Stealing at Stop and Shop? (coupons, home, live)

[skilldeadly]

So recently my GF and I were turned on to Stop and Shop since their prices are much better then Key Foods. I like that parking is free and it's a large store that has wide aisles.

We were taught how to use the pricing gun thing they have in the front. We were also told we could get the Stop and Shop app for iPhone and scan things in ourselves then just checkout with it at a self checkout.

My thing is, what stops people from stealing (besides conscious)? I could just take the scanner, scan half the stuff in my cart, bag it myself, and leave without ever being questioned. I do like the ability to scan as I go because I don't have to worry about lines and checking out is easy, but I can't see how this benefits Stop and Shop. I know I almost forgot many times to scan items. That seems like a bit of a big loss!

Do they verify it some other way? Am I missing something here?

[Henna]

Maybe even with the increased loss from theft, the stores are still saving money from not having to hire employees to work as cashiers.

[skilldeadly]

Originally Posted by Henna

Maybe even with the increased loss from theft, the stores are still saving money from not having to hire employees to work as cashiers.

True, but they also have to pay for those fancy scanners. I know the investment isnt made in the carts. 5 carts all without seats for a child. Ugh.

[likeminas]

What app are you talking about?
I go to stop & shop all the time, and I'm not aware of it. I know of their peapod app, but that's mainly for home delivery.

What you're talking about seems no different than self-check out.
And at those stations you have to place your items on some sort of scale. Given the fact that most (if not all) products have a weight, maybe there's a computer process that detects extra weight when an item is not scanned. In turn that sends a silent signal to security or the floor manager.
That's my guess, but I'm not sure this is how it actually works.

[bellakin123]

Originally Posted by likeminas

What app are you talking about?
I go to stop & shop all the time, and I'm not aware of it. I know of their peapod app, but that's mainly for home delivery.

What you're talking about seems no different than self-check out.
And at those stations you have to place your items on some sort of scale. Given the fact that most (if not all) products have a weight, maybe there's a computer process that detects extra weight when an item is not scanned. In turn that sends a silent signal to security or the floor manager.
That's my guess, but I'm not sure this is how it actually works.

They are coming out with an app that you can use your phone to scan groceries rather than using the store hand held scanner. The phone app works the same as the hand held scanner. You walk around the store, scan your item and place it in the bag. The self-check out never seems to work effectively when we go. The scanners are slow and it doesn't always recognize the item on the belt. But when you place your item on the belt, it knows you scanned it. You can't bypass the scanner and place something on the conveyer belt. The self check out registers always have employees so I imagine that they can tell from your total and looking at your bags if you scanned everything while walking through the aisles. If you didn't scan the $25 steaks, I doubt they'll be able to figure that out. But I believe the hand held scanners are monitored from the office. There has to be some monitoring otherwise they'd go broke. Yet at the same time, what's stopping someone from scanning an $8 london broil but putting the $25 porterhouse in the bag?

[likeminas]

Originally Posted by bellakin123

They are coming out with an app that you can use your phone to scan groceries rather than using the store hand held scanner. The phone app works the same as the hand held scanner. You walk around the store, scan your item and place it in the bag. The self-check out never seems to work effectively when we go. The scanners are slow and it doesn't always recognize the item on the belt. But when you place your item on the belt, it knows you scanned it. You can't bypass the scanner and place something on the conveyer belt. The self check out registers always have employees so I imagine that they can tell from your total and looking at your bags if you scanned everything while walking through the aisles. If you didn't scan the $25 steaks, I doubt they'll be able to figure that out. But I believe the hand held scanners are monitored from the office. There has to be some monitoring otherwise they'd go broke. Yet at the same time, what's stopping someone from scanning an $8 london broil but putting the $25 porterhouse in the bag?

That's cool.

I wish they integrated the coupons into it. I always lose those things.
It's nice that you could save your loyalty card, coz I always leave it at home.


I guess we're still gonna have to weight our produce though.
But that's ok this still should save us some time.

[skilldeadly]

The App is already out. I have it on my phone now. And I'm pretty sure when we did the scanner method, all we had to do was say we completed our shopping, it had me swipe my card to sign, then I started bagging at the end of the checkout area. I don't believe I put the items on the belt since all my items were already scanned in.

When we were there, I didn't see any employees and if they don't know what you scanned and what you didn't, how would they try and call you on it. I would figure someone would have checked our receipt to what we had on the way out. But nope. Maybe they are supposed to do it, but never have people there to help.

[bellakin123]

Originally Posted by skilldeadly

The App is already out. I have it on my phone now. And I'm pretty sure when we did the scanner method, all we had to do was say we completed our shopping, it had me swipe my card to sign, then I started bagging at the end of the checkout area. I don't believe I put the items on the belt since all my items were already scanned in.

When we were there, I didn't see any employees and if they don't know what you scanned and what you didn't, how would they try and call you on it. I would figure someone would have checked our receipt to what we had on the way out. But nope. Maybe they are supposed to do it, but never have people there to help.

I see people bag the items as they're shopping so all they do is download the scanner into the register, pay and leave. They always have 1 or 2 employees at the self check out where I go because the scanner always seems to have problems or people can't find the code for their bananas lol. But that's what I mean, if I pull up to the register with 15 full bags of groceries and my total is like $50, I would think they would figure out that I didn't scan everything.

[bellakin123]

Originally Posted by likeminas

That's cool.

I wish they integrated the coupons into it. I always lose those things.
It's nice that you could save your loyalty card, coz I always leave it at home.


I guess we're still gonna have to weight our produce though.
But that's ok this still should save us some time.

I see people in the produce section weigh their stuff and punch in the amount on the hand held scanner. But again, who knows if what I'm weighing is accurate? Seems like too much leg work for me to do everything and not get an extra discount lol. Sometimes people look confused with the scanner and sometimes scan an item 2 or 3 times because it doesn't go through.

[skilldeadly]

Originally Posted by bellakin123

I see people bag the items as they're shopping so all they do is download the scanner into the register, pay and leave. They always have 1 or 2 employees at the self check out where I go because the scanner always seems to have problems or people can't find the code for their bananas lol. But that's what I mean, if I pull up to the register with 15 full bags of groceries and my total is like $50, I would think they would figure out that I didn't scan everything.

Oh I know. You can't make a cartful look like 5 dollars but you can still get much better stuff for far cheaper. Scan all the cheap store brands but take the more expensive name brand. Scan a cheap steak and take a really nice one. I'm assuming if you continue to do it, people catch on and bust you, but if your doing it here and there you are taking a lot of money. I wouldn't do it because 1. I would feel badly about doing it 2. I'm the one that would get caught.

The girl even suggested bringing your own bags so you can stock while you go then check out quickly.