Bringing bags into stores

[scattered73]

I am getting really frustrated with the local Walgreens by my house who is randomly insist that I surrender my messenger bag when I enter the store. I really don't want to leave my personal items with a complete stranger yet I need it to carry my purchased goods home. I have tried reasoning with the manager has anybody had any luck with this.

[zoltani]

There are some stores that take my bag when i enter, and usually you cannot convince them otherwise, so i just let them have it. Walgreens does not usually take my bag though.
I prefer them taking my bag to them zip tying it closed like i had them do in other places of the world.

[mbjackson1979]

wow! I've never heard of a store like Walgreens to do this. Here in chicago, I can only think of clothing stores that ask to hold your bag.

Honestly, I would quit going there if possible. Their prices are ridiculous enough without having to deal with that. I'm guessing you are basket-less, which would be my recommendation.

[Artkansas]

I am getting really frustrated with the local Walgreens by my house who is randomly insist that I surrender my messenger bag when I enter the store. I really don't want to leave my personal items with a complete stranger yet I need it to carry my purchased goods home. I have tried reasoning with the manager has anybody had any luck with this.

Do what women do. They put their purses in the shopping cart. Put your bag in a shopping cart. That's what I do. It seems to fly under the radar. :D

[wheel]

Next time they take your bag

Ask them are you responsible for my bag now since you are taking temporary ownership?

If not contact Walgreen's ceo.

Secondly you could bring a bag of crap and let them hold it :)
Or I could think of a thousand things to put in my bag.
Or put signs on your bag <insert text >
Or get a flash mob and have a hundred bags

[scattered73]

Didn't think about that, well, I have a rack on the bike I guess I could throw a milk crate on it for trips to them. All the other stores I frequent, I have gotten to know the staff and they don't harass me over this, crazy Walgreen’s turns staff over before I can get to know them. They must be a lame company to work for. I might start shopping at CVS a mile down the road now if I can talk them into getting a bike rack.

[jamesdenver]

I tell them no but they're welcome to walk around with me while I shop. And then keep walking.

[CommuterRun]

jamesdenver has a really good idea.

Something else I might do is wear a vest with a lot of pockets to visit that store. When asked to check my bag, I would empty the contents of the bag into my pockets. "This is to keep you from stealing something." Then hand them the empty bag.

Another option is go ahead and check the bag. Then, when I got the bag back, take up the entire counter doing an individual item inventory of the contents.

I might ask if they also require women to check their purses. If not, then why my bag? What's the difference? If it's a random thing, why was I not required to check my bag last time I was in there? What's the difference between then and now? Why doesn't their policy have uniform enforcement?

If I got no satisfaction I would loudly announce, inside the store, that CVS is the better deal.

The neat thing about chain stores is they don't have anything you can't find somewhere else.

[Nightshade]

I tell them no but they're welcome to walk around with me while I shop. And then keep walking.

Kinda the way I feel. I can understand some suspicion about a large bag
of any kind but a personal sized bag is another matter.

I carry a small "possibles" bag instead of carrying all my guy stuff
in my pockets anymore. In my case it's a matter of comfort since
anything pressing or rubbing on my legs today is very painful.

I take the usual jibes about my bag being a "man purse" but that's
doesn't matter to me. I do know that everytime I go to Wal-mart
the security guys follow me everywhere. Next time I go I'll collar
one of these dudes to help me shop since I only have one free hand
and cane in the other one!:D:D:D

[Abneycat]

jamesdenver has a really good idea.

Something else I might do is wear a vest with a lot of pockets to visit that store. When asked to check my bag, I would empty the contents of the bag into my pockets. "This is to keep you from stealing something." Then hand them the empty bag.


Its a great idea. I personally got my 3 roommates together one day, and we spoke with the manager of the store: It was a Real Canadian Superstore, they're marketing themselves as "green" at the moment, selling organic/green products and selling reusable bags at the door (great idea, but made by child labour apparently as we found out many of these are)

Basically, we just pointed out that as a "green" store, they should be attempting to hold that by encouraging alternative transportation to and from the store, and that hindering cyclists from purchasing products from them was going against their image. Seemed to work well enough, i'm not sure if that was because the store manager was simply a good guy, or if he wasn't wanting to deal with a group of people making bad PR for him.

The next step was going to be putting one of my pythons into one of our mesh bags for next time, it never got to that point though :)

[Cosmoline]

I will not shop at places where I have to give up my bags. It's insulting and absurd. Tantamount to claiming I'm a thief.

Plus that's where I keep my moose pistol so I don't want to be handing it over to strangers.

[wahoonc]

I have had a couple of run ins with various stores. I don't normally give up my bags unless I see every other bag being checked. I had real fun at a grocery store one day. I normally shop using their cute little basket thingies. I hate pushing a cart around a store, between the slowmovers and the freakin' in the way aisle displays it is a PITA. Well I went to my local store on a reasonably busy afternoon and they were out of the cute baskets, so I think...no problem I will just use one of my mesh grocery bags that fits my rack. Well I am about 90% done with my shopping when the ASM comes up to me and grabs my arm and says I have to leave.:eek: I am like WTF? He says I am shop lifting because I am not using a grocery cart or one of their baskets. I point out that A) he can see what is in my mesh bag, and B) IS NOT shop lifting until I attempt to leave the store without paying for it. He continues, grabs my bag and tells me I have to leave. I grab the bag back turn it upside down allowing the contents to dump on the floor, eggs, flour, milk, and several glass jars of stuff:D walked out of that store and never returned. I wrote a letter to corporate and let them have it. I got a real nice apology letter. Three weeks later the whole chain was sold to another company, 6 months later they were all closed up. Sucked at the time because it was the closest store to the house by 3 miles. Little Prick ended up at another big chain store down the road and eventually got charged with embezzlement...go figure.

Aaron:)

[Jerseysbest]

I might ask if they also require women to check their purses. If not, then why my bag? What's the difference? If it's a random thing, why was I not required to check my bag last time I was in there? What's the difference between then and now? Why doesn't their policy have uniform enforcement?

This is what I always expect to say if I'm questioned. I used to get stares when I would shop at the local supermarket but I think they know me by now (moved here 6 months ago). I also usually take my backpack off when I pay to get my wallet out and to put my stuff in the bag, so they are given a chance to glance inside to see if I've taken anything too.

[acroy]

i bring my backpack in all the time, very seldom does anyone question it.
maybe it's you ;)
or the area you're in. They are concerned with shoplifting. Retail stores loose like 5-10% of stock to shoplifting, if I recall correctly.
Cheers

[truepeacenik]

random (or gender based) requests to check a bag are manure.
I carry a camera with me 99 percent of the time (I'm a reporter in a smallish community) and there is NO WAY ON EARTH I'm leaving my livelihood with part time store clerks.

I do get this and just for the image, I'm 5-2 with hair past my bum. guess the color during the story :P
clerk: miss/ma'am, I need you to leave that bag here (it's a daypack).
me: why?
clerk: store policy
(two women with purses the size of my four person tent walk by, unmolested)
me: why not make them check their bags?
clerk: those are purses.
me: and because I don't spend a zillion bucks on a coach bag you have to have me leave it here? nope sorry.
clerk: do I need to call security?
me: please do
(I know most of the local cops...let it go that far)
security: lady (what happened to ma'am?) you cannot go into the store with that bag.
(a teenager with a larger backpack walks by, heading out.)
me: reeeeeaaaaaally? (while pointing)
security: it's company policy to take large bags as people enter the store. Hand over the bag or leave.
me: call the manager.
Manager: is there a problem here?
me: yes, your staff is convinced that I'm going to steal based on my appearance. I'm offended and taking my business elsewhere. I thought you should know why you will be losing the money. By the way, I talk to a lot of people in my day.

and I took off for Rite Aid.

[donnamb]

How I feel about it and what I do about it depends on the situation. I actually love bag check stations in stores. It's so nice to shop at Nordstrom without carrying really heavy panniers around. I feel secure in checking my bags with them, as well as other shops that have that service. I would be insulted in a grocery or drug store. (Heck, my pharmacist lets me roll my bike right on in when I pick up my prescriptions.) No one ever asks me in places like that.

Last week I went into this really fancy women's shoe store. The tiniest little saleswoman comes up to me and asks for my bags. She was extremely snotty about it. (Like I'm going to stuff floor model shoes in my panniers? :rolleyes:) I looked at her with a big smile and handed them right over. Now, I'm a big girl and people are surprised at how much I can lift. My panniers were especially heavy that day. I guess she thought that by the way I appeared to be carrying them so easily, they were lightweight. My goodness, she sure was surprised to find out that was not the case. It looked like her arms almost popped out of their sockets. Too bad. :D

[chephy]

You're asked to leave bags at the counter?? I bring my bags to stores (particularly the local grocery store) and use them as shopping baskets. Yes, I actually load them up with groceries and then unload it all onto the cashier's counter. So far, there's been only one objection by one clerk in one of the stores. I asked to speak to a manager about this, and she backed off. I continue to put stuff in a bag in that store and nobody minds.

Welcome to Canada? :) The worst it ever gets here is a sign that says that "the store reserves the right to inspect your bags" and blah blah blah, which has no legal power anyhow. They don't have a right to inspect my bag at any point. Not that anyone ever asked me to open up my bag for inspection... except, oddly, a local reference library (they do it to everyone... I could raise a fuss, but didn't feel like it).

[chephy]

My panniers were especially heavy that day. I guess she thought that by the way I appeared to be carrying them so easily, they were lightweight. My goodness, she sure was surprised to find out that was not the case. It looked like her arms almost popped out of their sockets. Too bad. :D :lol: Nice.

[Bowcyclist]

I am getting really frustrated with the local Walgreens by my house who is randomly insist that I surrender my messenger bag when I enter the store. I really don't want to leave my personal items with a complete stranger yet I need it to carry my purchased goods home. I have tried reasoning with the manager has anybody had any luck with this.

A good idea is keep your helmet on if you don't already. For some reason they treat you nicer if they associate "cyclist" rather than "dirtbag".

Another one that you can try: "I'm giving you my bag, my property, then I want a signed declaration of it's contents, with a witness." Realistically, they don't want to be bothering with cuyclists. They're after the crack/meth/crazies anyways.

[roughrider504]

When I go to a store I keep my gloves on and strap my helmet to my bag, I haven't been told anything yet. I have a huge bag too.

[Doug5150]

I am getting really frustrated with the local Walgreens by my house who is randomly insist that I surrender my messenger bag when I enter the store. I really don't want to leave my personal items with a complete stranger yet I need it to carry my purchased goods home. I have tried reasoning with the manager has anybody had any luck with this.
Two points:
Firstly--they sell these things called baskets, that mount on your bicycle....

Secondly, the store is private property, they can do as they wish as far as people carrying in bags. You are free to shop elsewhere.
~

[bmclaughlin807]

I used to stop into Walgreens fairly regularly on the way to work (Only place to stop and get a drink or snack on the way) and never had any problems.

Well... I take that back... They did tell me once I had to leave my backpack with them... I flat-out told them there was no way in hell I was leaving $1,600 worth of electronics out of my sight. The next day when I came in, the manager saw me locking my bike up outside, and told me to just bring it in. After that I locked it up inside the door whenever I stopped there.

At Lowes and Home Depot I take my bike inside with me... use my grocery panniers as my cart. I did have one employee look at me funny once as I was shopping... then he just shrugged and walked away.

[bmclaughlin807]

Secondly, the store is private property, they can do as they wish as far as people carrying in bags. You are free to shop elsewhere.
~

People really should look up the actual laws before spouting off 'facts' on the internet.

[I_bRAD]

"the store reserves the right to inspect your bags"

The only one I've seen is the No-frills at Dundas/Landsdowne and it says "the store reserves the right to request to inspect your bags" which of course, you have the right to refuse.

We take 2 backpacks,2 panniers and another bag along in the cart and nobody's ever said a thing to us.

[bragi]

No one's ever asked me for my bag while I'm in their store. What a crazy idea, to tell your customers that you don't trust them enough to walk around in the store without stealing something; I would think the increased security would be more than offset by customers deciding to shop somewhere else. Aren't there other ways to prevent theft without being a pain in the ass?

[Newspaperguy]

I've gone into stores with a backpack or carrying my rack trunk plenty of times. There was only one instance when I was asked to surrender my bag. That was in a larger city. When I'm in town, it's not a problem because I'm in a small community where almost everyone knows me and trusts me. Out of town, I've found the bigger the community the more likely a store worker will ask for my bag.

[Smallwheels]

When I lived in Louisiana there was a grocery store that started asking for my back pack sometimes. I gave it to them twice. I did not like it. The third and last time I was asked by a very rude rent a cop. I said "Why?". I got the store policy thing and during this argument there were women walking in with very large purses. I pointed at them and asked, "Why are you not confiscating their bags?". After that they just threatened me physically and also said they would call the police. They didn't care that I had just ridden-up on a $1800.00 recumbent tadpole tricycle.

I left the store and never went back. I contacted the store by telephone but was never able to reach the manager after a few tries. They went out of business a few months later. This was a big privately owned store. The neighborhood was an upscale/middle class area. I had been in that store hundreds of times over the years (though it wasn't always owned by that company).

In my new home in Montana I shop at a small grocery store sometimes and at a Wal-Mart five miles away. Neither asks me to leave my bags. I always bring my own bags for my groceries and other items.

[Specialized fan]

I went through this nightmare before I had a car and this illustrates why I'm glad I have a big ass grocery hauler as the hassle factor is not worth the money you save and the environment you think you are saving. Looking back on my live I can't believe I actually lived like this. What fascinates me is some of you are most likely sitting a huge pile of cash. I did the saddle bag in the store thing and it was a real pain in the ass. I did it out of necessity, but some who could easily afford a car but choose not to have a car, and some down right hate car period and seem to be happy to go backwards and not have cars at all. This is all weird thinking to me. I love riding, but when it is 110* I like to take my SUV down to Star Bucks to get my Latte.

[bmclaughlin807]

I went through this nightmare before I had a car and this illustrates why I'm glad I have a big ass grocery hauler as the hassle factor is not worth the money you save and the environment you think you are saving. Looking back on my live I can't believe I actually lived like this. What fascinates me is some of you are most likely sitting a huge pile of cash. I did the saddle bag in the store thing and it was a real pain in the ass. I did it out of necessity, but some who could easily afford a car but choose not to have a car, and some down right hate car period and seem to be happy to go backwards and not have cars at all. This is all weird thinking to me. I love riding, but when it is 110* I like to take my SUV down to Star Bucks to get my Latte.

I fail to see the point to your post. Normally I leave my bags attached to my bike, and it doesn't make any difference whether I'm on the bike or driving. If I happen to have my laptop with me in a backpack, I'm not leaving it on the bike, OR in a car. I'll carry it with me. and no, I'm not going to leave it at the front counter, thank you.

And, while I may not be sitting on a 'huge pile of cash', I DID give myself a 20% raise (tax free) by dumping that POS SUV that I was driving everywhere. That saved money allowed me to live in a much nicer place than I could have otherwise afforded, and now I'm looking at an even nicer place, in a neighborhood where I'll have even less need of a vehicle.

Oh, the horror!

[Newspaperguy]

I went through this nightmare before I had a car and this illustrates why I'm glad I have a big ass grocery hauler as the hassle factor is not worth the money you save and the environment you think you are saving. Looking back on my live I can't believe I actually lived like this. What fascinates me is some of you are most likely sitting a huge pile of cash. I did the saddle bag in the store thing and it was a real pain in the ass. I did it out of necessity, but some who could easily afford a car but choose not to have a car, and some down right hate car period and seem to be happy to go backwards and not have cars at all. This is all weird thinking to me. I love riding, but when it is 110* I like to take my SUV down to Star Bucks to get my Latte.

I've got a car and I can easily afford to commute to work and drive to do my shopping and day-to-day errands. But that's not the point. I'm car-light and almost car-free because I love living this way. It's that simple. There's a special pleasure I get from riding my bike and walking, so I try to do both as often as possible. There may be a few inconveniences from time to time, but the sheer pleasure of driving less makes it worthwhile. It's not about hating cars; it's about enjoying other forms of transportation.

Today, for instance, I cycled to and from work, rode to the library and rode to the grocery store. In the evening, I walked down to a theatre practice and back. I could have driven to each of these things, but I would have enjoyed my day just a little bit less. And in the end, that's what keeps me out of my car. It's much more pleasant when I choose not to drive.

[scattered73]

I went through this nightmare before I had a car and this illustrates why I'm glad I have a big ass grocery hauler as the hassle factor is not worth the money you save and the environment you think you are saving. Looking back on my live I can't believe I actually lived like this. What fascinates me is some of you are most likely sitting a huge pile of cash. I did the saddle bag in the store thing and it was a real pain in the ass. I did it out of necessity, but some who could easily afford a car but choose not to have a car, and some down right hate car period and seem to be happy to go backwards and not have cars at all. This is all weird thinking to me. I love riding, but when it is 110* I like to take my SUV down to Star Bucks to get my Latte.

Sorry to hear the carfree lifestyle was such a bad experience for you.

[Sixty Fiver]

I shop at my local grocer because they let me bring my bike and paniers in the store and use it instead of a shopping cart...when the paniers are full I know I can't buy anymore groceries.

I have never been hassled about bringing in my backpack anywhere.

One of the new security guys was hassling me about my bike a while back and the manager came up and said that I was allowed to bring my bike in the store anytime.

I stopped at my favourite pizza joint tonigt and asked if I could leave my bike on the patio (which was closed) and was told I could just park it in the corner.

[Sixty Fiver]

How I feel about it and what I do about it depends on the situation. I actually love bag check stations in stores. It's so nice to shop at Nordstrom without carrying really heavy panniers around. I feel secure in checking my bags with them, as well as other shops that have that service. I would be insulted in a grocery or drug store. (Heck, my pharmacist lets me roll my bike right on in when I pick up my prescriptions.) No one ever asks me in places like that.

Last week I went into this really fancy women's shoe store. The tiniest little saleswoman comes up to me and asks for my bags. She was extremely snotty about it. (Like I'm going to stuff floor model shoes in my panniers? :rolleyes:) I looked at her with a big smile and handed them right over. Now, I'm a big girl and people are surprised at how much I can lift. My panniers were especially heavy that day. I guess she thought that by the way I appeared to be carrying them so easily, they were lightweight. My goodness, she sure was surprised to find out that was not the case. It looked like her arms almost popped out of their sockets. Too bad. :D

Donna - Your cat is bigger than you.

If I went to a shop that insisted on taking my paniers I would go back home and fill them with bricks before going back.

[scattered73]

Update, I don't know why I went back for more, but I did. I decided to stop by again, gave up the bag, but talked with the guy a little bit. He actually seems like a decent guy, just trying to make ends meet. It's funny my whole perspective changed when I actually stopped and talked with him. I really wanted to give him a piece of my mind, but the truth is that I live in a high crime area, and this cashier is just doing his job. I think I am going to keep trying to build trust with the individual employees instead of bothering with the managers.

[Freud]

I work at a big chain grocery store and we encourage people to bring their own bags. In fact we give a 5 cent credit towards your groceries for every bag you bring and use. Living in a college town we have plenty of cyclists. Most bring in their panniers/trunks/etc. We still give them the credit and its encouraged for them to use them to shop.

[The Historian]

I fail to see the point to your post.

He's trolling. That's the point.

[jonathan180iq]

I don't see the big deal. Make sure you have a secure closure of the bag and leave it with the manager or customer service. That's what I do.

[makeinu]

I went through this nightmare before I had a car and this illustrates why I'm glad I have a big ass grocery hauler as the hassle factor is not worth the money you save and the environment you think you are saving. Looking back on my live I can't believe I actually lived like this. What fascinates me is some of you are most likely sitting a huge pile of cash. I did the saddle bag in the store thing and it was a real pain in the ass. I did it out of necessity, but some who could easily afford a car but choose not to have a car, and some down right hate car period and seem to be happy to go backwards and not have cars at all. This is all weird thinking to me. I love riding, but when it is 110* I like to take my SUV down to Star Bucks to get my Latte.

Just showing the rent-a-cop who's boss is worth the hassle. Then the next time the rent-a-cop sees a poor defenseless individual who's can't afford a car (like your former self) he will, hopefully, say to himself "it's not worth the hassle". I'd think you'd have a little sympathy to fight for those who can't afford cars, but I guess not.

Some of us would like to live in a world where people can choose whether or not they want to drive a car without sacrificing their privacy. But I guess you don't want people to have a choice. I guess you want everyone to drive a car, whether they want to or not.

[kjohnnytarr]

I went through this nightmare before I had a car and this illustrates why I'm glad I have a big ass grocery hauler as the hassle factor is not worth the money you save and the environment you think you are saving. Looking back on my live I can't believe I actually lived like this. What fascinates me is some of you are most likely sitting a huge pile of cash. I did the saddle bag in the store thing and it was a real pain in the ass. I did it out of necessity, but some who could easily afford a car but choose not to have a car, and some down right hate car period and seem to be happy to go backwards and not have cars at all. This is all weird thinking to me. I love riding, but when it is 110* I like to take my SUV down to Star Bucks to get my Latte.

I'm gonna take this as a compliment / admission of un-hardcoreness. :)

He's trolling. That's the point.

PS I really don't mind having Specialized Fan around at all. Just because he's a nay-sayer doesn't make him a troll. Sometimes he makes a fine point, or at least keep us from taking ourselves too seriously.

[Specialized fan]

I could see a city where car free would make sense and that is New York City as there are many people that don't have cars as it is so ridiculously expensive to own one there and too crowded.
I am just adding some counter argument.

[Artkansas]

I tell them no but they're welcome to walk around with me while I shop. And then keep walking.

At one local Kroger, the counter offer they make is to call the cops. And since all the security guards at that Kroger are LRPD officers I'm hesitant to call their bluff. I suspect they aren't bluffing.

At the other nearby Kroger, I've never had anyone even bother me about my bag. All the clerks know me as the guy on the bicycle. You know which Kroger I shop at the most.

[Artkansas]

Update, I don't know why I went back for more, but I did. I decided to stop by again, gave up the bag, but talked with the guy a little bit. He actually seems like a decent guy, just trying to make ends meet. It's funny my whole perspective changed when I actually stopped and talked with him. I really wanted to give him a piece of my mind, but the truth is that I live in a high crime area, and this cashier is just doing his job.

That is true. But in any case, they have a legal responsibility to provide safe storage for your bag if they demand it from you. Do they have a system in place to provide safety for your goods. Can it be snatched if the guards attention is distracted momentarily? Do they provide some tag or ticket system so that someone else cannot go up to the service counter and just claim that your bag is theirs? If not, why should you trust them any more than they don't trust you?

[bike2math]

I worked as a clerk in a store like this for quite a few years. Within your first few weeks you typically have a crazy experience with a meth head that culminates with the police fishing 50 bucks worth of merchanidise out of the mans belongings and clothes. After that you see the value in a store policy asking for the bags. Take it easy on them. They aren't saying they distrust you specifically, they are just saying that in any given day at least one person is going to try and rip them off.

[dynodonn]

When I enter a store whenever I have my backpack I'll either voluntarily give it to clerk to put behind the counter, after removing my wallet and keys, or put it in a shopping cart when one is available, and I have found that either way usually makes for more relaxed shopping experience. When I have my panniers on the bike, again I only remove my wallet, keys and maybe one or two shopping items of major value, and since the most of the items in the panniers(repair tools and parts, rain gear), plus the panniers themselves, can be replaced for a little more than a tank of fuel for my SUV.

[Bowcyclist]

random (or gender based) requests to check a bag are manure.
I carry a camera with me 99 percent of the time (I'm a reporter in a smallish community) and there is NO WAY ON EARTH I'm leaving my livelihood with part time store clerks.

I do get this and just for the image, I'm 5-2 with hair past my bum. guess the color during the story :P
clerk: miss/ma'am, I need you to leave that bag here (it's a daypack).
me: why?
clerk: store policy
(two women with purses the size of my four person tent walk by, unmolested)
me: why not make them check their bags?
clerk: those are purses.
me: and because I don't spend a zillion bucks on a coach bag you have to have me leave it here? nope sorry.
clerk: do I need to call security?
me: please do
(I know most of the local cops...let it go that far)
security: lady (what happened to ma'am?) you cannot go into the store with that bag.
(a teenager with a larger backpack walks by, heading out.)
me: reeeeeaaaaaally? (while pointing)
security: it's company policy to take large bags as people enter the store. Hand over the bag or leave.
me: call the manager.
Manager: is there a problem here?
me: yes, your staff is convinced that I'm going to steal based on my appearance. I'm offended and taking my business elsewhere. I thought you should know why you will be losing the money. By the way, I talk to a lot of people in my day.

and I took off for Rite Aid.

Right on. I too fell that you should just take your business elsewhere, but let the manager know why you're taking your business elsewhere. I'm all for a piece of private property having security, but you're right, if you have a $$$ camera/laptop/whatever i'm not leaving it with the part-time kid making 5 bucks an hour. A place like that would never get my business. Why not ask women who carry purses just because they're purses? dumb.

[Roody]

I hate to sound like a sellout, but I side with the store on this one. The store you go to is probably near a mddle school or high school, and they probably have a problem with students (who almost always have backpacks or mess bags) and petty theft. It isn't very fair to make the students deposit their bags while letting older people carry them.

I do sometimes ask if they make women surrender their purses, but that logic has no effect. I also put my pack in a shopping cart, and in that case they usually let it slide.

[Platy]

I...talked with the guy a little bit. He actually seems like a decent guy, just trying to make ends meet. It's funny my whole perspective changed when I actually stopped and talked with him...I think I am going to keep trying to build trust with the individual employees instead of bothering with the managers.
I think that's a great way to handle it. Let the guy collect everyone else's backpacks and let them go into conniption fits. But you, well, eventually he'll just wave when you come through because he knows you're one of the good guys.

[tpelle]

He says I am shop lifting because I am not using a grocery cart or one of their baskets.
Aaron:)

Actually, this is not true. As soon as you place merchandise in a "concealed" location, such as your pocket, purse, etc., it's considered shoplifting. You don't actually have to leave the store with it.

Now, a mesh "shopping bag" would, in my judgement, not fall into the definition of "concealed", but that's the problem - it's all a matter of judgement.

And, yes, your messenger bag would seem to me to fall into the same catagory as a woman's purse.

What would they do if a business person, carrying a briefcase or a laptop computer bag, walked into the store to pick something up while waiting for his bus? Are they going to hold his computer bag?

How about at the Mall? If you make a purchase at one store, are you supposed to carry the bag out to your car in the parking lot and put it in the trunk, then go back in and shop at the next store?

[Platy]

PS I really don't mind having Specialized Fan around at all. Just because he's a nay-sayer doesn't make him a troll...
I think Specialized Fan has been mostly polite and civil. Although I wonder why he's drawn so magnetically to our car free discussions, I don't yet think it's because he wants to inflict pain on other people. We know real trolls and I don't think Specialized Fan is one of them. Of course, that's an opinion that's subject to change, we'll see how it plays out.

[bmclaughlin807]

Actually, this is not true. As soon as you place merchandise in a "concealed" location, such as your pocket, purse, etc., it's considered shoplifting. You don't actually have to leave the store with it.

Actually... by every law I've ever read, you're mistaken.