Earlier today I met up with my mother to do some shopping at a local Wal-Mart. We had checked out and were almost out to the sidewalk when we heard a security alarm going off. The greeter quickly came out and said she'd need to see our receipts. First she started questioning my mother, asking her how much some specific items in her bags had cost, digging through the bags trying to match things up with the receipt, and then asked her to start walking in and out the door carrying one item at a time. She thought that "something was going on" with the pair of earrings my mom had purchased and made her walk those back and forth. The greeter then started questioning me, putting me through the same strange routine, rifling through my bags, asking questions, etc. She asked me exactly how much the mouse I'd bought cost and told me to point out that line on the receipt. Unfortunately for me, that item was not completely spelled out on the receipt, just very abbreviated, so the greeter took that item to a CSM and asked them to check it out. When she came back I guess she was finally convinced we weren't thieves and told us to go. 15 minutes after the alarm had gone off, we were on our way.

Don't treat paying customers like criminals. Having to go through this at a business we'd just spent a lot of money at was very frustrating and demeaning. Educate door greeters that they are not law enforcement or security personnel and should not act as such. OR, hire law enforcement/security personnel to station the door so they would at least have the training and background to act in that role. Most of the greeters around here are elderly and/or handicapped. Is having them confront potential shoplifters who are trying to leave really the best position to put them in?

I don't want freebies and I'm sure I will shop at Walmart again. I don't really want anything except for my concerns to be heard.