"This store retains the right to search all bags and persons entering the premises"

[Glados]

That is a more over-the-top version that what I have seen at local stores. I have never seen a company reserve the right to search an automobile or a purse. I would be put off by the leeway that they are giving themselves in writing that sign.

The fact that this is at a thrift store bothers me. I agree that it is legal but legal does not always mean right. There are people who cannot afford to shop except at a thrift store. They do not simply have the choice to shop elsewhere unless there is another thrift store nearby.

[DrFaroohk]

The fact that this is at a thrift store bothers me. I agree that it is legal but legal does not always mean right. There are people who cannot afford to shop except at a thrift store. They do not simply have the choice to shop elsewhere unless there is another thrift store nearby.

Then sometimes you gotta suck it up and do what it takes. If that means either A) leaving your bag at home, or in your car, or outside, or B) deal with the searches.

As long as you don't have any drugs or dildos in there, and you're not actually stealing, what do you have to hide?

[tropicsgoddess]

I can understand leaving the store to make sure you BOUGHT the stuff you have from the store as opposed to stealing it. But to do that when you enter and exit the store is a bit much unless the store has had a high amount of theft or has reason to suspect that you are shoplifting.

[Glados]

The "nothing to hide" idea doesn't encompass every privacy concern that a person may have. The purse being subject to search is what mainly concerns me. I carry my medications, sometimes personal paperwork, and all of my identification in my purse. I would not shoplift but at the same time I should not have to compromise all of my personal information in order to shop. What medications I take is no one's business. A poor person should not have to choose between privacy and shopping at an affordable location.

I currently volunteer with adults with intellectual disabilities. They often can only afford to shop at a thrift store. I know several of our clients who would have difficulties with this policy. I cannot give specific examples due to confidentiality but I can see where searching purses and automobiles could be a problem. A search of a car could be very troublesome as many of our clients are taken to the thrift store by a service provider. They will have sensitive client information in the car if they have other appointments (likely) on that day.

[Dreamstalker]

there's nothing to say that what (if anything) they find in your bag was ever theirs. So what's the point, other than to harass customers?

I was once stopped in a Yellow Tag store and the security guy wanted to search my bag. Not knowing any better I agreed, he finds my MP3 player and tries to claim it was the store's (at the time they didn't even carry that player). It wasn't beat up, but clearly not brand-new either. I even offered to turn it on to show all the stuff that was loaded.

I asked a simple question (proof that they sold that model) which was met with "I'll call the cops and then prove it". He mysteriously backed down when I said to go ahead and call, the only thing I was doing 'wrong' was wearing winter clothing in a shopping mall because I walked to get there.

Shortly afterwards I stopped shopping there, that was just one reason.

The "nothing to hide" idea doesn't encompass every privacy concern that a person may have. The purse being subject to search is what mainly concerns me. What medications I take is no one's business.

Exactly. Shopping bags I can see, but I draw the line at a purse search as well as at 'policies' that say you MUST leave a purse behind the counter. I don't want anybody rooting through my personal crap without a valid suspicion/reason (if I'm flying and something shows up as metallic in my bag, of course I'll allow a hand-search; it's always something innocent like keys but they have a job to do).

"If you're not doing anything wrong you have nothing to worry about." If I'm not doing anything wrong, why are you going through my stuff?

[mikoyan29]

My mom is an art teacher and as such she was always going to a particular hobby store (the one with the name that rhymes). One night she was searched and when she asked why, they basically said that it was because they see her there all the time. They also pointed out their sign that says they reserve the right blah blah blah. So now she doesn't shop there and she told her kids not to shop there either. I guess some stores are trying to adopt the RIAA model of assuming your customers are thieves. We can see how well that is working out for them.

[Rebel]

I used to work at an electronics store back in Western Australia that had this exact policy. Actually, I think most shops had the exact same policy.
Any bag that was bigger than an A4 piece of paper was to be presented upon exiting a store. Thing was though, we would never touch the bag. Customers were asked to hold the bag open for us and move any bulky items if necessary. Generally took less than a second and then the customer was on their merry way.
The only time we ever had complaints about it were from the elderly. A fair few of them felt we were being incredibly rude by essentially 'accusing them of stealing'. I would point out the clearly posted signs, and the line of people of all ages behind them waiting to exit and they would usually shut up. Although annoyingly, not a single one that threatened never shopping there again ever actually stayed away for too long. Grr.

I guess I've never really had a problem with this sort of policy simply because it's always existed where I've lived. It was almost second nature to just have your bags open and ready every time you exited a store. No-one was ever really embarrassed about it because it was the same for anyone with a bag, regardless of age or gender. Only nervous people we had were the ones that had actually just stolen from us and realized they were about to be caught.

I can kind of understand people who have never had to present their bag as they are leaving a store could feel somewhat uncomfortable. However, people who read a clearly posted sign that explains this policy, enters the store anyway, then tries to complain to a manager when the policy is enforced, gets no sympathy from me.

[Ginger Tea]

Having squinted at the hard to read sign for where the car search posts came up, true enough it does say they can and will search your car, unless you are bad at parking, the car will not be going into the shop for items to 'accidentally' fall into, so how the fuck do they explain the rational there?

Seems they also frisk employees and their locker's/desks too.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Never seen that policy in shops where I live, but at every concert I've been to, I've had my bag searched. I don't make a habit of taking a huge bag to concerts anyway; just a small handbag to hold purse, fags, phone etc. The main reason they search is to stop people smuggling in drugs and glass bottles... also, to ensure that the concert goers buy the overpriced booze inside. *shrugs* Never occured to me to question it. Tho I can see how it would be irritating if you were just shopping.

[crashhelmet]

There's a chain of electronics stores called Fry's Electronics that will check your bags as you leave. All they ask you to do is open it up so they can take a peek inside. Any bags of merchandise bought from them will be cross checked with the receipt. Often times, it's a quick glance and you're on your way. No big deal. I've seen Walmart doing it too.

Some people go ape shit though, which I've never understood. if they think it's an accusation that they're stealing, why not bitch about the surveillance cameras and other anti-theft devices too?

[bara]

I cant see where searching some one's car is legit. Bags yes. Even purses and I know Ill catch some flak for that. But Ive seen some huge ass purses and Ive seen women stuff a couple hundred dollars of merchandise in those big ass purses with room to spare.
I cant fault a company for wanting to protect its assets as long as they dont go overboard in their methods.

[DrFaroohk]

You could also argue that since the bag is being searched BEFORE you've left the store, then they really can't prosecute as you haven't stolen anything? Seems like that'd be a fair compromise to the deal.

[crashhelmet]

You could also argue that since the bag is being searched BEFORE you've left the store, then they really can't prosecute as you haven't stolen anything? Seems like that'd be a fair compromise to the deal.

Attempted theft is still a crime

[HYHYBT]

Again, though, in this case it's a store that almost certainly won't know their stuff from what you may already have anyway. Everything's used, largely unpackaged, and more likely than not poorly inventoried. So what happens when they "catch" you with something they say is theirs? How far does it go?

[linguist]

You could also argue that since the bag is being searched BEFORE you've left the store, then they really can't prosecute as you haven't stolen anything? Seems like that'd be a fair compromise to the deal.

in most states as far as i'm aware, you don't have to actually leave the store to have committed theft. quite often, getting caught with unpaid-for merchandise beyond the point of sale (i.e. the registers) is enough to land you with a theft charge.