You are not trusted, just buy something, and get out."

 

Grant, I don't blame the checkout clerk, or the manager. Seeing as how I can't speak to the rule makers, I feel the store manager is the best person to discuss the situation with. I am so polite and courteous that you might even puke from my actions. In my story I only asked the clerk why, then I talked to the manager. The clerk is just doing the job they are told to do. This does not excuse them from making choice however. When I have a problem that is outside the boundaries of the clerk, I speak to the manager. The manager is in a position to relay this information to the people who make the rules. If enough people took the time to voice their real opinions, in an honest and polite manner, many undesirable actions posed upon customers in stores would go away. I have presented many realistic issues to managers in such a manner that they have asked what I do for a living, and also presented me with management positions based on the way I conducted myself. In any event, I think some of the things being done to customers is beyond reasonable action. On the other hand, the store is what it is, and if I don't like it there I will not go there anymore. Before I make that leap however, I must at least try to inform the store where I think they are missing the mark. To my surprise, a few places have changed from my suggestions. Nothing is perfect, and I certainly don't have the answers to many questions. Rolling with the punches, just because "they" said to, is not how I like to live. Being carded just to make sure I am older than 17, even though I am clearly older, is something I don't want to put up with.

 

Again, in defense of businesses, they aren't trying to make people feel unwelcome, they are trying to reduce shrink, or theft. That is all. It is sad that retailers have to resort to such drastic measures of being "Big Brother", but how do you protect your business from theft, which is a greater problem that you could imagine if you have never worked or ran a large business. Just "trusting" your customers does not work in today's world. People lie, cheat, steal to get what they want without any concience whatsoever. Therefore, we get cameras, key-loggers, and security people everywhere you can try! If you think the customers are under serious survaillence, think of how the employees are monitored!

 

That's absolutely true. There may be more petty thefts among customers, but the employees are the ones that steal the biggest, in my experience. When I worked in retail, one of the first stops for new hires was security, so they could show off just how hard it would be to scam the company.
Again, just like with customers, the majority are rule-following, law-abiding, etc. But there's enough that aren't to make it cheaper for the company to monitor the heck out of everyone, just in case.

 

The point I was trying to make is that the managers aren't the ones to complain to or the ones who can relay any mssage to the higher-ups. They are nothing more than glorified employees with keys.

Remember, a lot of these policies may grow out of state laws, and the businesses may have no choice but to follow the procedures, no matter how ridiculous they may seem.

Here in Arizona, every year, someone introduces a bill that will require businesses to check ID on EVERYONE regardless of age. Period. My business tried to implement this policy last January until enough senior citizens complained in anger. But, some businesses do this anyway, and don't bend to consumer pressure. If it ever becomes a low, a lot of people who drink and smoke aren't going to be happy.

Even though I may not appear to be underage to some, I gladly display my ID because I respect a business just doing their jobs. I understand because I am also one who has to work on the other side of the counter.

 

My company doesn't even tell the employees what they do. A bright one could use his/her knowledge to circumvent any security measures. You don't want that!

As for the majority of customers being honest is concerned, after working in retail, I cannot say that. We just can't know. We don't know what we don't see. With all the high-tech measures we have, we still miss things.

 

I suppose that's a corporate philosophy difference between Kroger and Ahold. For what it's worth, though, there's no foolproof way to skim money from the till, the collection bags, etc. Even if nobody's watching, there's always someone above you counting it...they'll always find you out eventually.

You're entitled to cynicism, Grant, and being more experienced in the field than I, I can hardly argue. I don't think my managers would have agreed, but I can't say for certain.

 

That's right! It always galls me on how people think they can get away with stealing from the till or safe.



[QUOTE}You're entitled to cynicism, Grant, and being more experienced in the field than I, I can hardly argue. I don't think my managers would have agreed, but I can't say for certain.[/QUOTE]

After what I see every day, there's just no way to measure the honesty of the American public. We all want to believe the best, but...

 

Yes I know. There is a club in New Jersey I've been to on a few occasions that still card me and with the fluorescent & black lights overhead you know they can see the streaks of grey in my hair. I just giggle and hand them my license while thanking them for making an old lady feel 19 again.

As for Meijers, I haven't bought alcohol there since I was 23. I went to purchase a bottle of champagne for a friends college graduation party and not only did they card me but they wanted 2 other forms of ID plus they had me sign an index card to compare signatures. First of all my second form of ID was my current passport at the time in which the picture was only 4 months old. Granted I looked very young for my age but when you have a photo ID in front of you that looks exactly like the person and the date of birth checks out on both the license and passport do you really need the signature and manager's approval? I had less hassle from Abdul at the party store down the street.

I still love to shop at Meijers when I go back to Michigan (in fact the hubby thinks it's a pretty cool store...nothing like it at all in PA). But I still can't bring myself to buy alcohol there.

 

Boy don't I know it!! CVS terminates anyone selling tobacco to underage persons with no questions asked. Most places you get fined the first time and then fired for a second offense but CVS you are out of there the minute the sting occurs. I have seen too many good people lose their jobs over 1 lapse of judgement. It upsets me. I know the cops are just doing their job but they seem to seek out our stores more than anyone else. The most frustrating thing is that a 12 year old can stand outside your door with a butt hanging out of his face and you can't do anything about it. Unlike alcohol, it's not illegal for them to smoke it's just illegal to sell it to them.

 

As far as Kinescopes go, there is an incorrect prevailing view that if its a kinescope, the quality is awful.

this FAR from the truth. While its true, no kinescope is going to match a 16mm film reel for clarity, it really all depends on HOW the kinescope was done.

If a kinescope was done correctly, using the proper monitor for display resolution and electronic sound transfer, the quality can be quite good, if fact some can fool you into thinking youre looking at a film transfer. The Dumont System was excellent when they did it right.

Of course, many smaller stations simply pointed a 16mm or even an 8mm camera at an old beat up studio monitor and hoped for the best. Those are the ones that looked crappy.

Still, there are hundreds of shows that exist today ONLY in kinescope form. Hopefully, as the years go by, Digital technology will be able to clean those kinnies up and make them look better than they really were.

 

I'd also like to meet the network idiot who called for the erasure of almost all the 2 inch color videotapes of "Hullaballo". i'd have a hard time not hitting him!!!!