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Doreen

(11,686 posts)
Sun Aug 26, 2018, 11:47 PM Aug 2018

New permission to discriminate?

I was at Walmart on Saturday helping my mother do her shopping. Well, when we were coming up to the door to leave the greeter had a black woman standing there while he was looking through her bags. In the not so distant past I had been told ( by employees ) that they only look at receipts if you have large merchandise that is not in a bag ( mostly electronics ) but here he is singling her out and looking very carefully through her bags. There were a lot of white people just passing them by not even being considered to be checked out. My mother was behind her and offered to show her receipt and said to her "you are fine sweetie, go ahead." After seeing this and talking to my mother about it I was pissed and after taking her home I went back to Walmart to talk to the customer service desk. Well, I found out the rules had changed ( not so very long ago ) and they were allowed to search anyone at anytime. Basically Walmart just gave their employees with prejudice a free rein to discriminate. I got very pissed at this ( still am ) am I however overreacting? What do DU'ers think?

24 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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New permission to discriminate? (Original Post) Doreen Aug 2018 OP
No, you're not overreacting. elleng Aug 2018 #1
good Doreen Aug 2018 #4
I would be pissed too. Control-Z Aug 2018 #2
Yeah, mostly the only reason I go there is because my mother wants to go. Doreen Aug 2018 #3
I like your cat litter angle!! It made me smile. eom Control-Z Aug 2018 #7
Amazon is the way to go oberliner Aug 2018 #5
Yeah, I think I will do that more but I need to be careful because if something is to big Doreen Aug 2018 #6
That is a good point oberliner Aug 2018 #9
I use Amazon lockers..sometimes....I can pick my package up when I do my groceries.. HipChick Aug 2018 #15
Perhaps you could have larger packages mailed to your work place. PoindexterOglethorpe Aug 2018 #17
Problem is I am not working. Doreen Aug 2018 #19
I understand. PoindexterOglethorpe Aug 2018 #21
Back in the 80s Walmart came into communities and destroyed small businesses. rusty quoin Aug 2018 #8
But at least Amazon won't search your bag oberliner Aug 2018 #10
Yeah, because they know they got paid. rusty quoin Aug 2018 #12
Not necessarily oberliner Aug 2018 #14
Now that Sears and Kmart are out my county has no choice but Walmart. Doreen Aug 2018 #18
I know. That is the country in which we live. I can only hope for our future. rusty quoin Aug 2018 #20
Your thinking is correct; it's discriminatory, racist and horrible. appalachiablue Aug 2018 #11
While some AP associates do power trip and stop blacks and Latinos in higher numbers, Jake Stern Aug 2018 #13
I have no problem having to show my receipt and obvioulsy Doreen Aug 2018 #16
Hispanic Facebook friend posted a similar experience at Walmart this week womanofthehills Aug 2018 #22
The Walmart where I live at is horrible and with their new Doreen Aug 2018 #23
Here in Arkansas, they have been checking bags and receipts for about a year. sinkingfeeling Aug 2018 #24

Control-Z

(15,681 posts)
2. I would be pissed too.
Sun Aug 26, 2018, 11:55 PM
Aug 2018

For a number of reasons I started boycotting Walmart in 2006. I haven't missed them a bit. Even on a budget I can google items and find them at other places for the same, or close to the same prices.

Doreen

(11,686 posts)
3. Yeah, mostly the only reason I go there is because my mother wants to go.
Sun Aug 26, 2018, 11:59 PM
Aug 2018

I do buy something if I need it now and can not wait and each month I buy cat litter as they are the least expensive place in my county to get litter and I am happy to see something from Walmart getting shit on.

Doreen

(11,686 posts)
6. Yeah, I think I will do that more but I need to be careful because if something is to big
Mon Aug 27, 2018, 12:09 AM
Aug 2018

for the package box at my apartment complex they take it back to the post office. Living in a complex where only those with keys can get in can be tricky and staying home for a package is not always possible.

HipChick

(25,485 posts)
15. I use Amazon lockers..sometimes....I can pick my package up when I do my groceries..
Mon Aug 27, 2018, 12:34 AM
Aug 2018

the post office is out of the way for me..

PoindexterOglethorpe

(25,746 posts)
17. Perhaps you could have larger packages mailed to your work place.
Mon Aug 27, 2018, 12:56 AM
Aug 2018

My sister did that for a number of years, as she had a similar problem about getting packages delivered to her apartment building.

PoindexterOglethorpe

(25,746 posts)
21. I understand.
Mon Aug 27, 2018, 01:06 AM
Aug 2018

Depending on where you live, another possibility is to have packages shipped via UPS or Federal Express and always arrange to pick them up at their local office.

I realize that may also not be the best solution for you. Such things can be tricky.

 

rusty quoin

(6,133 posts)
8. Back in the 80s Walmart came into communities and destroyed small businesses.
Mon Aug 27, 2018, 12:18 AM
Aug 2018

Here we are now with Walmart being the biggest employer in the same communities. If you buy from Amazon, people will lose jobs too.

I hated Walmart since the 80s and tried not to shop there. I use Amazon because it is so easy. I guess the irony is that I am contributing to the thing in which I have protested against my whole adult life, putting people out of work.

 

oberliner

(58,724 posts)
14. Not necessarily
Mon Aug 27, 2018, 12:32 AM
Aug 2018

I've heard of people who have scammed Amazon in various ways (such as claiming they did not receive an item that they actually did).

Doreen

(11,686 posts)
18. Now that Sears and Kmart are out my county has no choice but Walmart.
Mon Aug 27, 2018, 01:00 AM
Aug 2018

I see what you mean about putting people out of work but at the same time it almost makes no difference because for how much they get paid they are on the thin line of might as well not have a job.

Jake Stern

(3,145 posts)
13. While some AP associates do power trip and stop blacks and Latinos in higher numbers,
Mon Aug 27, 2018, 12:26 AM
Aug 2018

I've found, working at Walmart, that the biggest variable affecting the intensity of exit checks is the level of theft at a given store.

For example: The Walmart I worked at had pretty low shrink so they were more about checking receipts only for big ticket and electronic items.

On the other hand the store near where I lived was one of the worst in the state for theft so they popped EVERYBODY going out the door.

I always found it fascinating that folks will screech like banshees if asked to show a receipt at Walmart but will dutifully have it out for the guy manning the door at Costco.


Doreen

(11,686 posts)
16. I have no problem having to show my receipt and obvioulsy
Mon Aug 27, 2018, 12:54 AM
Aug 2018

nor does my mother. It is when the ones they pick to show a receipt are colored people and not the whites. The difference between Walmart and Costco is that Costco asks EVERYBODY not just a chosen few.

womanofthehills

(8,579 posts)
22. Hispanic Facebook friend posted a similar experience at Walmart this week
Mon Aug 27, 2018, 01:07 AM
Aug 2018

She posted that 5 white people walked out in front of her and none were asked for their receipts. Then, when she gets to the door, she is asked for her receipt (she is a dark skinned Hispanic). Because this has happened to her at Walmart before, she complains about discrimination and says she is not going to show her receipt. She then says "So they called the cops on me again."

Doreen

(11,686 posts)
23. The Walmart where I live at is horrible and with their new
Mon Aug 27, 2018, 01:17 AM
Aug 2018

rule to discriminate it is going to get worse. I have had other problems with them in the past when I used to shop there more often.

sinkingfeeling

(51,276 posts)
24. Here in Arkansas, they have been checking bags and receipts for about a year.
Mon Aug 27, 2018, 09:19 AM
Aug 2018

I have always thrown my receipts into the sack with my items. The first time we had to search 5 bags (I bring my own reusable ones) to find the receipt.
Here, they check about 85% of shoppers.

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