I haven’t joined Costco or Sam’s, but this is why I hate going in stores like Wal-Mart. It’s the store equivalent of a huge, centralized bureaucracy. I can never just dash in and get out in reasonable time. They’ll have 20 cash registers but only two or three open. I’m always very cordial to clerks. I know they don’t make the rules. Still, I always feel like cattle in a chute. There’s no excuse for chasing and manhandling someone who has shown a receipt. What if that lady had just received an emergency phone call and had to leave? What if she felt sick and just had to get out of there? They should all pattern after our local Publix stores—they treat you royally.
A very common practice used by shoplifters is to wave a receipt, even one they find in a trash can or on a sidewalk.
That's why the store has personnel that check the contents against the receipt.
I've witnessed a man buy a tv, take it to his truck, then come back in the store and pick up another one and take it to the returns counter and get a refund. He was stopped by security as he exited the inner doors. He started to push his way past the loss prevention lady. He went to jail.
It's probably against store policy for the door greeter to touch the customers purse unless she witnessed the act of shoplifting occur. But that's a policy and generally those are stacked in favor of giving the customer every benefit of a doubt. I've never been to Costco. I have no doubt that their losses from shoplifting are similar to other retailers, which is huge. We all pay those costs.
I have zero sympathy for thieves and little for people that are too “special” to wait a few seconds in line.