I remember being a teenager and some stores I stopped going into because it was clear I was being followed because obviously I was a criminal since I was a child. Its like dude I am here to spend money I earned through my job, but I guess not, good day.
when I was a teen and noticed I was being followed, I'd act shiftier. One time I got a total of 4 employees following me.
Then I went to the register once I'd had my fun and bought a stick of gum and a book from the clearance bin. They asked to stop me and see my receipt at the door, I said, "you've all been staring at my ass for the last 30 minutes and you didn't see me go to the register, how? Call the fucking cops, asshole. I'll wait."
Suddenly they wanted nothing more than to convince me to leave quickly.
Honestly I feel like this partially killed the malls. Most of the stores at the one I went to would follow all teenagers and make you leave any bag or purse at the counter. We eventually just stopped going. No one likes giving money to someone treating you like a criminal.
I mean shoplifting is also just out of control because of nothing being affordable, poverty being widespread, specific communities being deliberately underfunded so that crime rates increase and Fox News has more talking point padded statistics about specific demographics out of context, adult criminals indoctrinating children to commit crimes and nothing constructive being done to combat it since it suits the current leadership's narratives, etc. Once minors caught onto the fact that police and the Justice system in general will do absolutely nothing to find any constructive strategies to combat or reduce these crimes, it just got worse. Almost like it's intentional since they have plenty of time to harass everyone else for total BS.
Ughh yeah, I remember when I went to my town's department store literally to buy a pack of plastic spoons because mine all broke, and the clerk deadass ignored multiple customers clearly needing help to follow me around the floor in loops (because I couldn't find the damn spoons).
I had went to Barnes and Noble and was paying for 3 books and 3 journals, at least a hundred dollar purchase, and asked the sales clerk what nice pens they had, as one of the journals was a gift. That jerk told me I " couldn't afford it" wtf.
Put me off shopping there for a while, luckily I haven't had a bad experience since then.
I thought it was weird, not like that clerk was making a lot, and it's not like it's an exclusive or that great of a store.
One time my 4 boys and I got Starbucks drinks there that were so bad, we collectively threw them away upon tasting them, lol .
It’s rare I get someone following me now but if I do I turn them into my personal shopper. Where is x item? Do they have this in blue? Can you reach y for me?
5 to 10 min later they are trying to get out of the constant requests without denying a customer help.
Just remember if they are making you uncomfortable make them more uncomfortable and you will feel less uncomfortable.
One time I took my ebike into Walmart, I was buying a seat cover.
I had an employee following me the whole time, talking to someone on his radio.
When I went to check out, thier security guy stopped me and asked if I had a receipt for the bike, an obviously dirty, much used bike I had walked in with. I looked at him incredulously, and said, you don't even sell these here .
He backpedaled, claimed to be joking, and started asking me about it's speed, range, etc. That was some nerve. What were they going to do, call the police on me or tackle me for stealing my own bike?
If I ever find myself being followed, I start acting weirdly. Not enough to justify kicking me out, but enough to bother them. Just kinda moving stuff around, picking stuff up and putting it back, that sorta thing. If you want to waste your time on my dumb ass, I'm gonna make sure you really waste your time.
I dated a girl who worked at a store like this and they would check her bag/purse etc everytime she left work to make sure employees weren't stealing clothing. I was stressed out just thinking about it.
Back in the 2000s and prior, it used to be like that at high-end clothing stores. The sales people would check you up and down, sometimes just tell you (unsolicited) straight up that they don't have anything for you.
But then rich kids, new and old, started wearing more casual clothes - and they couldn't afford to lose out on some kid wearing tracksuit or hoodie to their precious store.
I went into spirit Halloween last weekend wearing my tiny backpack. Couldn't fit anything in it and I wouldn't want to, anyway. This one employee would not stop following me and even commented on my bag, saying she really liked it. It's lord of the rings themed, so I said "thanks, i love Lotr" and shes like "huh?"
Bitch. This is a seasonal job. You're not gonna get an award for catching shoplifters even if I was interested in stealing, which I wasn't. Absolutely ridiculous.
Fr. My mom sent me to a mall in Dallas she had a $100 gift card for. Me dressed for texas summer, felt quite undressed for such a bougie location. Before I found the H&M, I decided to check out a boutique. This was my exact experience. Went to H&M, and never went back to that mall since.
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u/SlightAnything4909 16h ago
This is so real.
Also being visibly a student and going into an expensive store in the tourist town WHERE YOU LIVE AND ARE JUST LOOKING FOR A GIFT FOR YOUR GRANDMA.