BEST BUYS check your bags..did you know this yes or no?

Question

I want to see how many people are unaware of the fact that Best buy cant legally force you to open your bags and allow you to check your prurchased products. Once you pay for them, they are your personal property.
Best buy knows this, yet they try to do it in an almost intimidating factor.

They've been know to follow people to their cars, box them in with other cars and threaten to call the police.
Thats illegal detainment---and they know it.
They cant do that, as they are liable against a lawsuit.

They can threaten to call the police and take your license plate -- which is against their SOP, but they do it anyways.
If they think you are shoplifting, AND THEY SEE YOU HIDE MERCHANDISE AND TRY LEAVE THE STORE, they can try to stop you.
But once you pay for youre items, they belong to you, and are your personal property. They have no right to do it, but get away with it, because it looks kinda legitimate.

but did you know that they cant do that?

I READ IN THE PAPER that two best buy employees boxed in a person who refused to wait in line to have them inspect their bag. The man refused, was an off duty cop, and thought it funny what they were doing.
HE CALLED THE POLICE and when the police discovered he was a fellow officer thats when the crap hit the fan.

ASHLEY -- no walmart cant do this if you dont want them to.
Ive been reading on this can called the police deprtment to ask what I could do if they reacted.

Police confirmed that they cannot detain you under these circumstances.
Try it yourself..contact your police department and see what they say.

UNLESS THEY SEE YOU hide the merchandise they cannot stop you for no reason, or they risk liability.

They make it seem likes its valid, and might even argue with you, and even threaten you...BUT THEY CANT DO IT anywhere.

Answer 1

yes i worked at walmart and i was told even when the alarm goes off u can ask them to stop but u dont have to, but if they have u on camera taking something they cannot do n e thing untill they leave the store to make sure that they are really stealing something.

Answer 2

Acutally, my boyfriend works at Best Buy.
Just like Walmart, they do have a right to check the receipts and look in the bags. It is your personal property, but checking the recepit is something that a lot of places do to cut down on shoplifting. There is nothing illegal about it. An inconvenience, yes. And even though he works there, he hates the one here in Panama City. BUT, they do have a right to check them, unfortunately. Thats why the bags are clear and they look at your receipt.

Answer 3

So? Yes - I am aware that they don't have a legal right to ask to see inside my bag. I worked retail for many years. But I also know the number of "shoppers" are "shoplifters", and their SOP. If they ask to look in my bag, I have absolutely nothing to hide. So what is the big deal? I didn't steal anything, and I have my receipt from my purchase, so they can look away. See, if you realized that shoplifting is the #1 reason for price hikes for retailed goods, then you would realize that by cooperating, you are helping to keep the prices down. The markup they make on the stuff they sell is minimal. Those TV's and computers they sell, they are lucky if they get 20 % from the sale of it. To put it into perspective, clothing gets marked up as much as 250% from cost. So those clothing retailers are making a killing - even if they sell it at 50 % off original retail price. Electronics don't make much money on the big ticket items, but on the little items - the things that shoplifters steal. That security guy is looking at it as someone stealing HIS paycheck. That was how I looked at it when I worked retail. Stealing from the store was stealing from me in the way of a raise in pay or even that bonus. I think that cooperating is not too much of an inconvenience. If you have nothing to hide, then what is the harm? What is the worry if you paid for the item in the bag to allow the man or woman a peek at it and your receipt? I think it is more of a hassel to fight with them than to just open the bag and flash the receipt. But that is just me. PS - if someone is suspected of shoplifting, and has left the point of purchase, they have the right to attempt to recover the items without physical altercation. So they can take your license number (you don't think they have cameras on the lots????) and report it to the police. You should check with your state. In Wisconsin, one has to be past the point of purchase (registers) in order to be aprehended for shoplifting. But in Illinois, all one has to do for a shoplifting charge is conseal the item and/or the alarm device. In Illinois, that proves intent. It varies from state to state. In your state, they may have the right to do what you are accusing them of. Some of the major retailers hire trained security (Best Buy, Target, Wal-Mart, etc), and are used by some of the law enforcement agencies as aids in solving crimes/apprehending criminals. So I think they aren't going to do something to endanger their relationship with the police, and they certainly are not going to do something that would get them fired for landing their company into a big, fat lawsuit.

Answer 4

I never get searched..... This subject is not well defined ... very grey, Best buy has the right to refuse service or sales to anyone, so although they can not legally search your bag or your person, and they can not legally trap your car or steal your license plate, they can refuse to allow you on their property, although they would never do this, since it opens up the possibility of discrimination lawsuits, and is just simply bad business practice.

Answer 5

Why would they need to look? You just got the bag about 10' from the door. How much could you shoplift in that short distance? The only thing that would be in the bag is what you just bought.

Answer 6

i knew that they can't do it, i mean once the items are bought and paid for then they are private property, even though they might try to say that since you are still on their property, they have the right to search you and your bags. i have never had this problem at the best buy near my house. i dont go there that often, but i have never seen them search anyone, but lots of people to try to shoplift, and there are cameras everywhere and unmarked employees walking around and guards at the door and marked employees at the entrances and exits, so i honestly dont know what they think they are going to do.

Answer 7

They don't check them where I live nor is it a policy.

It appears that the location you were at could be having theft problems and had to enforce a new bag check policy. Their corporate office would have to give them ok to do so.

It's their company and they do have rights to change policy anyway they see fit.

If you are offended by the policy you do not have to go in, or simply go in without any bags.

Answer 8

yes I know that they can't look in my bags after I have paid for them, and if they insist I tell them to give my money back then they can take the bags and stick them were the sun don;t shine. this has only happened to me once, they did not give me any money back, but they called the cops, and I had to show them my sales receipt and the cop said there was nothing that he could do , unless they were going to charge me for whatever

Answer 9

I know that, but it's not worth the hassle to prevent them from checking your bag. Merely takes a second.

Answer 10

Last time I was at Best Buy, they just let me go out the door. If they did want to check my receipt, I wouldn't care, I'm doing nothing wrong....