So where the hell will the octogenarians work?

I shoplifted an entire door-greeter one time.

Wal-Mart isn't getting rid of door greeters entirely, subby. You clearly haven't tried the new "Hello" flavor of Sam's Choice soda. What do you think it's made out of?

Don't worry, they are only taking door greeters from the lobby. Their secret plan is to redeploy the greeters in the parking lot awaiting orders for the walmart establishment on which customers to shock and awe next.

jbuist: Positioning the person as a "greeter" that's nice to you as you walk in is far less threatening to actual customers compared to positioning them behind a podium or some such and looking simply at the people exiting. But, they're doing the same job. It just looks different.

I don't understand why they don't just have a separate exit for post purchase. Thus people walking out the main door with product obviously haven't paid. Sure there's ways around that, but it would reduce 99% of the need for receipt checks, wouldn't it?

Looks like Bob Dole's out of a job...

AliceBToklasLives: So where the hell will the octogenarians work?

Costco?

"The greeters will be moved near the cash registers to direct shoppers to products or shorter checkout lines,"

So, Wal-Mart execs went to Meijer a few times, I'd guess.

Does this mean I don't have to get the little sticker each time I bring in a return now. Thank god!

I've actually been harrassed by the folks at the customer counter before because I didn't stop by the greeter and get the stupid sticker. The greeter wasn't even THERE!

dewihafta: Does this mean I don't have to get the little sticker each time I bring in a return now. Thank god!

I've actually been harrassed by the folks at the customer counter before because I didn't stop by the greeter and get the stupid sticker. The greeter wasn't even THERE!

Without a sticker given to you by someone who saw you walk into the store with the item, how do they know you didn't just grab it off the shelf to "return"?

JohnAnnArbor: "The greeters will be moved near the cash registers to direct shoppers to products or shorter checkout lines,"

So, Wal-Mart execs went to Meijer a few times, I'd guess.

Yeah, we called them guest facilitators. I called them idiot control.

The Meijer I worked at eventually dropped them.

RogermcAllen: dewihafta: Does this mean I don't have to get the little sticker each time I bring in a return now. Thank god!

I've actually been harrassed by the folks at the customer counter before because I didn't stop by the greeter and get the stupid sticker. The greeter wasn't even THERE!

Without a sticker given to you by someone who saw you walk into the store with the item, how do they know you didn't just grab it off the shelf to "return"?

Because they have a farkton of cameras and undercover security as customers, so if they really have their doubts, they can go check the video.

I once got asked by a greeter for a receipt. I kindly reminded him that I was walking into the store.

/Wal-Mart...

jbuist: First thoughts:

That's weird. One of the main purposes in having a greeter is psychological. It lets shoppers know that you're watching them which reduces theft. Seems odd that WalMart would do away with this given they pretty much pioneered it.

FTFA: "Allen said greeters may be doing less greeting. He said he was told he will be in high-traffic areas like electronics, which is located far from the main door."

Alrighty then. Minor adjustment in placement is all.

Who's watching me? The senior citizen with the half inch thick glasses?

cmunic8r99: When they stop my and ask to see my receipt, I just say, "No, thanks." and keep moving.

When I shop, I do that as well. Did it at the local Wal-Mart and the greeter physically grabbed my cart, rammed it into me and stopped me from leaving. Security came over and said that because I refused to show my receipt, I would be trespassed from the store. He called the police. I also called the police, said that I was being unlawfully assaulted and detained, and told them to notify the responding officer that I was legally carrying on my right hip. Security guys eyes got a little wider on that one. Cops show up, review CCTV footage, ask me if I want to press assault charges on the greeter. Declined, accepted the managers apology, left.

I don't shop at Wal-Mart any more.

This makes me sad for the elderly

Stupid Subby...nobody buys TP at WalMart. If you need TP just buy a pack of gum or something little, and use the 19 inch long receipt to wipe with. If you need more, just go through the line a couple times, buying a pack of gum each time....voila! Free TP. Plus, if you use your debit card each time, WalMart gets charged like $2 per transaction. You spend $15 and walk out with 15 packs of gum and enough TP for 2 weeks, WalMart makes $10 on the gum, but is out $30 worth of bank fees and is stuck with skids of TP that nobody is buying. It's the American way!

Here, the local grocery chain employs farewell'ers. For years, it's always been this one lady who just says "have a nice day" to each person walking out of the store in a pretty flat voice.

I wonder how many times she's said "Have a nice day"... hundreds to me personally, and surely it must be in the thousand-something range on a normal day. I bet that lady has said "have a nice day" well over a million times by now. I wonder if she hears it in her head at night.

They are there to provide a subconscious deterrent to shoplifting.

hbk72777: RogermcAllen: dewihafta: Does this mean I don't have to get the little sticker each time I bring in a return now. Thank god!

I've actually been harrassed by the folks at the customer counter before because I didn't stop by the greeter and get the stupid sticker. The greeter wasn't even THERE!

Without a sticker given to you by someone who saw you walk into the store with the item, how do they know you didn't just grab it off the shelf to "return"?

Because they have a farkton of cameras and undercover security as customers, so if they really have their doubts, they can go check the video.

Most stores have less than 5 dedicated LP agents, and seldom more than 2 working at any given time. Are they supposed to maintain a constant line-of-sight on anybody who picks up an item and walks to the front of the store?

If they go the video route (and it'd have to be all or nothing, or else it turns into a "who looks sketchy" thing) you'd be complaining that it takes over half an hour to make a return, because they have to check the video.

/used to be an outside vendor
//caught a shoplifter by going to the bathroom
///that wasn't really pertinent, but it was amusing

GregoryD: JohnAnnArbor: "The greeters will be moved near the cash registers to direct shoppers to products or shorter checkout lines,"

So, Wal-Mart execs went to Meijer a few times, I'd guess.

Yeah, we called them guest facilitators. I called them idiot control.

The Meijer I worked at eventually dropped them.

Wait, they have pretentious old farts telling me which line to go in. I think not. I am PROUD of my ability to choose the correct line while discounting length.

/ if the checker looks like her name might be "Gertrude", avoid that line. If there are 2 people in a line that look like they might have 3 types of government assistance to sort through, it is NOT the short line
//it aint profiling, its... well, so its profiling, it works.

The only time I've even set foot in a Wal-Mart in the last several years was to return a DVD I didn't want (won it at one of those Dirty Santa Christmas parties).

_{/had to escalate all the way to the store manager to convince them that yes, your return policy allows what i'm asking you to do}

jbuist: Mugato: People greet and talk to you when you come into a Wal*Mart? That sounds farking horrible. Seriously, why would they do that?

Loss prevention.

Positioning the person as a "greeter" that's nice to you as you walk in is far less threatening to actual customers compared to positioning them behind a podium or some such and looking simply at the people exiting. But, they're doing the same job. It just looks different.

Except Walmart uses greeters that are elderly, mentally handicapped, or both.

Smart move. When your customers see death as their first introduction to your store, it makes them think that maybe there's more to life than buying cheap Chinese shiat. Maybe they'll think about getting out and enjoying life with the time they have left. No one ever sat on their deathbed and said "man, I wish I had a second chance in life to buy that Coby portable DVD player." They generally think about things that don't involve consumption. That's bad for business.

tarheel07: jbuist: Mugato: People greet and talk to you when you come into a Wal*Mart? That sounds farking horrible. Seriously, why would they do that?

Loss prevention.

Positioning the person as a "greeter" that's nice to you as you walk in is far less threatening to actual customers compared to positioning them behind a podium or some such and looking simply at the people exiting. But, they're doing the same job. It just looks different.

Except Walmart uses greeters that are elderly, mentally handicapped, or both.

Same goes for the majority of their customers.

/door greeters at the Wal-Mart back home were usually accompanied by KCPD officers.

Sgt. Expendable: hbk72777: RogermcAllen: dewihafta: Does this mean I don't have to get the little sticker each time I bring in a return now. Thank god!

I've actually been harrassed by the folks at the customer counter before because I didn't stop by the greeter and get the stupid sticker. The greeter wasn't even THERE!

Without a sticker given to you by someone who saw you walk into the store with the item, how do they know you didn't just grab it off the shelf to "return"?

Because they have a farkton of cameras and undercover security as customers, so if they really have their doubts, they can go check the video.

Most stores have less than 5 dedicated LP agents, and seldom more than 2 working at any given time. Are they supposed to maintain a constant line-of-sight on anybody who picks up an item and walks to the front of the store?

If they go the video route (and it'd have to be all or nothing, or else it turns into a "who looks sketchy" thing) you'd be complaining that it takes over half an hour to make a return, because they have to check the video.

/used to be an outside vendor
//caught a shoplifter by going to the bathroom
///that wasn't really pertinent, but it was amusing

They wouldn't have to check because if you did steal it, security would've been after you pretty quickly. And Walmart is not most stores. Kmart, Sears I can see having few security people, not Walmart. Every time I'm in there, they either catch someone or are talking about someone they caught earlier in the day. Sure, some might get through, but they have the security system around.

cmunic8r99: When they stop my and ask to see my receipt, I just say, "No, thanks." and keep moving.

Hell I had the alarm go off at a Best Buy, there was no one in the immediate area and I kept walking. Caught up to me about 30 steps outside of the store. I looked back, shrugged my shoulders and kept walking. They have to be damn sure you stole before they'll risk an unlawful detainment/kidnapping.

The greeters will be moved near the cash registers to direct shoppers to products or shorter checkout lines,

Please Americans. Please figure out the single queue. I'm in a college town and college students are mostly bright enough to figure out we've done this at the checkout lanes. Then you'll get the occasional old person that sees a lane opening up and jumps a head of everyone. Oh lady, you thought we were all standing here looking at the registers with our carts for our health?

I sound fat: / if the checker looks like her name might be "Gertrude", avoid that line. If there are 2 people in a line that look like they might have 3 types of government assistance to sort through, it is NOT the short line
//it aint profiling, its... well, so its profiling, it works.

Apu approves (and I can't find a picture of that scene).

theflatline: The Life Of Brian: I normally try to avoid wallmart..

Yet I found myself going to several 2 weeks ago..long story short - good friend who is retired & fixed income/fighting cancer blah blah...his 25 year old TV went.. Needed a new one..on a budget...Yep wallmart had the best price..

SO I went to my closest on the way to work...Sold out..hit a second, sold out... SO went to a big one in Toronto.. Got the TV...

I'm heading out the door with this ackward box in the cart, I head towards the 'greeter'...stop next to her...Am ignored..SO I finally say, with the receipt in hand 'do you want to check this'..Get an OH yes...She marks it with a marker and I go out..

She didn't even LOOK at what I had in the cart!

/Damn, if I was a dishonest person, I could have walked out with a free tv!

You realize that you can check stock in the stores via the Walmart website, and there is also a telephone.... Canadians....




/oblig

JohnAnnArbor: "The greeters will be moved near the cash registers to direct shoppers to products or shorter checkout lines,"

So, Wal-Mart execs went to Meijer a few times, I'd guess.

Odd. The Meijer stores I've been to have had greeters. They don't check receipts unless the detector things go off, and they're not that far from the registers, but... they do function as greeters.

/Confused

Ah, another one of life's little luxuries, now a symbol of a bygone era ... I can hardly wait to tell grandchildren about them someday.

"Gee, Grandpa, it was like living on the Titanic, wasn't it?"

"Yes, sonny, in more ways than you know ..."

So I told a buddy at work about this story and we came up with a better solution.:

Theme days for the greeters.

One day, they're Jamaican, the next American Indians, the next? Pirates. Make them dress the part head to toe.

"Excuse me, which way is the Mac & Cheese?" "Argh, me-mateys, set sail for isle 7!"

hbk72777: Sgt. Expendable: hbk72777: RogermcAllen: dewihafta: Does this mean I don't have to get the little sticker each time I bring in a return now. Thank god!

I've actually been harrassed by the folks at the customer counter before because I didn't stop by the greeter and get the stupid sticker. The greeter wasn't even THERE!

Without a sticker given to you by someone who saw you walk into the store with the item, how do they know you didn't just grab it off the shelf to "return"?

Because they have a farkton of cameras and undercover security as customers, so if they really have their doubts, they can go check the video.

Most stores have less than 5 dedicated LP agents, and seldom more than 2 working at any given time. Are they supposed to maintain a constant line-of-sight on anybody who picks up an item and walks to the front of the store?

If they go the video route (and it'd have to be all or nothing, or else it turns into a "who looks sketchy" thing) you'd be complaining that it takes over half an hour to make a return, because they have to check the video.

/used to be an outside vendor
//caught a shoplifter by going to the bathroom
///that wasn't really pertinent, but it was amusing

They wouldn't have to check because if you did steal it, security would've been after you pretty quickly. And Walmart is not most stores. Kmart, Sears I can see having few security people, not Walmart. Every time I'm in there, they either catch someone or are talking about someone they caught earlier in the day. Sure, some might get through, but they have the security system around.

Maybe it's different in your region. I can only speak for what I know of a small handful of stores.

In a story mildly related to the topic, there's a video involving a Walmart greeter that I have seen, but unfortunately the store in which it occurred hasn't/won't/can't release it. I certainly haven't found it after 10 minutes of search. Essentially, a small female LP agent made a stop at the front door, but was attacked by the customer (40ish year old female meth-head), quickly over-matched, and was pinned and being choked out. Suddenly the 70-80 year old female greeter enters the fray and tackles the customer. Managers arrive very soon after that.

It's just a nice change of pace from the usual "Person punches Walmart greeter because they had the audacity to do their job."