if JB Hi Fi display a sign before you enter the store, giving you ample opportunity to walk away indicating that they reserve the right to search bags upon exiting the store, then the security guard is well within his rights to request your bag be searched. If you don't wish to comply with that reasonable request, then as mentioned before they can ask you to wait for the police or you could walk away, and they will have to follow you to provide details for police. At the end of all this you might find your self with a trespass order against you, and if its a shopping complex it could be for the entire complex not just the specific store (not sure on this one).
for me, if their is no visible sign then they can sod off, they will not be inspecting my bag or personal belongings. If a sign is visibile and i still enter the store then fine, I open my bag and it takes all of a minute and carry on my merry way.
as an aside the security guard could be stopping every 5 people or 10 people or be completely random as long as their is a sign saying they reserve the right to inspect bags if you get stopped you open the bag and if nothing is amiss carry on.
I do think their behavior is acceptable seeing how easy it is for someone to just walk out of the store with merchandise without paying. As pointed out earlier, it may be a sign of the times.
Maybe JB should design their stores differently, in a way that discourages casual theft. They could start by security tagging all of their stock like other retailers do. Keep the discs out of their packets like a music store does. And maybe they could put their checkout next to the exit like at Harvey Norman, so they don't have to insist on looking at your receipt and your bag of legitimately purchased goods.
Those security measures cost extra money. Probably would affect their margins which in turn would affect the prices to customers.
Yeah I'm shedding a tear right now thinking of their poor bottom line.
If other companies can do it and remain competitive, then they can too.
They cater to a different market.
A market who is willing to pay more for their product in return for superior service.
There is an old saying that still holds true in most cases
“you get what you pay for.”
In the case of electronic things the products themselves are identical (a PS3 from JB is the same as a PS3 from Noel Leeming), so that means if somewhere is charging more than another place there must be a difference in something else. That difference is usually the service experience. A cheaper place will usually have a poorer service experience than a more expensive place.
Since the cheaper place is making less margin on a product, they must also be spending less on overheads, which include customer service, to still make a profit. And since some people are still going to the more expensive place, there must be some people who are willing to pay a premium price to get a better service.
magu: But you have it spot-on: it's not a customer-focused solution. It's probably just one of their many procedures to prevent theft, which does happen. And as you said: you can always shop online. I almost prefer it, were it not for the fact I like to get the things I'm buying straight away.
yeah, that's my problem, but this has cured it lol
"There is no way to Peace -Peace is the Way" (A. J. Muste)
I've never been to JB before, we don't have one locally.
If I carry a bag, it most likely means I'm riding a motorbike, and the bag will be empty when entering the store, in order to put my purchase in to take home. So they can knock themselves out looking in my empty bag.
I don't mind bag searches at all. At least bag searches only happen when one is carrying a bag. What I can't stand however, which happens 95% of times to me when I go into chain stores, is getting swooped on by one or many of the sales staff. Surely that must be more annoying to people than bag checks?
Or is it only annoying to me as I generally already know what I want before I go in (As I have usually researched online first)?
IlDuce: I've never been to JB before, we don't have one locally.
If I carry a bag, it most likely means I'm riding a motorbike, and the bag will be empty when entering the store, in order to put my purchase in to take home. So they can knock themselves out looking in my empty bag.
I don't mind bag searches at all. At least bag searches only happen when one is carrying a bag. What I can't stand however, which happens 95% of times to me when I go into chain stores, is getting swooped on by one or many of the sales staff. Surely that must be more annoying to people than bag checks?
Or is it only annoying to me as I generally already know what I want before I go in (As I have usually researched online first)?
Its more annoying when they swoop in on you, then when you actually need someone, there is no one to be found.
I don't get the big deal, how do you know that the security guard decided to check your bag, just because of the way you looked? It could have been totally random. If you have nothing to hide, why is it a problem? It takes all of 30 seconds for them to check your receipt and look at your items. Not going to JB Hifi ever again is a bit over-the-top, isn't it?
i actualy used to work as a security guard in a past life (not at jb hifi)
its a quite effective detterent to "opportunistic theft" but it requires an active presence to work, this means that the person on guard has to do his job and be seen to be doing his job ,which means checking people every now and then even if they arnt a "suspect"
having your bag inspected(and they are only allowed to inspect not search) does not make you a criminal, no more then being breath tested at a check point makes you an alchoholic
most places reserve the right to inspect your baggage, however you may also reserve the right to refuse
Quidam, do you get aksed every time you go into JB or was this the first time? If it was the first time why are you so upset? It was just an unlucky chance that the guard picked you this time to search your bag. Now, if they were asking to search your bag every time you have been to JB then I could see where you are coming from.
Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.
I find some of the apologists for this form of security quite remarkable. I fully appreciate there are a lot of rationalisations for running your security this way, I just don't happen to like it, and I wont be shopping at JB again because of it. That's not an overreaction at all, as I have plenty of other ways to purchase what I want so why on earth would I choose a method I find offensive? I mean, it's a great shopping experience to have a bunch of people all looking at you wondering if you might have shoplifted and I'm looking forward to repeating the experience.
"There is no way to Peace -Peace is the Way" (A. J. Muste)
CYaBro: Quidam, do you get aksed every time you go into JB or was this the first time? If it was the first time why are you so upset? It was just an unlucky chance that the guard picked you this time to search your bag. Now, if they were asking to search your bag every time you have been to JB then I could see where you are coming from.
No, it was the first time, but then again most of the time I leave with a purchase, so I guess this could be considered added incentive to make sure I buy something.
In some respects, I agree this is an overreaction, but the truth is I have always felt very strongly that a book should not be judged by it's cover. I've certainly experienced a lot of prejudice in my life growing up, and I always find the prevalence of narrow-mindedness within society as a step backwards from cultural enlightenment. I happen to think New Zealand is a pretty good place to live, and that we have it pretty lucky compared to a lot of other countries. I therefore don't support or appreciate behaviours within society that in my view represents a backwards step
"There is no way to Peace -Peace is the Way" (A. J. Muste)
CYaBro: Quidam, do you get aksed every time you go into JB or was this the first time? If it was the first time why are you so upset? It was just an unlucky chance that the guard picked you this time to search your bag. Now, if they were asking to search your bag every time you have been to JB then I could see where you are coming from.
No, it was the first time, but then again most of the time I leave with a purchase, so I guess this could be considered added incentive to make sure I buy something.
In some respects, I agree this is an overreaction, but the truth is I have always felt very strongly that a book should not be judged by it's cover. I've certainly experienced a lot of prejudice in my life growing up, and I always find the prevalence of narrow-mindedness within society as a step backwards from cultural enlightenment. I happen to think New Zealand is a pretty good place to live, and that we have it pretty lucky compared to a lot of other countries. I therefore don't support or appreciate behaviours within society that in my view represents a backwards step
But, can you guarantee that your bag was searched because of a prejudice and not just because you were the 5th or 10th person through the door and you therefore got searched as part of a schedule? You need to be very careful because if you can not guarantee that, then the shoe is on the other foot.
I don't know you, or anything about you, but from what you have said here then the chances are the bag search was at least in part because of your appearance.
Quidam: you're just assuming you were searched based on how you looked, but the truth is you have no idea. Maybe they are instructed to do random searches, maybe it's every fifth customer, maybe it's a bag every several minutes, who knows?
Seriously, if something this trivial has caused you to no longer want to shop there, then that is pathetic. I highly doubt you'd be on here ranting about the same nonsense if the person in front of you was checked instead of you, so stop being so precious and get over it - bag searches are a fact of life.
IMO this kinda reminds me of the whole "It is because I am of African American descent" argument that I have seen used over in America to sue Police/Guards.
keewee01 and corksta are correct in their questions about search patterns.
I've been searched every time I've been to a JBhifi with a bag.
I find it uncomfortable and have avoided going there on a number of occasions when I was carrying my bag. I just don't like people looking at my stuff. But if I was going to buy something, I wouldn't let something so small and petty stop me from getting the best price (if that best price was in a JBhifi).
I hold no grudge against the store, security guard or their policy of searching bags. They didn't target me - I am searched in a my jeans and t-shirt and while in my suit. I clearly agreed to the policy by entering the store with a bag (its not hard to miss), and I understand that they are large stores which are normally packed with people. It must be very difficult to prevent CD's and DVD's from going walk abouts without bag searches.
Good on you for not going there any more. It is the only way you are going to avoid the bag searches (well, apart from not taking a bad in). But its not just you. You weren't singled out because of *inset whatever strange attribute you have*. Its everyone. And you are probably being a bit dramatic about the whole thing.
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