turned in a price switcher
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
United States
November 2, 2011 7:44pm CST
While one of my girls was at scouts tonight she wanted to go see what they had at Salvation Army. Of course she was glued to the toy aisle and the aisle right behind it was the crafty one. So I was watching her and then looking thru the craft bin around the corner. Then I noticed another shopper switching tags! Working retail I know this is clearly a form of stealing and for goodness sakes it's a charity! Really if you don't want to pay that price wait for it to go on sale for their "color of the week" @ 50% or pay the price listed. I realize the items are donated and they get them for free but they do use that money to fund various programs within the community. So I causally mentioned to the clerk as we left that the lady in the aisle behind the toys I saw her switch a price. The clerk said she can tell on the items if they had been tampered with as they peel funny. Well then the lady I saw was a pro! I was bout to pull out and the other clerk there came to the van in the parking lot and asked me for a description of the woman, I told him what the woman I saw looked like and left. He surly must have taken this seriously as well to find me in the parking lot and it was pouring.
Would you of done the same thing?
5 people like this
12 responses
@Rosa26 (2618)
• United States
3 Nov 11
I think it was correct what you did because whe we see that somebody is sealing we have to talk high because it doesn't matter if salvation army get those things for free, because at the same time they help a lot the community, for example my son will receive a bike a heltmet a mobigo and clthes from salvation army, on December, but the people shouldn't to that store or any store to steal.
2 people like this
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
4 Nov 11
I am glad they will be helping out you and your son. I always feel they do more in the community than GoodWill. I'd rather take my donations as my kids grow to them & shop there too. When it's not rummage sale season of course ;0)
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
3 Nov 11
It being a charity and all, I might do what you did.. however, I pretty much mind my own business. If it were Walmart and I saw this.. I'd not say a thing... the kind of people that go there would just as soon slash your tires or punch your face in if they can find a way to do it. I think it just depends on where it is... If I could be anonymous I would turn them in... but I wouldn't take any chances of being hurt because of it. I was brought up to mind my own business.. but I've also been taught that seeing a crime and not reporting it is as bad as doing it myself.. like i condone it.. so it is a catch 22 for me... I'd turn them in if I can do it without getting hurt myself.
1 person likes this
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
4 Nov 11
The lady was down the asile out of sight, I mentioned it to the clerk at the register as I left.
Yes I agree if it would of been elsewhere or the person was in eye sight of me I would of just moved on. But yes life is certainly full of catch 22's.
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
6 Nov 11
I certainly would've!
I was at Goodwill and found a lovely coat (too long in the arms but fits around my fat stomach) and there was no price on it.
We saw an employee and asked about it. She went to check and came back saying if it were unlabeled it was 9.95. GREAT! We had seen a nice cape thing, but sure wasn't going to pull the tag, just because we didn't want to pay $35 for it, it was probably over $100 new.
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
6 Nov 11
I've asked for the price of something as well if it was not marked, but I did not remove the tag from it. I know Salvation Army will guess a price and sell it to you, though they say they won't do it. But you know it was like a pair of sponge bob pj's I found in Sept. The pants were seperated from the top and even on two different racks but only one piece had a price. I asked the fella if they were being sold as a set or individual as there was only a price on the top and the were not together when I found them. He gave them to me for the price on the top which was .99 and it was half off of that so I did well. Though I was expecting to pay $1 for them.
I hear ya I wouldn't want to pay $35 unless I had it and knew what it ran in the regular store.
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
6 Nov 11
That is terrible. The thrift stores here are high priced for thrift stores, but what are ya gonna do? I even stopped going to most of them, cause the price is slightly more than half new price, so I just wait another week or two and buy new or wait till on sale and often I'd see the new sale price was thrift store regular price. Yeah, I'd a mentioned it to the store...people that steal only make the stores raise prices to cover their losses, that means I pay more while she pays less and no body but me spends my money!
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
7 Nov 11
Yeah, its been the last few years that thrift's have gone up. I understand the "supply and demand" and while people stopped shopping in retail stores, they were having to go to thrift while those of us that have been "thrifting" all our lives...found our little gold mines being more popular...thereby the demand is up...so will the price! Oh well...I look anyway. Sometimes I find a deal other times, I walk out empty handed. I used to buy books there alot, but those have gone up too!
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
6 Nov 11
Yes I agree many of the thrift stores cost as much as getting something off the clearance rack. You just have to know your prices and what you are willing to pay. I've already noticed their prices going up substantially in the past couple of years. Stuff like yarn I could find for say a dollar a bag of odd balls I now would pay 3 for and I won't pay 3, so I don't buy unless it's a half off color. As I found a bag for .99 with 8 balls of yarn worth say 3 ea retail that's a deal.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
3 Nov 11
hi Yes I think I wou ld have as that shopper had no ri ght at all to monkey with the tags. that takes a damned lot of nerve. I am glad you tole the clerk and that another clerk got a good discription of the tag switcher from yo u. she was really not playing fair at all.
I realize that the stuff is donated but image some poor p erson with the exact change then this idiot had switched tags so the item was now higher in price. some people do not think of others at all. mean thats what that is. plain mean.
1 person likes this
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
4 Nov 11
People have no right to mess with the tags weather it's a thrift store, a rummage sale, or any full price store. If you can't afford it you save up for it, put it on a credit card, or just not buy it.
I've had people do it at my own job it's sad when you catch them they either reject the item or ask you why it was priced incorrectly... I repeat "incorrectly"!! Yep those $30 plates suddenly were $2.60 yeah... incorrectly my tush cause they incorrectly have the same price & UPC as a set of glasses and other items...
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
3 Nov 11
I think it's even worse that they were doing this because IT IS a charity. If you can't afford what's even in the salvation army, then maybe you do need charity (I mean the person who was switching tags, not you) but really, don't DO THAT.
It's awful. I suppose they did take it seriously. I wonder how much the clerks get paid, I wouldn't think much and most of it's volunteer I'd think, so they really DID care.
1 person likes this
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
4 Nov 11
I agree! If you can't afford it at the thrift store than you need to hit the rummage sale circut or look for other means of help.
I think they get paid minimum wage or a bit higher. I know St. Vincent DePaul has volunteers.
@GardenGerty (157735)
• United States
5 Nov 11
Probably. If they switch prices there, they do it elsewhere as well. In retail establishments the loss eventually comes out of our pockets. As you said, for Pete's sake, this is a charity and the items are already a bargain.
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
8 Nov 11
my mom used to work for a salvation army.their store had a high checkout counter,and the one day i saw this lady exclaim "the shirt didn't have a price on it",all the while picking it off under the counter.
i said "that's because you're picking it off,lady".
this is one reason SA won't sell items without tags now.of course,they also staple it on now so it's a bit harder.
if your butt is so broke you gotta steal from a salvation army
..jeez,you could go to the main and get a voucher for free stuff..
..jeez,you could go to the main and get a voucher for free stuff..
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
5 Nov 11
Of course I would have done the same. You're right, that's stealing just the same as slipping an item under your coat. And the person probably wasn't even poor, probably didn't even have to shop there--people who do things like that usually do it for the satisfaction of getting away with something. I hope she got what she deserves.
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
22 Mar 12
I think I would have done the same thing myself. I haven't been in the situation myself or observed the same thing, but if something seems fishy I do tend to tell someone. I hope that they did take it seriously because it really isn't right for someone to try to get something for nothing when most products are already marked down really low! Thanks for bringing this up!
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
5 Nov 11
Good for you!
I can't say forsure what I would have done if I'd seen her. I guess it would depend on my mood that day. I agree though that people shouldn't be trying to steal from anywhere, especially charity stores. Whenever I see something I want but it's more than I'd like to pay, I either deal with the price depending on how much I like it, or I pass it up.
I actually plan on heading to the Salvation Army today to look for some more work clothes.
