I don’t believe the paying customer needs to be an unpaid part of a business’ security strategy.

I applaud the strong Righi stance!

I don’t like to be a customer in a store where they also think I’m a crook or dishonest or came to steal their goods. Also, I am aware of and understand the economic problems of shoplifting. But I don’t like to go into an armed camp.

I have patronized Circuit City in the past but this incident kind of creeped me out. I have an alternative to visiting a store that gives me bad vibes: I can order electronics (and almost anything else) over the Internet. Up to now, I have always preferred shopping in person. But things may change.

These waivers and disclaimers and policies reflect distrust. That is the saddest thing of all to me. That behavior gives rise to distrust and then everyone and everything gets swallowed up.

Yeah, waivers, disclaimers and such reflect distrust. But it’s not as if the distrust is totally unjustified. Stores do suffer from shoplifting and employee theft.

I don’t take it personally if some guy at the door asks to see my receipt. (I might if I were the only one asked.) So I don’t let myself “get swallowed up.” In fact, being asked for a receipt is a big nothing burger to me.

What if the store has a sign saying that it inspects packages?

If a sign exists, then by entering the store and buying something, the shopper agrees to follow the rule, the ACLU said.

So, do Circuit City stores have such signs? Nobody seems to have said. It could be quite relevant in the Righi case. (If CC stores don’t have them, they should be posted ASAP if CC wants to continue checking receipts and has any corporate smarts.)