Watch out for Wegmans -- face-scanning shoppers

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Target, Walmart and a whole bunch of stores already do this. Where have you been? You should expect zero privacy in public or private businesses.

That's just not true. Target does this Walmart doesn't. Amazon fresh does this and probably whole foods since they're owned by amazon now. Not eveywhere is doing this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is illegal in Virginia.

NO IT'S NOT. Amazon fresh does this at all their VA locations. Target does too.

[Anonymous]

I am a brown legal immigrant and I always wear a mask when I am out and about because I cannot afford to catch any infection.

BUT, I have actually become very careful about - 1) always carrying my driver's license, 2) having my fully charged phone on hand ready to record/call for help and 3) being careful about where I go.

As a result, the amount of shopping and consuming I do is declined. Bad for economy, somewhat good for my wallet.

[Anonymous]

And yet shoplifiting is a massive problem. And businesses are supposed to do what exactly?

I don't know. The face scanning seems like it would remove some of the profiling that is happening to some people.

Also, why is this a MAGA or non-MAGA issue? It's not. Are people capable of discussing anything without throwing those accusations around? Do you have anything intelligent to say?

[Anonymous]

It is being used in high theft retail units.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And yet shoplifiting is a massive problem. And businesses are supposed to do what exactly?

I don't know. The face scanning seems like it would remove some of the profiling that is happening to some people.

Also, why is this a MAGA or non-MAGA issue? It's not. Are people capable of discussing anything without throwing those accusations around? Do you have anything intelligent to say?

Ultimately honest people pay for shoplifting as prices have to rise to cover the shrinkage (P&L losses due to theft.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a security measure. When shoplifters are identified, their facial characteristics are in the system so they can be identified quickly in the future, and ejected or monitored closely if allowed to remain on site. Only stores with a high rate of "shrinkage" are using this tech. Don't steal, and you have nothing to worry about; your face is of little intrinsic interest to anyone if you're behaving yourself. Or take your business elsewhere; I'm sure Wegman's would prefer to patronize a different store if you think you have something to hide by showing your face at a Wegman's property.

The shoplifting problem is grossly exaggerated and now many stores act aggressively against innocent shoppers. I heard on a police scanner yesterday, employees from a Dick's sporting goods in Ashburn called the police because two black women were in their store shopping - one had a mask on - and they initially said they were shoplifting. Then the police dispatcher clarified that the employees said that employees from a store near them called and had assumed the women were shoplifting so they called the police saying they were shoplifting and assumed they would do it in their store. I would sue both stores if this happened to me.

I have been treated this way and am fed up. I wear a mask and some stores assume you are wearing it to shoplift. And no, I'm not going to stop wearing it. When idiot employees decide someone is a shoplifter, they do all kinds of things against corporate policies that are likely to get their employer sued.

Employees will buzz you - ie walk past you several times so close they almost run in to you. They actually are discouraging you from shopping and want you to leave. At one store, the same employee ran into me physically on two different occasions. I called corporate and complained and people were fired and they gave me $ without me making a single threat to sue. They'd already been involved in a situation where a shopper was treated openly like a shoplifter and were sued. I'm so fed up now, I will sue. My point is, store employees are acting inappropriately and assuming people are shoplifting when they are not. These face scanners mean more people are going to be treated as shoplifters and you'll never be able to get off that list. Also piss off an employee at a store - like wear a political shirt they don't like, and watch yourself get on their list. I've also been ripped off at several stores where they assume I am a shoplifter. I've seen that I've been overcharged several times and recently a woman I didn't know was buying the same Christmas item I was and she was ahead of me in line. She got the 60% discount advertised for the item and I had to argue with the employee to get the same discount.

People are idiots and I think lots of employees enjoy thinking and want to label people as shoplifters.

The Whole Foods near me closed down the self checkouts and when I asked, they said they were losing so much money to shoplifting that it made no sense to reopen them.

I'll take the cashier's word over someone's weird ranting online. That you're wearing a mask too somehow doesn't surprise me.

You're ignorant. That you judge someone who wears a mask says everything I need to know about you.

+100. Don't engage with someone that ignorant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And yet shoplifiting is a massive problem. And businesses are supposed to do what exactly?

I don't know. The face scanning seems like it would remove some of the profiling that is happening to some people.

Also, why is this a MAGA or non-MAGA issue? It's not. Are people capable of discussing anything without throwing those accusations around? Do you have anything intelligent to say?

I'm not who you were asking but this is what not my problem but treating everyone like they're a thief alienates your entire customer base.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And yet shoplifiting is a massive problem. And businesses are supposed to do what exactly?

I don't know. The face scanning seems like it would remove some of the profiling that is happening to some people.

Also, why is this a MAGA or non-MAGA issue? It's not. Are people capable of discussing anything without throwing those accusations around? Do you have anything intelligent to say?

I'm not who you were asking but this is what not my problem but treating everyone like they're a thief alienates your entire customer base.

Ok, again though. What are businesses to do that we wouldn't object to? Do you want to just keep paying escalating prices to cover the losses? This puts some mom and pop type places out of business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And yet shoplifiting is a massive problem. And businesses are supposed to do what exactly?

I don't know. The face scanning seems like it would remove some of the profiling that is happening to some people.

Also, why is this a MAGA or non-MAGA issue? It's not. Are people capable of discussing anything without throwing those accusations around? Do you have anything intelligent to say?

I'm not who you were asking but this is what not my problem but treating everyone like they're a thief alienates your entire customer base.

The retail center has no choice. If there is that much theft going on at a location the choice is prosecute or close the unit due to losses.
You can't stay in business if it is operating in the red by people shoplifting everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a security measure. When shoplifters are identified, their facial characteristics are in the system so they can be identified quickly in the future, and ejected or monitored closely if allowed to remain on site. Only stores with a high rate of "shrinkage" are using this tech. Don't steal, and you have nothing to worry about; your face is of little intrinsic interest to anyone if you're behaving yourself. Or take your business elsewhere; I'm sure Wegman's would prefer to patronize a different store if you think you have something to hide by showing your face at a Wegman's property.

The shoplifting problem is grossly exaggerated and now many stores act aggressively against innocent shoppers. I heard on a police scanner yesterday, employees from a Dick's sporting goods in Ashburn called the police because two black women were in their store shopping - one had a mask on - and they initially said they were shoplifting. Then the police dispatcher clarified that the employees said that employees from a store near them called and had assumed the women were shoplifting so they called the police saying they were shoplifting and assumed they would do it in their store. I would sue both stores if this happened to me.

I have been treated this way and am fed up. I wear a mask and some stores assume you are wearing it to shoplift. And no, I'm not going to stop wearing it. When idiot employees decide someone is a shoplifter, they do all kinds of things against corporate policies that are likely to get their employer sued.

Employees will buzz you - ie walk past you several times so close they almost run in to you. They actually are discouraging you from shopping and want you to leave. At one store, the same employee ran into me physically on two different occasions. I called corporate and complained and people were fired and they gave me $ without me making a single threat to sue. They'd already been involved in a situation where a shopper was treated openly like a shoplifter and were sued. I'm so fed up now, I will sue. My point is, store employees are acting inappropriately and assuming people are shoplifting when they are not. These face scanners mean more people are going to be treated as shoplifters and you'll never be able to get off that list. Also piss off an employee at a store - like wear a political shirt they don't like, and watch yourself get on their list. I've also been ripped off at several stores where they assume I am a shoplifter. I've seen that I've been overcharged several times and recently a woman I didn't know was buying the same Christmas item I was and she was ahead of me in line. She got the 60% discount advertised for the item and I had to argue with the employee to get the same discount.

People are idiots and I think lots of employees enjoy thinking and want to label people as shoplifters.

The Whole Foods near me closed down the self checkouts and when I asked, they said they were losing so much money to shoplifting that it made no sense to reopen them.

I'll take the cashier's word over someone's weird ranting online. That you're wearing a mask too somehow doesn't surprise me.

You're ignorant. That you judge someone who wears a mask says everything I need to know about you.

+100. Don't engage with someone that ignorant.

There is a high overlap between masks and social anxiety.

The PP who talked about repeated patterns of retail workers following her in stores ironically is telling us she is exhibiting common traits of shoplifters. That's why she is being watched by the store staff, not because they're singling her out to randomly frame her with a crime.

She needs to worry less about security cameras, which would only show that she's not shoplifting (assuming she isn't) and more about other problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Things like this do not bother me.

You know how much loss they probably have from shoplifting in this location? Grocery is a low margin business.

People go right to Wegmans is cooperating with ICE. Instead of more obvious answers. They have a right to protect their business and staff in an environment where local law enforcement isn’t going to be available or do it.

Their "right" to make money is not more important than your own rights. Precedent setting matters. Organizing society for the good of people should include collective decision making on when we want to be scanned and when we don't. The idea of giving over this decision making to grocery stores because of a company or a CEO's profits is quite shortsighted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a brown legal immigrant and I always wear a mask when I am out and about because I cannot afford to catch any infection.

BUT, I have actually become very careful about - 1) always carrying my driver's license, 2) having my fully charged phone on hand ready to record/call for help and 3) being careful about where I go.

As a result, the amount of shopping and consuming I do is declined. Bad for economy, somewhat good for my wallet.

Because massive numbers of legal brown immigrants are being snatched from big box stores? Unless you were a parolee who flew in under the CBP app under Biden or here on TPS from the revoked countries, no one is looking for you. In fact, they aren't really looking for many actual illegals, despite the hoopla.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Things like this do not bother me.

You know how much loss they probably have from shoplifting in this location? Grocery is a low margin business.

People go right to Wegmans is cooperating with ICE. Instead of more obvious answers. They have a right to protect their business and staff in an environment where local law enforcement isn’t going to be available or do it.

Their "right" to make money is not more important than your own rights. Precedent setting matters. Organizing society for the good of people should include collective decision making on when we want to be scanned and when we don't. The idea of giving over this decision making to grocery stores because of a company or a CEO's profits is quite shortsighted.

We do have collective decision making. It is called the ballot box. Lobby your representatives and bet a bill proposed. But talking in the language of collectivism doesn't mean you get what you want.

You can also vote with your feet and go elsewhere. You're not forced to shop at these businesses.

Given that scans are required for flights and even more intrusive, I don't think you are going to find much sympathy if a supermarket wants to watch customers due to shoplifting problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And yet shoplifiting is a massive problem. And businesses are supposed to do what exactly?

I don't know. The face scanning seems like it would remove some of the profiling that is happening to some people.

Also, why is this a MAGA or non-MAGA issue? It's not. Are people capable of discussing anything without throwing those accusations around? Do you have anything intelligent to say?

\

The problem is grossly exaggerated. Go look at the actual data. The problem with theft comes from within the stores.

Despite the amount, store employees are grossly acting out and doing things to ensure their companies get sued. The idiots in the stores putting their hands on people or harassing them are out of line. Any training stores seem to do is not related to what is legal.