Getting followed in stores (rant)

[txinvestigator1]

Really? Read again. We did that AFTER we already had 2 store employees following us. Therefore, your logic doesn't work. Walking down an aisle is not being a PITA or suspicious. Having 2 employees following you and radioing your whereabouts every 30 seconds because of your age IS a PITA. If you read my original post, you would see the instances I was talking about were when I was by myself, and once when I was looking at CD's with 2 friends.

You wrote

Yeah, the funny thing is when I go into a store with like 5 friends and we are being followed, we all split down different aisles.

If you don't like the people watching you stop going there. And you and your friends doing the above is stupid,juvenile, pain in the *** behavior, plain and simple. It is a business, not a playground for you and your little buddies. :cool:

[Metallic4]

If you don't like the people watching you stop going there. And you and your friends doing the above is stupid,juvenile, pain in the *** behavior, plain and simple. It is a business, not a playground for you and your little buddies. :cool:

I usually accept the fact that I will be followed, and I usually don't mind it. However, the blatant following with walkie talkies, etc. is over the top.
I would disagree with your logic. Having 2 "loss prevention" employees following you over the whole store after you have already informed them when they asked that you don't need their help is over the top. So is radioing our location to the whole store every 30 seconds. We didn't draw attention to ourselves when we entered the store, we were polite when asked if we needed help, and I would expect it to end there.

So, answer my question:
How can us walking out down different aisles be the cause of us being followed AFTER they are already following us? Doesn't make sense.

[greenlead]

So, answer my question:
How can us walking out down different aisles be the cause of us being followed AFTER they are already following us? Doesn't make sense.

It simply confirms their reasoning for following you. It is standard behavior for shoplifters working in teams to make it as hard as possible for store representatives to catch them. If they are already suspicious of you, and all of the sudden your entire group, already looking suspicious, dashes off in different directions, then I would be looking at you even more carefully.

BTW, I don't think I've ever been followed at Best Buy. If I have, then I'll just blaim teens like you as the cause and accept my lot in life.

[ChainSa]

So, answer my question:
How can us walking out down different aisles be the cause of us being followed AFTER they are already following us? Doesn't make sense.

That's easy, they thought you were trying to distract and confuse them. If a cop sees a gang of punks in front of an establishment, he hawks them for a while. And if they split, he more than likely has some backup to come in and help keep an eye on things. That's just simply street psychology. Only my $0.02.

[txinvestigator1]

Because you are jacking with them. You do not have to understand, agree with or like it. They can follow you or anyone else. If you don't like it shop somewhere else.

STOP IT!

[Metallic4]

As I said above, I understand and accept the fact that I will be followed. And I see where you are coming from about walking out down different aisles, because it isn't really a good idea. But I hope that you can also see part of my point of view where getting followed all the time gets old.

[Metallic4]

BTW, I don't think I've ever been followed at Best Buy. If I have, then I'll just blaim teens like you as the cause and accept my lot in life.

Yeah, blame me for stepping foot in Best Buy :rolleyes: BTW, what causes you to think that I am the cause of this at Best Buy? Did I ever say we walked out down different aisles at Best Buy? No, I was talking about a totally different store. If you read my thing about Best Buy, you would see that the first time I was alone, and the second time I was with two friends, and it also said I was very polite to the employees.

[ChainSa]

As I said above, I understand and accept the fact that I will be followed. And I see where you are coming from about walking out down different aisles, because it isn't really a good idea. But I hope that you can also see part of my point of view where getting followed all the time gets old.

Paying bills gets old too, but most people don't complain, they grin and bear it.

And no, I'm not trying to start a hostile argument here. These are facts of life... "live with it, or be beaten down by it."

[wpzh973]

Well, the areas you are probably in, have probably a high rate of theft from them, I know in High school, when i worked at a target, the area Loss Prevention always watched was the Cd/DVD area, obvously there was alot of store property being stolen in that area. Ive been followed myself a few times and it doesent bother me, cause I know iam not stealing anything and dont have to worry about it. Also its hard to watch 20 different cameras and watch everyone of them at the same time to prevent shoplifters. Most stores, no one even monitors the cameras unless they know someone is in the store that theyve had a problem with before, at least the store I worked at in High school did that, and also its recorded all the time so if they have to prove that someone stole something its on tape. If your not stealing anything why are you soo concerned about them following you?
Its good that they have LP, it helps to keep prices lower on items, so it actully saves you money.

[Metallic4]

Well, the areas you are probably in, have probably a high rate of theft from them, I know in High school, when i worked at a target, the area Loss Prevention always watched was the Cd/DVD area, obvously there was alot of store property being stolen in that area. Ive been followed myself a few times and it doesent bother me, cause I know iam not stealing anything and dont have to worry about it. Also its hard to watch 20 different cameras and watch everyone of them at the same time to prevent shoplifters. Most stores, no one even monitors the cameras unless they know someone is in the store that theyve had a problem with before, at least the store I worked at in High school did that, and also its recorded all the time so if they have to prove that someone stole something its on tape. If your not stealing anything why are you soo concerned about them following you?
Its good that they have LP, it helps to keep prices lower on items, so it actully saves you money.

True, I will keep this all in mind as well as the other viewpoints in this thread.

[Norm357]

Im gonna be the voive of dissention here and agree with the kid. When shopping (and spending hard earned money) security should not follow, poke prod, or otherwise harass you if your not doing anything wrong. If it happened to me, me and the store manager and the head of loss prevention would be having a long, hard conversion.

[ngcsubutterbar]

play games with them if you are, start talking into your hand loudly like you're a secret agent, take something walk around with it for a few minutes then go put it back exactly where you found it, just fudge with them if they're fudging with you. I don't remember being followed in any store, but you could always have fun on their expense.

[mcsap]

The store is THEIR property, not yours. If you don't like the attention you are getting, vote with your feet where you shop.

[txinvestigator1]

Im gonna be the voive of dissention here and agree with the kid. When shopping (and spending hard earned money) security should not follow, poke prod, or otherwise harass you if your not doing anything wrong. If it happened to me, me and the store manager and the head of loss prevention would be having a long, hard conversion.

All stores have "flags" that they focus on. Unless they Follow, poke, prod, etc, how can they discern if you are "doing anything wrong"?

Relax and shop.

[Norm357]

All stores have "flags" that they focus on. Unless they Follow, poke, prod, etc, how can they discern if you are "doing anything wrong"?

Relax and shop.

HA! I look and dress as unthuglike as anyone. Ask Switchback. I got grabbed, physicaly grabbed, by kmart LP once when they thought I was stealing of all things fishing lures. He is lucky all I did was bust his nose and call the cops.I dont have very much respect for these wanna be low rent loss prevention security asses.