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Canadian Tire Compliment - Helpful and civil, even when exit alarm sounds
Compliment
TRAIL, BC, CANADA -- My compliments to Canadian Tire in Trail BC on two points.
First, the AM Ford dealership diagnosed my vehicle as needing work done on the brakes but could not schedule anything until the week after next because they were too busy selling and changing out tires. I drove over to Canadian Tire and they scheduled me in to accommodate my travel plans.
Second, as I was leaving the store, the exit alarm sounded. I had not, of course, taken anything. Also, of course, I waited and staff approached. There was none of that intimidating stuff that you might see in other stores. They were just trying to help me figure out what set off the alarm. I cooperated and we tried a number of things. We never did figure out what was setting it off, and I even offered to let them search me, which they declined to do. After a few minutes they just let me go. Throughout this they were very pleasant and polite, which I think is unusual in this situation. Admittedly, they probably wouldn't have been so pleasant and polite if it had turned out that I had stolen something, but nevertheless, I think it is worth omplimenting them for their professional behavior.
First, the AM Ford dealership diagnosed my vehicle as needing work done on the brakes but could not schedule anything until the week after next because they were too busy selling and changing out tires. I drove over to Canadian Tire and they scheduled me in to accommodate my travel plans.
Second, as I was leaving the store, the exit alarm sounded. I had not, of course, taken anything. Also, of course, I waited and staff approached. There was none of that intimidating stuff that you might see in other stores. They were just trying to help me figure out what set off the alarm. I cooperated and we tried a number of things. We never did figure out what was setting it off, and I even offered to let them search me, which they declined to do. After a few minutes they just let me go. Throughout this they were very pleasant and polite, which I think is unusual in this situation. Admittedly, they probably wouldn't have been so pleasant and polite if it had turned out that I had stolen something, but nevertheless, I think it is worth omplimenting them for their professional behavior.
Comments:
Posted by MRM on 2009-10-30:
Remember this: when the entrance alarm goes off, it is not your fault. You did not take anything, so do not worry about the alarm going off.
Posted by MRM on 2009-10-30:
Sure, you may stop when the alarm goes off, but you dont need to have them search you.
Posted by semblance on 2009-10-31:
MRM -
Well, I did not really mean to start a discussion here on the legality of the store detaining someone based on an exit alarm sounding. I appreciate your concern and your points, but to me it was not really a “worry or not worry” situation or a “can they legally search me or not” question. In this kind of situation my decision was based on factors having nothing to do with the law My reasoning is that the exit alarm is there for a reason, namely, to try to stop theft by shoplifters. Yes, there are often false alarms for all sorts of reasons. However, concealed stolen merchandise is also one of the reasons – indeed the main reason - the alarms go off. Even though I knew I had not taken anything, when the alarm went off anybody in the immediate area could not help but think it was at least possible that I was a shoplifter. (That has been my reaction when I have seen it happen to someone else.) My reputation is important to me and I want to be able to shop at that store again without them thinking I am a thief. Therefore, I was willing to cooperate fully, and perhaps more than the law requires, even to the point of having my person searched if necessary to dispel any suspicion. Again, this was a personal decision by me, which has nothing to do with legal technicalities. In a similar situation others may look at it differently and choose to stand on what they believe are their rights. That is, of course totally up to them.
Again, the store personnel were very nice and polite in this situation, which minimized the embarrassment and the stress to me. I am grateful to them.
Well, I did not really mean to start a discussion here on the legality of the store detaining someone based on an exit alarm sounding. I appreciate your concern and your points, but to me it was not really a “worry or not worry” situation or a “can they legally search me or not” question. In this kind of situation my decision was based on factors having nothing to do with the law My reasoning is that the exit alarm is there for a reason, namely, to try to stop theft by shoplifters. Yes, there are often false alarms for all sorts of reasons. However, concealed stolen merchandise is also one of the reasons – indeed the main reason - the alarms go off. Even though I knew I had not taken anything, when the alarm went off anybody in the immediate area could not help but think it was at least possible that I was a shoplifter. (That has been my reaction when I have seen it happen to someone else.) My reputation is important to me and I want to be able to shop at that store again without them thinking I am a thief. Therefore, I was willing to cooperate fully, and perhaps more than the law requires, even to the point of having my person searched if necessary to dispel any suspicion. Again, this was a personal decision by me, which has nothing to do with legal technicalities. In a similar situation others may look at it differently and choose to stand on what they believe are their rights. That is, of course totally up to them.
Again, the store personnel were very nice and polite in this situation, which minimized the embarrassment and the stress to me. I am grateful to them.
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