Concepts in the Paradox » corporations http://markballew.com/blog The writing of Mark Ballew Wed, 17 Mar 2010 23:53:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 At what point do you say no to store security? http://markballew.com/blog/2006/12/09/at-what-point-do-you-say-no-to-store-security/ http://markballew.com/blog/2006/12/09/at-what-point-do-you-say-no-to-store-security/#comments Sun, 10 Dec 2006 02:00:38 +0000 MarkBallew http://markballew.com/blog/2006/12/09/at-what-point-do-you-say-no-to-store-security/ The problem with the buzzer going off when I leave a store is that I have to wonder, “What do I do?” My first reaction is to just keep walking — I’ve done nothing wrong, and I have better things to do than to participate in a store’s shrink reduction program. But where should I draw the line when it comes to store security wanting to rummage through my personal and private effects? As it would turn out, my temper easily draws the line. Yes, I felt like an ass, but I had no choice in the matter. My button had been pressed, and so someone had to receive my bacon.

I’ll let my email to Burlington Coat Factory explain what happened this evening:


Hi,

At your San Francisco store at 599 Howard St, 12/9 at 5pm, I was exiting your store when the alarm went off. A clerk asked me to search my back pack, to which I issued a stern "No". A second clerk then joined in, and persisted in searching my bag. I angrily gave in, and he went through my personal belongings in my bag, including all of my purchases at Best Buy I had made a half our ago.

This is inexcusable, and a violation of my personal privacy. I demand that this sort of harassment end. This was my first time visiting a Burlington Coat factory, and while I found some products I might have purchased, I will no longer do business with your store until you loss prevention strategies change.

I don't have the names of the clerks, but I talked to the manager Frank at 5:10 on the phone, and he told me to contact the corporate office with my complaint. He seemed to have given me a wrong number.

Frank's reasoning behind your invasive security was that BCF's choice of neighborhoods requires such an aggressive loss prevention system. I understand this, SoMA can be a rough area, but at what point do you draw the line between customer harassment and prevention of shrink?

Please contact me at 415-555-1212 to discuss this issue further.

You know the drill. I’ll get sent some coupons in the mail with a form letter, which doesn’t really solve my issue. I’d love to spend my money in their store, but not if I’m going to be harassed. Step 2 is a written complaint if I don’t hear anything in 3 business days, and step 3 is sending everything to the BBB. Any other customer advocacy groups I should contact?

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