Walmart and Razor Blades

[the ringo kid]

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.

Many moons ago when I worked at a local Circle K--that is true. Over 85% of everything stolen at our store was either by store employees or the delivery guys. The delivery guys--Beer guys for instance--were the ones whose jobs it was to also put the Beer pallets inside the cooler--Coke guys etc. However, most of them while working unsupervised in the cooler--would also sometimes swipe a $5 burger and eat half of it leaving the remains in the freezer--or drink some other Companies expensive Coffee drink or energy drink-leaving the empties well hidden among the products for one to discover at a later time.

One employee I worked with--was busted for stealing almost $30,000 with of food and smokes--during her time working there-about 3 years. After she was busted--she admitted to taking over time--only about $3,000-was of course fired-but avoided any prosecution and jail time by the admission--and of course--is never allowed on any Circle K (now in my area Stripes) property. I THINK they had some pity for her because she had two teenaged kid and a sick mother? A few months after she was canned--I saw here working as a Door Greeter at a WM--but she didnt last long there either.

 

[SmokewagonSD]

I use double edge blades, I can buy a two year supply of Astra's for a few bucks in about 10 seconds. On line, ebay or amazon.

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.

 

[NorthCountry]

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.

Brand notoriety. Folks who buy stuff from the black market want quality merchandise, including laundry detergent, don'tcha know.
And the flea market sales, which was already mentioned.

 

[LVSteve]

Thieves will take anything, and folk at flea markets never ask why things are so cheap. It's just another layer of the economy.

 

[kwselke]

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.

If you are going to steal a 75 ounce jug of detergent why not steal the most expensive?

 

[Stevens]

A guy (50ish) checking out in front of me at Home Depot was buying a lazer level, the girl had to card him, she didn't know why. Maybe bad press about lazers flashed at landing planes? or maybe just shined into someone's eye?
or something else?
Steve W

 

[bdsorcic]

Good thing I wear a beard. ... Cheap and easy to upkeep!

 

[shouldazagged]

A guy (50ish) checking out in front of me at Home Depot was buying a lazer level, the girl had to card him, she didn't know why. Maybe bad press about lazers flashed at landing planes? or maybe just shined into someone's eye?
or something else?
Steve W

That is just WAY too weird. And stupid.

 

[kwselke]

That is just WAY too weird. And stupid.

If he was paying by credit card, that may have been the issue calling for ID.

 

[rwsmith]

I hope you are talking about....

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.

I hope you mean Sam Rawlings Walton and not his grandfather.

 

[shouldazagged]

If he was paying by credit card, that may have been the issue calling for ID.

Could be. But I was carded in a Kroger store when buying a bottle of non-alcoholic wine for a friend. I'll be 76 in a month and change. I look 80 plus.

The kid checking apologized, but said the product code forced her to card me or the computer would kick out the purchase.

I just shook my head--it wasn't her fault the policy was stupid.

 

[Hodgin]

I use double edge blades, I can buy a two year supply of Astra's for a few bucks in about 10 seconds. On line, ebay or amazon.

Me too, except I use Feather. A little more expense than Astra but for about $15 plus shipping I can get 50 blades. Last me about at least 1.5-2 yrs.

 

[Fishslayer]

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

When I was caring for a diabetic foster dog I went to buy syringes at a different Walmart than usual. California requires zero anything to purchase insulin or syringes. The WM sold me the insulin but said I needed a note from the vet for the syringes. HUH? Not a Rx, a note!

Went out of my way & got 'em at a different WM.

 

[KeithC]

Made my semi-annual run to WM today to pick up a few things I couldn't find anywhere else in town (only reason I go to WM in the first place), thought while I was there, I'd pick up some DVD-R's and get a can to blow out the dust in my CPU... couldn't find them....then got thinking, they probably don't sell them anymore (or have them locked away) since so many kids are into huffing all sorts of ridiculous thing today. Couldn't find anyone in the electronics section (typical) so got out while I was still in a somewhat good mood....

 

[BaldEagle1313]

A guy (50ish) checking out in front of me at Home Depot was buying a lazer level, the girl had to card him, she didn't know why. Maybe bad press about lazers flashed at landing planes? or maybe just shined into someone's eye?
or something else?
Steve W

There have been several instances of pilots complaining of lasers being pointed into the cockpits of planes landing at SeaTac airport. All it takes is a couple of morons to make life difficult for everyone else. 99% of product packaging and labeling is the result of someone doing something stupid.

 

[blujax01]

Me too, except I use Feather. A little more expense than Astra but for about $15 plus shipping I can get 50 blades. Last me about at least 1.5-2 yrs.

50 blades last 1.5 years? Is that getting daily use? I shave daily, swap them out on a weekly basis (Monday) but I gotta tell ya' sometimes day 7 (Sunday) is an adventure.

Sounds like we could start a safety razor blade thread. Lots of choices out there. I tried Sharks but they were too thin. I'm using Wilkinson Sword but since my source dried up I'm tempted to try Kroger Store Brand as they are USA-made.

 

[NCTexan]

Is this new security on razor blades a national thing, or is it just local store paranoia?
Reply With Quote

I don't think that it's paranoia... it's probably the result of the thieving clientele of your local store. I'd move.

 

[steamloco76]

A part-time co-worker also works at a local Walmart. She says they have either laid off or failed to replace at least thirty employees this year. The biggest hits were to the theft prevention department and stock associates. They are locking more merchandise up because they don't employ the number of 'eyes' the stores were designed for.

A couple of the biggest theft items are fresh meats and Tide detergent.

 

[Hillbilly77]

Made my semi-annual run to WM today....

....got out while I was still in a somewhat good mood....

You were in there for six seconds, eh?

 

[Hodgin]

50 blades last 1.5 years? Is that getting daily use? I shave daily, swap them out on a weekly basis (Monday) but I gotta tell ya' sometimes day 7 (Sunday) is an adventure.

Sounds like we could start a safety razor blade thread. Lots of choices out there. I tried Sharks but they were too thin. I'm using Wilkinson Sword but since my source dried up I'm tempted to try Kroger Store Brand as they are USA-made.

Shave just about everyday. Occasionally I might miss a Saturday now and then. I'm a two pass shaver and blades last about a week and a half to two weeks. I clean my double edge Merkur after each shave. I think that adds to the blade's life. I also use a brush and shaving soap instead of the cream. Not sure if that has an effect on blades but I like it better.