Earlier today NewMexiKen read a report by an individual who — several years ago — essentially refused a Best Buy Receipt Check. He was challenged repeatedly to the point of having his car blocked from leaving. His report led to an apology from Best Buy and correspondence from others interested in the issue.
According to the author, a store has no legal right to check your receipt. Once you pay for an item it is yours and you may leave the premises. Any attempt to detain you can only be based on an accusation of shoplifting. And, of course, a false accusation of shoplifting is cause for a tort. (NewMexiKen wonders whether a membership store such as Costco has a different legal standing to check receipts. I was pursued at Costco once for blowing off the receipt check.)
I’ve been kind of bored lately and I have business to transact at Best Buy. I think I’ll experiment.
From what I understand, Costco can check your receipt because you agree to allow that when you sign your membership contract.
One doesn’t have to join Best Buy to shop there, though, so I can’t see how one could be forced to agree to a receipt check there.
Was wondering if you tried your experiment.
I see that you wrote a blog entry regarding Best Buy’s “right” to inspect a receipt as one is leaving the store. I was apprehended after failing to show a receipt (the alarm sensors did not go off) and I am in litigation with Best Buy over what ensued after the stop (I was dragged to the Loss Prevention office, thrown down, etc.). I was detained almost 40 minutes before the police arrived and I was released. My primary interest was in pressing assult charges against the LP employee who assaulted me, but it turned out that he was a former police officer (dismissed from the force for multiple incidences of wrongful detention while on-duty). The police would not include the fact that the LP employee touched me in their report, so the DA would not pursue the case.
I’ve spent over $25k so far, and now I am looking for anyone that has been detained after failing to show a receipt (assuming the LP sensors did not go off). I have all of BB’s policies regarding receipt verifications (obtained through discovery — they are supposed to let you leave after you refuse to show the receipt). Any help you can give me in “getting the word out” would be very helpful.
LeeRoberts at gmail dot com