Wal-mart and games

[Video]

Well, Video Games are WAY more addictive than movies are (being interactive and all) So even though a game may be $20 instead of $100 (like for star trek box sets a few years back) You'll have a higher chance of someone stealing a game than a DVD.

 

Honestly, how many empty DVD cases do you see around the store? I always see empty game cases someone stole the game out of (to avoid the alarm thingy, what an intelegent store would do, is have the anti theft thing put into the cart, or on the disc itself, rather than just in the box) Funny thing is...the games stolen are the WAY discounted ones, like $5 and $10 that the store didn't think was valuable enough to take up enclosed shelf space anymore

 

Besides, the Box sets have multiple discs in them, who wants to hastle with that?

[purenergy]

Naah. I work at a Wal-Mart. We lose dozens of CDs, DVDs, and video games a day precisely through the mechanism ewing92 states. (And even more by people who are more blatant, simply opening games in the electronics department.) Just because there are cameras doesn't mean many people are caught, and the rules are so restrictive that even someone who's seen you pocket something is probably not going to be able to do more than try to make you feel nervous.

 

We do put some games out in the open in my store, by the way. We have dump bins of $30 games, and 8 feet of $20 games out in the open. The cases are primarily for the more expensive games, with any leftover space going towards whatever stock is onhand...

 

When I was an Assistant Manager at Wal-Mart, we stopped a shoplifter that had concealed 40 CD's under his clothing(everywhere!)

We made sure to wear plastic gloves before handling the evidence!

[Student Driver]

Well, Video Games are WAY more addictive than movies are (being interactive and all) So even though a game may be $20 instead of $100 (like for star trek box sets a few years back) You'll have a higher chance of someone stealing a game than a DVD.

 

Honestly, how many empty DVD cases do you see around the store? I always see empty game cases someone stole the game out of (to avoid the alarm thingy, what an intelegent store would do, is have the anti theft thing put into the cart, or on the disc itself, rather than just in the box) Funny thing is...the games stolen are the WAY discounted ones, like $5 and $10 that the store didn't think was valuable enough to take up enclosed shelf space anymore

 

Besides, the Box sets have multiple discs in them, who wants to hastle with that?

 

The DVDs stolen are probably equal in number to games stolen, though there are probably more game thieves than DVD thieves. When we lose DVDs, they're usually in multiples-- someone will take a stack of 10 titles somewhere quiet, slice the packages, and make off with the discs. (And, yeah, they hit box sets, too.) The game thiefs are usually after one game in particular, though it seemed like GBC/GBA thieves would take any carts they could get.

 

Manufacturers are responsible for the in-package anti-theft devices, not stores, so intelligent stores don't get to determine where the tags end up. I will say this, though: intelligent manufacturers definitely wouldn't put the tags on the discs-- they can come off in players, render discs unplayable, etc.

 

When I was an Assistant Manager at Wal-Mart, we stopped a shoplifter that had concealed 40 CD's under his clothing(everywhere!)

 

We made sure to wear plastic gloves before handling the evidence!

 

Eww. Never dealt with someone using their orifices and/or folds o' flab. Worst I've had so far was trapping a guy in a bathroom who had a stack of DVDs; he shoved the discs and opened packages in the dirty diaper bin on the baby-changing table.

[Video]

I don't know, the Anti Theft things (even the big ones in boxes) are just super thin (thinner than paper) pieces of metal with an antina and a micro chips, so small it could be put under the lable when the disc is made (or actually placed inside the spindle area) It wouldn't be any harder than putting the foil shiny "official (brand x) product" lables on CD's.

 

Of course, stores don't put these things in themselves, but some (like Walmart) are big enough that they can get manufacturers to do it. They've already done it with some Items...

 

As for people steeling, eh...You could always set it up Toys R Us style, they just have the game section without a single game in it, just cards that show the front and back of the package, and you take one to the desk to buy the games. I bet that ends a lot of steeling, at least from customers.

 

I don't know that All Toys r Usses do this, but the few I've been to did this, seems like a Good Idea to me.

 

Oh yeah, I used to work at Walmart. Heh, as stockman Kinda stupid that you can't do anything about it till they leave the store. Law says escentually, cause you can't prove they were going to steel it. I personally would say, anybody trying to hide the fact that they opened the thing, and put it in their pocket (which is ruining the product for sale, at the least) is intent to steal, and at the very least, should be able to require them to purchase the items at that point.

[moycon]

We do put some games out in the open in my store, by the way. We have dump bins of $30 games, and 8 feet of $20 games out in the open. The cases are primarily for the more expensive games, with any leftover space going towards whatever stock is onhand...

 

I don't think I've been in a Wal Mart yet around this area where this isn't the case. They have a shit load of games out in the open. I can definately understand why folks would be pissed spending the 5 minutes or less to find a person who will unlock a case so you can get a newer game. Time is after all money. There are alot of VERY important people on these boards who just don't have that sort of extra time. (Note : These are the same important folks that will wait in line 10 minute to get a double beef Barthy burger at lunch) Jeeze people, read the local news if you want to see some real problems, finding someone to open a game case aint one of them.

 

I personally like Wal-Mart for games, if I want to run out a snag a quick fix at 3 in the morning. So be it. No where else around me can offer that.

Edited March 26, 2007 by moycon

[Student Driver]

Oh yeah, I used to work at Walmart. Heh, as stockman Kinda stupid that you can't do anything about it till they leave the store. Law says escentually, cause you can't prove they were going to steel it. I personally would say, anybody trying to hide the fact that they opened the thing, and put it in their pocket (which is ruining the product for sale, at the least) is intent to steal, and at the very least, should be able to require them to purchase the items at that point.

 

Yeah. I've gotten to the point now where I just go up to people that I've seen hide/pocket things and ask for the item back. I don't say anything about them stealing it... I just ask for it back. "Hey, can I have my pregnancy test back?" The whole "follow them and then give up when they walk out the door" thing seems ridiculous, especially when I can be direct yet not actually accuse them of anything. Gotta do it within seconds of seeing it, though, otherwise they will bluff and say they don't have it anymore.

 

If I see someone open a package and take an item out, I usually walk up and say loudly "Hey! You forgot the box to that product! Boy, wouldn't wanna forget that now, would ya?!" Half the time, people buy the item, the other half people will just hand over whatever they've palmed and say "Oh, I didn't actually want this." Like you said, it's ruined for sale at that point, but I get the pleasure of not letting them succeed (and we get most of the cost back when we return it through claims).

 

(The other thing I do in that situation: if they have a cart, I sneak up and place the empty box in the front basket of their cart. They usually return, see the package, look around, and abandon the box again. When it mysteriously ends up in their cart again, they typically go ahead and pay for it. This is especially so for the bastards who go through the candy aisle, opening bags of candy and taking a handful.)

 

I'm always shocked about the petty crap people steal. While I don't like it, I can at least understand the motivation to steal expensive stuff, or necessities like formula. But someone will have $200 of groceries in their cart, yet they'll jump through hoops to hide animal crackers in their purse to save 44 cents. Perhaps they're thinking "man, they're making all this money offa me, they owe me this," but all that runs through my head is "They spend $50 on Hot Pockets alone, yet they can't afford animal crackers?"