I just have a weird question regarding shopping in other countries.
By AmberLynn
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
United States
June 5, 2016 7:06pm CST
I was watching a youtube video. It's a family whose videos I watch every once in awhile. The family lives in a country where it's not uncommon to see people walking to the town, or to take a bus for further excursions etc.
With this being said, it's highly likely to see people in shopping centers shopping at different stores with their purchases.
I can't say for sure how it's done here in the US. I've never had to experience it, but I imagine if we were to bring shopping from another store into a store, there might be the possibility that our purchases were looked through. This is, of course, to deter thieving.
I am not saying that's how it works in the US, but I imagine it would be more likely to happen. I hope that I said that all clearly enough.
My question is, if you take public transit into town, and shop at multiple places, have you had your purchases looked through at any point in time? Is it acceptable to carry around purchases from other stores?
Obviously we do that here in America with malls, but I don't do much mall shopping, and when I do? I usually do my browsing through stores before I go to the store I know I'll do my purchasing from...
7 people like this
7 responses
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
6 Jun 16
No, this does not cause any problems at all. I often visit several stores during a single visit to the city centre and have even returned to a store that I bought from earlier.
If the barcode on the item is not scanned them it will trigger an alarm as you leave, at which point you would be stopped.
There are some odd occasions and I once bought an external storage drive on my way to the shopping centre, which triggered the alarm as I walked in.
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
6 Jun 16
@ScribbledAdNauseum The attaching of such tags to items like clothing is common practice because barcodes would not adhere sufficiently.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
6 Jun 16
Yes, I really don't know all the quirks as to how the bar codes are activate / deactivated. I remember, working for a department store here years ago, that the plastic devices that deter theft (placed on clothing) can set the alarm off.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (230350)
• Chile
6 Jun 16
I live in such a country. And goods are placed in bags so noone looks at them.
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
6 Jun 16
So are ours but I feel as if a lot of places now would think you might be shoplifting... I work in retail (grocery) and that is what they teach us, that a shoplifter MIGHT be one who is carrying a bag... That is only one of the tips, and not the defining one though.
@toniganzon (77184)
• Philippines
6 Jun 16
WE have a baggage counter where we have to leave our purchases.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
6 Jun 16
That sounds sensible but I'd be afraid my items would be picked up by others. Has that ever happened that you know of?
@toniganzon (77184)
• Philippines
6 Jun 16
@ScribbledAdNauseum never. Each goes to a correspond box with a number.
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
6 Jun 16
@toniganzon Oh well that's a nice system. I remember seeing some sort of locker system, I don't remember where but it was somewhere overseas (for me). It was for travelers, I thought it was nice.
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
6 Jun 16
Well, when we go to the mall - we'd buy stuff and shop around and hold those belongings to the next mall store?
When I was younger like in middle school and high school - I did not have a car and when I hung out with friends we went to stores and we would hold our belongings in from stores to stores.As long as I put the receipt in (like if the two stores I went to have the same items). I put the receipt to show like I didn't steal it. If it's smaller items, I'd stick it in my purse.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
6 Jun 16
I have never really been a shopper. I like to go to one store and be done with it. I've only really "shopped around" when hanging out with friends, or like you said, when younger and out with family.
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
6 Jun 16
@ScribbledAdNauseum
When I go to the mall, I primarily go to just one store and be done - but sometimes I will shop around. I do always have in mind, people will think I am stealing but I always have my receipt in the bag just encase.
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
6 Jun 16
@ScribbledAdNauseum
Yes, I hate when people assume without proof or evidence. Like if someone is picking on people you look like the type that steals - you better have the proof.
@Letranknight2015 (52665)
• Philippines
6 Jun 16
That doesn't happen in my country I would go to store to another and they won't even look at it. but when i do shop to a certain one, I would always show my receipt to the guard on my way out. some of their malls personnel are PARANOID of theft.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
6 Jun 16
I can appreciate that stores want to ensure people aren't stealing. I just wasn't sure how other countries handled it. We have mass transit here in the States but not as fluidly ran as I've seen other countries.
@jstory07 (148734)
• Roseburg, Oregon
6 Jun 16
I know in the store I worked at. If they came in with a backpack or bags they left them up front.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
6 Jun 16
That would probably be one way to go about it but I'd be afraid someone would steal the items, ro worse, theyd' think it was something that needed to be put back on the shelf or returned etc..
@jillybean1222 (6406)
•
7 Jun 16
i've often walked through malls with multiple bags from multiple stores... of course, that was back before kids when i could afford to shop like that...
