Wednesday, November 29, 2006

The magic words, "No, thank you."

Here's an interesting point from Father Dan: When they ask to check your receipt at a store where you just purchased something, you are not obligated to show it to them. The exception is a membership store like CostCo where you've already agreed to show it by joining.

I had an interesting "conversation" with a yellow shirted door monkey at Best Buy in San Carlos Ca. a few months ago. Had my stuff in the bag, walking out, intercepted - "Can I see your receipt?" - keep walking, "No Thank You." - stunned look, you could hear the gears turning in his head. "I have to check your receipt!" he proclaimed. "No Thank you" I replied, now past the first set of doors and approaching the second set. "HEY! You have to show me your receipt!" he bellowed, highlighter raised in anger. Passing through the second set of doors I said "No you don't, and if you have a problem with it - call the police!" This really stumped him. He exclaimed "This is my job!" To which I muttered under my breath, "Then you should have stayed in school." as I got into my car.
He also mentions that stores aren't nearly as aggressive about this kind of thing as they used to be a couple of years ago, but it still happens all the time. I've never had it happen at Target, though, which is one of the stores he talks about.



This is the kind of thing that some people get angry about and other people think is no big deal. The interesting part to me is thinking about the different way those two people think. I think Father Dan has a point, but I'm too much of a coward to let myself become a civil-liberties test case over the issue.

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