Sam’s Club Security Check

J

jazz4cash

Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Joined
Aug 27, 2004
Messages
8,609
Location
Laurel, MD
I was at Sam’s Club awhile ago and the line to exit (receipt check/cart scan) was really long. I made a point to politely inform the clerk that it was not reasonable to wait so long just to exit. She smiled and said she understood and if I just bypassed the cart check it was no big deal. Well today I bought a few items and the lines at the register were somewhat long so I used the self scan app, paid, and headed to the exit. The line there was very very long with one employee that was going slow, looked confused. Another employee standing there, maybe a trainer? I bypassed the line so they started calling (yelling) to me! I said sorry I’m not waiting in the line and continued leaving. She pointed at a metal structure near the exit and said “when we get this gate finished you won’t have any choice but to shop elsewhere”. I just said ok, thanks.

So they are constructing a barricade to enforce their exit check! I will indeed shop elsewhere. NONE of the other places I shop has this constant backlog at the exit. I think I’ll probably get banned.
 
My SAM's is usually pretty efficient but the delays there are are usually people "forgetting" to scan an item and being redirected back to pay for it. I love the scan and go. SAM's is by far the fastest in person shopping experience I have with the Scan and Go.

I understand your frustration but it sounds a bit "Karenish" to barrel through and not expect to be challenged and just makes it worse for the already confused minimum wage employee and other customers. You know the protocol and that at that location there is often a back up; if it's inconvenient shop elsewhere and vote with your dollars.
 
When you joined Sam's Club, you explicitly agreed "To ensure that you are charged correctly for the merchandise you have selected, Sam's Club may inspect or electronically scan your merchandise, cart and electronic/phone or paper copy receipt(s) when you exit any Sam's Club location." Terms And Conditions - Sam's Club

It sounds like the person who told you it was "no big deal" to decline to comply with this policy is the one who was in error, and it actually is a big deal to at least some of the workers there. If you've changed your mind and are no longer willing to abide by your prior agreement, Sam's Club will give you a refund on your remaining membership.
 
This is the reason I don’t shop at Sam’s or Costco. I have also quit shopping at Walmart because too many items are locked up. I am doing more shopping online at Amazon and it comes right to the door. If I do go into a discount store it’s target because nothing ridiculous is going on there.
 
Last month when I was at Sam’s Club, when they checked my cart at the exit the woman told me that soon they would have new technology for the exit. We will be required to not bag our items like I had in my cart to exit. Instead, items must be unbagged and new scanners would be verifying what’s in your cart.

Sounds like what is described in the article.

I love the Scan and Go at Sam’s Club. Really makes the shopping there attractive.
 
I don't blame the stores. This is a case where: The few ruin it for the many. If we can't hold an individual accountable then everyone becomes accountable.
 
I do not believe you can be legally stopped from exiting a store without having your receipt checked, unless the store believes you have stolen something, in which case they would need to call the police.

Personally, I refuse to shop at any store that deploys a receipt check. So no Costco, Sam's Club or Walmart for me. I prefer to shop where they don't treat everyone like potential criminals.
 
I've always wondered why the "club" stores are the only ones who feel the need to pay an employee to block the exits and check every customer. I'm all for stopping shoplifting, but surely these can't be the only stores who have this problem.
 
foxcreek9 said:
We have that, works pretty well, the clerk says "you're good" and we continue walking.
Click to expand...


Yes, I have had this happen to me a few times... really fast... but I have also been stopped after this 'gate'... just scanned the slip, two or three things and good to go...


ETA... I read about Walmart... I have never been stopped to have my purchases checked at any Walmart... where are the doing this?
 
Texas Proud said:
ETA... I read about Walmart... I have never been stopped to have my purchases checked at any Walmart... where are the doing this?
Click to expand...
They occasionally do this at my local Walmart. If they see you go through a manned checkout they never stop you but when going self check-out they may stop you.
 
I was informed at a Sam's a few months ago that I had an unpaid for item in my cart. The humorous thing was, I used the self checkout and the girl came over and scanned the items in the cart - it wasn't me that missed an item. It seems both Costco and Sam's typically scan 3 random items.
 
Costco has the exit timing down with no or minimal waits so it’s not a problem for me. Sounds like Sam’s is still figuring their system out.
 
Never have long line issues at BJ's checkout before leaving.
 
jazz4cash said:
I was at Sam’s Club awhile ago and the line to exit (receipt check/cart scan) was really long. I made a point to politely inform the clerk that it was not reasonable to wait so long just to exit. She smiled and said she understood and if I just bypassed the cart check it was no big deal. Well today I bought a few items and the lines at the register were somewhat long so I used the self scan app, paid, and headed to the exit. The line there was very very long with one employee that was going slow, looked confused. Another employee standing there, maybe a trainer? I bypassed the line so they started calling (yelling) to me! I said sorry I’m not waiting in the line and continued leaving. She pointed at a metal structure near the exit and said “when we get this gate finished you won’t have any choice but to shop elsewhere”. I just said ok, thanks.

So they are constructing a barricade to enforce their exit check! I will indeed shop elsewhere. NONE of the other places I shop has this constant backlog at the exit. I think I’ll probably get banned.
Click to expand...
The Costcos on Oahu are (or at least were) the busiest in the nation (of course, so are/were our Home Depots, Sams, and other major chain stores.)
I used to get irritated because the lines to the check outs at Costco would back up to the point that they would extend back into the display areas. Once they added the self-check-out, that helped a lot. I've never had a problem with the exit. I might have to wait on 2 or 3 other patrons but there are always 2 people checking sales receipts at the door. If you have nothing to check, you can weave between the two lines and exit with no problem. I just hope if we ever add a turnstyle type exits that they will still have the two checkers instead of only one.

Now, Sams exits - even though they have two checkers also - often back up to the point that people exiting the check out have to wait their turn just to get into the exit line. Bummer. I try to avoid Sams on Oahu. I keep their card to use on the mainland as we don't have a Costco near where we live there. YMMV
 
As a Costco member since 2000 and a stock holder since 2012 I am glad that they check carts as you leave the store. It seems that there are too many people shop lifting and/or abusing the membership agreement by loaning cards or buying for non-members. That is no different than stealing and causes prices to increase. It is the same for BJs or Sams. If someone doesn't like it they can shop somewhere else. That is their option but I don't think anyone will care.
 
Life is way too short to get bothered by this type of thing though I often hear people complain about these exit checks. It doesn't bother me so I still occasionally shop at these places. Follow their rules or shop elsewhere. Simple.
 
CaptTom said:
I've always wondered why the "club" stores are the only ones who feel the need to pay an employee to block the exits and check every customer. I'm all for stopping shoplifting, but surely these can't be the only stores who have this problem.
Click to expand...
That's not why they claim they do it though. They say it's for accuracy of their check out process...which might amount to the same thing but either way, their "official" justification isn't to stop theft but to improve their quality.

Most other stores have cameras and hidden security.

It's a PITA, I get annoyed when the line is a thing, but I still go to Costco.
 
At self checkout in Costco, an employee asked to see my card before I began scanning...and she noted that I did not have my picture on the back of the card. She asked for an ID to verify it was MY card. Then she told me that the service desk can add my picture to my card and encouraged me to do it on the way out. Guess folks are sharing cards with friends too often.
 
Teacher Terry said:
This is the reason I don’t shop at Sam’s or Costco. I have also quit shopping at Walmart because too many items are locked up. I am doing more shopping online at Amazon and it comes right to the door. If I do go into a discount store it’s target because nothing ridiculous is going on there.
Click to expand...
Jim Cramer noted that Amazon is killing chains like CVS and Walgreen's for the same reason- everything is locked up and it's easier to order on-line.

I'm a Costco member (and shareholder) and the exit lines near me are always short. I've had them point out things that are to my benefit- one mentioned that the bag of sweet peppers I bought looked like some were getting soft (she was right) and once when I'd paid for a double set of something and had only one.

In general, though, when I see all the machinations stores have had to go through to deter theft after installing self-checkouts I wonder how much they've saved. My local grocery chain has two entrances but now you can exit only through one. The other has a gate that sets off an alarm if you try and exit through it. A security person watches the Exit one.
 
I think inventory management is just amazing right now. I sometimes wish I was a fly on the wall to actually see the many amazing things happening behind the scenes in inventory management and logistics these days. What is observed at the store level is the tip of the iceberg, so many new things are so interconnected - and it all started with bar codes 50 years ago. I have no problems in stopping at Sam’s exit door.
 
CaptTom said:
I've always wondered why the "club" stores are the only ones who feel the need to pay an employee to block the exits and check every customer. I'm all for stopping shoplifting, but surely these can't be the only stores who have this problem.
Click to expand...
Well, those are the only ones with which the shoppers have entered a contract, which I believe includes the right to check receipts. Other regular retail store cannot detain you unless they have a reasonable basis upon which to accuse you of shoplifting. https://legal-info.lawyers.com/cons...ecks-at-stores-are-they-worth-the-hassle.html
 
It's also perhaps worth noting that another reason for the exit check is to keep the checkers honest. They could easily neglect to scan items when their friends go through the checkout line, and that wouldn't be caught without the exit check.
 
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