Walmart and Razor Blades

[Harrison]

Went in to my local Wally World the other day to buy some razor blade cartridges. Low and behold the razor blades are now locked up. I waited around while they called an associate to unlock a pack of Gillette cartridges. She asked me if I was finished shopping and ready to check out . I said "no". I was informed she would have to hold the blades until I was ready to check out, then she would deliver them to the check out stand. I replied, thanks I'll buy my razor blades somewhere else. According to my local Walmart razor blades are a high risk item, sort of like the pistol ammo they have not had in stock for almost a year. Is this new security on razor blades a national thing, or is it just local store paranoia?

 

[SmokeStack Lightning]

Wally World is trying to keep their employees from slashing their wrists.

Quicker than starving to death.

 

[kwselke]

The security surrounding razor blades is due to shoplifting, not because they are dangerous. My Kroger, CVS, and Walgreen's all have extra security on razor blades, but nothing as extreme as you describe.

 

[mkk41]

Who the heck shoplifts razor blades?

Especially shaving types.

I can see maybe single edge or utility knife blades being a safety thing , but disposable shaving ctgs?

 

[Wyatt Burp]

I wanted to buy a carton of BBs and pushed that button for help. Couldn't find anyone around to get those lethal BBs out of the case. I'm surprised Sam Walton didn't fly in personally from Oklahoma to open it since it almost took that long for someone to do it.

 

[kwselke]

Who the heck shoplifts razor blades?

Especially shaving types.

They are stolen for resale. The packages are small, easy to coneal, and high value.

At my Kroger the blades are in big plastic security containers which the checkers remove at checkout. Walgreen's has the case locked, but does not make you checkout instantly. CVS has a dispenser which spits out one package at a time while making a loud clattering sound.

Other items that are on the frequently shoplifted list are baby formula and Tide detergent. The packaging of those limits the ease of the theft. Much of the ridiculously large packaging you see is to deter theft.

 

[Rule3]

One of the old Retail Rules of Impulse sales was:

Keep the razor Blades by the cash register

 

[NorthCountry]

They are stolen for resale. The packages are small, easy to coneal, and high value.

At my Kroger the blades are in big plastic security containers which the checkers remove at checkout. Walgreen's has the case locked, but does not make you checkout instantly. CVS has a dispenser which spits out one package at a time while making a loud clattering sound.

Other items that are on the frequently shoplifted list are baby formula and Tide detergent. The packaging of those limits the ease of the theft. Much of the ridiculously large packaging you see is to deter theft.

Yea, that's a big concern of Walmart considering how they have cut the payroll by reducing the number of loss prevention associates in the past few years. Let's lock up the razor blades, but at the 24 hour a day stores the crooks are walking out the door with hundreds of dollars of electronics, every night. And yet, even during daytime hours, a crook could go over to sporting goods, and take a wonderful Gerber Bear Gryllis knife , off the shelf/display hanger, but there might be a concern about the security risk of having razor blades out in the aisles. Okay, I'm done for now.

 

[shouldazagged]

I recently discovered that my nearest Wal-Mart has begun locking up Sudafed PE, the non-pseudoephedrine version. I asked a young woman working in the pharmacy if people had been using it to make counterfeit meth. She laughed, but didn't answer.

Some other things that can't be used in meth labs were also secured. A clerk had to come out and unlock the case for every purchase.

Most knives in sporting goods have been locked up for a long time--didn't notice what they were doing with the Grylls stuff, in which I have zero interest.

 

[steamloco76]

The locked razor blades is precisely why I started ordering mine using Amazon Prime. I refuse to wait twenty minutes while the Golden Key-holder of Wally World schlepps her way to the mens toiletries.

 

[gdnagle]

Well I usually don't shave, not since I got out of the military in 1972 anyway, do most people still use razor blades. I thought most use electric or disposable razors. I'm sure DVD or food would bring in more money to resell then blades.

As for safety anyone can go to housewares or sporting goods and get a knife, garden or hardware and get a utility knife or ax, shovel, maul, sporting goods for a base ball bat and the list can go on.

I guess pretty soon you will go into a store and look at everything behind a glass then make a selection and pick everything up at the checkout. End of customer thief then.

 

[Hillbilly77]

But, did they have a three-box limit?

 

[pawncop]

There are a number of very organized theft rings that are taking shop lifting to a whole new level

Tide detergent, Oil of Olay products, baby formula, the razor blades etc.

They will make a run that covers several cities, even multiple states and then when the car can't hold any more, they will head back to the home turf.

The losses are in the millions of dollars across the country.

I hope you find this helpful.

 

[Alpo]

Why Tide? Both kwselke and Pawn Cop said "Tide Detergent". Why Tide, and not All or Fab or Gain or Surf?

Serious question. That puzzles me completely.

 

[arjay]

Why Tide? Both kwselke and Pawn Cop said "Tide Detergent". Why Tide, and not All or Fab or Gain or Surf?

Serious question. That puzzles me completely.

It sells well at flea markets.

 

[blujax01]

These new blades run $3 to $5 EACH! Even my old Trac II got to be $15 a ten pack.

I went the safety razor route. Found a Parker twist top through Amazon. German-made Wilkinson Sword runs $1.74 a 10 pack at Wal*Mart. But the last time in the store (and I'm not making this up) they were out and the "Wal*Mart Tracking" app. says they're backordered.

Guess I'll have to go to the secondary market ...

 

[dougb1946]

Who the heck shoplifts razor blades?

Especially shaving types.

I can see maybe single edge or utility knife blades being a safety thing , but disposable shaving ctgs?

Everything gets stolen. When I was managing a convenience store, someone opened the package and removed one condom from the pack, left the others. Apparently, he wasn't sure he would like it.

 

[the ringo kid]

Went in to my local Wally World the other day to buy some razor blade cartridges. Low and behold the razor blades are now locked up. I waited around while they called an associate to unlock a pack of Gillette cartridges. She asked me if I was finished shopping and ready to check out . I said "no". I was informed she would have to hold the blades until I was ready to check out, then she would deliver them to the check out stand. I replied, thanks I'll buy my razor blades somewhere else. According to my local Walmart razor blades are a high risk item, sort of like the pistol ammo they have not had in stock for almost a year. Is this new security on razor blades a national thing, or is it just local store paranoia?

With WM-no telling if paranoia or not? Each individual WM seems to have their version of their rules.

 

[scooter123]

Something that really bugs me about all this extra security and unopenable packaging is that 70% of all Retail Theft goes out the Back door. BTW, this means that it's walked out by employees of the establishment.

 

[the ringo kid]

Yea, that's a big concern of Walmart considering how they have cut the payroll by reducing the number of loss prevention associates in the past few years. Let's lock up the razor blades, but at the 24 hour a day stores the crooks are walking out the door with hundreds of dollars of electronics, every night. And yet, even during daytime hours, a crook could go over to sporting goods, and take a wonderful Gerber Bear Gryllis knife , off the shelf/display hanger, but there might be a concern about the security risk of having razor blades out in the aisles. Okay, I'm done for now.

That's exactly the same way here. If I wanted to steal one of those knives? it would be so easy-and id rather steal a knife than a box of 5 razor blades. You can still go into any hobby shop here or home repair place--and find those pesky little boxes of blades out in the open and unguarded.