I quit a job at Borders after 3 days because they searched you every day before you left the store.

[Mojambo]

It was really fucking insulting.

At the end of your shift or before you went to lunch or left the store for any reason you would have to call for a manager and let them search your bag. Then you could only leave through a specified door under a manager's supervision.

Decent job, good pay, good people, but I just couldn't tolerate the overbearing security policies.

Anyone else ever work for Borders?

[La Lioness Priyanka]

1. my gf did.

[crim son]

44. Damn.

I'd be insulted, unless somebody could show me some statistics proving that the search was reasonable & necessary. Then, I'd endure it because I am unemployed and any job is a good job. :D

[huskerlaw]

2. You should have just called the cops.

[Rabrrrrrr]

3. Actually, I haven't been in a Borders in a long time, and I was never searched.

Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience - that is pretty shitty of them. I used to be a grocery clerk and would often have thousands of dollars in my drawer. Much easier to walk off with than a fucking book, and we were never searched.

I can see them wanting to reduce theft, but for fuck's sake, they should wait until they suspect you're stealing, and not just automatically assume you are criminals. I thought Walgreens and WalMart were the only stores that assumed their employees were de facto thieves and other scum.

[PassingFair]

17. Maybe you don't have "shifty eyes" like Mojambo does....

:evilgrin:

[Mojambo]

19. Oh, I'm a nervous wreck!

I'm the most guilty looking person who has ever lived.

[SeattleGirl]

4. That was policy when I worked at the Bon (now Macy's), and

this was over 25 years ago.

[AlCzervik]

6. that was also the policy when i worked at Filene's now Macy's, i didn't even work in the actual

sales floor, i was in accounting.

[SeattleGirl]

13. And I worked in the office for the Manager, Controller, and HR Manager.

However, I did have access to the merchandise, because I was often on the sales floor, and I would occasionally help out in shipping and receiving.

People, sadly, DO steal things.

[Joe Fields]

5. Good god, you're kidding!! Right? They do that at gold mines, and

last time I looked, Borders wasn't operating a mining operation. I applaud you for quitting. I am sure I would have lasted one shift, and promptly told them a few very impolite things.

[Mojambo]

10. I knew I was going to quit on my second day

When I tried to exit via the upstairs door and the manager read me the riot act.

I didn't even have a bag.

"Employees MUST exit downstairs under supervision."

I don't know how I managed to not tell her to go fuck herself.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

16. Books ARE gold.

Not that I disagree with you- I don't. I'm just sayin'. :evilgrin:

[BreweryYardRat]

7. Wow. I'm glad they turned down my app.

Thanks for letting me know. Is this company-wide policy (I'm assuming yes), or did you just have asshole managers?

[Mojambo]

8. That's kinda what I'm trying to find out.

I suspect it is company wide.

The policy seemed quite refined.

[LostinVA]

9. No big deal, lots of companies do this

And, having worked as a retail manager, I'll even say they should. Employee theft is mind boggling. Where I was a manager we didn't search either employees or their lockers, but I fired people constantly for stealing product and money. We did have to put in a policy that at least two people had to throw garbage away because of theft scams. When I was a buyer for Virgin, we had to go in and out of the back door even if we weren't working (were just in the store),couldn't bring in anything they sold (no cds, books, etc.), and were both scanned with a wand and searched every night.Even with this, they fired, on average, one persona week trying to sneak out stuff, and had, on average, one employee a month arrested. Virgin was a GREAT company to work for, btw.

It's crazy. It sucks, but I totally understand companies doing this.

[Mojambo]

11. Not to me they won't.

There are plenty of smaller places who actually trust people.

Luckily I found one.

[LostinVA]

12. It's usually the smaller places that get screwed the most by employees, ime

I fired a guy for stealing approximately $7,000 worth of books over a nine-month period -- he was stupid enough to leave a paper trail I followed. He went to work for a local music place. I heard through employees he was ripping them off -- they made him the MANAGER. Next thing you know, he's in the paper in the police news.

Borders is a good retail company, with good benefits, and ALOT of great store managers. Too bad you left them.

[Mojambo]

14. It wasn't for me.

I generally don't like the big companies anyway.

I don't have the benefits that I'd like, but at least I don't feel that my employer treats me like the enemy. And that's how I felt at Borders.

[jimnasium]

57. That's a damn shame

That decent working people have to be treated like criminals - all on account of a couple of assholes.

I gotta agree... I couldn't work for a company with that kind of policy.

[LynneSin]

18. They did the same thing at Victoria Secrets

Yes, I worked at Victoria Secrets parttime for about 3 years.

It was just a quick glance in your purse and bags - not like it was a fucking receipt or something

:hide:

[Redneck Socialist]

42. LOL!

good one.

[Blue Diadem]

30. I can understand it too.

What I wonder is why don't retail establishments prosecute the employees instead of just firing them, especially when the theft is large or has been going on for a period of time.

[LostinVA]

35. I agree

We always wanted to, but Corprate never let us. It was frustrating.

[Liberal_in_LA]

45. Worked at a target years ago. Employees on first day would stick cameras in their socks.

People go nuts when they see 'stuff". They seems compelled to take the stuff. My co-workers stole like crazy.

[LostinVA]

55. We'd get stockroom employees taping CDs to their legs at Virgin

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

59. I used to work at a friggin' nuclear site...

As in bombs and warheads. They didn't search us as we left.

[dropkickpa]

60. Is that a nuclear warhead

you stuck down your pants or are you just happy to me?

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

62. I USED to work there...

That's all me, baby!

[dropkickpa]

63. Oooooooooooooo-

Yeah!!!!

[SacredCow]

54. Wow....

Seems kind of over the top to me, but I haven't worked in retail for over 15 years (and don't miss it one bit).

[LostinVA]

56. This was about ten years ago

I'm also out of retail now, thankfully. My fiancee is an ex-retail manager and a stock guy at that place was once caught putting product into garbage bags, taking it to the dumpster, and coming back at night to pick up "the goods" out of the dumpster.

It's crazy.

[Deja Q]

15. Some of their employees treat (ex) long-term customers like that too.

[BlueIris]

24. Woah. Seriously?

[Oeditpus Rex]

20. Who searched the managers? (n/t)

[Connonym]

22. good question

I'd hazard a guess that more is stolen at that level than by regular employees. I worked for the post office and even when they had deduced that someone in my department was stealing credit cards even they (and they're pretty Draconian) never searched anyone unless they witnessed them stealing. It's really not a very good morale booster to have your employer basically accuse you each and every day of stealing. It's another one of those things where we are allowing all our human dignity to be stripped away one little bit at a time.

[LostinVA]

36. Having worked book retail, I'd say that's not true

At least in my experience.

[Redneck Socialist]

41. Another manager or supervisor I'd imagine. n/t

[WindRavenX]

21. wow. That's really sad to read...I thought they'd be better than that.

NT

[Sequoia]

23. Why would anyone steal their books, don't you get discounts?

Don't these books have magnetic alarms anyway?

[MorningGlow]

67. The alarms where I worked were turned off--too annoying

When I worked at Borders, the alarms at the doors were on for approximately five days after they were installed; after the umpteenth time someone carrying a book strayed too close to the front doors (just walking past, not trying to run out) and management got tired of flying out of the back room every five minutes (only management was allowed to "pursue"), they turned the alarms off. :shrug:

To my recollection, employees not only get a discount and get the pick of the remainders while they're still in the back room, but they also could borrow books to read and return them as long they didn't get trashed.

[Sequoia]

68. Sign me up !!!

[MorningGlow]

69. No no, don't do it!

The abuse (crazed public, Napoleon-complex assistant managers) and the negligible salary more than outweighed the perks!

[Sequoia]

70. Okay......I'll keep my day job. There's always the library for free books!

[Beaverhausen]

25. When I worked retail they did that to me, too.

Unfortunately, employee theft is a very big problem.

I also always got the stink eye from our security people. They are trained not to trust anyone.

[Burma Jones]

26. I don't even get that treatment when I leave the Pentagon.......

[S n o w b a l l]

27. Another reason to patronize your mom & pop shops...

I owned a small retail shop for 5 yrs and I'd NEVER subject my employees to that. Of course, I was run out of business by the big retailers and probably got stolen blind, but it was against my nature to treat anyone as a potential thief. Guess I'd make a horrible corporate CEO.

[RetroLounge]

39. Exactly!

:hi:

I only frisk you if you ask nicely...

:D

RL

[stuntcat]

28. they sold out/slip downhill :(

I used to work at a lot of different Borders- 2 stores in VA, 1 in NC, 1 in GA and the one that was under the World Trade center. It used to be different at the stores, we got to merchandise (well decorate..) our own sections and we had lots of books and magazines other places didn't have. But now it seems just like any other chain, and the stores look and operate different. It's still my favorite but I get books from Alibris.com now so I never go there anyway until Christmas. The last time I went to the one in my neighborhood (where I worked 13 years ago but it's like a different place now) I asked for help at the info desk and the person who helped me started suggesting best-sellers I might be looking for- like they're taught now to push the best-sellers on customers they don't know? :puke:

But I can't ever turn on Borders totally. And my husband worked there even longer than I did, so we'll always feel faithful or whatever to it.. like it's hard to let go? :cry:

[Blue Diadem]

29. Your post just reminded me of the pervert that used to search our bags

Some 25 yrs ago, at a major dept. store, anything we purchased was supposed to be checked at a counter at the employee exit door and we received a claim ticket to pick it up after work.

However, if we were just buying something on break instead of our lunch hour, we didn't have the time to run to the other side of the store to check it. Sooo..every night this creepy dude would stand there at the time clock door, we'd hand him our bags, he'd slowly pull out the item/s, look it over, match the stock number with the number on the receipt, drop it in the bag, then give it back. We learned quickly not to purchase anything private and we attempted to inform all new people about him. I can still see him stringing out this girl's bra way up in the air, oogling it while drooling and then holding up the undies she'd purchased.

[alphafemale]

31. Some people that work diamond mines in Africa are cavity searched everyday.

Can you imagine?

Yeah.

I resent all places that presume I'm a thief.

You're not getting my money.

If I was an employee they wouldn't get my time.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

32. Michael Moore had a segment about unionizing a Borders store

in one of his movies, I think it was "THE BIG ONE".

[mitchum]

33. Finding that out makes me feel even better about all of the shoplifting I have done there

[RetroLounge]

34. My employee steals books all the time...

He's a shifty little fucker too...

Never trusted him.

:D

RL

[LostinVA]

37. I've heard about that freeper

[RetroLounge]

38. Yeah, he's a sicko too...

never turn your back on him.

:9

RL

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

47. And the goddam smoke breaks...

Jesus, why do you pay that guy when you could be having him arrested for loitering?!

[RetroLounge]

58. LOL!

he does seem to just stand about quite a bit...

Maybe he's "strategizing?"

:rofl:

RL

[Redneck Socialist]

40. Pretty much every major retailer does that. n/t

[Tektonik]

43. I work for Linens N Things

and the managers are 'supposed' to check everyone's bags whenever they leave the store, but they generally only do so when one is a new hire (or at least this is so at my LNT store). If I wanted to, I could easily steal hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise every single day, but my conscience would killllllll me.

My brother used to work at another LNT location in LA, and they fired a few people for thievery, one guy tried stashing thousands of dollars worth of shavers and such, but was caught in the act.

If I was a manager, I'd check everyone's bags.

[sniffa]

46. that's standard

when i worked at the harvard coop many moons ago, it was standard practice then.

[zanne]

48. I used to get searched when I worked at Burlington Coat....

We were not allowed to bring our purses to work. They gave us these ugly see-through mesh bags to put our stuff in, and they still searched us before we left the store.

[GirlinContempt]

49. Staples does/did that

[electron_blue]

50. Wow. I'd quit too. Good luck finding something better.

[SoCalDem]

51. After reading this whole thread, the solution is obvious

Clerks simply HAVE to start working nude..Stores could have a large "disrobing room" where everyone would strip down when they get to work.. Managers could lock up the stuff they came in with, and after a day's work, they re-enter to room , get dressed and head for home.. simple:)

[Rob H.]

52. That sucks--I worked retail and never went through that

Pretty insulting, though, that they seem to just automatically assume that their employees, deep down, are thieves.

[JTG of the PRB]

53. They have a similar policy at Bed Bath and Beyond where i just started my new job.

There were a couple of times during my orientation I had to hold in a couple of snarky comments about Big brother watching us. That's the way it seemed sometimes. the people are great though, so I'll just have to stay quiet at work and gripe to you guys.

[krispos42]

61. After reading this thread....

...it makes me very happy I work in manufacturing.

Biggest thing I steal is company pens, mostly because when I unload my work pants for washing I'll forget to put the pen back. So I have to get a new pen. Rinse, repeat.

At some point I hit a critical mass at home, when I have enough pens floating around I stop forgetting to grab one.


And ear plugs. I grab a pair when I go shooting. I'm up to three pairs for the year.



I COULD be walking out with thousands of dollars of stuff... hand tools, mostly, but last year two ex-employees stole a multi-thousand-dollar plasma cutter.

Hell, we actually lock up the stainless-steel chips in the recyling dumpster our back because you can get 70¢ a pound for them. Leftovers from the machining and sawing processes, coated in cutting coolant and oil. And people used to steal them.

[Chovexani]

64. I worked there for a week

And then it was blown up by terrorists.

No, really. I worked at the Borders in the WTC and called in sick on 9/11. I always tell people that I'm proof slacking off work can save your life. :D

[redqueen]

65. Be grateful you can afford to quit a job.

Some can't.

[MorningGlow]

66. No way! My, how times have changed

I worked for Borders AGES ago (nearly 15 years ago, which is ages in retail, no?) and even in the dark days after the Borders brothers sold it to Kmart, it was never that bad. 'Course, once the low-rent Kmart nazis took over and started treating the workers like chattel--yes, just like most other retail establishments, but it was a slap in the face after being so highly regarded previously--some employees figured it was their "right" to suppelement their meager income with some of the inventory. Even then, when management suspected there were some light-fingered folks in our midst, they never searched our bags. Yikes.