Exiting Costco While Black

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP that is so ridiculous. If I were them I would've turned around and returned it all. And then complained like hell to management (politely of course). I've been shopping at Costco for many years and have yet to see anything like that. And I do know exactly what the PP is talking about in regards to being written off just for walking into a store while being Black. That and I cannot walk into a Bed Bath & Beyond, Staples, Giant, etc, without customers assuming that I work there. Doesn't matter if I'm holding my purse, pushing a cart. It happens so often I don't even get offended anymore. If I can answer their question I do. If not, I tell them to ask someone that works at the store. Strangely, this has not once happened to my White husband.

I'm white and I get asked all the time if I work there. It doesn't matter if I have my down jacket on. I must look like I work everywhere, except nice stores.

People always assume I work in the retail establishments where I shop. All I have to do is walk two or three steps from my cart and children and the customers seem to flock to me. Like the PP, I'm white, and it doesn't happen in the really nice stores.

I can't, for the life of me, figure this out. I have not ever mistaken a customer for an employee. It's not a big deal, but what are people thinking? It really just confuses me. They always seem so surprised when I direct them to someone that works there. People are strange.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP that is so ridiculous. If I were them I would've turned around and returned it all. And then complained like hell to management (politely of course). I've been shopping at Costco for many years and have yet to see anything like that. And I do know exactly what the PP is talking about in regards to being written off just for walking into a store while being Black. That and I cannot walk into a Bed Bath & Beyond, Staples, Giant, etc, without customers assuming that I work there. Doesn't matter if I'm holding my purse, pushing a cart. It happens so often I don't even get offended anymore. If I can answer their question I do. If not, I tell them to ask someone that works at the store. Strangely, this has not once happened to my White husband.

If it makes you feel any better, this happens to me ALL the time, and I'm white. But I am female.

(Not to say the racist attitudes aren't there, but I think some of this particular problem is gender rather than race related.)

[Anonymous]

Haven't been the the College Park Costco, but we go to the Gaithersburg and Arlington ones all the time, and it is standard procedure at Costco to check a person's items against his/her receipt. The door monitors check everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Haven't been the the College Park Costco, but we go to the Gaithersburg and Arlington ones all the time, and it is standard procedure at Costco to check a person's items against his/her receipt. The door monitors check everyone.

Yeah, I am white and always have my merchandise checked at the Arlington store. Have been shopping at Costco for years. My parents whomarevas Waspy as it gets also get their carts checked.

OP, you should have said something to the manager.

[Anonymous]

OP here. The door monitors were (1) Asian and (2) white -- Eastern European.

It was the first weekend that Costco had all its Christmas decorations and 2 aisles of Christmas toys out. They are pushing them big and early this year. No Halloween stuff at all.

Yes, they routinely check all carts against receipts as the Gaithersburg poster stated -- but a quick visual check, and in a cursory way. Not every item and they have never asked to look inside my bags. Again, this was only done for the A.A. customers.

I honestly didn't know what to do. For those who said to go report it to the manager, have you ever been to Costco? Just getting inside is a nightmare. Then it is at least a 10 minute wait in line at Customer Service for ANYTHING.

I think I will call them.

[Anonymous]

OP again. Part of what upset me so much about this is that my husband was checking out while I waited near the concession/pizza area with our toddler. Another woman was waiting with her toddler and our kids were smiling, laughing having a good time. We chatted. She happened to be African American.

So when I'm watching this bizarre process take place, I look up and there's my 'friend' getting this grilling and going over of each of her items...and I'm thinking, what opportunity did she have for shoplifting versus me? This is PURELY about her skin color!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP that is so ridiculous. If I were them I would've turned around and returned it all. And then complained like hell to management (politely of course). I've been shopping at Costco for many years and have yet to see anything like that. And I do know exactly what the PP is talking about in regards to being written off just for walking into a store while being Black. That and I cannot walk into a Bed Bath & Beyond, Staples, Giant, etc, without customers assuming that I work there. Doesn't matter if I'm holding my purse, pushing a cart. It happens so often I don't even get offended anymore. If I can answer their question I do. If not, I tell them to ask someone that works at the store. Strangely, this has not once happened to my White husband.

I'm white and I get asked all the time if I work there. It doesn't matter if I have my down jacket on. I must look like I work everywhere, except nice stores.

People always assume I work in the retail establishments where I shop. All I have to do is walk two or three steps from my cart and children and the customers seem to flock to me. Like the PP, I'm white, and it doesn't happen in the really nice stores.

I can't, for the life of me, figure this out. I have not ever mistaken a customer for an employee. It's not a big deal, but what are people thinking? It really just confuses me. They always seem so surprised when I direct them to someone that works there. People are strange.

Maybe you should stop wearing red shirts and khakis to Target

[Anonymous]

I look white to many people---but I don't identify that way.

We had a similar thing happen to us recently. The [Asian FWIW] door monitor was being quite vigilant with our wares, after DH (African) passed her the receipt. I finally went up to her (with DS in hand) and (with a smile) asked how tough it must be to have to count out all of this stuff all day. She nodded and kept counting. I saw the moment it registered that we were together. She asked, "Oh, you're with him?" When I said (with another perky smile) "definitely" she apologized and said she thought I was next in line. She handed me the receipt and left us pass.

These things happen more often than you might think. It's not a COSTCO thing, it's a race-in-America thing.

I'm glad you noticed and that you're moved enough to post about it and to follow up with management.

[Anonymous]

That happened to me at the best buy at pentagon city (waved through while checking others). I didn't assume because I was white as much as because I'm 40

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Were the door monitors white?

At our Costco - as a white person - I'm the minority. Our receipts are always scrutinized as closely as anyone else's.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Left the College Park Costco with DH and DD an hour ago. We spent a long time leaving because the two door monitors were meticulously checking the receipts of the customers ahead of us (both African American). Every item was checked against their receipts. Then, their personal bags were checked.

My husband had our cart and I had my daughter in her stroller. I finally went past the monitors and out the door. They didn't check me at all -- of course I could have had an item in her ample stroller basket. Did I mention I'm white?

Another white customer did the same. Just took his item and walked past the checkers. Nothing said to him.

From my vantage point outside the checkpoint, I observed them meticulously checking all black customers. My husband and an Asian customer came up. Got a quick visual check and a black check mark on their receipts -- and then waved through. I said to my husband -- "They were practically strip searching the black customers, and then they waved you through." He replied: "You noticed that too."

Costco in Sterling VA gets AA, white, hispanic, asian, plus african immigrants and other immigrants. The checkers look at the receipt and then the stuff. Takes longer if you have a lot. I never saw a purse have to be opened. I dress like a slob since I garden alot.

My guess is the checkers were inexperienced immigrants with a hunk of prejudice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Were the door monitors white?

At our Costco - as a white person - I'm the minority. Our receipts are always scrutinized as closely as anyone else's.

Where is this? Whites are the majority mostly everywhere in the US.

[Anonymous]

they are pretty vigilant about checking everyone's items/carts when they exit... i'm surprised if you saw two whole people pass through without any check of their receipt.

i'm not black, but i've had sometimes when the receipt/items are checked thoroughly and other times when i'm just waved through. it varies, but usually they seem to check more thoroughly when the cart is fuller.

[Anonymous]

PG County . . .

Check out the census.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Were the door monitors white?

At our Costco - as a white person - I'm the minority. Our receipts are always scrutinized as closely as anyone else's.

Where is this? Whites are the majority mostly everywhere in the US.

[Anonymous]

I go to costco all the time and I've never seen them check someones personal items.