Michael’s Spray Paint Policy

[Anonymous]

Some of the previous posters are seriously unhinged. You think a cashier making minimum wage likes to pester people for ID? That the cashier is making up requirements for fun? The way the system is set up is they have to mark they have checked ID or a birthdate because it is a law.

§ 131.03 SALE AND POSSESSION OF AEROSOL SPRAY PAINT CANS BY JUVENILES.
It is unlawful for any person to sell, exchange, give or loan, or cause or permit to be sold, exchanged, given, or loaned, any pressurized can or other container commonly known as an aerosol spray paint can or container which contains paint or dye to anyone under the age of 18 years. It is unlawful for anyone under the age of 18 years to purchase or otherwise obtain any aerosol spray paint can or for a juvenile to possess an aerosol spray paint can in a public place unless the juvenile is in the presence of his or her parent or guardian.
('83 Code, § 9.20.030) (Ord. 1048, passed - -91) Penalty, see § 10.99

So they program the registers to ask the question about birthdate or check ID. The cashier is just told- don't discriminate based on looks, check everyone's ID who wants to buy spray paint.

[Anonymous]

That employee is a dumb dumb but that's what minimum wage affords.

[Anonymous]

The cashier was preventing a straw purchase. I thought you guys liked that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some of the previous posters are seriously unhinged. You think a cashier making minimum wage likes to pester people for ID? That the cashier is making up requirements for fun? The way the system is set up is they have to mark they have checked ID or a birthdate because it is a law.

§ 131.03 SALE AND POSSESSION OF AEROSOL SPRAY PAINT CANS BY JUVENILES.
It is unlawful for any person to sell, exchange, give or loan, or cause or permit to be sold, exchanged, given, or loaned, any pressurized can or other container commonly known as an aerosol spray paint can or container which contains paint or dye to anyone under the age of 18 years. It is unlawful for anyone under the age of 18 years to purchase or otherwise obtain any aerosol spray paint can or for a juvenile to possess an aerosol spray paint can in a public place unless the juvenile is in the presence of his or her parent or guardian.
('83 Code, § 9.20.030) (Ord. 1048, passed - -91) Penalty, see § 10.99

So they program the registers to ask the question about birthdate or check ID. The cashier is just told- don't discriminate based on looks, check everyone's ID who wants to buy spray paint.

This. She doesn't want to get fired, fined, and possibly go to jail just because OP wants to play arts and crafts.

But this is DCUM where no one ever worked as a bartender, waitress, cashier, or any other job that required checking IDs because even as students, their only jobs were cushy internships at their Dad's corporation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yea, sometimes these age requirements are insane. A few months back H and I stopped at the grocery store to get beer. I'm in my 40s and look every day of it. They refused to sell to us because I had forgotten my ID, even though H had his ID and was paying. The weird thing is if I had been H's child, he would have been able to purchase without me needing an ID.

I have never, ever in my 50+ years of life had a checker check my id and my dh's. I would have lost my mind. The manager of that store would remember me forever.

Family and I were in a Delaware liquor store and I went to pay. I realized I didn’t have my ID so DH grabbed his. The cashier told me I had to leave since I couldn’t be in the store without a license…but my kids could stay. I’m 50 years old. So stupid.

[Anonymous]

I think the employee didn’t understand the rules. Shopping WITH a child shouldn’t prevent you from purchasing spray paint. Call the manager and describe the employee to she can educate.

[Anonymous]

I had to look up the reason why there is a minimum age for purchasing spray paint. I thought it was because kids might be sniffing paint fumes, LOL. But, no. It's because they might be using it for graffiti. I did not know this was a thing...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the employee didn’t understand the rules. Shopping WITH a child shouldn’t prevent you from purchasing spray paint. Call the manager and describe the employee to she can educate.

This. The policy is to check ID, just as with alcohol or cigarettes, not to refuse to sell to an adult because a child exists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had to look up the reason why there is a minimum age for purchasing spray paint. I thought it was because kids might be sniffing paint fumes, LOL. But, no. It's because they might be using it for graffiti. I did not know this was a thing...

You've never seen graffiti?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was with my 14 yr old son at Michael’s in Reston tonight buying a few things including spray paint (to change the color of a ceramic jug if it matters).

The saleswoman wouldn’t sell it to me because I had a minor with me and that she couldn’t know for sure if he’d use the paint or not. Her manager was on break and not available for the next 15 min and I couldn’t wait. I stayed calm and asked her to explain the corporate policy as she understood it and she said she just didn’t want to get in trouble so it was better not to sell it to me.

What would you do/have done in this case? In my view we are losing all sense of rational thought in this country. I didn’t want her to get in trouble obv but I can’t imagine that this is a correct interpretation of this policy. The website states that you have to be 18 to buy spray paint and receive written permission by a parent to use it. Nothing else.

Stores have refused to sell spray paint to teenagers for at least 30 years. This isn't some new thing.

Do you really lack the empathy to understand why a retail worker might not wish to risk doing something that runs afoul of the law? Because it's not "company policy." It's literally a law. She wasn't worried about getting in trouble with the boss. She was worried about getting in trouble with the police.

So what would have I done in this case? I would have said thank you, I understand, and gone on with my day.

What would I NOT have done? Go whining to a social media forum and huff and puff about the deterioration of society.

Seriously. Get a freaking grip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d have sent DS to the car and done self check out.

I actually did self checkout and it flashed that I needed to show ID- that’s when she came over. Next time I will do just that but I didn’t want to do it right then and there, the employee was very flustered and seemed upset despite my staying calm.

Something tells me you weren't calm at all. The tip off is you keep stating how calm you were.

[Anonymous]

Wait until someone tells OP what it's like to buy Sudafed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t blame the cashier, blame the idiots who think everything in the universe needs to be regulated. I’ve been carded for spray paint at Lowe’s but not Home Depot. The cashier really should have known the policy though.

Oh yes, you and your freedumbs have served us so well, idiot trumper

That might be corporate policy, not necessarily govt regulations. I ran into this recently at a store and learned from the manager a third party company did an audit and now requires them to check ID with a scanner on such purchases. It could also be related to lawsuits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yea, sometimes these age requirements are insane. A few months back H and I stopped at the grocery store to get beer. I'm in my 40s and look every day of it. They refused to sell to us because I had forgotten my ID, even though H had his ID and was paying. The weird thing is if I had been H's child, he would have been able to purchase without me needing an ID.

I have never, ever in my 50+ years of life had a checker check my id and my dh's. I would have lost my mind. The manager of that store would remember me forever.

Unclench grandma. This is complete BS. You’ve never bought a decongestant?

[Anonymous]

I guess some items need ID to ensure that it isn’t being misused- like Advil Cold and Sinus at the drugstore.