I agree also. Still I've been in stores where the sale person will follow you around and they will give you eye contact or approach you. That's not a problem. When a security person follows you and looks away when you make eye contact like you don't know he's following you, that can not be misconstrued.
- Thread starter RG84
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When looking Dominican goes wrong
I agree also. Still I've been in stores where the sale person will follow you around and they will give you eye contact or approach you. That's not a problem. When a security person follows you and looks away when you make eye contact like you don't know he's following you, that can not be misconstrued.
Happens to me all the time, shorts or pants, sunglasses, hat or not. Last night at Carrefour in SD buying a Grey Goose waiting in line to pay, I noticed a security guy to my left, one in front of the cashier line. They stated there making fake calls on the radio until I paid.
Maybe they thought I was going to make a break for it as I waited in line lol.
My 2 cents.......
Maybe they thought I was going to make a break for it as I waited in line lol.
My 2 cents.......
I have been in the Colonial zone in Santo Domingo, most big stores in Santiago and Puertoplata... and local here in Luperon.
Maybe I was profiled!
Honestly I do not recollect being followed.
Ochoa the paint girls are quick to approach me... I am a frequent paint buyer.
There are a lot of employees on the floors of all stores ; small and large shops..... the work is good and I can only assume they get commissions for sales.
Now I shall get a bit of good paranoia to check if I am being followed.
I think shop lifting is a given in a poor country ... even developing countries.
Russell
Maybe I was profiled!
Honestly I do not recollect being followed.
Ochoa the paint girls are quick to approach me... I am a frequent paint buyer.
There are a lot of employees on the floors of all stores ; small and large shops..... the work is good and I can only assume they get commissions for sales.
Now I shall get a bit of good paranoia to check if I am being followed.
I think shop lifting is a given in a poor country ... even developing countries.
Russell
I always had the impression shoplifting is not so much a problem here as for example in Europe. In Europe I have seen people caught many times, or seen people behaving suspiciously and then put something in their pocket. Here I haven't seen anyone stealing in a store. Maybe because of the security present?
Myself I was stopped recently at the door of a supermarket and they didn't want to let me go because I didn't have the invoice. Whole other story though, I had paid with my credit card, the crappy verifone reinitiated when I took the plastic pencil to sign on the screen. When it came back on after about 3 minutes, it didn't acknowledge my payment. I took out my phone and showed on my email that my card was charged (good for Banco Popular to send consumption notifications right on the spot). The cashier said I was correct but that I had to talk to customer service.
This I did, but they wanted again my card, and follow some procedure. I was in a hurry and said: Im not giving my card, I paid, I showed you and that your systems aren't working well and you have half broken verifones in this store is not my fault. I'm leaving. They said: no way. I took my bags and left. At the door a security guy stopped me, show me your invoice. I told him what had happened (what he knew of course because that's why he stopped me. I said: I'm leaving. He called another security guy. Two security guys stopping the skinny gringo on the exit of the store. I wonder what people thought. The lady that had been behind me at the cash register passed by and told them: he is right, he paid.
End of story: they started becoming physical, so I got angry, said: no me toques. Me voy, adios, and went to my car. I vowed not to come back at that store.
Yeah I know I could have just cooperated and go through the process of probably manually charging my card and having it on file in case the payment didn't come through, but sometimes I'm fed up with this stuff and act like an idiot.
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I am white and this happens quite often. Certain stores make their employees follow customers around, I have yet to figure out if this is designed for sales or for security, or both.
yeah, in Playero they always watch me, 51 year old white lady, they’re very obvious about it, at least there’s always someone handy to ask where something is
Good point. I like to put my purse in the seat of the cart, but I always snap the seat belt through the handle so it can’t be grabbed. (These days I use crossbody bags, so don’t take it off). One trip to La Sirena in San Cristobal, I notice this employee shadowing us. I gave him a puzzled look, and he came over to speak to Mr AE (not me), to tell him he was worried about my purse because it was dangerous and someone could easily steal it. I showed him that it was locked to the cart, he smiled, nodded, and left us. Apparently, sometimes it IS for our benefit.
Visualizing a situation whereas a miscreant attempts to steal that purse and run while it is fastened to the cart is quite humorous.
Not when they're standing at distance and making 0 attempt to communicate with you. Security and staff also dress very differently.
So I went to Ochoa and LaSarina in Santiago today ; after a stop at Scotiabank..where the armed guard watched over me u til I exited the building ''Kudos for him''.
I deliberately looked for watchers and saw none.I traveled all over the stored and no one followed me. At the paint department in Ochoa i was approached by a service person and he was helpful to help us get our paint.
I even tried the paranoia thing... but couldn't get it to work.
Everyone was friendly and quite professional .
And yes I wore sporty T shirts and short cargo pants ; I am 75 years young. Still nobody followed me.
Guess it just wasn't my day,huh!
That does not mean profiling in RD shops does not happen;
Can't confirm nmbers but Canada looses something like 2.5 Billion $ to shoplifters annually.
Russell
Has it ever dawned on you that there are both sales people and security spotters? I've been in places like Plaza Lama, Ocha, and Pricemart and, yes, those people are sales people probably working on commission and they almost always ask me if I need help. The same goes for small little "tiendas de ropa". They're there to help me - not to watch if I'm going to try to steal a pair of jeans. I'm referring to "spotters" that you mainly see in supermarkets.